Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus E-Bike Review

Images from manufacturer's website

30 mi

RANGE

20 mph

TOP SPEED

7 hrs

CHARGE TIME

64 lbs

WEIGHT

Rear Hub

MOTOR TYPE

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Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus Review: Takeaway

At the affordable end of the e-bike spectrum, the RadCity 5 Plus has all the features you need for getting around town or just having fun outside. The battery offers all the range you need for most riding, and the 750W rear hub motor has lots of power to flatten hills. Thanks to its payload capacity of 275 lbs it can accommodate an average-weight rider plus plenty of cargo.

Ideal for...

Commuting

Getting to your meetings on time

Cafe hopping

Shopping in the city

Family rides

Exploring your town or city

E-Bike Overview

A great looking, powerful and affordable electric bike, the Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus has all you need for most utility and fun rides. Offering a realistic range of around 30 miles on pedal assist, the battery has all the power you need for most of the times you will use the bike instead of the car.

As well as going that extra few miles, e-bike buyers also look for a machine that will tackle most hills. Thanks to its maximum 80 Newton meters of torque, short of climbing Mount McKinley in a gale you shouldn’t have much of a problem where climbs are concerned.

Thanks to the sturdy design and powerful motor, the RadCity 5 Plus can carry up to 275 lbs of rider and cargo. The rear rack can take up to 50 lbs – plenty ample for carrying your laptop and other stuff to work as well as your grocery shopping home at the end of the day.

A Class 2 e-bike, it can get you up to 20 mph on throttle or pedal assist. Do be aware that using the throttle will impact overall range – on throttle only you might get 20 miles out of the 672Wh battery on typical terrain.

With its 27.5” x 2” tires and 50mm-travel suspension fork, the e-bike will handle even poorly maintained roads well with minimal discomfort. Primarily designed for road use, it will be comfortable on unpaved cycle paths but not much more than that.

Reasons to Buy the RadCity 5 Plus

As a great all-rounder, the RadCity 5 Plus can be used for almost everything you would want to do in suburbia and around town. Its range allows for a day’s running about on errands and to meetings, and its motor power ensures that you can do this in even a hilly city. Offering quite a reasonable payload capacity, it can be used for a few days’ grocery shopping too. With its comfortable city-bike riding position, you will soon find yourself making all sorts of excuses to leave your car in the garage.

Things to Consider

At a little over 64 lbs, the RadCity 5 Plus isn’t a lightweight e-bike. The rear hub motor will more than make up for the weight when it comes to daily riding. The motor’s position will make the bike rear-heavy and a little less maneuverable than an e-bike with a mid-drive motor.

Specs & Components

Motor

Rear hub, 750W, 80 Nm of torque

Battery

589 or 672 Wh semi-integrated

Display

Backlit LCD

Power delivery

Pedal assist or throttle

Drivetrain

Shimano Altus 7-speed, 11-32T cassette

Brakes

Hydraulic disc, 180mm rotors

Fork

Sprung suspension fork, 50mm travel

Wheels/tires

27.5” x 2” road tires

Accessories

Rear rack, fenders, lights (standard)

Additional Options

Front basket, pannier bags, child seat

The specs above come from the manufacturer and may vary from what you’ve experienced. Notice something that needs correcting? Let us know.

Ratings

Power

 4/5

Rated at 750W, the rear hub motor is as big as can be legally used on public roads in most US states. It isn’t as efficient as motors made by the best motor manufacturers as it offers 80 Nm of torque – similar to that of 250W rear hub motors made by the likes of Yamaha and Bosch. That said, the torque is plenty powerful to take you and a full load of shopping up most hills.

The road tires offer little in the way of rolling resistance, so most of the power generated by you through the pedals and the motor will be turned into forward motion.

Range

 4/5

As a relatively heavy e-bike with a large battery and big motor, it doesn’t have extraordinary range. That said, with a real-0world range of around 30 miles, the RadCity 5 Plus will do most of the journeys you’ll end up wanting to do instead of using the car.

A number of factors can affect range, including hIlls, weather conditions, and overall payload weight – as well as the general maintenance of the drivetrain and tire pressure. On a hilly route into a headwind you will get fewer miles than on a flatter route with a tailwind.

Comfort

 4/5

Made for road riding, the RadCity 5 Plus is perfectly comfortable for its intended use. You will be seated in an upright city-bike position, so your upper body should not tire much after even a longer ride. The 2”-wide tires will handle even poorly maintained roads well, complemented by a well-padded saddle at the rear and 50mm-travel front sprung suspension fork for a comfortable ride.

Durability

 3.5/5

3.5

Kept well-maintained, the RadCity 5 Plus should keep running for years to come. Expect to change the chain and cassette out every 1,000 or so miles; same for the brake pads.

Rad Power offers only a one-year warranty on its e-bikes – this is nothing like brands such as Giant and Specialized that offer lifetime warranties on their frames. This could be an issue should something go wrong.

Style

 4/5

Though no catwalk killer as e-bikes go, the RadCity 5 Plus isn’t ugly either. The semi-integrated battery gets round the problem of having a larger frame to conceal it, yet doesn’t look bad as a whole. The muted black or white color scheme and the 27.5” wheels round out a reasonably good-looking commuter/utility bike.

Our Research Methodology

We personally research and test every e-bike featured in our reviews and guides to provide accurate, data-driven recommendations. Learn how we review.

About Our Editorial Team

Written by Richard Shrubb

Contributing Author

Richard is a well-established journalist and copywriter with years of experience in the EV and e-bike world. He has worked with international sailing magazines, e-bike publications, and national newspapers.

Edited by Toby Hill

E-Bike Reviewer

A trained journalist with 30 years of print and online experience, Toby Hill is an avid cyclist who has fully embraced the exciting new ride experiences that e-bikes have brought to his favorite pastime. He's ridden and tested dozens of e-bikes of all styles and technologies.

Meet Our Editorial Team