Rad Power’s RadWagon 4: A great e-bike at a surprisingly low price

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  Author and daughter, enjoying a leisurely afternoon ride on the RadWagon 4. [credit: Jim Salter ]

Rad Power RadWagon 4

$1899 at Rad Power Bikes

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The Salter household is very much a bicycling household, so when Rad Power offered me a review unit of one of its 2021 model e-bikes, I eagerly accepted. Rad offers a wide selection of models with a few important common features; all of them are powered aluminum-chassis e-bikes that retail for less than $2,000.

I tried the $1,899 RadWagon 4—a large, aggressively utilitarian, and very configurable cargo bike aimed at folks who need to haul passengers or groceries. After spending three full months with the RadWagon and putting several hundred miles on it, I'm happy to recommend it as an outstanding e-bike at a low price.

Drivetrain and integrated electronics

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  This is RadWagon 4's 750W geared hub motor, direct-mounted to the rear wheel and protected behind clear Plexiglass splash-guards on both sides. [credit: Jim Salter ]

The RadWagon 4 uses a standard chain-drive mechanism offering seven speeds on one ring. The gears only work with muscle-driven power—the RadWagon's electric motor spins the rear wheel directly, independent of the gearing. The motor can be engaged by both a standard power assist with selectable aggressiveness, or by an auxiliary throttle grip on the right handlebar—neither method is exclusive, which turns out to be a great feature on a big cargo bike.

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