Top 5 Reasons Why the RadMission 1 Should Be Your First Ebike

Rad Power continues to bolster its brand by consistently delivering competitively priced, highly functional electric bicycles that are built to last. It’s newest model is the RadMission 1, a no-frills, single speed commuter ebike that is perfect for city or suburban settings. At a starting price of $1,099, the RadMission is one of the most affordable ebikes on the market right now.

Rather than propping up its starting price with low quality peripherals, like an LCD screen or flimsy fenders, they decided to build a barebones bike with quality components and impressive ride capabilities. For $1100 you get an extremely capable, high torque (50Nm) 500W motor, up to 45 miles of battery range, a payload capacity of 275 pounds, puncture resistant tires with reflective sidewalls, and an integrated brake light.

The RadMission is a straight-forward ebike that looks great on the road, won’t take up too much space in your apartment, or garage and is powerful enough to haul groceries with relative ease. Here are five reasons why cyclists looking to grab their first ebike should jump on the RadMission 1.

Purchase a RadMission HERE or continue onward for our full ebike review.

Rad is a great company with tons of support

You may have heard in the last few weeks that Rad recently raised 150M in funding. No direct-to-consumer bike manufacturer has raised more money than Rad Power Bikes. With this injection of capital Rad is planning on doubling its workforce and continuing its global expansion. We’re talking about a company that already sells ebikes in 30 countries and currently employs over 300 people. This is huge news for the ebike industry.

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So when you’re buying a Rad bike, you’re buying from a company that has been around since 2007, with industry leading quality assurance standards and a strong supply chain. You can bet the RadMission is an extremely well researched, meticulously road tested model of ebike. 

Where this really makes a difference is service. Rad has an extensive service network if anything goes wrong with your bike as well as a robust customer service arm, ready to assist with any issues that may arise with your bike purchase. 

Rad Power bikes arrive at your door 85% assembled, which means you don’t need a lot of experience working on bikes to assemble your ride. There are lots of reasons to buy a RadMission but one of the most compelling reasons is the fact that you can count on Rad Power Bikes being around for a very long time.

The RadMission rides like a fixie

The RadMission 1 is a joy to ride and that is in large part because of its highly efficient single-speed drivetrain. Fixie enthusiasts may find it easy to cross over into ebike territory on this bike because of the relatively high gearing of this single speed. For those haters that say riding an ebike is not really “exercising” I’ve personally put lots of miles on this ebike without engaging throttle or pedal assist modes and it rides beautifully. You wouldn’t want to tackle too many hills in “analog mode,” remembering it still only has one gear, but on flat, smooth terrain you don’t need to engage the motor if you’re just looking to get a good workout. 

On the other hand, if you’re not in great biking shape you might find it a little difficult to get a quick start on this bike because of its relatively high gearing. There’s obviously no shame in riding this bike exclusively as an ebike which is undoubtedly what most people are buying an ebike for. A simple twist of the throttle will propel you forward with ample thrust. We also found the pedal assist modes to be highly responsive and comparable to some 750W motors we’ve tested as far as acceleration. 

When you combine a torquey gear ratio, a well designed crankset and a strong 500W motor that produces 50Nm of torque, what you get is an ebike that feels faster than an $1100 bike should be able to go. I found myself loving the acceleration at first but quickly grew frustrated when the motor would cut out at exactly 20 mph. To be fair, this is exactly what the RadMission, rated as a class 2 ebike, is designed to do. One easy way to get around the 20mph restriction to unlock an extra 3-4mph of speed is to spend $99 on the LCD screen upgrade. There are several videos on youtube, like this one, that explain how to access the speed limit settings on your bike. After all, 24mph is plenty fast for a city commuter bike.

It’s safe, sturdy and dollar for dollar one of the best values you can get in an ebike

There are little things about this ebike that remind you that it’s made for the budget category. The battery kind of looks like it’s just bolted onto the frame and the controller is completely exposed, as well as all of the wires. It kind of looks like a plain, steel frame bike that Mike Radenbaugh converted in his shop back in the days when Rad was just a one man operation.

But what the bike lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for with sensible, high quality components and a sturdy aluminum frame. One of the things we like about this bike is that it comes with a 40 lux front light and an integrated rear brake light, components you don’t expect at this price point. You can add a rear rack for only $79 and in our test we were pleased at the sturdiness of this high-quality rack. It’s only rated for 40 pounds but we think that’s very conservative. In fact, we think this rack feels a lot more solid than some of the free racks we’ve seen with other ebike models

Like all Rad Power Bikes, the RadMission comes with puncture resistant tires but at 27.5×1.95 inches, these are the narrowest tires Rad sells. On city streets these tires allow riders to easily reach speeds above 20 mph but are stout enough to handle some light off-road duty. We found them to be more than capable on rough grass or hard packed dirt. It wouldn’t be a Rad bike if the tires didn’t offer some good versatility.

It’s versatile, light and easy to store

Some of the more expensive ebike options offer beefier frames, bigger tires, added suspension, and larger batteries with more range. Those bikes have their merits of course but they’re almost never going to be under 60 pounds. So good luck lugging that thing up and down stairs if you don’t own a garage. For many of us that live in apartments or condos this is a big impediment to buying an ebike. 

The RadMission on the other hand, is only about 48 pounds. There are definitely lighter ebikes on the market but they probably won’t offer the same performance or safety as the RadMission. This is a bike that won’t take up too much space in your house and that you can feel comfortable hanging on a sturdy, wall mounted bike rack.

The RadMission is super affordable

When you buy an $1100 ebike you usually have to make a few compromises. You might have to go with a lesser known brand that might not have a robust service network. Or you might get a bike that requires a ton of assembly when it arrives on your doorstep. Or you might have to settle for low quality components and a less powerful motor. 

With the RadMission 1 you’re getting a high quality bike with a powerful motor that arrives at your house almost completely assembled. You even get the option of a high-step and a mid-step frame, not one size fits all, and the option of four gorgeous colors; some of the prettiest we’ve seen on any ebike on the market.

You’re simply not going to do much better than the RadMission 1 for $1100 and even by adding a few extra components, like a kickstand, a rear rack and fenders, you can still go home with one for around $1300. Sure you can find cheaper ebikes that include all these components but there aren’t that many companies that can compete with Rad’s service and support. 

In a lot of ways buying a Rad Power Bike is like driving a Honda. Yeah there might be sexier looking cars out there but dollar for dollar you aren’t going to do better than a Honda. Besides, you know you can always find a Honda mechanic to work on your car that wont charge you an arm and a leg and that’s kind of like owning a Rad Power Bike is like. No one ever regrets buying one.