The RadWagon Electric Cargo Bike Is Back! New Design Features Improved Stability & More Torque

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Rad Power Bikes is launching a new and improved version of the much loved RadWagon e-bike that starts off with a switch from 26″ to 22″ rims and tires. These smaller diameter, wider tires bring the immediate benefit of a lower center of gravity to the bike, making it more stable when hauling heavier loads.

“We went back to the drawing board and looked at all the ways we could improve our beloved electric cargo bike, keeping our customers’ feedback and requests at the forefront of our minds the entire time,” said Mike Radenbaugh, Rad Power Bikes’ Founder and CEO. “The result is a next-level people and cargo hauler that’s essentially a brand new cargo bike. With a patent-pending frame design, custom tires, and more adjustability than ever before, the RadWagon 4 is the raddest car replacing bike we’ve ever created.”

More Stability

The lower ride height of the RadWagon brings the rear cargo deck down a few inches, making it easier for mini humans and cargo to be loaded and unloaded. In our hundreds of miles of testing of the previous generation RadWagon, my boys had no problem mounting and dismounting, but at 8 and 9, they were on the upper end of the hauling capacity of the bike. The lower rear deck is sure to be a blessing for folks with smaller kids and/or heavier loads.

Redesigning the RadWagon for improved stability was clearly one of the key objectives of the redesign as the company also beefed up the smaller tires as well. Rad Power Bikes’ engineers designed a never-before-seen 22″ x 3″ tire to give the RadWagon enough tire meat to support riders. The wider than typical width provides more surface area to spread bumps from below and weight from above out more evenly.

Optimized Design

The running boards that previously existed to support the feet of rear riders have been removed for a more streamlined profile of the entire bike. Rad Power Bikes is putting choice back into the hands of customers with an optional pair of foot pegs in the back, providing support for feet without the bulk or weight of the running boards. If you liked the running boards, they are also available as an option. It feels like a win as the default design slims down the profile and the weight of the RadWagon with minimal trade offs required.

To ensure support for riders with longer legs, the lower frame of the RadWagon 4 sports a double seat post that provides more travel with its nested post and a pair of quick releases. Customers can swap out the telescoping seat post with any aftermarket post with the same (34.9 mm) diameter.

Up front, the height of the handlebars can now be quickly adjusted thanks to a new easy-to-adjust stem. That alone is a huge step towards replacing a car or two with a pair of RadWagons. The quick adjust stem lets a pair of adults share a single bike. A few seconds to adjust the seat and handlebar height and you’re off to the races.

In addition to these larger design changes, Rad Power Bikes is introducing a new line of accessories for the RadWagon 4 to pack even more functionality into the new, flexible design. A new caboose and a new deckhand make the rear deck more functional when hauling passengers around while the seat pads have been upgraded to a more robust, durable “deckpad” cushion for passengers to sit on. They even added a new accessory mounting points to the bike to give owners more flexibility for mounting Rad Power Bikes’ accessories in more places on the frame.

The RadWagon was already an impressive bike and the new RadWagon 4 is now even more capable to the point of being absurd with this latest refresh. You can load the kids on the back, put the groceries up front, add panniers to the sides or ditch the kids and load it up with cargo. The powerful motor combined with the extensibility of the RadWagon makes it one of the best bargains in the world of electric bikes.

Improved Motor Torque

The new RadWagon is also getting a powertrain upgrade to another one of Rad Power Bikes’ favorite motors – the 750 watt Bafang geared hub motor it uses on a number of its other bikes. The geared Bafang motor is important as it brings twice the torque compared to the previous motor at 80 Nm and 5:1 planetary gear reduction.

Torque is critical for a cargo bike as it helps get the bike moving off the line when stopped at lights or stop signs. I found the throttle to be a key benefit on the RadWagon when riding around with my two boys on the back, as it helped overcome that much static weight. Adding more torque to the mix will give the motor a bit more push in critical situations like that.

Overall

The new and improved RadWagon 4 represents a step forward for Rad Power Bikes into a more streamlined, easier to ride, easier to mount, more capable electric cargo bike. The lower ride height will appeal to many riders for themselves and their passengers while the new streamlined frame brings a bit more elegance to the format. The new lower frame maintains its respectable 350-pound payload capacity for the same bang for your buck as the previous model.

The new RadWagon will start shipping to customers in September 2020 at a limited time price of $1,499 US, $1,999 CAD, and €1,499 EUR for all pre-orders. After that, the price will revert to its normal price of $1,599 USD (750W motor), $2,099 CAD (500W motor), and €1,599 EUR (250W motor). The different motors are required to conform to local regulations in the US, Canada, and the EU, respectively.

Rad Power Bikes is really stepping up the lure of the launch edition for the RadWagon with a special limited edition Black colorway with hyper reflective decals. It will also be available in the more traditional Rad Orange and Pearl White moving forward, but dang, that Black with reflective decals looks hot!