My teenage son and myself pointed the Big 5 (as we came to call it) at every kind of alt-surface we could find: gravel roads pocked with mud puddles (super fun), fields of deep grass, a BMX track, muddy forest trails, gravel byways, and even a bit of snow (we initially received the bike in February). Nothing left to do except put it to the test. But it still had that “I can go anywhere and up/down/over just about anything” attitude like my big Zookie. It’s similar to my Suzuki DR650 dual-sport motorcycle, except not quite as powerful and 350 pounds lighter. Roberson PhotographyĪdditionally, since I’m also a motorcycle guy, I appreciated the stability it had while riding. The front fork features a lockout for a more solid ride on city streets. But give the phat ride idea a more mountain bike-like stance and add in an electric motor, especially a stout 750-watt plant, and everything changes. Riding a friend’s regular (non-powered) “fat bike” a couple of years ago confirmed my suspicions: it was slow, heavy, ungainly, and tiring to ride. MORE FROM FORBES Smart, Funky, Expensive And A Hoot To Ride, GoCycle's G3 Electric Bicycle Is Loaded With Good Ideas By Bill Robersonīut truthfully, I’ve always had a bit of scorn for what I thought of as those silly super-fat-tired bike-things that seemed more like a rolling bicycle fashion statements than practical transportation. I’m also a fairly typical taco-and-burger-loving big guy at 6 foot 1, 225 pounds, so I appreciated the RadRover 5’s larger overall profile: It fit me perfectly. I’m in Oregon, so not unsurprisingly for early March, it began to rain as I buttoned up adjusting the bike to my size. It arrived partially assembled and after half an hour with a few common tools, I had the front wheel on, the fat fenders in place, the rear rack attached, lights connected, seat adjusted and the battery topped up. At a base 69 pounds, it’s big, heavy, and built like Mike Tyson in his prime. The Rad Rover 5 is not some lightweight miracle. There are a lot of trails and forested parks near where I live, and the RadRover 5 made walking the. Extra batteries to extend your ride cost $545. The battery is modular and rides in a carrier where a water bottle usually sits, and can be quickly locked or unlocked with a key to be swapped out. ![]() A 7.7-pound 48V, 14 Ah (672 Wh) battery with Samsung 35E cells powers the motor and electrics, and Rad says it’s good for 800 charging cycles and between 25 and 45-ish miles of range depending on use. It can also be set to blink but still goes solid when you hit the brakes. If the bike is powered on, the rear brake light activates, a feature every bike should have in my opinion. The headlight needs to be brighter and the light pattern is a square, so maybe a rethink is needed there. There’s an LED headlight, and a rear LED taillight with a brake light that also relocates into the optional rear rack that came with my bike. Roberson PhotographyĪ small control pod for turning on the power, adjusting assist levels and toggling display options is on the left bar, as is a bike bell. The LCD display might be simple but that's a good thing.
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