Radrunner 3 Plus – SUV Among E-Bikes

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I’ve always thought of e-bikes as a replacement for regular bikes – a way to cheat gravity on hills and Mother Nature on windy days. But my opinion has changed with the introduction of Rad Power Bikes ‘ Radrunner 3 Plus – this cargo bike is versatile enough to replace your car .

The driving force behind (pun intended) RadRunner is that it is “ready for anything”. Taken apart, this is a commuter bike. Add a cart, it’s a suburban grocery store. Put on a dog carrier or a back passenger seat and you can split the ride. Add a trailer and you can even take it cross country. Asphalt roads are not a problem and you can drive on dirt and gravel roads. The RadRunner 3 is like an all-terrain e-bike—tough, tough, and ready to take on any challenge. Powerful, easy to use, incredibly customizable and a pleasure to ride, the RadRunner 3 plus is the best all-around ebike in its class.

Pros and cons of RadRunner 3 Pro

pros

  • Versatility : This bike is suitable for most uses and types of terrain.
  • High weight limit : It can carry 350 pounds.
  • Accessibility : The user-friendly design means even beginners will quickly get the hang of it.
  • Comfort: Thick tires, padded seat and front suspension provide a smooth ride.

Minuses

  • Style: It would be nice if it came in more than two colors.
  • Price : The $2,299 price tag is reasonable for what you get, but it’s still a hefty sum for many.

Characteristics:

  • Classification: Class 2
  • Motor: 750W, 5 gears
  • Range: up to 45 miles per charge
  • Weight Limit: Can carry up to 350 pounds
  • Assistant: 5-level cadence sensor with pedals and throttle
  • Battery: 672 Wh, 14 Ah
  • Display: 2 LED displays: speedometer, odometer, engine power, travel time, clock.
  • Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors.
  • Frame geometry: stepped frame
  • Lighting: LED brake light, tail light and headlight.

How does the RadRunner 3 Pro e-bike behave on the street?

I assembled and installed my RadRunner in one of the company’s retail stores. If there’s no space near you, it’s possible to assemble it yourself, but the company recommends you take it to a bike shop for assembly, and I totally agree – it’s harder than basic bike maintenance and not the kind of thing you should skimp on.

The RadRunner 3 Pro is a class 2 e-bike. This means it provides motor assist at speeds up to 20 mph and includes the ability to use the pedals or throttle to turn on the 750-watt rear hub motor for assistance. If you’re like me, you’ll be choosing gas most of the time.

If you’re used to riding traditional bikes, the RadRunner 3 might be a little intimidating on your first ride. It looks more like a moped than a bike. But when you swing through the frame and ride it, the fears disappear. The smaller wheels, low profile and wide handlebars are reassuring – you don’t feel like you’re balancing on anything.

The saddle is comfortable enough, but I’m used to the bike’s more forward geometry, so my butt wasn’t happy with the upright position. However, this is entirely up to the rider and I understand that most people don’t like being pulled over the top of the bike.

To test the bike, I started with the engine off and pedaled old-school style unaided. It works as a bike without an engine surprisingly well, but it’s heavy – over 75 pounds – so my unassisted experiment lasted about a block before I hit the “on” button. Full disclosure: I didn’t turn it off again.

The dual LCD display is easy to read and shows miles per hour, battery level, trip odometer and clock. They also show the level of assistance. I set mine to “1” and started pedaling.

Engine assist is controlled by cadence and takes about half a turn around the crank. There’s basically no learning curve to help. You just pedal and that helps. Pedal assist is smooth; there is no sudden, unsettling forward movement or torque vibration, even when you turn the assist to full power.

The thicker, softer wheels and the weight of the RadRunner mean it never feels like a light, sleek bike, but it’s surprisingly nimble on the streets and on the bike path, even when it tops out at 20 mph. It doesn’t feel clumsy or unresponsive, so even on the relatively narrow mixed-use path, you feel like you’re in control of your lane rather than a danger to others.

It’s nimble enough not to feel out of place on mixed-use bike trails, and didn’t complain when dragging my butt up significant 8-10% grade hills. I didn’t even help; I just turned on the gas and drove up, no problem. (Though I think the display read “I think I can, I think I can…”)

On the Mad Max-style streets of North Hollywood, the throttle is very handy, as you can focus entirely on avoiding getting hit by a car instead of pedaling. In fact, it’s such a sense of control that I wondered if I was overconfident as I raced through traffic on Lankershim Boulevard, but I’m happy to report no accidents after a few weeks of riding it.

The hydraulic disc brakes are very responsive and allow you to stop fairly quickly given how much weight is behind your speed, and the RadRunner 3 front fork suspension does a great job of smoothing out bumps without feeling overly soft on the ride.

The RadRunner 3 48V 14Ah battery is semi-integrated into the bike frame. It can be removed with a key, and it takes 5 to 7 hours to charge. A fully charged battery can last “up to 45 miles”, according to the manufacturer, but that number depends on what kind of assistance you’re using, how much weight you’re carrying, hills and other factors.

How does the RadRunner 3 Pro perform off-road?

Any e-bike can ride on a bike path or street. The real test for Radrunner 3 will be off-road driving. While I haven’t tried dual black single-track mountain bike trails, I’ve ridden it on sand, dirt roads, grass and gravel, going up and down, and it handles everything I throw with ease. .

Considering its size and weight, the agility of the RadRunner 3 is amazing. The straight seating position and wide (710mm) handlebars, combined with the bike’s relatively low center of gravity, make it feel confident even when the trail is bumpy and slippery.

Riding the RadRunner on a bumpy trail doesn’t feel dangerous, but it’s not the most comfortable ride – a heavy e-bike won’t be “flexible” like a full-suspension mountain bike – but it’s comfortable enough, thanks to the front suspension and under-inflated, wide tires to cushion the hard blows.

One of the key improvements over previous generations of RadRunners are the brakes. The RadRunner 3 is equipped with Tektro hydraulic brakes with 180mm diameter rotors and the engine shuts off immediately when braking. I tried to get them to slide by hitting both brakes many times on a sandy trail and they just bit in and stopped – impressive given the momentum.

The throttle control of the RadRunner 3 made me instantly switch to cross-country riding with a helper. You no longer have to “pay” for the pleasure of downhill with granny’s hard climbing uphill (or, worst of all, dragging your bike uphill). Just twist the throttle and get ready for a fast climb. The throttle-assisted torque kicks in instantly, so even steep hills on a dirt trail are effortless, and when deeper sand starts to feel slippery, you can kick in the throttle and race straight ahead.

Overall, riding the RadRunner off-road reminded me of riding a BMX bike as a kid, so much so that I had to remind myself not to try and do some wicked jumps or my old bones would crack on landing. In other words, it’s just a lot of fun, like the “grit in the teeth from smiling” pleasure level.

What accessories are available for the RadRunner 3 Pro?

One of the strengths of RadPower bikes in general is the number and variety of accessories available for them. This is a lot, but I rode my “naked”, and there was no feeling that he was missing something. However, here are a few options.

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