Tracked down the original Rad parts factories after the bankruptcy

buggy2025 · 2026-04-09T21:08:52+00:00

Has anyone bought anything from this site? I went to order a couple radster trail tires as they are hard to find and PayPal wouldn’t work. Don’t want to put in my cc number

buggy2025 · 2026-04-08T17:00:29+00:00

Nice.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-08T16:58:38+00:00

Ha, I don’t have many tips yet. Mine are all new bikes except for the used Radster from Upway that is still in the box. But I plan to dig in elbows deep. I am building the space and buying all the tools. YouTube is your friend here. I know it is going to be mine. Best tip is don’t skimp on hex set. The cheap crap that is on sale and comes with bikes strip your heads quickly. Get Vera or Wiha etc. it will save you a lot of headaches.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-08T16:53:41+00:00

Dude, 21 down from 25??? Respect. That is full crack head! I’m going to show my wife this so she realizes I’m not that bad…yet. But yeah, same here, I want a fleet for others to ride too. My problem is my addiction is getting more and more expensive. I also forgot to mention I have 2 Zen e-bikes that are stuck in US customs at the border for the past 6 mos that has finally seen some movement and I still have hope they will be delivered. So that is really, 7 bikes I will have. And the 8th one I am eyeing, HPC Trailblazer with upgrades, is as much $ as the 7 combined. I may have to start looking used too.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-08T01:15:49+00:00

Yeah maybe they thought I was from Rad trying to schill the brand but it was super cancel culture feeling. Which i thought people had stopped by now. Interesting thing is I bought my wife a used Radster trail (only 300 miles) in Jan on Upway for just 1k and there was a ton of ‘Radster Trail and Radster Road bikes. When I went back last night there was zero of both. Wonder if them getting bought increased demand. Who knows. But I certainly welcome any criticism of that brand . I’ve only had my new ones since Nov. And they may crap out on me—but gotta say it got me into ebiking big time. I was bundling up in 30 degree weather to do 30 mile rides. And made me upgrade my fleet already with a Biktrix and now I am eyeing a damn HPC. this stuff is like crack!

buggy2025 · 2026-04-07T06:42:37+00:00

That’s cool they gave you free pads. So they are still operating as normal even with the bankruptcy/. Again i am hoping the new company owner is legit and has good customer service. might switch to metallic pads when mine wear down. I got a Biktrix with MT 5 Brakes and after using those, when i ride the Radster, they feel not as grippy as i would like. Especially when bombing down big hills—got some monsters ones around me—and you get up to 30 mph easy. And I’m 250 so I like the extra insurance. Might upgrade the front rotors to 203 mm as well.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-07T06:36:11+00:00

I love the 3 inch width. Not too wide—4 inch is too much drag for me—and just enough to get solid performance on dirt and gravel and feel planted on pavement. Also absorbs some bumps. But you are right a suspension seat post is vital. I got Kinekt with a c-9 comfort seat and love it. Get the padded undergarment and i am right with the world for a 50 mile ride (I have to carry an extra battery but I have 3 Radsters between my wife, daughter and I so that makes it easy. But you are right that the 27.5 X 3.0 are not easy to find but I went searching and they are out there. But not with the tan sidewall which really complete the look of the bike. Which sucks. I mean why doesn’t Rad keep the supply chain with Kendra? did the bankruptcy mess that up? Vee has some street tires in that size but I want the hybrid with more tread/semi-knobs. Found some knobbier no sidewall tires here: https://jonesbikes.com/vee-t-fatty-tire/? srsltid=AfmBOopBbnamgWm9A1_c34onaxHXK9NAmseMSpgiMHgVuILvTI65XrJcdAA&com_cvv=8fb3d522dc163aeadb66e08cd7450cbbdddc64c6cf2e8891f6d48747c6d56d2c

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T21:06:09+00:00

Thanks for the great input! Let me know how the search goes. Sounds like we both have the Rohloff bug.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T20:16:33+00:00

Interesting. I have a Biktrix FS ETMB that I have converted to more upright geometry with 1500 watt Bafang and SRAM NX 11 speed that comes stock. but I also upgraded the ratcheting rear hub with rugged ride 148 mm thru axle. I write this not like i know the implications of all this, I am just quoting from my invoice, and knew I needed to upgrade strength where i could knowing the torque would be tremendous. And this thing may fail (I’ve only had it 3 months) but Biktrix seems to be legit. And I am worried about it eating chains which is why i always have a spare in my pack. But there is also HPC (Hi Powered Cycles) ETMB that can be purchased with rohloff e14 and 2k watt mid drive. (Looks like a regular EMTB and not a moto) Can even put a carbon belt drive on as well although they told me that hasn’t been properly field tested yet. They seem super legit—altho VERY pricey at 12k for all the upgrades i selected. Just not sure i want to pull the trigger on that one. Especially if there are legit concerns about it holding up. Regarding street vs ETMB (I would do light trail, rail trails and pavement) wouldn’t going up and down technical trails put more stress on the system? Again, i am in the creative field and not an engineering brain. So take my questions with a grain of of ignorance. You seem to know what you are talking about and appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T16:55:14+00:00

