After a few months as a single car household, we have decided to add a 2nd vehicle to the fleet.
This time in the form of an electric cargo bike.
Our New Cargo Bike
I’ve been trying to get a few reasonably priced used bikes or a cargo bike for the whole fam these past few months. I’ve been watching and waiting on craigslist and facebook marketplace with nothing to show for it.
So I looked at new bikes – lots of bikes are out of stock and new cargo ebikes are priced at ridiculous levels (some as high as $7,000) so that was out as well just on principle.
But then I chatted up another Dad at Jr’s school riding a RadWagon 4 electric cargo bike… and that night I ordered our own.
RadWagon 4 with Rad Riders 3
The main thing I was looking for was a bike that could comfortably hold 2 kids and some gear. I found myself defaulting to car use just because I didn’t have a way to easily transport 2 kids at the same time on 2 wheels.
There are a lot of bike trails in the area (with cows, deer, wild turkeys, and more) but none of them are flat, so an ebike was also a must for assistance on the small hills and to reduce overall physical exertion.
As a regular biker, I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like an e-bike. It seemed like cheating a bit. But now that we have one, I love it – there really is no need to muscle up a hill with burning legs and lungs just to lug the kiddos around. I’ll keep that fun for the personal rides.
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We have had the RadWagon 4 for about a month now and have put about 90 miles on it. It’s not a lot, but it is more than the 0 miles that we riding as a family in the 4 prior weeks.
This includes trips to school, parks, the library, and one big day going to the library, park, and Target order pick-up (you can even specify “bicycle” as vehicle type.)
Since 95% of the things we do on a regular basis are within 3 miles or so, a large number of car trips have already been replaced with the bike. I literally just returned from Trader Joe’s and the Dollar Tree (for birthday candles) with both kids.
RadWagon 4
The RadWagon 4 was picked as best electric cargo bike of 2021 by electric bike review and best value cargo bike by bicycling magazine, for whatever that is worth.
The core ride costs $1,999 but they have a whole bunch of accessories to sell you… basket, running boards, child seat, etc… Our configuration came in at ~$2,750.
Then I paid an extra $199 for them to assemble and deliver directly to our door. A guy showed up in a big van and walked us through the whole bike configuration, and they will come back in a couple months for a “free” at home tune-up. I debated building it myself for free since I like working on bikes, but I liked the idea of the direct door delivery and was able to get on the road faster this way.
I was also able to get $50 off since I bought the bike with a referral link (and the school dad got a $50 credit that they used to buy a Deckhand accessory (handlebars for the kiddo in back.))
Video of accessories that are compatable with the RadWagon 4
Not shown in the order summary, I also bought a bike lock to help protect the investment (a Via Velo U-lock with cable) and a helmet to protect a kid’s head (we got the bear helmet, but it also comes in dinosaur, fox, etc…)
Overall the bike is really nice.
The motor itself is 750 Watts, which is enough to push me and the 2 kids up a small hill at 15 miles per hour without much pedaling. It might be a little underpowered for the rated carrying capacity (350 lbs) but for our use it has been fine. There is a governor that limits the top speed at 20 mph so the motor shuts off on the down hills (usually the little one yells, “Wheeee!!!!”)
The bike has wide 3″ wheels that are only 22″ so it has a smooth ride and low center of gravity. I’ve ridden it over big bumps and rocks, down curbs, and through dirt and grass without issue. The disc brakes do a decent job of stopping quickly too if your kid happens to throw his stuffed animal into the street while bringing his brother to school.
In theory the battery will go for 45 miles on a single charge, but I haven’t tried to verify that. Peak power does drop as the battery level drops (max 500 Watts at 2 battery bars, from what I have seen) which means your are getting less up hill assistance as the battery depletes. I did peddle up a hill with 2 kids and a basket full of groceries with zero battery assist to try it out and it was a bit of work. It was fine and all, but I think I will keep it charged going forward.
The only real downside I can think of is it is a bit heavy (~77 lbs.) If it tips off center while you are off the bike and moving it around with just your arms it does require a little effort. Otherwise the weight isn’t really noticeable as the motor helps with acceleration and hill climbs.
It’s been a nice addition to our vehicle fleet.
