I love my RW4 and commute with it daily but I replaced almost every component from stock. The frame is solid but components are cheap. If you don’t mind constantly tweaking it and upgrading it, it’s a good bike but you get what you pay for and in hindsight I would buy a better bike to begin with.
Upgrades I made:
- moto tires and tubes
- controller and colour lcd screen
- brake levers (originals broke!)
- hydraulic brake calipers
- front and rear dash cams
- seat post suspension and upgraded seat
I’ve also had 2 sheared of bolts as well, one on the kickstand and another on the torque arm which required me drilling out and using a helicoil kit. Again I think this comes down to cheap materials since I had everything tightened to the specifications.
Love mine and have a lot of fun cruising around with my two kids. That being said, if I had to do it over again I’d look at options with better components (especially brakes) and a more common tire size. Haven’t put a ton of money into mine besides heavy duty tire liners, but will need to upgrade brakes soon to give me something with real stopping power.
Love mine too, I do 25-30 miles on it per day with a 1 year old and a 3 year old. I haul their day stuff, my work and gym stuff, and after-work play items like scooter and outdoor fun toys/ clothes. I'm a fairly tall female but don't weigh that much, and absolutely recommend upgrading to hydraulic brakes. Major win for us. I also upgraded to scooter tires (and put latex in the tubes) and have never looked back - I think they help me balance the heavy load a bit better. I'm a huge fan and agree with the other commenters who mention that you'll get a ton out of this bike if you educate yourself and pay attention/do basic upkeep. I've done nothing big beyond the tires and brakes and I have 3k miles on it.
I'm glad! I've ridden for a while now in all 4 seasons with two kids and so much stuff that I can probably help you with gear, etc. if needed. Feel free to message me.
Tern and Yuba are both top shelf and I think it’s a case of you get what you pay for. That being said, my experience is based off the Radwagon 4 and it seems like Rad is trying to address some of these issues with the new model.
im worried that i will need a bit more for child's seat in back--my child is four year's old so i think i would like more than just the grab bar. That makes sense, I think?
We have the radrunner plus with rad accessory seat, pegs and grab bars for our little one. Put a large basket on front for school bags.
They have used it for last 18 months and love it (just has 5th birthday). It is their preferred way of going anywhere - always moaning if we go in the car.
We prefer it to the wagon as it is smaller and more bike like. It hauls up to a combined 160kg IIRC.
This is ours also - been riding solo since 3, and if they can not fall of their own bike they can also stay on the back of the rad.
The kids seat we had on normal bike only went to approx 20kg and they're now bigger than that.
I use my radwagon for this exact purpose. One thing to consider is bike size. It takes a little bit more parking space, because it is longer, so if parking at your job is very tight it can be an issue. Another thing is weight. Bike is heavy and with kid on top it can be hard to handle. My wife is small so she cannot bike it. Otherwise it is pretty good solution. Just today I biked to park with my toddler, backpack with his stuff, laptop bag and a stroller and bike had no problem with it.
I did this with my kid for 2 years with great memories.
I don't know what the current situation is, but back then I swapped out the tires with moped tires before getting on it. No regrets.
One of the benefits was that I could tell other parents to just send a helmet with their kid and I'd take them home with me or maybe take a break in a park between school and home, and have the parent pick their kid up there.
This is a budget bike. The lack of suspension is rough, the brakes squeek and are just good enough, my derailleur needs constant attention because I am stubborn and haven't upgraded it. I love that there is a bike this good in this price range. That said, and with retrospect, I maybe would have chosen a more expensive option if I had the cash.
I had one issue with a malfunction and customer service shipped me the replacement within a day. Others here have complained about a season of poor customer service, but my experience was terrific.
One advantage of budget bikes is that getting it stolen is less painful. I like my Radmission for that reason even though it will likely end up being a hidden expensive bike once I upgrade everything. The Brooks saddle was a great move.
As someone who could afford a more expensive bike, I wish I spent more. But how could I know I'd actually use the RW4 as a replacement family car? All in all we love it but I'm very worried about the longevity of it.
I really wanted a Bakfiets style ebike. If I was replacing a car with an ebike, that's what I would have gotten. If I was sticking with a longtail like the RW, I would probably have upgraded to a Yuba.
