Bicycles

New RadRover 6 Plus ebikes lower the height requirement

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The RadRover 6 Plus ebike is redesigned to open it up to riders from 5 foot 2 inches in height
Rad Power Bikes
The RadRover 6 Plus ebike is redesigned to open it up to riders from 5 foot 2 inches in height
Rad Power Bikes
Step-through version in white
Rad Power Bikes
Headlight and fenders are standard
Rad Power Bikes
A basic and practical cockpit
Rad Power Bikes
7-speed Shimano shift handles the pedal power
Rad Power Bikes
750-W hub drive is redesigned for extra grunt while climbing hills
Rad Power Bikes
Dash is now split into two parts, but it's still super basic
Rad Power Bikes
A range of racks, boxes and accessories open up the RadRover for a range of uses
Rad Power Bikes
More welcoming than ever for shorter riders
Rad Power Bikes
A sturdy, practical ebike with a broad range of accessory options
Rad Power Bikes
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America's biggest-selling ebike manufacturer has updated its flagship fat-tire ebike. The new RadRover 6 Plus is a practical, flexible and sturdy hard-tail hub drive, and it's the first ground-up overhaul of the Rover since it launched in 2015.

Rad Power Bikes says the new frames – regular and step-through – fit a broader range of riders, from 5.17 ft (1.575 m) and up, and are tweaked for more relaxed ergonomics all round. The 180-mm (7.4-in) disc brakes are now hydraulically actuated, where previously they were on a cable, and the front fork offers 60-mm (2.36 in) of travel with preload adjustment to soften any bumps those meaty Kenda fatties can't deal with.

Rad Power deals exclusively in hub drives, and as the owner of a couple of beefy mid-drives that have chewed their way through chains and sprockets distressingly quickly, I'm starting to come around to the idea of a motor that doesn't put electric torque through components that were never built to handle it.

The RadRover 6 runs a new geared hub motor making 750 W, which the company says has been re-geared to climb hills an average of 25 percent faster than the previous model. Pedal power – and only pedal power – runs through a 7-speed Shimano gearset.

Headlight and fenders are standard
Rad Power Bikes

The removable battery is now semi-integrated into the frame for a somewhat neater look. The size of the battery is oddly not listed in the press release, but we'd guess it's the same 48-V, 14-Ah, 672-Wh capacity as the previous bikes, just packaged a bit neater. You can expect ranges up to and over 45 miles (72 km).

The company has overhauled its little LCD dash somewhat, but these guys aren't about fancy dashes or thumbswitches. You get the basics, presented practically, and that's just fine. Big, fat fenders, headlights, tail lights and integrated brake lights are standard, and as with most of these guys' bikes, there's a broad range of accessories, from front and rear racks to kid seats and panniers ready to build it out the way you like.

Dash is now split into two parts, but it's still super basic
Rad Power Bikes

The upgrades have pushed the price up somewhat – from US$1,699 for the RadRover 5 to US$1,999 for the RadRover 6 Plus – but it's still very much at the affordable end of the ebike spectrum, and while it's unspectacular to look at, and unlikely to win you too many admirers among the local Lycra crew, this is the kind of ebike most people would find a hugely useful addition to the household.

Source: Rad Power Bikes

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2 comments
akarp
"I'm starting to come around to the idea of a motor that doesn't put electric torque through components that were never built to handle it."
LOL, only 'starting to come around' to this "novel" idea huh?
Daishi
They updated the website and it looks like the capacity of the new battery pack is the same as the older dolphin pack design. I prefer the more integrated look on the 6 and it looks like they have room for a bigger pack if they decide to go that route later. I see tons of Rad Power Bikes on the trails here so they are definitely doing something right. I often see couples riding them and maybe they see more actual use than other bikes decorating garages but they are nearly as common to see on trails here as brands like Trek inside of only a few years.