Possible Tax Credits
In the Build Back Better Act there was a proposal for a 30% tax credit on e-bikes purchased in 2022 and beyond (up to $900 on bikes less than $4,000.) I was actively looking at e-bikes last year, but put it on hold until January with the hope that this legislation would become law.
Alas, it hasn’t. But if the e-bike credits do go somewhere we may still get a chunk of this purchase back.
Summary
We got an electric cargo bike and have already replaced a bunch of car trips with it. It is a great companion to our EV.
As a regular biker I wasn’t sure I would enjoy an e-bike, but it has been fantastic. I can cruise up hills with 2 kids and groceries at 15 mph with minimal pedaling.
With all accessories we paid about $2950 for the new ride. That is a lot compared to a used bike on craigslist, but little compared to many other electric cargo bikes or a 2nd car.
Two thumbs up, will ride again.
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If a $2,000 electric cargo bike ($3,000 with full accessories and assembly/delivery) is something you have been looking for, you can get $50 off (we would also get $50 in credit, which I will probably use to buy another e-bike, the RadRunner 2.)
I have been noticing more and more of these bikes on the road. But I’ll hold off and take baby steps towards the direction of an e-bike. Just got the old Trek 20+ speed racing bike out of storage after ten years, had it looked over with new tires, and still enjoy pedaling around at 68 years of age. From a car standpoint we recently traded in the second vehicle, an H3 getting 15-16 mpg, for a new Ford Maverick hybrid truck getting up to 40 mpg. And we still have the motorcycles so we are covered for the foreseeable future, but I can definitely see an e-bike down the road if the rated distance on the battery gets higher. Best of luck and enjoy the new ride with the family!
I still prefer my road bike when it is just me, but with the kiddos this works way better.
I’m seeing a lot more of these e-bikes in the wild now also as we are spending more time on the trails.
I got a Radrunner Plus at Christmas, and have about 300 miles on it so far. With the pedal assist on 3, I am getting about 2/5 charge remaining for my 21 mile commute to work. Tried it once on max assist (5) and pedaled the last few miles home with no assist.. Slowly.
So far I like it a lot, and it’s become our car replacement for downtown trips, with my wife riding on the back quite often.
Note the seat that comes on it sucks hugely and you need to buy a conventional seat post to change it, which I did post-haste.
One nice thing about the child seat – it can be quickly/easily removed and swapped to another bike. So something like the Radrunner Plus could be a good option too.
I find myself riding with assist on 1 and then using the throttle – I guess I am riding it like a motorcycle.
Yesterday I took the kids to the library and we took the long way around – got to see water being released from the dam and some nice views on bike-only bridges across the river. Nice day! Normally this would have been a car trip.
Oh yeah! I got a Lectric XP ebike last year and love it. It was less than $1,000, came fully assembled, comes with racks, and and has the same size motor as the Rad bikes, though definitely skimped on some of the quality features. It was great alternative for commuting by car to the outfitter I was working for last summer!
I think I saw one of these at Costco recently
I have one too and love riding with my kids! They love it too. Especially for school dropoff/pickup. I had a mishap when trying to get on in our steep driveway and tipped over. Ended up with a fractured wrist and sprained foot, likely due to the added weight of the bike with the fall. Learned my lesson and will only get on when I’m on very flat ground. So glad I was on my own for that one though. I need to replace my back tube due to it popping with the fall, but we’re all excited to get back on it! Glad you’re all enjoying too!
Ouch, I hope you have a speedy recovery. The weight of these things is no joke.
I also broke my wrist on a bicycle, my only broken bone. I was maybe 12 years old and racing a bike down a big hill when I saw the front tire roll away from me. It was a good lesson about the importance of maintenance
LOVE LOVE LOVE my rad ebike. I got the one that can fold up. It fits into the trunk of my camry. I have over 600 miles on it and ride at least 2x a week. I sometimes get unkind comments from people on regular bikes on our local river parkway, but I’m a senior with bad knees and I’m glad I can get out there for some exercise and enjoy life.
This sounds great (except the haters.) It’s so nice to ride on the riverside
In our little urban neighborhood I’ve noticed quite a few families getting around like this. It’s pretty fantastic. I worked in the bike industry from roughly ’99-’07; the technology and uptake have come a long way — back then the only thing on the market was the early Giant LaFree with its big heavy sealed lead-acid battery. Nice choice, and happy pedaling!