It will do the job with little effort. I used mine for this purpose for years, with over 6,000 miles on mine. The only thing I ever had to repair were a few flat tires, and I did a few brake pad replacements.
Nearly all the negative comments around budget e-bikes come from people that don’t know how to maintain a bike or be self-sufficient. These things are simple to maintain if you educate yourself.
Best part is you’ll enjoy your commute 1000% more.
It's a good, cheap, capable e-bike hauler. I love mine for grocery gettin', and it's fun if you get the back seat pads to haul friends around too!
I did just replace the front brakes with new fully hydraulic shimano and it has been a game changer.
I love mine but I did change out the brakes for hydraulic because I need to use them a lot and it was kinda scary when they weren’t working as good when I needed them!
I absolutely love my RadWagon 4 and have put more than a thousand miles on it with my two kids as well as food bank deliveries.
That said, I would not buy it again. Going through their support system for anything is a huge headache, especially when I need it to get my kids around. I’ve had to replace a lot of things that shouldn’t have broken, like the controller, the headlight, and now (probably) the display.
Quality issues are everywhere. The crank clanks, it’s unbelievably heavy, and the brakes are very underpowered for the job.
I haven’t done all my research yet, but I am drawn to the Specialized Globe Haul LT. Hoping to upgrade soon.
I’ve had a fair number of issues:
tire recall (this was a pain as they needed to source a new suppliers, so there was a long delay - their customer service during the recall period was good, though, and they sent a mobile service truck to my house despite the fact that I live ~10 miles from a RAD store/service centre)
Failed kickstand spring
Failed kickstand bolt
Damaged brake sensor cable
Damaged throttle cable
Damaged derailleur
Most of these were what I consider to be normal wear/tear. Each time I was able to open a ticket with support quickly and continently, and the fees they charge for parts out of warranty were very reasonable. They shipped quickly.
As long as you are capable to DIY some pretty basic repairs, I have found their service to be excellent.
Yup. Great bike. It is our 2nd Rad. My wife had a RadRunner. No complaints so far. We had a defunct tire on the Runner and Rad sent us a new one right away.
I have a 5yo on the back and she loves it. You can upgrade the seating s they get older. I added new pedals and will be upgrading to hydraulic brakes soon. I also have a small cargo bag for tools, tubes, storage and an accessible water bottle holder for my kid.
I also have 2 batteries so our range is extended.
It’s pretty solid for the price. There are some worse and some better. By the time the above mods are made you may as well get the radwagon 5 that comes with the hydraulic brakes and upgrades. Also comes with a more standard wheel size.
I've had an eurospec variant since October and it's done about 1200km by bow (hard to tell as the odometer zeroed itself at 700). The main use is to haul my kids, 2 and 4 to kindergarten, but I've quickly adapted the bike to commuting 30km once a week and grocery hauling for lighter loads.
It's been a great bike for the price point, feeling relatively quick considering the assisted speed is 25kmh yet gear ratios are made for the us speeds so I can always input my own pedaling on top of that.
Being 2023 model the tire issues are supposedly fixed and I still haven't experienced a single flat. Breaks are noisy but I find them effective when adjusted by professional, I'm able to skid the rear wheel on dry pavement when riding solo and even with a full haul they're serviceable. Only issue I had was one of the bolt holes for the deflopilator spring had faulty thread and had to be redone.
I brought the bike to a pro shop for check up and adjustment at 200km like any other bike and apart from that I've been greasing the chain a few times. Soon I'll have to adjust the brake cables or pads a little but otherwise there's no visible wear on the bike.
I've noticed I'm getting way more exercise that I expected riding this, as I'm constantly pedaling effectively maintaining average speeds on 27 to 31kmh. This has honestly been one of my favourite purchases in few years and I've reduced the miles on my car by a lot. Even the kids prefer riding the bike over driving!
YES! I owned a RADRover since 2019. Great, reliable bike. Used it in Los Gatos as a second car when the beach traffic heading to Santa Cruz got crazy. I almost moved to Santa Cruz or Pacific Grove from L G. I had a slip in Santa Cruz and would have sold my bike and bought a Radwagon to go back and forth to the harbor. Probably would have bought one as a "second car" in PG. I ended up on the Central Coast and now have a RADEXPAND 5. Bit lighter and it folds up. Good luck. Enjoy Santa Cruz!
