Rad Power Bikes announced a new, lighter, more affordable electric bike for city commuters just looking for an inexpensive and easy way to get around. The new bike, dubbed the RadKick, starts at $1,199, making it the Seattle-based company’s most affordable model yet.
And for those who want fewer greasy stains on their pant hems, the RadKick also comes with an optional belt drive instead of the traditional bike chain, which is a first for the company.
The low-profile frame, integrated battery, and room for a host of optional front and rear rack add-ons could make this the ideal entry-level bike for anyone curious about e-bikes but perhaps put off by high prices or the idea of lugging an extremely heavy bike up stairs.
In a statement, Rad Power Bikes CEO Phil Molyneux said the RadKick was designed to fill a gap in the company’s product range, which was identified with the help of customer feedback. That “missing piece,” Molyneux says, was an electric bike that was lightweight but also affordable to appeal to more price-conscious consumers.
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Image: Rad Power Bikes
The RadKick weighs a respectable 55 pounds, which is about as light as you can get without sacrificing too much power and range, both of which are extremely important to Rad's American customers.
The RadKick is available in two versions: a seven-speed with a traditional bicycle chain and a single-speed with a belt drive. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The seven-speed is ideal for anyone who needs a little help when tackling steep hills or prefers a more familiar riding experience, while the belt drive offers a smoother ride and requires less maintenance.
The addition of torque sensors, which regulate the engine based on how hard the pedals are pressed, could also help sweeten the deal for those customers interested in the belt-drive version. But they'll have to pay a small extra, about $1,399.
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Image: Rad Power Bikes
Like the rest of Rad’s range, the RadKick is a Class 2 e-bike, with a throttle-assisted top speed of 32km/h. The fully-integrated 36V/10Ah battery provides enough power for a range of up to 56km, which isn’t as extensive as some of Rad’s larger battery sports bikes, but should be enough for most commuters.
But the battery also features the company's new heat-resistant epoxy resin and meets UL standards 2849 and 2271. (Rad launched the new batteries earlier this year as part of an effort to push the entire e-bike industry toward safer, more fire-resistant materials.)
There are many more interesting things about the RadKick
There’s plenty more to appreciate about the RadKick, including the 500W rear hub motor, an LCD display with a USB-C charging port, hydraulic disc brakes, front and rear fenders, a rear rack with a bamboo shelf, front suspension, and an adjustable stem to fit riders up to five feet two inches tall or up to six feet one inch tall.
It's great to see Rad continuing to innovate on the product front, even as market conditions become tougher and business contracts tighten. The post-pandemic bike boom appears to be waning in some aspectsAnd venture-backed bike companies are feeling the impact. Rad has gone through several rounds of layoffs (the most recent was last week) and was forced to pull out of the European market to focus exclusively on the U.S.
Plus, e-bikes are about to get more expensive as tariff exclusions on Chinese imports in the US are set to expire, potentially causing major manufacturers to further adjust to climate change. Amidst all of this, it’s great to see companies like Rad remain committed to keeping their products affordable and making more people aware of the power of e-bikes to combat climate change.