I did a lot of work with Li+ batteries from ’96 to 2012 or so…. it is crazy how far they have come, enabling everything from smartphones to these sweet e-bikes
This is a great bike review! I have been to the Rad store in Ballard here in Seattle, they seem like great bikes. I keep delaying getting an electric as I am ok with my current bike commute.
Also be aware of many people advocating for protected bike lanes, better urban design to support all ages, all abilities biking, etc. Your town likely has a group like https://twitter.com/sfbike , all States have something like https://twitter.com/CalBike . Enjoy!
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ve followed them on Twitter.
It would have been nice to visit a Rad store before buying but the closest one was in Berkeley. I emailed them about it and they suggested just buying it and if I didn’t like it I could return it no questions asked within 10 days or 10 miles or something like that.
Congrats on the e-bike purchase! My husband and I love ours (we were fortunate to get both for only $200, as he procured them via his company’s employee recognition program). We live near a large bike path network for leisure, and I can ride it to several grocery stores, my dentist, and my eye doctor. They are FreeForce brand and work well.
JML
Nice employee perk! And yes, a very nice way to get around
So glad you posted this as you have influence. Last year our two pedal power bikes were stolen and we ended up with EBikes do to my knee. (65 and active but hills killed my knee on a regular bike.
We bought nice Trek Allant 7 bikes that cost $3,600 each but after a month or two got rid of our second car. People think that is a lot but think nothing of buying a $30,000 car.
We have put on 2,000 miles each in less than a year and love them. We have panniers and do our grocery shopping, Amazon and REI returns via bike.
We also find that we explore so much more as hills are no longer the obstacle they once were. Our bikes will for sure go 60+ miles on one charge.
My son in law bought a bike like yours and he and the two girls love going on rides.
SEE the movie on Vimeo called “Motherload” and also join Calbike to support bikes.
WE need protected bike lanes in America not just paint which is a joke. We were in Paris in November and compared to six years ago there has been a massive increase in bike riders. Then Amsterdam and it was double amazing. Copenhagen too. Washington DC I was amazed at how far they have come as well.
Anyway way to go Jeremy. You did not even mention the climate but who needs a 4,000 pound car or 4 WD vehicle to buy groceries or run to Target!
Mark
I usually go through some serious thinking if I’m going to be spending multiple thousands of dollars and this was no exception.
Compared to any car new or used, bikes are just dirt cheap. It is really a no brainer.
I’ve seen some videos recently of bicycle buses in Amsterdam and now I want one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwWoGAvzQgo
What a coincidence! We also just bought a Radwagon to lug around our 2 kiddos. We also happen to be in Sacramento County, and the e-bike has made it easier to get to the river. See you out there ;)
Great minds!
Sweet!
We bought one this fall to take both kids to school and daycare – I love it – the kids love. People on street love.
We still have a car and use it occasionally, but the kids love taking “bike orange.” (Even in the cold).
The throttle assist is a huge help on the starts and for intersection or double parked cars, IMO.
Thanks for spreading the love. I hope many people buy them and use them and you guys get all the affiliate love.
The orange looks great.
I wasn’t expecting the love from people on the street. We get asked about the bike a lot and lots of people point as we cruise past.
Considering all the negativity I receive when biking myself (on a “regular” bike), the love shown to the kids and the cargo bike is such a treat and little moment of happiness. I guess it’s hard to road rage at 2 years olds?
You are lucky that you have a 2 car garage. I live in a large midwest city and come October it will be 8 years without a car. My wife and I frequently travel by bike and would love a cargo (I’ve had my eyes on a front loader for a year or so), but our condo situation does not lend itself well to storing it. We’ve had serious discussions about purchasing an indoor parking space in our complex just to park a cargo bike in.
I test rode a cargo bike with a front-end bucket when we were in Taipei. It was great but we really had no place to park it – too big for the bike area in the building parking garage and it would have been ~$200+/month for a car parking space.
What would ya’ll recommend in 2024 for something similar? The only thing I wonder from the picture is how do you hold the kids and groceries or other items all together?
I like this bike still for the price… a lot of the higher end cargo bikes go for $6k+.
We now have about 1200 miles on this bike, primarily used for commuting to/from school.
When I have done bigger Target or grocery runs I leave the kids at home or do it during school hours. For more modest trips I can fit a bag in the back with the kids and another in the front basket.