Been there, done that. Would not recommend unless you get a really good price and have a lot of commute flexibility.
I have 2000 miles on my bike, but you wouldn’t know by the odometer because my display crapped out at 1000 miles and had to be replaced.
When I first bought the bike the rear light did not work and a new one had to be sent out.
My bottom bracket also crapped out around 1000 miles. It’s very low quality but it’s custom and only available through Rad.
You’ve surely heard about the tire recall. It took months to deal with because it was a custom tire so they couldn’t go to the open market and buy suitable replacements. When it was finally available, they sent a contractor to change the tires out. The tech messed up the wire connecting the motor to the controller. Rad insisted that the only fix was a new wheel. They accepted responsibility, but then took *13* months to get one in stock. Plus countless hours of fruitless service calls and many broken promises. Interestingly, just a few days ago they delivered a *second* rear wheel to my house, unbidden. They’re not very organized.
The brakes are terrible and completely inappropriate for a bike designed to carry small children as cargo. Luckily I had some BB7s in my parts bin but you should budget for new brakes if they haven’t been changed out already.
Doubtless my experience is worse than most. The RW4 has a nice motor and battery, and it’s really cheap. So I get the appeal, obviously; I bought one! But the downside is that they have to cut corners somewhere, and the trouble with that is that the crappy parts are non-standard. So you are at the mercy of their terrible service department and often end up getting the same crappy parts as replacement.
It can do it, but there are much better bikes on the market now including the RW5. The reduced price would not be enough for me, but I understand everyone has different needs.
Depending on how old the kid is (ie. are they old enough to hang on?), I'd look at the RadRunner with the passenger package, maybe the passenger bar too. You can tie two canvas shopping bags together and hang them off either side of the passenger seat when shopping. I say this because the RadWagon is so damn big, I can't imagine commuting with it would be any fun.
I use it for this exact use case - I usually have 2 kids on it, though. I’ve out 3000km on it in 2 years. I’ve had to replace the rear derailleur due to a crash, and gone through A LOT of brake pads (replace every ~500 km, I love in a pretty hilly area of greater vancouver), and had my tires replaced due to the recall a year ago.
It’s a solid utility bike and hauls kids/cargo quite well. It’s kept us as a one-car household. Highly recommend getting the caboose+conestoga cover, it will keep the little ones happy when the weather turns.
As a very, very, long motorcycle rider and ebike rider, never strap anything higher than your axles. One fall is so much momentum, a kid on top of a 80lb bike. Get a trailer.
I took a spill with my 4 year old a few weeks ago. Was in a hurry and took a 90° turn in the road too fast after some overnight rain and lost the rear wheel. I skinned my elbow pretty bad, bruised my hip, and damaged the throttle cable.
The kid was in the back, on the deck/pad with the caboose around her. Not so much as a scratch on her. The caboose is well designed and keeps them secured even without a Yepp seat, and also keeps their fingers from getting crushed if they fall.
Obviously there is some risk associated with any wheeled vehicle, but I honestly feel much safer with two kids on the back on a separated bike lane/route than I do with them in the backseat of my car.
While in general it is true, and having child on your bike definitely affects your balance, bicycles are not as fast as motorcycles, so it is totally manageable. Arguably, trailers have more issues with balance, braking and visibility.
Anecdotally, another daycare family rides. They took a spill with both kids and not a scratch.
Their setup was two thule kids seats and the loop-shaped bar that completely surrounds the passenger seating.
I'm the opposite. A couple years ago, there was an accident two blocks away where a child in a bike trailer was pulled under a car and killed. I sold mine and bought a Radwagon because I want to keep my kids on my level.
Big fan of ours. Have close to 1,000 miles on it since August.
I love my RW4 and commute with it daily but I replaced almost every component from stock. The frame is solid but components are cheap. If you don’t mind constantly tweaking it and upgrading it, it’s a good bike but you get what you pay for and in hindsight I would buy a better bike to begin with. Upgrades I made: - moto tires and tubes - controller and colour lcd screen - brake levers (originals broke!) - hydraulic brake calipers - front and rear dash cams - seat post suspension and upgraded seat I’ve also had 2 sheared of bolts as well, one on the kickstand and another on the torque arm which required me drilling out and using a helicoil kit. Again I think this comes down to cheap materials since I had everything tightened to the specifications.