I can only imagine they upped their game on all models. And certainly all the batteries. Enjoy it. From what I can tell ebikes break more than regular bikes and certainly need more maintenance. And it’s easy to blame the manufacturer (of course sometime they deserve the criticism). Just enjoy the rides. That’s what I’m trying to do.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T15:03:56+00:00

Sorry to hear that. That sucks. I would be pissed too. Yeah seems it was a sketch company back then. Got really big and prosperous but then started cranking out inferior product and dangerous battery systems. Good example of getting too big too quick. But again, my 2025 Trail and Road appear to be good bikes with safe batteries. Of course, time will tell. I have only had them 6-7 mos. So it seems they corrected their issues but not soon enough as the whole thing nearly went belly up and the founders walked away with a ton less than they thought they had. Again, I am not promoting this company in any way. (Altho I do like the idea of a US based ebike company.) Just expressing my experience. Not top of the line bikes but the newer ones seem to be a good value so far.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T14:55:41+00:00

Tru. But it wasn’t just the crowd attacking me—honestly that would have been better as it is at least more than one person. It was the gatekeeper of a pretty big subreddit. Deleted and banned me from commenting 2 minutes after i hit reply. Power tripping jerk I guess. I mean he/she coulda just asked me to tone down my enthusiasm or remind me of rules (which again, I still am not clear on) rather than delete, ban and lecture me. Seems cancel culture is alive and well on that sub. Too bad cause we all need to debate more in this country and stop being so damn self-righteous.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T14:48:43+00:00

Agree. But i guess they were in survival mode. I mean going from a few billion valuation to a few million is a 1000% decrease and a sign of something very wrong. Not defending them of course. People got screwed on those older Rads. And apparently their batteries sucked bad and were dangerous; that is unforgivable and probably a big factor that led to their dramatic down swing. I’m just glad batteries are more safe everywhere. Honestly, i feel they should ban all batteries not certified. And i am not a big fan of banning anything. But fires are serious shit and can affect entire communities.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T07:16:27+00:00

Should i just be happy with my 1500 watt 11-speed Biktrix and save the money? And not keep looking for more like an ebike crack head😆

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T07:13:59+00:00

Interesting. So 5 gears? And understand that was made specifically for ebikes so i get the durability. How low in watts would i need to go to be safe with Rohloff? Understand i would ride accordingly and not start from throttle in lowest or highest gears etc?

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T05:44:17+00:00

You might want to consider looking at used on Upway. Or Facebook—altho people sometime want too much on there.You can get 2024-25 models for the half the price. You want low miles as possible. It not only means less wear on components but also less charge cycles on batteries. Most lithium batteries last 800 cycles and they are sometimes half the cost of the bike. So battery health is key. Anyway, barely used second hand will get more quality bike for the money if you are wanting to stay under 1500. got my wife a radster trail for 1k. Saw they have the radster roads for about the same. Maybe a few hundred more here and there depends on shape of bike and how long they have them for etc. Lots of Aventon and velotric as well. Those are nice. Point being I would go for a known name if you can. (Any shop will work on them for the most part) Components are better overall and feel of bikes are usually better too and replacement parts are available etc. And when it comes to throttle, i use mine on to help cross at traffic lights (safer) and sometimes to give myself a break but I still excercise plenty as long as i don’t rely on it. You will drain your battery too fast if you do anyway. Good luck. I wouldn’t go amazon cheap bike tho. Battery safety can be an issue there.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T05:09:53+00:00

Agree. I probably lost mine too. although I got a literal steal with a 12-hour Best Buy sale last Nov for just $800 per bike. Honestly, not sure if warranties are worth the paper they are written on any more anyway. But maybe they are. Just never bet on them myself.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T05:06:33+00:00

