– RadRover 6 Plus

The Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6 Plus is a Class 2 fat tire electric bike that’s designed for paved and unpaved joyrides and commutes. The RadRover 6 has enough power to thrive in a town with steep hills and enough comfort to enjoy your evening cruise.

The RadRover 6 Plus holds onto its classic Rover roots while still bringing some new bells and whistles to the table. When we started the RadRover 6 Plus review process we noticed some big changes right out of the box. From the new dual display to the integrated battery pack, the evolution of the RadRover was apparent. Rad claims their RadRover 6 Plus to be “the biggest evolution in RadRover history”.

Looks aren’t everything though, so we conducted a hill climb test, brake test, circuit test, and more to get familiar with the changes Rad’s made since the last time we reviewed a Rad Power Bikes model. By the end of this review, you should have a good idea of how the bike performed and if the RadRover 6 is the right fat tire e-bike for you.

• The Rovers 750W motor has very smooth engagement and predictable power output.
• The dual display not only looks cool, but it allows the rider to see more data without cycling through a singular display.
• The RadRover 6 Plus rides very soft over most terrain. The fat tires and suspension fork absorb a lot of vibrations and chatter before they reach the rider.
• Rad Power Bikes’ 6th rendition of the RadRover is the most visually appealing Rover to date.
• The semi-integrated battery pack is very easy to pop in and out of the bike.

• Battery: 48V, 14Ah (672Wh)
• Display: LCD display with speedometer, odometer, trip mileage, PAS level and more
• Motor: 750W brushless geared hub motor
• Headlight: Standard LED headlight
• Taillights: Integrated tail light with brake light
• Pedal Assist: Pedal assist levels 1-5
• Range: 25-45 miles
• Throttle: Half twist throttle, grip twist, right side

• Battery weight: 10 lbs
• Claimed weight: 73.4 lbs
• Real weight: 73.4 lbs
• Maximum rider weight: 275 lbs
• Maximum load on the rear rack: 50 lbs
• Dimensions: 77” x 45.7” x 27.5” (length x height x width)

• Brakes: Nutt hydraulic disc brakes, 180mm rotors front and rear
• Fenders: Front and rear, plastic
• Fork: 60mm RST spring fork, comes with lockout and preload adjustment
• Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy
• Gearing: 7-speed Shimano Altus, 11-34T
• Grips: Imitation leather, ergonomic grips
• Saddle: Ergonomic seat, lifting handle included
• Handlebar: 700mm wide, 4” rise
• Kickstand: Heavy-duty aluminum, plastic foot
• Pedals: Aluminum 9/16”
• Tires: Kenda Juggernaut 26” x 4”, puncture-resistant liner

The RadRover 6 Plus’ 750W motor engages very smoothly and consistently when accelerating, especially for a hub motor. I am very familiar with the feeling of mid-drive motors and the RadRover’s 750W rear hub motor reminded me of one. Between the smooth engagement, safe levels of acceleration, and consistent power output I was really impressed with the motor.

The RadRover 6 is a Class 2 electric bike with throttle and pedal assistance up to 20 mph.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with 5 total pedal assist levels. To get a good idea of how the pedal assist levels vary from one another we conduct what we call the circuit test — a 1-mile loop that we ride in each pedal assist setting. After the test is completed we can see the power curve the bike we are testing has, we are also able to see how big the jumps are from level to level.

The power of the 750W motor kept the RadRover 6 Plus around the top Class 2 speed with relative ease in pedal assist settings 3, 4, and 5.

The handling characteristics of the RadRover 6 Plus seem to favor stability above all. I spent a good amount of time riding this bike on-road and off-road and components like the suspension fork and fat tires gave me a good balance point and a plush, truck-like feeling when riding over bumpy terrain. It often felt like I was hovering above the terrain instead of fighting it.

