I’ve ridden most of the best electric bikes out there, but the Rad Power Bikes RadWagon 4 cargo model is currently my pick of the bunch. Why? Well, if you’re looking to lug stuff around, then a cargo bike is just the electric option to help you do it. And, in the case of the RadWagon 4, this is a bike that can handle all sorts of payloads.
Better still, the RadWagon 4 isn’t a dull bike to ride, either. You might think that a cargo bike will be slow and handle poorly, but in the case of the RadWagon 4, it’s nothing of the sort. In fact, thanks to a beefy battery, great hub motor and a fine line-up of nicely calibrated Shimano gearing, this is a large electric bike that moves with ease.
What’s the appeal?
Choosing the Rad Power Bikes RadWagon 4 might not seem like an obvious choice, and it might not be suited to everyone’s needs either. Fair enough. However, the roads around where I live are getting increasingly clogged up, so even short journeys to the local supermarket have become an annoying drain on time and a test of my patience.
Conversely, my local council has been splurging on improving the local cycle infrastructure. This now means I’ve got lots of lovely, smooth and bike-dedicated lanes to choose from. What that also means is I can get to town, do my grocery shopping and get back again in roughly the same time it used to take to get one way in the car.
Can cargo bikes carry?
Many folks will try to tell you that a cargo bike can be an ideal replacement for the car, and, honestly, that doesn't seem like such a wild claim anymore. I had the RadWagon 3 before this latest and much-improved model, and that was at a time when I had even more need to lug stuff around.
That electric cargo bike did me proud, and I'm getting even fizzier feelings this time for the RadWagon 4. The great thing about the cargo bike is that it's not only suitable for carrying a week's worth of groceries, but these two-wheelers are also great for getting people from A to B.
Rad Power Bikes sells a range of accessories, such as footrests and even a caboose, that allows you to transform your electric bike into an effective way of getting your offspring to school and the like. I've carried several family members on our cargo bikes over the years – not all at the same time, obviously. The great thing is that you don't have to worry about parking at the other end. So, you're saving time and money right there. It's brilliant.
E-bikes are better
Of course, the added bonus with all of this is that you've got a suite of convenience tools at your disposal. Electric bikes take the strain out of cycling, though the fab thing is you can still turn down the assistance if you want to get fit from biking. Sure, cargo bikes are hefty things, and they need to be given their payload capabilities, but there's a setting for all occasions.
In the case of the RadWagon 4, there's oodles of power from the motor, and with gearing suited to all sorts of terrain, this is a cargo ebike that's a breeze to ride. Since Rad Power Bikes reduced the diameter of the tyres and wheels on the new model and added fatter rubber, the RadWagon 4 can go just about anywhere.
Put it on charge overnight, and the RadWagon 4 is ready to go again by the following day: off to school, the shops, or wherever. That's what I call convenience, and while I might not be selling the car as a result of getting this latest electric two-wheeler, I'm certainly going to be using it a lot less. That's what I call a great bike!