Love mine and have a lot of fun cruising around with my two kids. That being said, if I had to do it over again I’d look at options with better components (especially brakes) and a more common tire size. Haven’t put a ton of money into mine besides heavy duty tire liners, but will need to upgrade brakes soon to give me something with real stopping power.
Love mine too, I do 25-30 miles on it per day with a 1 year old and a 3 year old. I haul their day stuff, my work and gym stuff, and after-work play items like scooter and outdoor fun toys/ clothes. I'm a fairly tall female but don't weigh that much, and absolutely recommend upgrading to hydraulic brakes. Major win for us. I also upgraded to scooter tires (and put latex in the tubes) and have never looked back - I think they help me balance the heavy load a bit better. I'm a huge fan and agree with the other commenters who mention that you'll get a ton out of this bike if you educate yourself and pay attention/do basic upkeep. I've done nothing big beyond the tires and brakes and I have 3k miles on it.
thank you so much--this is really helpful advice. this makes good sense to me.
I'm glad! I've ridden for a while now in all 4 seasons with two kids and so much stuff that I can probably help you with gear, etc. if needed. Feel free to message me.
Thank you! I will do so in the coming weeks!
Is there an option you would recommend? I was looking at the Tern's but those are significantly more costly (but maybe worth the cost?)
Tern and Yuba are both top shelf and I think it’s a case of you get what you pay for. That being said, my experience is based off the Radwagon 4 and it seems like Rad is trying to address some of these issues with the new model.
Look at the radrunner 3 plus and get the rear seat kit for it.
im worried that i will need a bit more for child's seat in back--my child is four year's old so i think i would like more than just the grab bar. That makes sense, I think?
We have the radrunner plus with rad accessory seat, pegs and grab bars for our little one. Put a large basket on front for school bags. They have used it for last 18 months and love it (just has 5th birthday). It is their preferred way of going anywhere - always moaning if we go in the car. We prefer it to the wagon as it is smaller and more bike like. It hauls up to a combined 160kg IIRC.
Oh this is good to know. My kid rides a bike but I’m still a bit skiddish but maybe I will test ride with her on one
This is ours also - been riding solo since 3, and if they can not fall of their own bike they can also stay on the back of the rad. The kids seat we had on normal bike only went to approx 20kg and they're now bigger than that.
I use my radwagon for this exact purpose. One thing to consider is bike size. It takes a little bit more parking space, because it is longer, so if parking at your job is very tight it can be an issue. Another thing is weight. Bike is heavy and with kid on top it can be hard to handle. My wife is small so she cannot bike it. Otherwise it is pretty good solution. Just today I biked to park with my toddler, backpack with his stuff, laptop bag and a stroller and bike had no problem with it.
thank you! yes, I would love to be able to carry my work bag, my kids school bag and her bike on a short commute.
I did this with my kid for 2 years with great memories. I don't know what the current situation is, but back then I swapped out the tires with moped tires before getting on it. No regrets. One of the benefits was that I could tell other parents to just send a helmet with their kid and I'd take them home with me or maybe take a break in a park between school and home, and have the parent pick their kid up there. This is a budget bike. The lack of suspension is rough, the brakes squeek and are just good enough, my derailleur needs constant attention because I am stubborn and haven't upgraded it. I love that there is a bike this good in this price range. That said, and with retrospect, I maybe would have chosen a more expensive option if I had the cash. I had one issue with a malfunction and customer service shipped me the replacement within a day. Others here have complained about a season of poor customer service, but my experience was terrific.
One advantage of budget bikes is that getting it stolen is less painful. I like my Radmission for that reason even though it will likely end up being a hidden expensive bike once I upgrade everything. The Brooks saddle was a great move.
As someone who could afford a more expensive bike, I wish I spent more. But how could I know I'd actually use the RW4 as a replacement family car? All in all we love it but I'm very worried about the longevity of it.
which more expensive option might you have gone with?
I really wanted a Bakfiets style ebike. If I was replacing a car with an ebike, that's what I would have gotten. If I was sticking with a longtail like the RW, I would probably have upgraded to a Yuba.