The slightly wider than average 700mm handlebar gives the RadRover 6 Plus additional stability and control that would be hard to find on a thinner handlebar. Considering the weight and all terrain capability of the RadRover 6 Plus I was happy to have these handlebars.

The Kenda Juggernaut tires are a hefty 4-inches wide and have a puncture resistant liner that adds to the off-road prowess of this bike. While I wouldn’t call the RadRover 6 Plus a mountain bike, it certainly feels more capable off-road than the previous Rover.

The RadRover 6 Plus walks the fine line of maintaining sporty handling characteristics while still being comfortable enough for just about everybody. The handlebar has a 4-inch rise which gives the Rover 6 an upright position that’s great for commuting and cruising. I never had any discomfort in my lower back or neck and I think that’s partially due to the handlebar.

Another comfort-adding component was the ergonomic seat. It’s plenty soft and I was able to distribute my weight comfortably and evenly on the saddle. Its shape and softness made it so I didn’t have to reposition myself much either. The padding holds its form well on longer rides.

The geometry of the RadRover 6 Plus ties together all of the comfort-oriented components in a way that feels seamless and well thought out. Each component feels like it is there for a reason.

The RadRover 6 Plus uses a 750W geared hub motor that offered me smooth engagement consistently. While the motor definitely is capable of quick acceleration and large bursts of power, the way it is calibrated makes for safe levels of acceleration while still being quick enough to get up to speed fast.

The motor has enough torque to take over for riders on steep hills and other areas that would normally cause rider fatigue. I noticed the motor rarely reached its maximum output of 750W, it usually was able to get up steep hills and hover around top speed with around 600-650W.

During our hill test, the motor handled the steep grade very well. On the throttle-only test, it did make a little bit of a “whirring” noise, but it was rare that I dropped below 10 mph. Considering the fact that the Rover weighs over 70 lbs the speed I carried was pretty impressive to me. When the Rover uses all 750W of its power there aren’t a lot of hills it won’t be able to ascend, especially if you’re pedaling.

Regardless of the way you use the RadRover 6 Plus, having some extra wattage in the reserves will be highly beneficial. Steep hills won’t seem as steep, and high speeds won’t be as hard to maintain.

The 48V, 14Ah battery is integrated nicely into the downtube of the RadRover 6 Plus . Visually speaking, this is one of the areas I noticed the most change from the prior RadRover. The sleek battery pack lasted decently long on our maximum pedal assist range test, where I reached 28.47 miles with an average speed of 18.3 mph.

Because the RadRover 6 Plus is set up as a Class 2 e-bike the average speed was actually quite impressive. My average speed was only 1.7 mph less than what the bike was limited to (20 mph), showing the RadRover 6 Plus had no issue holding on to and maintaining speed.

Based on our test results the battery’s performance is very similar to the previous generations. We found the biggest difference in this generation’s battery pack is mostly visual. With that being said, it was pretty impressive to see a battery of the same size able to fit mostly within the frame of the bike.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with 5 levels of pedal assist, each producing more power than the previous level — some jumps bigger than others. The pedal assist level 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 provided very clear power increases; levels 3,4, and 5 did not provide much difference.

The RadRover 6 Plus has a very powerful 750W motor and is shipped as a Class 2 e-bike. This combination gives the RadRover 6 Plus enough power to easily hover around its top Class 2 speed by the time I was in pedal assist level 3. Levels 4 and 5 kept me around the same speed, with slightly faster acceleration.

The throttle has very similar characteristics to pedal assist level 3, it has enough power to get you up to top speeds but it doesn’t accelerate quite as fast as pedal assist levels 4 and 5.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with not one, but two LCD displays mounted on the 700mm handlebar, each with its own features and use. The center-mounted LCD display is similar to that of a car. It shows your speed, mileage, trip mileage, and live watt usage.

The secondary display sits on the left side of the handlebar and is mainly used for changing the pedal assist level and showing the battery life. The secondary display also has the power button and headlight button.

