{"video_id":"quRgRIMq41Q","title":"Electric bike that FOLDS?","channel":"Linus Tech Tips","show":"Linus Tech Tips","published_at":"2017-05-06T14:53:29Z","duration_s":471,"segments":[{"start_s":0.08,"end_s":7.52,"text":"The Rad Mini is a sturdy fat tire folding ebike from Rad Power Bikes.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":5.04,"end_s":11.519,"text":"That's a fairly unique combination. This bike is popular among people who don't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":9.36,"end_s":16.48,"text":"have a lot of space to store a bike. It can fit in a boat, an RV, or just a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":13.759,"end_s":21.039,"text":"normal size car. And the fat tires and geared hub motor mean you can take it on","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":18.48,"end_s":25.35,"text":"rough and steep terrain. So, I like to think of it as an adventurer's bike.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":23.279,"end_s":34.64,"text":"Let's check it out.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":34.64,"end_s":41.6,"text":"be quiet!'s Silent Wings 3 uses a smooth running six-pole motor to remain silent","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":39.44,"end_s":47.36,"text":"and cool your PC better. Check them out at the link below. The Rad Mini arrives","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":44.559,"end_s":51.28,"text":"in a small bike box. Interestingly, not already folded, and it requires a bit of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":49.68,"end_s":55.68,"text":"assembly. You have to put on the front wheel, the handlebars, pedals, and the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":53.44,"end_s":60.559,"text":"optional front rack. I had a bit of trouble with it, but if you attach these","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":57.68,"end_s":64.479,"text":"two arms first, you'll be fine. Now that it's assembled, let's try folding it.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":62.64,"end_s":69.28,"text":"Each of the folding joints features several points of redundancy to prevent","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":66.88,"end_s":73.04,"text":"the bike from accidentally folding mid ride. So, if this lever is loosened,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":71.439,"end_s":77.84,"text":"you'll be fine. If the whole assembly rotates away, you're still fine. You","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":75.52,"end_s":81.6,"text":"have to pull this whole contraption up before the bike will be able to fold in","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":79.759,"end_s":85.84,"text":"half. And it's the same story with the handlebars. to fold. This plastic holder","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":84.08,"end_s":90.159,"text":"needs to be rotated. This handle needs to be pulled down, and the spring-loaded","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":87.84,"end_s":94.079,"text":"part needs to be moved. Now that it's folded, you might notice that the gears","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":92.079,"end_s":97.92,"text":"are exposed. This guard around the derailure prevents them from being","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":95.6,"end_s":102.0,"text":"damaged in transit. But it should be noted that there's nothing to prevent","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":99.2,"end_s":106.32,"text":"the bike from scratching its own paint. So, I juryrigged a solution out of some","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":104.0,"end_s":111.36,"text":"old bicycle tubes. Handy things, by the way. I keep them in my car next to the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":108.159,"end_s":114.0,"text":"duct tape and WD40. At 60 lb, the bike","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":111.36,"end_s":118.32,"text":"is heavier than most folding ebikes, but that contributes to its sturdy feel, and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":116.56,"end_s":122.88,"text":"I was able to carry it comfortably, especially when compared to the 75lb Rad","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":120.96,"end_s":126.799,"text":"Wagon. The rear rack can even be extended, but if your bike bags aren't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":124.96,"end_s":131.28,"text":"very rigid, they'll rub up against the back wheel, unless you bought the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":128.8,"end_s":136.48,"text":"optional fenders. And I like how it looks, but I found no real use for the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":133.84,"end_s":141.2,"text":"front rack. It's a weird hybrid between a rack and a basket. with the front","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":138.959,"end_s":145.28,"text":"open, I guess, to accommodate larger items, but I also would have gotten rid","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":143.2,"end_s":149.28,"text":"of these extra railings on the sides so I could carry a more diverse range of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":147.2,"end_s":153.64,"text":"objects. It's also worth noting that it kind of prevents you from parking inside","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":151.44,"end_s":158.0,"text":"most bike racks. Well, time to start it up. The","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":156.319,"end_s":161.84,"text":"key needs to stay inserted for the bike to run. I wish this wasn't the case","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":160.0,"end_s":166.239,"text":"since they ended up hitting my foot while I'm riding. Separating the bike","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":164.16,"end_s":170.64,"text":"key from the rest of my keys solves this problem, but it makes