Cargo bike comparison for steep street. Rad Wagon vs Blix vs Flyer

[pamiro]

Hi everyone, i am trying to decide between some cargo bikes, but i am a total rookie about ev bikes.
This bike will be used by my wife and my 2yo as cargo for fun the only thing is we live in over a hill and theres a very steep climb on our way home .
I checked the
https://www.radpowerbikes.com/collections/electric-bikes/products/radwagon-electric-cargo-bikehttps://blixbike.com/products/packa-electric-cargo-bike?variant=39338590437551and
https://flyer.radioflyer.com/flyer-l885.html
I like the flyer a lot but it looks like the other bikes have 750W motors and the flyer has 500W motor ...
I am not sure how that power is delivered or if it really makes a difference .... so i wanted to ask here .
I would appreciate if you can share what you think ? Feel free to make other suggestions also .
Thanks alot !
Pamir.

 

["A"]

I was in similar situation back in OCT 2020, just before the pandemic really hit.
My Chinese Cargo Utility ebike purchase experience
I carry large volume of food items, weighing up to 90-100 lb. between schools & food shelters.
My trip distance is usually under 20 miles, 4 to 8 mile between stops, no steep hills, but lots of stop & go, traffic lights and throttle usage.
All pavement usage, no off-road riding, no sand or muddy conditions.

Power delivery between 750w & 500w hub motor can make a difference if you are carrying heavy loads.
Among three choices of yours, the ones with smaller rear wheel will feel like they offer more torque from a stop, quicker to accelerate, and probably stronger wheel.
Large volume tires will offer more comfortable ride without suspension.
The longer the wheelbase, will make steering more sluggish, less nimble in traffic.

I purchased a 20" fat tire cargo bike from Alibaba, $1250 shipped to my driveway from China.
Ordered early OCT 2020, received FEB 2021.
750w hub-motor, max output about 1300w, 5 levels of PAS, two 10.4Ah batteries.
Controller programable with adjustable motor cutout up to 40+ mph, (not that I ever ride that fast).
Depending on how much weight I carry & how much throttle I use, I can usually get 40-55 miles to run a single battery down from 100% to 25%.
Takes about 4 hours to charge fully.

Depends on how long (distance wise) your steep hill is, 750w hub motor usually can handle 220-250 lb. uphill with PAS.
I converted the front end to a longer travel fork and narrower front wheel to make pavement riding less noisy.
Since FEB 2021, I've put about 2k miles on the cargo ebike.
The rig is rock solid, no problem whatsoever, not even a flat tire.

 

[CuckooForCargoBikes]

Hi Pamir,

So many choices! The Radwagon and Blix Packa Genie are very similar, both have 750w geared rear hub motors, capability to add a 2nd battery, etc., the biggest difference for me is that Blix uses a more industry standard wheel size, 24 inch wheels/tires/tubes, while the Radwagon uses a proprietary 22 inch size that only they carry, meaning they're pretty much your only source for replacements and spares. Plus the 2nd battery option for the Blix is more affordable if you choose to add one.

I, too, love the look of the Flyer, but unfortunately haven't been able to check one out in person yet. From what I can gather, the Flyer is governed to a speed of 20 mph as the top limit (which is plenty fast on a loaded cargo bike), while both the Blix and Rad will go faster than that, something else to consider. I've been riding cargo bikes the old fashioned way on strictly pedal power for about 15 years now and am about to electrify my ride also; either by purchasing a readymade e-cargo bike like these, or adding a motor to one of my existing rides. My nephews got ebikes for Christmas last year and they love to leave me in the dust on our rides now! Cheers!

 

[pamiro]

Thank so much ... do you think the rad would be powerful enough to climb something like %15 steep ? or would a mid drive cargo bike will be a much safer bet ? I just found this but im now also checking some other mid drive possibilities also ....
https://eunorau-ebike.com/products/...bereats-delivery-using?variant=40191512838295

 

[CuckooForCargoBikes]

I've ridden aftermarket mid-drive kit bikes equipped with a Bafang BBSHD motor that can climb any hill around, the only caveat with those is you go through chains/rings/cassettes more often because of the wear on the drive train and the possibility of the chain breaking under really heavy use or a bad shift. The mid-drives I've ridden have also been noisier than most hub drives, and my friends that have mid-drive bikes tend to tinker with them a lot, not a problem if you're handy with tools and know your way around a bike, but they seem more for the hardcore DIY type than the hub motor bikes.

Store bought mid drive bikes may be more reliable than the kit bikes that I'm familiar with, but I have no experince with them yet. I've never dealt with Eunorau, have heard their customer service is not as responsive as RadPower or Blix, but can't vouch for that personally. One other thing about the Eunorau according to reviewers is that the back platform is not quite as roomy as the Radwagon or Blix; fine for one child, but not spacious enough for 2. The Blix also comes with hydraulic brakes standard, while others tend to have mechanical disc brakes as stock, and the hydraulic brakes would have to be added as an upgrade at extra expense.

The youtube channel Ebike Escape reviews all types of ebikes, the guy who runs the channel is a big proponent of the Radwagon, although he reviews all types of ebikes and brands. Area 13 and Electrek also have youtube channels worth checking out, lots of good info, plus these channels have links and discount codes to save anywhere from $50 to sometimes $200 off an ebike purchase. Hub drive vs. mid-drive seems to boil down to personal preference; mid-drives for more torque and speed, and hub drives for more reliabilty, kind of like comparing a hot rod vs. a family car.

