Rad Bike Cargo Options Compared and Reviewed

If you're in the market for a rad bike cargo system, you've got a lot of great options to choose from. The Surly Big Dummy is a popular choice among long-distance commuters and bike tourers, with its sturdy steel frame and robust components.

The Surly Big Dummy can carry loads of up to 200 pounds, making it perfect for hauling heavy gear or even a second passenger. Its versatility and durability have made it a favorite among cyclists who need a reliable cargo bike.

The Yuba Mundo, on the other hand, is a great option for families or those who need to carry a lot of gear. Its frame is designed to be extra stable, making it perfect for carrying kids or heavy loads.

Intriguing read: Rad Power Cargo Bike

The Rad Power RadWagon 5 is a top contender in the rad bike cargo market, but how does it stack up against other options?

The RadWagon 5 has a total weight limit of 375 lbs, with up to 120 lbs on the rear rack, and a measured weight of 88 lbs 1 oz.

Here's a comparison of the RadWagon 5 with other popular options:

If you're looking for a more affordable option with more cargo capacity, the Lectric XPedition 2.0 might be the way to go, but be aware that it has a slightly less refined ride.

If you're in the market for a new cargo e-bike, there are several options to consider. The Rad Power RadWagon 5 is a top contender, with its 720 Wh battery and 750W motor providing a range of up to 25 miles.

One of the key advantages of the RadWagon 5 is its stability, with a total weight limit of 375 lbs and a rear rack capacity of up to 120 lbs. This makes it perfect for hauling heavy loads.

However, if you're looking for a more affordable option, the Lectric XPedition 2.0 is definitely worth considering. With a price tag of $1,399, it's a great value for the features you get.

Here's a comparison of some of the top cargo e-bikes on the market:

As you can see, the Lectric XPedition 2.0 has a slightly shorter range, but it's also a more affordable option. If you're looking for a more fun package with RadWagon stability, the Aventon Abound SR is definitely worth checking out.

The Aventon Abound SR has a total weight limit of 440 lbs and a rear rack capacity of up to 440 lbs, making it perfect for heavy loads. It's also wildly customizable and comes with a range of accessories, including fenders, front and rear lights, and a rear rack.

The RadWagon 4 is a great option for families who need a reliable and efficient cargo bike. This bike can carry an adult and a few kids, or gear and kids, or just gear, making it a versatile choice.

Rad makes quality electric bikes that are relatively affordable compared to other bikes on the market, which is part of their popularity. This makes it a great investment for families who want to switch to a more eco-friendly and cost-effective way of transportation.

The RadWagon 4 has a max speed of 20 miles per hour, which is easily maintained through 5 levels of pedal assist. This makes it a great option for families who need to travel longer distances.

Losing the key is a real concern, as it can turn the battery on and off, rendering the bike unusable. Thankfully, Rad can send a replacement key, as the writer of the Rad Power Wagon Review learned firsthand.

Rad Power completely redesigned the RadWagon, making it safer, more capable, and more comfortable than ever. This 5th-generation family hauler is ready for customization, allowing you to outfit it with bags, buckets, racks, and kids' seats.

The bike prioritizes safety and ride quality, resulting in a delightful but heavy bike. RadPower offers a wealth of accessories to customize it for your unique needs. Quality electric bikes are an investment, but Rad makes them comparatively affordable to other bikes on the market, making them very popular.

The RadWagon has undergone a complete redesign, resulting in a safer, more capable, and more comfortable bike than ever.

This 5th-generation family hauler is designed to be customized to fit your unique needs, with a wide range of accessories available from RadPower.

The bike prioritizes safety and ride quality, making it a delightful ride, but also a heavy bike.

RadPower offers a wealth of accessories to help you customize the bike, from bags and buckets to racks and kids' seats.

With its utilitarian design, the RadWagon is ready to handle any load you throw at it, making it a great option for families or those who need to haul gear.

The Rad Power 5 is a highly evolved machine with many comfort and utility features.

It's great for hauling kids and useful for cargo, making it perfect for errands. The bike is also incredibly user-friendly.

Rad's primary focus in redesigning this bike was safety, which makes it a reliable choice. It provides excellent ride quality.

While enjoyable, the Rad Power 5 isn't necessarily fun to ride, but it does its job well. It feels like a reasonable value and should be on your shortlist.

The user interface is a crucial aspect of any software or application, and it's essential to get it right. The user interface of the latest software release is highly intuitive, with a clean and minimalistic design that makes it easy to navigate.

The new software features a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to easily import and export files. This feature has been a game-changer for many users who were previously frustrated with the complexity of the old interface.

The user interface is designed to be highly responsive, with features that load quickly and smoothly. The software's developers have implemented various optimization techniques to ensure that the interface remains snappy even under heavy loads.