it easy to forget","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":168.48,"end_s":174.72,"text":"the key in the ignition, which would allow someone to steal the expensive","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":172.8,"end_s":179.68,"text":"battery. Now, let's talk about the riding experience. The bike has only one","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":177.28,"end_s":183.68,"text":"derailure with seven speeds. That's usually fine, but I wish the highest","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":181.36,"end_s":187.44,"text":"gear was a little higher. There's a back lit LCD display, which shows everything","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":185.68,"end_s":191.28,"text":"you could ever want, except for estimated remaining range. The wimpy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":189.68,"end_s":196.48,"text":"front light runs off the main battery and the backlight uses double's. There's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":194.159,"end_s":201.28,"text":"no suspension on the Rad Mini. Combined with the smaller diameter tires, bumps","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":198.879,"end_s":205.84,"text":"will feel harder than usual. The fat tires definitely soak up all the little","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":203.12,"end_s":209.92,"text":"bumps, but not the big ones. On the subject of soaking, you can take the Rad","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":208.4,"end_s":215.84,"text":"Mini out in the rain as long as you don't stay out for too long. But my Rad","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":212.879,"end_s":220.0,"text":"Mini did not come with fenders. Pretty surprising since the company is located","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":217.76,"end_s":224.48,"text":"in Seattle where it rains all winter long. I folded my bike bags over the top","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":222.64,"end_s":229.28,"text":"of the rack to keep the water off my back, but the bike has still gotten","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":226.799,"end_s":234.64,"text":"absolutely filthy. Apparently, there were no pre-existing fenders available","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":231.68,"end_s":239.36,"text":"for a 20-in fat tire bicycle. So, Rad Power Bikes had to specially design and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":236.64,"end_s":243.12,"text":"manufacture them. As of December 2016, the fenders have finally become","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":240.879,"end_s":248.319,"text":"available, and they're great. They work just as fenders should. But at 159 USD,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":246.319,"end_s":256.479,"text":"they're definitely priced like custom parts. Yikes. The Rad Mini has a 556Wh","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":252.799,"end_s":258.799,"text":"battery and a powerful 750W planetary","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":256.479,"end_s":263.12,"text":"geared hub motor, but because of the geared motor, the Rad Mini does not have","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":261.12,"end_s":267.199,"text":"regenerative braking. Though, it makes up for this with better acceleration","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":264.8,"end_s":272.479,"text":"than the Rad Wagon up to its governor limited top speed of 20 mph. However, it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":270.4,"end_s":277.28,"text":"takes almost a second for the motor to engage after you twist the throttle. The","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":275.199,"end_s":281.72,"text":"bike has a throttle and five modes of pedal assist based on the cadence","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":279.28,"end_s":287.84,"text":"sensor, but the pedal assist is absolutely awful, or at least it was out","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":284.8,"end_s":290.4,"text":"of the box. Basically, the problem was","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":287.84,"end_s":296.32,"text":"that they added speed limits on top of the usual watt limits for all of the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":293.28,"end_s":298.72,"text":"five pedal assist modes. This resulted","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":296.32,"end_s":304.72,"text":"in most of the load being taken by either the rider or the motor instead of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":301.68,"end_s":306.96,"text":"being equally distributed. After I and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":304.72,"end_s":310.88,"text":"some other users sent Rad Power Bikes some feedback, they reworked their","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":309.039,"end_s":315.759,"text":"firmware for the motor controller and sent me a new one in the mail. It was a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":313.36,"end_s":320.479,"text":"pain in the ass to install, but now the motor controller works just the way it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":317.759,"end_s":325.84,"text":"should, and that's great. But what's not great is that my first motor controller","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":322.56,"end_s":328.32,"text":"on the Rad Wagon was also buggy and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":325.84,"end_s":332.96,"text":"needed to be replaced. So, it's become a pattern for me. And looking through","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":330.32,"end_s":337.039,"text":"online forums, I'm not the only one. This is something I feel Rad Power Bikes","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":335.199,"end_s":342.08,"text":"could address with more stringent pre-release testing and quality control.