RadRover 6 Plus Overview
Assembly
Assembling the RadRover 6 Plus was easy, even for amateur bike mechanics like us. Rad Power Bikes provides all the necessary tools, including combination wrenches, allen wrenches, and a screwdriver. The only tool we used that wasn’t provided was a pedal wrench with a longer handle for better leverage when tightening the pedals.
Connecting the wires on the Rover is simple. Match the color-coordinated connectors, red to red and green to green. Use the provided notch on each end to align the plugs before snapping them together. It’s important to align the plugs first to avoid bending pins inside the connectors. Overall, Rad Power Bikes has put great thought into its e-bikes and accessories, making the RadRover 6 Plus an impressive and reliable choice.
Frame
The RadRover 6 Plus has a 6061 aluminum alloy frame designed to fit most riders. Rad Power’s website includes an interactive diagram demonstrating how people of different heights can ride this bike comfortably. As a person who is 6’2″, our reviewer found the bike to fit him perfectly.
His wife, who is 5’1″, was also able to ride the RadRover comfortably with the seat dropped all the way down. Although she had to lean forward to reach the handlebars, it was still a comfortable ride. Rad Power Bikes sells a step-thru model of the Rover as well if you may be vertically challenged or have mobility issues and are unable to get your feet over the cross-bar.
Wheels and Suspension
The RadRover 6 Plus comes equipped with 26” alloy wheels covered in Kenda Juggernaut tires that have K-Shield lining to prevent punctures. These tires are 4” wide and have tread on them that makes them perfect for both gravel riding and city streets. The benefit of having fat tires is that you can ride them with lower tire pressure, which improves traction in snow or sand.
This e-bike also comes with fenders that provide full coverage from inclement weather or mud, making it a great commuting e-bike. The rear fender even has a mounted tail light for added safety. Rad Power Bikes’ racks come with the wires necessary to remove the lights (front or rear) and mount them to the rack.
The front fork is an RST spring fork with 60 mm travel which is very important to soften the ride thru the city or on gravel. There’s a handy lockout knob on the right side of the fork, allowing you to dampen the response of the shocks or completely disable them. Using the lockout on big hill climbs is key to getting the most power while pedaling.
Braking
With a naked weight of 73.4 lbs, stopping power is crucial for this rig, and the Rad Power hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors provide plenty of that. After running three braking tests, the bike was able to stop in under 20 ft of distance from its top speed of 20mph.
| Brake Test # | Stopping Distance |
|---|---|
| Attempt 1 | 20.5 ft |
| Attempt 2 | 19.2 ft |
| Attempt 3 | 18.5 ft (some skid) |
Battery
A removable 672 Wh battery comes standard on the RadRover, making charging convenient. The battery is removable by inserting the key into the down tube and giving it a quarter turn. The battery pops right out for you to take inside and charge.
You can get a full charge in about 4 hours with the wall-mountable 48V, 2 Amp charger that operates on 100V-240V AC power outlets. We like that you can mount the charger because it allows us to keep things off the ground and provides a nice clean appearance for your charging station, which if you’re anything like us, you can appreciate.
Regarding the range of this e-bike, during testing, we rode for 30 miles and returned home with one-third of the battery left. Rad Power lists the range on the RadRover 6 at 45 miles per full charge, and after doing some rough math, we’d say that checks out. We mixed the use of PAS and throttle while riding and performed about ten different hill climbs, so while this e-bike isn’t the longest-range e-bike on the market, it has enough range to get you where you’re going and back.
Drivetrain & Motor
The RadRover 6 Plus comes with a 42T chainring at the front and a 7-speed 11-34T cassette at the back, giving you a wide range of gears. The Shimano Acera shifter and derailleur make changing gears an effortless task. If you need lighter gearing for uphill climbs, you may want to consider upgrading the drivetrain.
Rad Power Bikes states that the RadRover 6 is powered by a 750W Brushless rear hub motor, but the actual power-to-ground wattage is under 750W to comply with regulations. The wattage output may vary based on the riding conditions, and it is conveniently displayed on the LCD odometer display while riding.
The pedal assist levels (controlled by an LCD controller) range from 0-5, providing various PAS and gearing options to tackle most terrains. With pedal assist level 1, the e-bike feels like a regular bike, and level 3 offers significant motor assistance, especially when climbing hills. PAS levels 4-5 allow you to climb steep hills while seated in the hardest gear.
If you need a boost, the throttle is always available. It is useful when starting the RadRover 6, and once you start pedaling, you can use only the PAS and gears to maintain a comfortable cadence.
Hill Climb Test
We performed a hill climb test on a nearby hill that was a 1/10 of a mile long with an average grade of 6.5%, and a peak grade of 8.5%. With each pass of the hill climb, we increased the PAS level by one to test how much push we got at each level.
| Hill Climb Number | PAS Level | Avg. Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 6.1 mph |
| 2 | 1 | 6.4 mph |
| 3 | 2 | 6.5 mph |
| 4 | 3 | 7.9 mph |
| 5 | 4 | 9.8 mph |
| 6 | 5 | 12.7 mph |
Controller + Display
The controller and display that comes with the RadRover 6 Plus is your control center for your e-bike. The controller allows you to power the rig and set the PAS level. Using the battery meter, you can turn the headlight on and off and monitor the battery’s remaining charge.
The backlight LCD display in the center of the handlebar is easily seen in bright sunlight and shows the following details: speedometer, odometer, clock, and motor wattage usage. The wattage usage is handy because you can see how much you demand from the battery at any given time.
Reasons to Buy
Looking for an affordable and reliable all-weather e-bike that can handle any terrain? Look no further than the RadRover 6 Plus. At $1,399, it’s a great option for those in the market for their first e-bike. Plus, Rad Power Bikes offers plenty of modular accessories that fit seamlessly with any bike, taking the stress out of customization.
The RadRover 6 Plus comes equipped with front and rear fenders, lights for visibility and safety, and a suspension to handle rough roads and trails. It even includes a polite bell on the handlebars to signal when passing on the left. With all these features, the RadRover 6 Plus is the perfect all-terrain e-bike for any rider.
Things to Consider
The RadRover 6 Plus is a heavy bike weighing almost 74 lbs with the battery installed. Add on the racks and some cargo, and you’ve got a lot of weight rolling down the road. Don’t let that deter you from considering this as the e-bike for you, though. The 750W motor will move you along just fine.
If lifting the bike is a concern, Rad Power Bikes has included a handle on the back of the seat, making lifting the Rover much easier. We often used it when locking the bike up at the grocery store or grabbing some breakfast at the cafe down the street.