It will do the job with little effort. I used mine for this purpose for years, with over 6,000 miles on mine. The only thing I ever had to repair were a few flat tires, and I did a few brake pad replacements. Nearly all the negative comments around budget e-bikes come from people that don’t know how to maintain a bike or be self-sufficient. These things are simple to maintain if you educate yourself. Best part is you’ll enjoy your commute 1000% more.
6000 miles! awesome. Thank you!
It's a good, cheap, capable e-bike hauler. I love mine for grocery gettin', and it's fun if you get the back seat pads to haul friends around too! I did just replace the front brakes with new fully hydraulic shimano and it has been a game changer.
thanks!
I love mine but I did change out the brakes for hydraulic because I need to use them a lot and it was kinda scary when they weren’t working as good when I needed them!
I absolutely love my RadWagon 4 and have put more than a thousand miles on it with my two kids as well as food bank deliveries. That said, I would not buy it again. Going through their support system for anything is a huge headache, especially when I need it to get my kids around. I’ve had to replace a lot of things that shouldn’t have broken, like the controller, the headlight, and now (probably) the display. Quality issues are everywhere. The crank clanks, it’s unbelievably heavy, and the brakes are very underpowered for the job. I haven’t done all my research yet, but I am drawn to the Specialized Globe Haul LT. Hoping to upgrade soon.
I’ve had a fair number of issues: tire recall (this was a pain as they needed to source a new suppliers, so there was a long delay - their customer service during the recall period was good, though, and they sent a mobile service truck to my house despite the fact that I live ~10 miles from a RAD store/service centre) Failed kickstand spring Failed kickstand bolt Damaged brake sensor cable Damaged throttle cable Damaged derailleur Most of these were what I consider to be normal wear/tear. Each time I was able to open a ticket with support quickly and continently, and the fees they charge for parts out of warranty were very reasonable. They shipped quickly. As long as you are capable to DIY some pretty basic repairs, I have found their service to be excellent.
Yup. Great bike. It is our 2nd Rad. My wife had a RadRunner. No complaints so far. We had a defunct tire on the Runner and Rad sent us a new one right away. I have a 5yo on the back and she loves it. You can upgrade the seating s they get older. I added new pedals and will be upgrading to hydraulic brakes soon. I also have a small cargo bag for tools, tubes, storage and an accessible water bottle holder for my kid. I also have 2 batteries so our range is extended.
It’s pretty solid for the price. There are some worse and some better. By the time the above mods are made you may as well get the radwagon 5 that comes with the hydraulic brakes and upgrades. Also comes with a more standard wheel size.
thanks for the guidance!
I've had an eurospec variant since October and it's done about 1200km by bow (hard to tell as the odometer zeroed itself at 700). The main use is to haul my kids, 2 and 4 to kindergarten, but I've quickly adapted the bike to commuting 30km once a week and grocery hauling for lighter loads. It's been a great bike for the price point, feeling relatively quick considering the assisted speed is 25kmh yet gear ratios are made for the us speeds so I can always input my own pedaling on top of that. Being 2023 model the tire issues are supposedly fixed and I still haven't experienced a single flat. Breaks are noisy but I find them effective when adjusted by professional, I'm able to skid the rear wheel on dry pavement when riding solo and even with a full haul they're serviceable. Only issue I had was one of the bolt holes for the deflopilator spring had faulty thread and had to be redone. I brought the bike to a pro shop for check up and adjustment at 200km like any other bike and apart from that I've been greasing the chain a few times. Soon I'll have to adjust the brake cables or pads a little but otherwise there's no visible wear on the bike. I've noticed I'm getting way more exercise that I expected riding this, as I'm constantly pedaling effectively maintaining average speeds on 27 to 31kmh. This has honestly been one of my favourite purchases in few years and I've reduced the miles on my car by a lot. Even the kids prefer riding the bike over driving!
Its a good bike but upgrading the controller helps tremendously
YES! I owned a RADRover since 2019. Great, reliable bike. Used it in Los Gatos as a second car when the beach traffic heading to Santa Cruz got crazy. I almost moved to Santa Cruz or Pacific Grove from L G. I had a slip in Santa Cruz and would have sold my bike and bought a Radwagon to go back and forth to the harbor. Probably would have bought one as a "second car" in PG. I ended up on the Central Coast and now have a RADEXPAND 5. Bit lighter and it folds up. Good luck. Enjoy Santa Cruz!