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":339.919,"end_s":345.759,"text":"But let's not dwell on that. What can you expect from the Rad Mini with the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":344.0,"end_s":350.88,"text":"updated motor controller that they're shipping now? good things. It turns out","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":348.8,"end_s":355.6,"text":"due to its superior acceleration and possibly even higher top speed when","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":353.039,"end_s":360.4,"text":"pedaling, the Rad Mini was able to beat all the other electric vehicles in my","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":357.919,"end_s":365.759,"text":"office to Costco benchmark. As for range, the website claims 20 to 40 m and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":363.44,"end_s":371.68,"text":"the furthest I've ever gotten was 30. Which leads us to price. At 1,500 USD,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":369.6,"end_s":376.56,"text":"there is quite a lot of competition from other folding ebikes, such as the Enzo","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":374.479,"end_s":380.96,"text":"or the Volt Bike, which both come with fenders included, by the way. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":378.96,"end_s":386.08,"text":"despite that and any negative things that I've said about the Rad Mini, I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":383.12,"end_s":390.4,"text":"still really like it. And because of its superior acceleration and top speed,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":388.479,"end_s":395.759,"text":"more upright sitting position, wider tires, and reduced size and weight, for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":393.12,"end_s":400.639,"text":"most of my adventures, I prefer the Rad Mini over the Rad Wagon. And the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":398.479,"end_s":404.56,"text":"foldability means you can take it pretty much anywhere. Just make sure to bring a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":403.12,"end_s":408.36,"text":"tarp so you don't get your buddy's Lamborghini dirty.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":409.039,"end_s":415.28,"text":"Yeah, Ting is the mobile carrier that is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":413.759,"end_s":419.44,"text":"focused on customer service and satisfaction first. You can call them","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":417.28,"end_s":423.36,"text":"and speak directly to a real living person. And with Ting, you only pay for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":421.44,"end_s":427.84,"text":"what you use. The average TING bill is only $23 per month per device. If you're","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":426.24,"end_s":433.28,"text":"currently stuck in a contract, you can switch to TING and they will cover 25%","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":430.08,"end_s":435.84,"text":"of your cancellation fee up to $75. Head","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":433.28,"end_s":439.56,"text":"over to Linus.ing.com ting.com today and try out their savings calculator to find","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":437.84,"end_s":444.56,"text":"out what you could save. Thanks for watching, guys. Give it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":441.919,"end_s":449.68,"text":"a like or a dislike. Get subscribed and get bled as well cuz that's a new thing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":447.039,"end_s":455.44,"text":"you can do. I'm not sure what it is. Uh check out our link to Amazon to buy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":453.36,"end_s":460.919,"text":"stuff. We've also got a merch store where you can buy a t-shirt. You can't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":457.68,"end_s":464.08,"text":"buy this jacket. Uh check out the Rad","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":460.919,"end_s":465.599,"text":"Wagon video. I talked about that in this","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":464.08,"end_s":470.28,"text":"video. So, if you haven't seen that, you're going to be kind of confused. So,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":467.28,"end_s":470.28,"text":"goodbye.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"The Rad Mini is a sturdy fat tire folding ebike from Rad Power Bikes. That's a fairly unique combination. This bike is popular among people who don't have a lot of space to store a bike. It can fit in a boat, an RV, or just a normal size car. And the fat tires and geared hub motor mean you can take it on rough and steep terrain. So, I like to think of it as an adventurer's bike. Let's check it out. be quiet!'s Silent Wings 3 uses a smooth running six-pole motor to remain silent and cool your PC better. Check them out at the link below. The Rad Mini arrives in a small bike box. Interestingly, not already folded, and it requires a bit of assembly. You have to put on the front wheel, the handlebars, pedals, and the optional front rack. I had a bit of trouble with it, but if you attach these two arms first, you'll be fine. Now that it's assembled, let's try folding it. Each of the folding joints features several points of redundancy to prevent the bike from accidentally folding mid ride. So, if this lever is loosened, you'll be fine. If the whole assembly rotates away, you're still fine. You have to pull this whole contraption up before the bike will be able to fold in half. And it's the same story with the handlebars. to fold. This plastic holder needs to be rotated. This handle needs to be pulled down, and the spring-loaded part needs to be moved. Now that it's folded, you might notice that the gears are exposed. This