The cockpit of the bike is also redesigned, with two displays rather than just one.

Geared hub motors are slightly heavier than gearless motors, but not so much that you compromise on range. But the new geared hub motor (rated for 750W, like all of Rad’s bikes) has a lot more pick-me-up than the previous generation model’s gearless motors. The motor is noticeably quieter than Rad’s older models, but it isn’t nearly silent like some of the newer Bosch motors tend to be. That efficiency shines through on the pavement, where the RadCity proves itself to be a fast, nimble, and effortlessly fun bike to ride. The RadCity proves itself to be a fast, nimble, and effortlessly fun bike to ride “Our engineering team has spent a lot of time dialing in on the user interface, the programming at each pedal assist level, the programming on the throttle, and really getting that controller-motor pairing to be ultra-efficient,” Stephens said. Much of what was accomplished derived from a successful pairing between the bike’s motor and its speed controller, he said. Before taking the bikes for a leisurely ride around Central Park, he told me how the company’s engineering team approached the challenge of squeezing more power out of the bike’s battery and motor. Last week, I got a chance to test out the new RadCity with Redwood Stephens, chief product officer at Rad Power Bikes. And the stopping power has been improved with the inclusion of hydraulic disc brakes with long-lasting ceramic pads. But the range estimate is the same as the fourth-generation version of the bike, where, depending on your level of assist, Rad says you’ll get between 28–50 miles of range. The bike’s range has also been improved by 11 percent, thanks to custom-made tires that operate more efficiently on paved roads. Rad Power Bikes says the new RadCity will climb hills 40 percent faster than the previous generation.

The new RadCity will climb hills 40 percent faster

Rad power bikes