The RadKick is Rad Power Bikes’ most affordable e-bike yet — and its first belt drive

Rad Power Bikes announced a caller much affordable, lighter-weight e-bike for municipality commuters who conscionable privation a cheap, elemental mode to get around. Dubbed the RadKick, the caller motorcycle starts astatine $1,199, making it the Seattle-based company’s astir affordable exemplary yet.

And for those desiring less grease stains connected their sound cuffs, the RadKick besides comes with an optional loop thrust successful spot of a accepted motorcycle chain, which is simply a archetypal for the company. 

The low-step frame, integrated artillery pack, and abstraction for a plethora of front- and rear-rack optional add-ons could marque this the perfect entry-level motorcycle for anyone funny astir electrical bikes but possibly turned disconnected by precocious prices oregon the thought of lugging an highly dense motorcycle up and down stairs.

In a statement, Rad Power Bikes CEO Phil Molyneux said the RadKick was designed to capable a spread successful the company’s lineup, which was identified with the assistance of lawsuit feedback. That “missing piece,” Molyneux says, was for an e-bike that was lightweight but besides affordable to pull much price-conscious consumers. 

The RadKick clocks successful astatine a respectable 55lbs, which is astir arsenic airy arsenic you tin get without sacrificing excessively overmuch powerfulness and scope — some of which are highly important to Rad’s US customers.

The RadKick comes successful 2 trims: a seven-speed with a accepted motorcycle concatenation and a single-speed with a loop drive. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The seven-speed is perfect for anyone who wants a small assistance erstwhile tackling large hills oregon prefers a much acquainted riding experience, portion the loop thrust offers a smoother thrust and requires little maintenance.

The summation of torque sensors, which modulate the centrifugal based connected however hard you propulsion the pedals, could besides assistance sweeten the woody for those customers funny successful the loop thrust version. But you’ll person to wage a small extra, to the tune of $1,399.

Just similar the remainder of Rad’s lineup, the RadKick is simply a Class 2 e-bike, with a throttle-assisted apical velocity of 20mph. The afloat integrated 36V/10Ah artillery supplies capable foodstuff for up to 35 miles of range, which isn’t arsenic acold arsenic immoderate of Rad’s bigger-battery-sporting bikes, but should beryllium capable for astir commuters.

But the artillery besides features the company’s caller thermal-resistant epoxy resin and complies with UL 2849 and 2271 standards. (Rad released the caller batteries earlier this twelvemonth arsenic portion of an effort to propulsion the full e-bike manufacture toward safer, much fire-resistant materials.)

There’s a batch much to similar astir the RadKick, including the 500W rear-hub motor, an LCD show with USB-C charging port, hydraulic disc brakes, beforehand and rear fenders, a rear rack with a bamboo shelf, beforehand suspension, and an adjustable stem to accommodate riders arsenic abbreviated arsenic 5 feet, 2 inches oregon arsenic gangly arsenic six feet, 1 inch.

And e-bikes are astir to get much expensive arsenic exclusions from tariffs connected Chinese imports successful the US expire, which could origin adjacent much belt-tightening among the large manufacturers. Amid each of this, it’s large to spot companies similar Rad are inactive committed to keeping their products affordable and turning much radical connected to the climate-change-fighting powerfulness of electrical bikes.