The New Rad eBike Is Your Perfect Mad Max Ride

When zombies invade New York City, I’m planning to jump on the new Rad electric bike. 

With its oversized tires and powerful motor, the RadRover 6 Plus is not your average bicycle. It doesn’t pretend to be a regular bike with an electric boost. But the 6 Plus is perfect for escaping the undead in almost any condition.

The 6 Plus isn’t for lycra-clad triathletes who obsess about every ounce of their bikes. This cycle is meant for tackling the mean streets, going places, and getting things done. 

It’s Rad

I've been trying out the 6 Plus on the streets of Manhattan, which is the perfect testing ground for this city-oriented bike. Its spring fork has plenty of travel, which smooths out the bounce over potholes. That's a good thing, too, because the 6 Plus frame weighs more than 60 pounds, so hitting a bump on the Rad is no joke. 

While doing loops in Central Park, I got some funny looks from the recreational cyclists who take themselves very seriously on their $10,000 carbon frames. Although, I have to admit that the 6 Plus does look different. With its "fat bike" style tires and prominent battery, you won't be fooling anyone that you are gearing up for the Tour de France on the Rad. 

However, on the north of the park, a steep hill left other cyclists panting. I simply twisted the throttle on the Rad and zoomed past my competitors without breaking a sweat. Who's laughing now?

Equipped for Doom

The very things that make the Rad look strange also make it the perfect city bike for people who have to get where they are going, whether that’s fleeing hordes of the undead or heading to the office in the rain. 

The fat tires on the 6 Plus smooth out bumps and could potentially let you mow down zombies in your path. An integrated headlight also will be great for a nighttime Escape from New York when the power fails. 

The battery offers a higher capacity than many competing e-bikes, but is removable and slips neatly into the frame. Rad claims the battery provides a range of around 25-45 miles, depending on if you’re feeling lazy and pumping up the pedal assist. I had no problem with the range zipping around New York City for a day, and it’s certainly enough to escape the city when the next disaster hits. 

The stopping power was excellent, thanks to the hydraulic disc brakes. When you’re riding a bike this large and heavy, you want the best brakes you can get, and the ones on the 6 Plus kept me from plowing into a fellow cyclist who suddenly veered in front of me. 

The 6 Plus uses a smaller, lighter hub motor than previous models. The company says you get a 40% increase in hill-climbing speed with the new motor, which was borne out in my test rides. The seven-speed shifter worked smoothly with enough range for most situations. 

Despite the lighter motor, there’s no getting around the fact that the 6 Plus is a chunky bike. Dragging it up flights of stairs is not fun. But the upside of all that weight is that I found the whole package reassuringly stable and well put-together. 

For techies who love metrics, the 6 Plus features two LED displays. The main display is in the center of the bars and offers speed, distance, power, and other information. The left bar end displays more details like pedal assist level, battery charge, and headlight status. It’s all easier to use than you’d think. 

At $1,999, the 6 Plus is moderately priced for an e-bike these days. For the quality and ability to tackle any situation, this one’s a buy in my book. Zombies won’t stand a chance.