Between the two displays, I had all of the data I wanted to see when riding, and the only complaints I have to involve the brightness of the secondary display. It isn’t the brightest, and when I rode with overhead sunlight it was hard for me to see the screen.

Considering this is the screen that displays the pedal assist level and battery life indicator I think it should be just as bright as the main display. The secondary display also has a hefty load of wires behind it, which look a little messy. It would be good to see a little more tidy cable design to match the stealthy, clean look of the RadRover 6 Plus.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with Nutt hydraulic disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors front and rear. The Taiwan-based Nutt is not a company we were all too familiar with prior to testing the Rover, but after a couple miles I can say these brakes are just fine. They are respectable in all the aspects I look for in a quality set of hydraulic brakes. While they don’t shine in any particular category, these brakes had decent power modulation and a solid “bite” when I locked up both the front and rear brakes.

During our brake test, we measured the distance it took to come to a complete stop from 20 mph five times. It took 15-feet 4-inches to stop on average.

As far as safety is concerned, these brakes should provide enough power that you’re able to come to a halt within 15 to 20 feet. Keep in mind that different rider weights and skill will create some variance in braking distance.

And Rad Power Bikes is currently listing their brakes as “Rad Power Bikes approved hydraulic brakes” on their website, which tells me they may be anticipating some brake substitutions depending on parts availability. COVID-19 has caused massive parts shortages in the bike industry, so it’s not uncommon for brands to make substitutions on certain components for others of equal value and performance.

The RadRover’s 6061 alloy frame got a huge makeover on the RadRover 6 Plus. Between the glossy charcoal paint job, extremely low profile welds, and ability to house a battery the new Rover is no doubt easy on the eyes.

The Rover’s redesigned frame is a fresh take on the classic fat tire e-bike, one that was likely needed. The fat tire e-bike category has gotten more competitive over the past year, with more companies releasing sleek bikes with hidden batteries. We think Rad did the Rover justice with its new look.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with a 60mm RST spring suspension fork that includes a lockout and preload adjustment. I was pretty surprised to see less suspension travel than on the previous RadRover model, which had 80mm of travel.

When looking through the specifications on the Rover 6 I wondered why this was the case, and then I had the opportunity to ride the bike. As odd as it may sound, the smaller suspension fork actually made the RadRover 6’s front end feel better than its predecessors did.

After discussing this with my fellow Electric Bike Report reviewer and writer Sam Gross we chalked this up to stanchion size. Less travel actually favors the performance of the RST spring fork because there is less unwanted flexing because of a smaller stanchion length.

To those who aren’t familiar with bike-industry terminology and vocabulary; the longer a stick, the easier it is to flex, bend or break. It’s the same thing with suspension forks.

The RadRover 6 Plus comes with a 7-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain paired up with a 42T chainring. The Rover’s gear ratio makes for a good hill climbing bike that easily maintains high speed on flat ground. In simpler terms, the gear range compliments the Rover’s uses nicely because it gives a wide gear range.

The Shimano Altus drivetrain uses a Shimano thumb shifter which sits on top of the right side of the handlebar. While this shifter provides crisp, consistent shifts I would much prefer an under the bar shifter.

Under the bar shifters require less effort and thinking to use. They also are a little easier to shift quickly with. With the rest of the RadRover 6 Plus taken into account, I think the shifter style and placement is an areas that could use some improvement.

The Kenda Juggernaut 26” x 4.0” tires suit the Rover nicely. The grippy and versatile tread pattern combined with the puncture-resistant liner makes for a set of capable tires that inspires confidence and improves control.

These tires also hold a lot of air, which allowed me to mess with different pressures which ended up yielding their own performance benefits.

The higher the pressure I ran the faster rolling the Rover was on paved surfaces. The lower the pressure I ran the better the Rover was at maintaining traction on looser terrain, such as sand and gravel. Despite the lower pressures the tires never punctured.