One of the most notable features of the new user interface is the ability to customize the layout and appearance to suit individual user preferences. This has been a long-awaited feature that has been requested by many users.

The user interface is also highly accessible, with features such as high contrast mode and screen reader support that make it usable for users with disabilities. The software's developers have worked closely with accessibility experts to ensure that the interface is usable by everyone.

The RadWagon 5 has a unique kickstand design that centers beneath the bike in front of the back wheel, making it easy to load and unload gear and humans.

This design feature is a game-changer for families, allowing for a smoother and safer experience when transporting kids or cargo. It essentially levitates the entire bike a few inches off the ground while stationary.

The RadWagon 5 can handle a payload of 375 pounds, including 120 pounds on the rear rack, making it perfect for hauling kids, groceries, or a full-on expedition.

The bike's impressive payload capacity is matched by its impressive accessory options, including the Thule Yepp Maxi seats, which click in like a charm and feel safe and secure.

The RadWagon 5 also features a new front suspension feature, which comes in handy when descending bumpy dirt roads, providing a smoother ride for both kids and cargo.

The bike's components, such as the Tektro brakes, Shimano 7-speed shifters and derailleurs, and Kenda fat tires, are name-brand and translate to a smoother ride.

The RadWagon 5's cargo-carrying capabilities are impressive, with a 28" long rack that's 7" wide and made of tubular aluminum. This rack is rated the same as the outgoing model at 120 lbs, making it suitable for most people's carrying needs.

The RadWagon 5's rack is designed with several clever attachment points, allowing you to strap or tie items to its crossbars without any additional attachments. This makes it easy to add accessories like the "Deckpad" seats, which install with a hand-tightened knob.

The RadWagon 5's rear wheel covers are standard, preventing straps, buckles, or little hands and feet from touching the wheel. This adds an extra layer of safety and convenience to the bike's design.

RadPower offers numerous baskets and bags to maximize the bike's carrying capacity, making it easy to haul all your essentials. Whether you're carrying groceries, kids, or pets, the RadWagon 5 has got you covered.

Here's a breakdown of the RadWagon 5's carrying capacity:

The RadWagon 5's carrying capacity is impressive, but it's worth noting that bigger kids can utilize the "Deckhand" handlebars that bolt directly to the rack, giving them an active riding feel. This is a great option for kids who are too big for the standard kid seats.

The RadWagon 4 is designed to be adjustable for a wide range of heights. It can accommodate inseams from 24.5″ to 36.25″, making it suitable for riders of varying heights.

This bike is versatile enough to work for heights ranging from 5’1″ to 6’4″, giving you a good range of options.

In fact, the manufacturer doesn't specifically condone using the bike for riders under 5′ tall, but one user's 12-year-old son was able to pedal and manage the bike with ease, even with a sister or two onboard.

The RadWagon 4's performance is quite impressive, especially when it comes to handling hills. We've had no issues getting up our big hills, but be aware that carrying heavy loads on long rides can quickly drain the battery.

The bike uses a standard chain-drive mechanism with 7 speeds on one ring, which makes shifting through gears a breeze.

You'll appreciate that the motor supports pedaling, rather than relying solely on the throttle, making it a more enjoyable and engaging ride.

The RadWagon's ride quality is a game-changer, especially for riders with insecurities like mine. I stand at 5’3″ and have a short inseam, but the bike's three inch wide wheels and low center of gravity make it incredibly stable.

I was initially intimidated by the bike's weight, but once I got used to it, I realized that the Rad Power bike is much easier to ride compared to our other e-bike. The low center of gravity helps with stability, making it perfect for hauling cargo.

The double kickstand on the RadWagon is a lifesaver when loading and unloading kids or cargo. It really does a good job of keeping things stable, giving you peace of mind.

Riding with kids can be a challenge, but the RadWagon's design helps manage previous cargo and makes it easy to get on and off.

The RadWagon 5 has a 720 Wh battery, which is more capacity than the previous model, but the bike's increased weight and smaller wheels decrease its range.

Riding the bike on hilly terrain, I was able to go 24.96 miles using only the throttle in the most powerful setting, while conquering 1364 ft of elevation.

The battery management system gives you an expected range on the screen, but it wasn't incredibly accurate when on hilly terrain, as the bike couldn't foresee elevation changes.

The range was depleted quickly, especially on uphills, and didn't recover much on downhills, making the bike's range less than expected.

Rad Power claims the bike has an “up to 60-mile range,” which I'd estimate to be accurate, especially if you add some pedal power and ride on level ground.

Riding the bike for 91 minutes yielded an average speed of 16.5 mph, which is a decent pace for a bike with a heavy load.

The RadWagon 5 rates about average in our range metric, which isn't surprising given its additional mass.

Overall, the bike is probably sufficient for most people's commuting needs, but riding it home with a dead battery is something you'd want to avoid.

