The Rad Power Bikes RadRunner Plus exists somewhere between a small cargo e-bike and a peppy commuter, and frankly, we’re in love with it. One of the most confidence inspiring affordable e-bikes on the market, with good power, good componentry and the backing of one of the most reputable e-bike brands. The tail light does glow somewhat, but it’s not very bright, and it goes out as soon as you stop moving. It’s using an internally geared rear hub with a straight chainline, well protected inside a plastic housing to keep it clean and to keep you clean. Fundamentally, this bike seems like a bunch of parts bolted and ziptied (yes… literally ziptied) onto an otherwise standard Schwinn city bike frame. Of course, as some of my regular readers might know, I bought one.
For those who don’t want to spend too much on an ebike, the Soltera.2 offers just about everything you could want, with few compromises. Payload capacity, it is a terrific option for the hunter or angler who wants to bring home dinner, and with a 768Wh battery, it has the range to go where the game is. Few bikes we have reviewed has exceeded their range estimates as impressively as the Aventon Pace 500.3 ST. They claim a range of roughly mi., but in our test we achieved 68 mi. With its combination of affordability and super-low standover height, this is one e-bike that is always easy to recommend. It ships as a Class 2 e-bike, but can be unlocked to achieve a Class 3 max speed of 28 mph.
Because of that, the Roadster is ideal for short commutes on mostly flat roads and paths. But, if you’re looking for a low-cost, durable e-bike, then it’s worth considering the Roadster. In the U.S., there are three classes defined by the type of assist and how fast the motor will propel you. Class 1 bikes have a motor (max 750w) that assists while you’re pedaling, up to 20 mph. Class 3, also known as “speed pedelec,” can also have up to only a 750w motor (aka 1 horsepower), but can assist you up to 28 mph.
In terms of pricing, this is not the cheapest e-bike you can buy. But it’s one of the least expensive ones you can buy from a bike company. Respectfully, most of the e-bikes you find online come from companies with alphabet-soup for names that may sell just as many portable batteries as they do e-bikes. If you’re using an e-bike to commute or run errands, or if it’s a particularly hot day, the throttle might be a better way to go.
The G4 family of GoCycles is the fourth iteration of the British fast folder. Not only does this bike have more carbon and a more integrated cockpit than its predecessor, GoCycle managed to double the torque produced by the front hub motor. Don’t let this bike’s small stature fool you; it’s remarkably quick schwinn mountain bicycles and climbs hills with the best of them. The new G4i+ also has predictive electric shifting and a set of very nice hydraulic disk brakes that are unbranded but bear a striking resemblance to a high-end Magura design. E-bikes with mid-drive motors like the Brose in the Prodigy are rare in this price range.
The 110mm-travel suspension fork improves control on bumpy terrain and the 7-speed Shimano drivetrain helps both uphill and down. Hydraulic disc brakes mongoose excursion offer terrific power even on steep downhills and Chaoyang 26 x 4-in. Tires provide the necessary cushion and traction for exploring the backcountry.
We found the Tailwind works largely as advertised, with a nice assist while riding around town and a battery with a high capacity that recharges quickly. On our test bike, the front brakes were too grabby, and we wondered why such an expensive bike wouldn’t have disc brakes. And the price of the Tailwind, above $3,000, puts it far beyond the realm of people who may just have a casual interest in an electric bike. The standout features are the integrated LED frame light, head, and taillights, plus fenders, a rear rack, and a storage saddle which isn’t included with any other electric Schwinn bike.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be riding around on a rattling tin can. These bikes cost less, but our testing and research show them to be very reliable for everyday commuting and riding. To make these reviews as helpful as possible, we focused on lower-priced options from brands like Aventon, Rad Power mongoose excursion Bikes, and others that you can purchase directly online. In addition to bikes for everyday riding, we included folding e-bikes and even a fat-tire e-bike. By modern terms, it’s a tiny system – only about 100WH (watt-hours) of capacity. Also, by some of it’s competition at the time, it was a tiny system.
Touring around towns, commuting, shopping, cruising the Boulevard. Sure, anyone could spend $5000 for a lightweight e-mountain bike and not worth about getting stuck on some rock or roots but most rarely ever go off-road even when buying that $5000 bike. I have one of the best mountain bikes ever built and it’s only been on trails two times.
Imagine you’re an 80 year old man. Get your pants hiked up to just below your sternum. Put on your best loafers, your town cruising hat, and carefully step onto this bike. If you look closely, you can see the metal bar sticking through the wheel. Also, the switchblade key is visible, inserted into the lock. An interesting feature I’ve not seen before is a wheel lock. The upper horseshoe-shaped thing is a keyed wheel lock that lets you run a metal bar through the spokes.