 

[HumanPerson]

Having built and ridden both i'd say yeah Cuckoo is right really. Personal Preference.

I Love my hub drive on long flat stretches.
I'm more in Love with my mid drive on hilly road days though.
As far as reliability, meh..i'd say it's all how the user tunes their motors controller and display settings eh?

Anywhooo...

Ride Safe Gang!

HP

 

[Scocio]

Walking the bike using the throttle can really help too

 

["A"]

I've had experience with mid-drive ebike (and e-mtb),
specifically the Tern HSD S11, I liked the small compact package, solid feel of the construction.
I didn't quite feel the mid-drive motor offered that much advantage over a hub motor. The folding stem mechanism made me somewhat uneasy when hauling heavy/bulky items.

I've been using my Cheap Chinese cargo bike in NYC metro for hauling large volume (80-90#) of food items since MAY 2020.

750w hub-motor (with peak output rated at 900w) is plenty strong for any type of hills I encounter even with throttle-only operation.

The hub motor has plenty of juice to outpace most motor vehicle traffic from a red light, until about 12-17 mph, at least I can get a few car length ahead to be seen.

I like the hub-motor for my riding since the operation of the ebike doesn't depend on the chain, the ebike can still get me where I need to be even if the chain is broken.

Recently, I've been getting a few rides on the Fiido T1, same 750w hub motor, feels more preppy without the weight of the other cargo bike.
Larger battery capacity and shorter wheelbase. Very stout & rugged feel on the whole package.

 

[Deleted member 4845]

Small wheel on a hub motor gives better hill climb.
Rad has a pretty good rep and have been around for a while. Hill-climbing is a LOAD, and it is rated for 350lbs. The custom wheel size would bother me, though.

Roughly how long, in miles, is this hill? How long to pedal up it, or walk at a brisk pace?

Some people live near the Applachians. Had a guy once, talked about hill-climbing as a need, dude finally mentioned he lived in the Swiss Alps.

So, there are big hills, and there are BIG HILLS. Please provide some more descriptive information.

 

[Heavyload]

I,'ve had my T-1 4 months put 500 miles on it and have not peddled any yet. Range 100 miles with a little conservation. Dependable. Only issue I have
with bike is frame where it attatched to top of seatpost. When standing and peddled back of my leg touches frame. I noticed on the Rad 2 they modified frame geometry in this area.

 

[Dlent]

Check them out.
https://blixbike.com?aff=98

 

["A"]

New Blix Doubbel..
Dual batteries, $2499:
https://electrek.co/2022/08/30/blix-dubbel-electric-bike-unveiled/

Fiido T1 still a better ebike per dollar.. similar power output, larger battery capacity, suspension fork; just no hydraulic brakes.

 

[Litehiker]

Look at the E-CELLS 2 wheel drive, 2 battery, dual suspension E-MTBs. Great quality and many features.
My Super Monarch Crown was $5,100. Compare that quality and features list to a $7,300. RAMBO Megatron 2 wheel drive!

 

[Heavyload]

I was in similar situation back in OCT 2020, just before the pandemic really hit.
My Chinese Cargo Utility ebike purchase experience
I carry large volume of food items, weighing up to 90-100 lb. between schools & food shelters.
My trip distance is usually under 20 miles, 4 to 8 mile between stops, no steep hills, but lots of stop & go, traffic lights and throttle usage.
All pavement usage, no off-road riding, no sand or muddy conditions.

Power delivery between 750w & 500w hub motor can make a difference if you are carrying heavy loads.
Among three choices of yours, the ones with smaller rear wheel will feel like they offer more torque from a stop, quicker to accelerate, and probably stronger wheel.
Large volume tires will offer more comfortable ride without suspension.
The longer the wheelbase, will make steering more sluggish, less nimble in traffic.

I purchased a 20" fat tire cargo bike from Alibaba, $1250 shipped to my driveway from China.
Ordered early OCT 2020, received FEB 2021.
750w hub-motor, max output about 1300w, 5 levels of PAS, two 10.4Ah batteries.
Controller programable with adjustable motor cutout up to 40+ mph, (not that I ever ride that fast).
Depending on how much weight I carry & how much throttle I use, I can usually get 40-55 miles to run a single battery down from 100% to 25%.
Takes about 4 hours to charge fully.

Depends on how long (distance wise) your steep hill is, 750w hub motor usually can handle 220-250 lb. uphill with PAS.
I converted the front end to a longer travel fork and narrower front wheel to make pavement riding less noisy.
Since FEB 2021, I've put about 2k miles on the cargo ebike.
The rig is rock solid, no problem whatsoever, not even a flat tire.

I found a better tire I really like on my T-1. I bought a 20x4.25 Duro Boomerang I didn't like took off put factory back on. Just bought a 20x4.25 In Nova this is a good tire, it's quiet, better rubber, low rolling resistance and smaller footprint on pavement. Photo shows what you can't see shopping online. Factory 20x4.00 other 2 are both 20x4.25 middle tire is the 1 I didn't like

 

[Calsun]

The key factor is the power the motor and its battery can provide and this is expressed in Newton meters of Nm. The higher the Nm the greater the ability to go up a hill.

It is trivial to change the front chain ring to have lower gearing with whichever bike you buy. I would focus on the other components, including reliability and after sale support. When you have a problem with the bike which brand is going to be better for getting customer support.