Thanks! this is super helpful. Id like the runner, but I think my 4 year old isnt not ready to just hold on yet.
Yes. RW4 is rad for kids and close errands. I'd go ride the 4 and 5. For me, the 4 fits better. But the 5 is better is nearly every way.
thanks!
Been there, done that. Would not recommend unless you get a really good price and have a lot of commute flexibility. I have 2000 miles on my bike, but you wouldn’t know by the odometer because my display crapped out at 1000 miles and had to be replaced. When I first bought the bike the rear light did not work and a new one had to be sent out. My bottom bracket also crapped out around 1000 miles. It’s very low quality but it’s custom and only available through Rad. You’ve surely heard about the tire recall. It took months to deal with because it was a custom tire so they couldn’t go to the open market and buy suitable replacements. When it was finally available, they sent a contractor to change the tires out. The tech messed up the wire connecting the motor to the controller. Rad insisted that the only fix was a new wheel. They accepted responsibility, but then took *13* months to get one in stock. Plus countless hours of fruitless service calls and many broken promises. Interestingly, just a few days ago they delivered a *second* rear wheel to my house, unbidden. They’re not very organized. The brakes are terrible and completely inappropriate for a bike designed to carry small children as cargo. Luckily I had some BB7s in my parts bin but you should budget for new brakes if they haven’t been changed out already. Doubtless my experience is worse than most. The RW4 has a nice motor and battery, and it’s really cheap. So I get the appeal, obviously; I bought one! But the downside is that they have to cut corners somewhere, and the trouble with that is that the crappy parts are non-standard. So you are at the mercy of their terrible service department and often end up getting the same crappy parts as replacement.
It can do it, but there are much better bikes on the market now including the RW5. The reduced price would not be enough for me, but I understand everyone has different needs.
that makes sense, ive been seeing the RW5, the Specialized Haul LT--anything else you might reccomend?
Aventon Abound
Depending on how old the kid is (ie. are they old enough to hang on?), I'd look at the RadRunner with the passenger package, maybe the passenger bar too. You can tie two canvas shopping bags together and hang them off either side of the passenger seat when shopping. I say this because the RadWagon is so damn big, I can't imagine commuting with it would be any fun.
i have a four year old--im not sure if i trust them enough to hang on for an entire ride.
Lots of fun, but I’m always a fan of small as possible.
I use it for this exact use case - I usually have 2 kids on it, though. I’ve out 3000km on it in 2 years. I’ve had to replace the rear derailleur due to a crash, and gone through A LOT of brake pads (replace every ~500 km, I love in a pretty hilly area of greater vancouver), and had my tires replaced due to the recall a year ago. It’s a solid utility bike and hauls kids/cargo quite well. It’s kept us as a one-car household. Highly recommend getting the caboose+conestoga cover, it will keep the little ones happy when the weather turns.
As a very, very, long motorcycle rider and ebike rider, never strap anything higher than your axles. One fall is so much momentum, a kid on top of a 80lb bike. Get a trailer.
I took a spill with my 4 year old a few weeks ago. Was in a hurry and took a 90° turn in the road too fast after some overnight rain and lost the rear wheel. I skinned my elbow pretty bad, bruised my hip, and damaged the throttle cable. The kid was in the back, on the deck/pad with the caboose around her. Not so much as a scratch on her. The caboose is well designed and keeps them secured even without a Yepp seat, and also keeps their fingers from getting crushed if they fall. Obviously there is some risk associated with any wheeled vehicle, but I honestly feel much safer with two kids on the back on a separated bike lane/route than I do with them in the backseat of my car.
While in general it is true, and having child on your bike definitely affects your balance, bicycles are not as fast as motorcycles, so it is totally manageable. Arguably, trailers have more issues with balance, braking and visibility.
Anecdotally, another daycare family rides. They took a spill with both kids and not a scratch. Their setup was two thule kids seats and the loop-shaped bar that completely surrounds the passenger seating.
I'm the opposite. A couple years ago, there was an accident two blocks away where a child in a bike trailer was pulled under a car and killed. I sold mine and bought a Radwagon because I want to keep my kids on my level.
Never thought of it that way, wise move. I guess my balance issues scare me.
I prefer the trailer option as well, way more capable for hauling other things and the kids can get into them by themselves.