The RadWagon 4 delivers decent power, making it suitable for everyday rides. It's also equipped with a wide range of gears, which is a big plus.

The bike has a standard chain-drive mechanism offering 7 speeds on one ring, making it easy to shift through gears as you pedal. This feature is particularly useful for navigating hills.

We've found that the bike handles hills with ease, even with a few big ones in our area. However, it's worth noting that long rides on hilly terrain can quickly drain the battery.

The motor supports pedaling, which is a more efficient way to ride compared to relying on the throttle alone. This makes the bike feel more like a traditional bike, rather than a motorized vehicle.

The RadWagon 4 is a great choice for families due to its relatively affordable cost, stable ride, and ability to haul a good amount of gear and/or kids.

The RadWagon 5 is a sturdy bike, weighing in at 86 pounds, and feels exactly as a dad searching for a safe means of transportation for kids would hope it would.

A key feature of the RadWagon 5 is its carrying capacity of 375 lbs, making it suitable for transporting multiple kids or a heavy load of gear.

The RadWagon 5 is a sturdy bike, weighing in at 86 pounds, which gives it a solid feel.

Its carrying capacity is 375 pounds, making it suitable for transporting kids or gear to the playground or beach.

The bike's power output is 750 W, which is a good amount of power for an e-bike.

The RadWagon 5 has a range of 60 miles, making it a great option for longer rides or daily commutes.

Its high-quality graphic display is a nice touch, and the USB-C charger is a convenient feature.

If you're a family looking for a reliable and affordable ride, the RadWagon 4 is definitely worth considering. It can haul a decent amount of gear and/or kids, making it a great option for families on-the-go.

The bike's stable and smooth ride is a major plus, and it's priced relatively affordably. However, it does come with a few drawbacks.

One notable con is the bike's weight, which clocks in at a hefty 70 pounds. This can make it a bit of a challenge to move around when you're not riding it.

Despite its weight, the RadWagon 4 is a great choice for families who need a dependable ride that can handle a bit of gear. Just be prepared to do a bit of muscling around when you're not on the road.

The RadWagon 5 has a few drawbacks to consider. One of them is the lack of a compact assembly tool, which would have made assembly even more convenient.

The bike's size can be intimidating, especially for smaller riders or those with less experience. My wife, who's 5'2", felt uneasy about the bike's size and weight, even with the lower step-through height.

The range of the bike varies significantly depending on the PAS level and terrain. On flat land with PAS 1, the range is around 60 miles, but on steep hills with PAS 5, it's only 18 miles.

The RadWagon 5 is a large and heavy bike, which can be intimidating for riders who weigh less than 100 pounds, especially when hauling cargo.

My wife, who's 5'2", definitely feels intimidated by the size and weight of the bike, and I suspect most users who weigh close to 100 pounds would feel the same way.

The RadWagon 5 doesn't come with a compact, Swiss army knife-style assembly tool, which is a relatively small issue but can add convenience points.

Assembly was still straightforward, but I missed that nifty little tool that many e-bike manufacturers now include.

The bike's range varies drastically depending on the PAS and terrain, with a full charge getting me about 18 miles on steep hills, but closer to 60 miles on flat land.

Range also depends on factors like cargo load, so it's essential to consider these variables when planning your ride.

The Radwagon is a great bike for the money, and it's saved us more than its retail price. It's ideal for the school run, weekly grocery trip, or commute, as long as you're not hitting too many hills.

The bike's affordable price point of $2,000 is impressive, considering it's a cargo bike. This is a great entry point for those who want to see what life is like car-free.

One question to ask yourself is, with it being so cheap, is it a bike you'd happily invest more money in once things start to wear out and break? The bike's components are quite cheap, but it's still managed to serve my family well.

The bike's unique wheel size can be frustrating, but it's not a deal-breaker. It's a well-thought-out bike, for the most part, and its reasonably priced and well-built accessories make it a great option for many.

It's worth considering the long-term costs of car ownership, such as wear and tear and fuel costs. The bike has already saved us thousands of dollars in fuel costs alone.

The RadWagon 5 is a beast of a cargo bike, well-made with thoughtful attention to detail for parents with young kids.

It's a reliable and durable option, capable of developing a cult following, much like the Toyota Land Cruiser of e-bikes.

At $2,399, the price of admission is high, but if you're looking for a cargo e-bike that can seriously offset vehicle usage with kids or lots of gear, then it's totally worth it.

The bike is great for hauling kids, useful for cargo, and adept at errands, making it a highly evolved machine with many comfort and utility features.

It provides excellent ride quality, but isn't necessarily fun to ride, as Rad's primary focus was on safety, making it as exciting as an old Volvo wagon.

The RadWagon 5 does its job well and feels like a reasonable value, making it a bike that should at least make your shortlist.