guard around the derailure prevents them from being damaged in transit. But it should be noted that there's nothing to prevent the bike from scratching its own paint. So, I juryrigged a solution out of some old bicycle tubes. Handy things, by the way. I keep them in my car next to the duct tape and WD40. At 60 lb, the bike is heavier than most folding ebikes, but that contributes to its sturdy feel, and I was able to carry it comfortably, especially when compared to the 75lb Rad Wagon. The rear rack can even be extended, but if your bike bags aren't very rigid, they'll rub up against the back wheel, unless you bought the optional fenders. And I like how it looks, but I found no real use for the front rack. It's a weird hybrid between a rack and a basket. with the front open, I guess, to accommodate larger items, but I also would have gotten rid of these extra railings on the sides so I could carry a more diverse range of objects. It's also worth noting that it kind of prevents you from parking inside most bike racks. Well, time to start it up. The key needs to stay inserted for the bike to run. I wish this wasn't the case since they ended up hitting my foot while I'm riding. Separating the bike key from the rest of my keys solves this problem, but it makes it easy to forget the key in the ignition, which would allow someone to steal the expensive battery. Now, let's talk about the riding experience. The bike has only one derailure with seven speeds. That's usually fine, but I wish the highest gear was a little higher. There's a back lit LCD display, which shows everything you could ever want, except for estimated remaining range. The wimpy front light runs off the main battery and the backlight uses double's. There's no suspension on the Rad Mini. Combined with the smaller diameter tires, bumps will feel harder than usual. The fat tires definitely soak up all the little bumps, but not the big ones. On the subject of soaking, you can take the Rad Mini out in the rain as long as you don't stay out for too long. But my Rad Mini did not come with fenders. Pretty surprising since the company is located in Seattle where it rains all winter long. I folded my bike bags over the top of the rack to keep the water off my back, but the bike has still gotten absolutely filthy. Apparently, there were no pre-existing fenders available for a 20-in fat tire bicycle. So, Rad Power Bikes had to specially design and manufacture them. As of December 2016, the fenders have finally become available, and they're great. They work just as fenders should. But at 159 USD, they're definitely priced like custom parts. Yikes. The Rad Mini has a 556Wh battery and a powerful 750W planetary geared hub motor, but because of the geared motor, the Rad Mini does not have regenerative braking. Though, it makes up for this with better acceleration than the Rad Wagon up to its governor limited top speed of 20 mph. However, it takes almost a second for the motor to engage after you twist the throttle. The bike has a throttle and five modes of pedal assist based on the cadence sensor, but the pedal assist is absolutely awful, or at least it was out of the box. Basically, the problem was that they added speed limits on top of the usual watt limits for all of the five pedal assist modes. This resulted in most of the load being taken by either the rider or the motor instead of being equally distributed. After I and some other users sent Rad Power Bikes some feedback, they reworked their firmware for the motor controller and sent me a new one in the mail. It was a pain in the ass to install, but now the motor controller works just the way it should, and that's great. But what's not great is that my first motor controller on the Rad Wagon was also buggy and needed to be replaced. So, it's become a pattern for me. And looking through online forums, I'm not the only one. This is something I feel Rad Power Bikes could address with more stringent pre-release testing and quality control. But let's not dwell on that. What can you expect from the Rad Mini with the updated motor controller that they're shipping now? good things. It turns out due to its superior acceleration and possibly even higher top speed when pedaling, the Rad Mini was able to beat all the other electric vehicles in my office to Costco benchmark. As for range, the website claims 20 to 40 m and the furthest I've ever gotten was 30. Which leads us to price. At 1,500 USD, there is quite a lot of competition from other folding ebikes, such as the Enzo or the Volt Bike, which both come with fenders included, by the way. But despite that and any negative things that I've said about the Rad Mini, I still really like it. And because of its superior acceleration and top speed, more upright sitting position, wider tires, and reduced size and weight, for most of my adventures, I prefer the Rad Mini over the Rad Wagon. And the foldability means you can take it pretty much anywhere. Just make sure to bring a tarp so you don't get your buddy's Lamborghini dirty. Yeah, Ting is the mobile carrier that is focused on customer service and satisfaction first. You can call them and speak directly to a real living person. And with Ting, you only pay for what you use. The average TING bill is only $23 per month per device. If you're currently stuck in a contract, you can switch to TING and they will cover 25% of your cancellation fee up to $75. Head over to Linus.ing.com ting.com today and try out their savings calculator to find out what you could save. Thanks for watching, guys. Give it a like or a dislike. Get subscribed and get bled as well cuz that's a new thing you can do. I'm not sure what it is. Uh check out our link to Amazon to buy stuff. We've also got a merch store where you can buy a t-shirt. You can't buy this jacket. Uh check out the Rad Wagon video. I talked about that in this video. So, if you haven't seen that, you're going to be kind of confused. So, goodbye."}