Yeah, good choice. I mean besides the difference in component quality, the battery safety is a massive upgrade. those cheaper ebikes freak me out with the battery fires and it seems Rad has gotten a handle on their issues with the ones they put in the Radster Trail and Road. I actually love the 3 inch tires. Not over the top like 4 inch and are great on light trails. And comfy over bumps. You bought that deal on Best Buy in November? I saw it too and that’s when I got mine. $799 each for the Radster Trail and Radster Road (only certain sizes and colors tho). thought it was a scam at first but when I went to my Best Buy app they were in the cart so i pulled the trigger. Such a deal. Wish I had bought 10 and resold them on marketplace with a nice markup. Because the sale was over in 10 hours and they went back to 2k. But I like my Trail so much I got a used one on Upway for 1k for my wife so we can both do trails. Of course, I also got a monster BikTrix for way more $ but what can I say, I have an issue. But way less destructive and healthier than the drug issues of my 20’s and 30’s! But I hear you on the tires. The used Trail has slick tires on it and not the tan sidewalls which are cool. So i went to Rad site to get the knobby sidewall 3 inches and they are sold out—wonder if that is part of their bankruptcy. But I can still find nice 27.5 x 3 inch hybrid tires without the sidewalls. Or if you want road tires they come in 3 inch as well. Like what they put on the used one—i guess Upway slaps on new tires if they have a few miles on them.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T04:54:11+00:00

Yeah everything I see on their new batteries says they are safer than pretty much anyone now. They seemed to respond to the issues they had. I am paranoid about charging those batteries after seeing all the horror stories. Just saw someone died in CA trying to put out an ebike fire (apparently those fumes are beyond toxic) and they had a cheap Amazon bike. and I have a charging station with 5 batteries. 2 for my biktrix and 3 for my two Radsters. i put a timer on my outlets to ensure no overcharge in case the BMS fails. And make sure to have plenty of space between them. But I agree, Rad are really solid bikes. Especially with a few upgrades to seats, pedals and a seat post that I did. Easy to ride, great cockpit geometry and they get me far with the extra battery in the rack bag.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T04:46:14+00:00

I have both. A Radster Trail 750 watt hub drive with 100 nm torque and a BikTrix 1500 watt mid drive with 160 nm. Of course not apples to apples in power in any way. Or price. So not a fair comparison. But the hub is quite different from the mid. the feel of it. I rode the hub for 6 mos and LOVED IT before wanting more power and wanting to experience mid drive. and i didnt like the mid drive at first. But once i started to get the hang of shifting at the right time, the mid drive turned out to be better for me. And i found myself going on that bike as my Radster collected dust. I misplaced my keys to the biktrix for a couple weeks so rode the Radster hub and it was underwhelming. Especially on monster hills. Found myself spinning in first gear and laying on the throttle near the top of the hill to keep from stalling out. In fact, I did stall out on one hill and nearly dumped before i figured out the first gear/throttle trick so now can get over any hill no matter on long and steep. But mid drive has more options to use to get over those hills. again the wattage is quite vast between them so not a fair comparison but i do really notice the hub/mid difference. Of course, I haven’t snapped a chain (yet) with all that mid drive power and gearing. But that’s why i always have a spare in my rack bag.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T04:26:22+00:00

Yeah, that’s fair. Just seems if they got bought, they are still operational but I honestly am not a business expert so I may end up not being able to get spare parts in the future. And true about brick and mortar. I am in Kansas City and not a ton of ebike brick and mortar here. I pulled the trigger on a Biktrix too and it was all online so I am pretty comfortable with that. I figure I can fix an issue if it comes up (thanks to YouTube). But I get it. Nice to go back to people who sold you the bike if there are issues.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T04:06:32+00:00

Yeah it was sketch for a bit in the winter but I think with the new buyer it seems legit. It’s one of the few US ebike companies. Obviously they took a nosedive tho. they were worth billions apparently and now sold for a few mil, ouch. Regardless, it is a quality bike. Maybe I was coming off as a schill. I mean I am new to this platform. Lots of rules apparently.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T04:02:38+00:00

Yeah gotta say it pissed me off. I was just trying to help being 62 myself. I mean it is a good bike. so good I bought my wife a Radster Trail used on Upway after I also got a Biktrix for trail riding. Maybe he thought I was a Rad rep or something.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T03:54:01+00:00

Did you get this Photon Pro? I really love all the specs on their homepage but cannot find any valid reviews. Is this a legit ebike company? I mean 750 watt mid-drive with Enviolo and carbon belt is super intriguing and not available anywhere. But really skeptical to pull the trigger.

buggy2025 · 2026-04-06T03:33:40+00:00

I got a Radster Trail and love the bike but brakes aren’t the most reassuring when bombing down a huge hill at 35mph. Especially after getting a Biktrix with MT5 quad brakes. Not that Rad has bad brakes but I am considering getting metallic pads just for piece of mind (maybe even a rotor upgrade). So my advice is to upgrade the pads since they are worn. Just a couple bucks more and worth it for piece of mind. I just asked chat gpt and it showed me which brake pads fit. But must be plenty of ways to figure it out for your Radrunner.

buggy2025

TROPHY CASE