Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus review

Seattle-based Rad Power is North America’s largest electric bike brand, but in other territories it doesn’t have the presence of more established manufacturers of utility bikes, such as Tern, Benno and Cube.

Rad Power has a reputation for making well-priced urban electric bikes that major on practicality with no shortage of accessories to fine-tune the bike for your practical needs.

The RadRunner 3 Plus reinforces that reputation. It’s shy of perfect, but offers great ebike utility without breaking the bank.

Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus frame details

The RadRunner 3 Plus is built around a small-wheeled (20in) platform with a low step-through frame and a large integrated rack, much like bikes such as Tern’s Quick Haul and GSD, or Benno Bikes' Remi Demi.

The difference here is the RadRunner is priced significantly cheaper than most of its rivals.

The RadRunner’s frame is very well finished, with chunky but even welds.

There are lots of fixtures to add a wealth of accessories and an oversized rack on the rear rated to carry a massive 54kg.

The frame is designed smartly with a super-low step-through shape that makes the bike easy to get onto even when fully loaded.

The RadRunner is rated to carry a maximum of 350lb/159kg, which is higher than any previous RadRunner and more than enough for practically whatever you want to shift.

The angle of the tube leading to the saddle is well thought-out – its relaxed angle also lengthens the distance to the handlebars in proportion as the saddle heightens.

This made the RadRunner a great fit for both me (6ft 2in/188cm) and my 5ft (152cm) tall partner. That opens the bike up to family use.

The battery is semi-integrated neatly into the main tube, sitting in a channel but standing proud so you can easily access the charge port for on-bike charging.

It locks into place but can be removed for charging and better security with it. Rad Power even sells a dedicated battery carrying case for this purpose (£43).

Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus build

The RadRunner comes with front and rear lights powered from the battery and operated via the bar-mounted remote.

The broad full mudguards are made from alloy and proved rattle-free even when riding over rough surfaces.

The hi-rise bar is finished off tidily with leather-look ergonomically shaped grips. The big broad saddle is comfortable – though its wide, almost oblong shape feels a little alien if you're used to standard-shaped bike saddles.

The proper hydraulic disc brakes are a real bonus, especially when paired with big brake rotors (200mm and 180mm, front-rear). They’re just what you need to slow down the 34.2kg RadRunner at the bottom of a hill.

The brakes also include a motor cut-off, so as soon as you engage the brakes the bike stops assisting – an important safety inclusion.

The 7-speed gears come from Shimano, with a TX50 thumb shifter on the bars and Shimano Altus derailleur at the rear.

Shifting between gears is steady rather than speedy, but I had no issues with the quality throughout my testing. The 11-34 tooth gear range and 48-tooth chainring are ideal for round-town riding.

The huge RST suspension fork at the front has 60mm of travel and is set up to compensate for load carrying and the weight of the bike.

It works well, swallowing up bumps in the road without diving or bottoming out, so there is no tell-tale clunk when you drop off a kerb or go over a speed bump.

The fork also has both a lock-out and a pre-load adjuster, so you can play with the suspension action should you need to (I didn’t).

The integrated rear oversized rack doesn’t have the same issues as some I’ve tested – Rad Power has welded a thinner-gauge cross member along the platform so standard KLICKfix-style panniers will fit and stay secure, rather than wobble about.

The RadRunner rolls on 20in wheels wrapped in 3.3in-wide Kenda tyres with a tough casing, puncture protection and a semi-slick tread. They roll well – not exactly fast, but with enough compliance to keep you comfortable and your load rattle-free.

The RadRunner looks good value versus its competition. Compared to similarly styled bikes with equivalent performance, such as Tern’s Quick Haul P9 (£3,100) or Benno’s Remi Demi 9D at (£3,399) its nigh-on £1,000 cheaper price tag is certainly compelling.

Only British brand Mycle offers real competition on value with its Cargo (1,899).

Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus motor assistance

The bike's power comes from a 250-watt rear-hub motor, paired to the aforementioned 672Wh battery. Charge time from empty is a steady 6 hours and 10 minutes.

The motor comes with five levels of power assist. Level 1 is so subtle as to not really make a difference, while Level 5 delivers bags of torque and very swift pick-up. I found myself using the power more like a second set of gears, as opposed to a simple pedal assist.

When starting off, you can deploy the half-grip sized throttle for a boost off the lights or at the foot of a hill. Especially when carrying some cargo, Level 5 will get you up to speed very quickly.

For general riding, I found leaving it in the mid-range (levels 2 or 3) was suitable for cruising, though when I was up to speed on a flat road, dropping down to Level 1 to conserve energy was possible.

Rad Power claims a range of between 25 and 45 miles (40-72km) on a single charge and that higher range is achievable from flat riding with little weight on board.

My testing involved a weekly supermarket shopping run, a few errands plus a couple more rides.

I achieved between 29.35 miles/47km with 951.44ft/290 metres of ascent with my errand/shopping run, and a best of 37.5miles/60.3km with 628.55ft/191.6m of climbing on an unladen ride.

The RadRunner motor works well in most conditions. It doesn’t perform brilliantly up steep inclines because the motor loses its battle with the weight it needs to shift, but on short hills or steady inclines, it works very well.

Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus ride impressions

The RadRunner 3 Plus is best described as sedate.

The power delivery is smooth without ever getting ahead of your pedalling. There’s no surge as the motor kicks in, as I experienced occasionally with the Engwe M20 I've also tested.

The steering is steady and well-balanced, and even though it’s a long bike at 1,840mm, the 1,188.5mm wheelbase doesn’t make it feel overly long or clumsy for an urban ebike.

The RadRunner simply rolls along, smoothing the way and carrying pretty much all you need. You can add a child seat, or even a passenger bench seat (along with safety bars) on the rear because the rack is over 60cm long.

The kickstand mounted at the rear holds the bike steady enough, although you do need to take some care when loading up to prevent it toppling over.

I’d much prefer a motorbike-style dual stand mounted in the centre under the bottom bracket, especially if a child seat is involved because they’re inherently more stable.

Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus bottom line

When it all comes together, the RadRunner 3 Plus is a smart, cost-effective method of transport.

It’s easy to ride, hugely versatile and can be used by a variety of people, thanks to its smart design. It’s also much cheaper than much of the competition from the likes of Tern and Benno.

It might not be great on steep hills, and it would benefit from a double-pronged kickstand, but I wouldn’t dismiss the RadRunner 3 Plus because its balance of price and performance is so good.

However, those in Europe should get in quick: the brand is soon to close operations in mainland Europe, which will impact availability outside of the US.