The Rad Rover 6 Plus is a low-budget, fat tire e-MTB, which was made to take on all weather conditions.
E-MTBs can be damn expensive these days and with the technology getting more advanced, it can see extra dollars getting lumped onto the price tag.
But we can’t all afford bikes of $5,000 and $10,000, so a model like the Rad Rover 6 Plus serves a purpose, to try and offer an affordable option to the masses.
Bikes, which are right at the base of the e-MTB price scale, can often come with issues, so is this Rad Rover 6 a success or a failure?
Let’s find out in our Rad Rover 6 Plus review….
Our Verdict
The Rad Rover 6 plus is far from versatile – it’s a heavy-weight, cumbersome e-MTB, which has a complete lack of maneuverability.
The handling is miserable, the suspension poor and the brakes/drivetrain under-gunned.
If you want to enjoy technical, fast-flowing trail riding, this isn’t the bike for you.
However, it has plus points – the fat tires make it all-weather capable, it has a decent battery and it’s a beast at carrying extra weight and luggage over long distances.
If you understand its pitfalls and keep the bike in the territory it's designed to ride, then it can perform well.
Peaks:👍
- Comfy riding position
- Fat tires allow it to be ridden in all weather conditions
- Luggage carrying capabilities
Troughs:👎
- Weight
- Lack of maneuverability
- Suspension
- Drivetrain
Rad Rover 6 Review
Price: $1,399
Weight/Frame
The Rad Rover 6 Plus is a bulky-looking aluminum framed e-MTB, with a simplistic design.
Once you put it on the scales you find out just how heavy the Rad Rover 6 Plus weight is – 32kg to be precise, which makes it a real monster to try and move around on the trails.
The handling experience is poor, with the bike feeling cumbersome to turn, which rules it out of any sort of technical terrain.
The weight is a nightmare when trying to move through the trees and it feels heavy going uphill too.
The bike is suited to a wide and open style of trail, without too many hazards close by and the reserved geometry means you feel comfortable, in an upright position, while cycling on a basic trail.
The fat tires (which we’ll come to properly later) ensure the bike feels balanced and if you’re pushing out long hours on a flat trail, you feel at ease.
The frame’s weight-bearing capabilities are strong – it can handle a maximum load of around 125kg.
In terms of Rad Rover 6 plus accessories – it doesn’t come with a luggage rack as standard, however, one can be installed at the point of purchase for an extra couple of hundred dollars, with various options available.
You can go for an adventure set-up (which includes a rear luggage cage and front box), a commuter set-up (which includes panniers and a front box), and a daily essentials set-up (which includes a front and rear box). They all vary in cost, depending on which one you go for.
Read the Rad Rover 6 plus manual for details on how to attach the racks and get the most out of its weight-bearing capabilities.
ℹ️ The bike comes in one frame size, with an adjustable seat post – it isn’t ideal for nailing your positioning and for a particularly tall or small rider it could be an awkward fit.
Battery
Many people ask how many watts is the Rad Rover 6 Plus. With a weight of 32kg, you would expect the Rad Rover 6 Plus battery to be monstrous, but sadly it isn’t.
It comes fitted with a 672Wh custom model, which provides a range of only around 75km.
For the amount of weight that the bike comes with, we would have expected more in the battery department and it makes you question why it is so bulky after all.
The battery operates decently on the flats, releasing its power in a reserved way when things are easy going on the trail. However, if there are big kick-ups or long climbs you will soon see that top-range figure diminish.
The battery isn’t the cheapest to recharge either – it takes around 6 hours to get back up to 100%, which is quite a long time for a range of only 75km.
Motor
The Rad Rover 6 Plus is fitted with a 750Wh custom motor, which packs a decent punch.
It has a maximum torque output of around 80Nm – it’s needed to cart that heavy frame around on the trails and it makes climbing possible, albeit still feeling quite lethargic.
The combination of the heavy weight and the unnatural power delivery can become a bit of a dangerous mix, particularly if you’re moving through tighter terrain.
The combination of the heavy weight and the unnatural power delivery can become a bit of a dangerous mix, particularly if you’re moving through tighter terrain.
A slight overshoot or jerk could take your 32kg beast into a hazard if you haven’t got a lot of upper body strength – something definitely to be mindful of if you’re a lighter rider or less confident.
Fortunately, the fat tires help retain balance for you a lot of the time, but it is something to be careful of.
The bike comes with 5 modes of assist, which you can flick between on a handlebar-mounted controller – they take some getting used to as moving from one to another can feel starkly different and it isn’t the most intelligent in terms of its power progression.
If you’re wondering how fast does the Rad Rover 6 Plus go? The Rad Rover 6 Plus's top speed is 32km/h – a decent lick.
Motor Display
The Rad Rover 6 Plus comes with a handlebar-mounted display, which has a large screen and it’s easy to view while on the move.
It gives you some basic data including your speed, the level of assist you’re on, how many kilometers you’ve covered, the time, and the amount of battery life you have left.
It isn’t advanced, but it does the basics well, which we can’t always say for every motor display.
Suspension
The Rad Rover 6 has a hardtail, which means you don’t have any rear suspension.
That ensures you keep up traction on the trail, but it does make the bike limited when it comes to lumpy and bumpy terrain.
You’re similarly limited at the front end too, with only 60mm of travel in the RST spring forks.
The limited suspension setup rules the bike out of fast-flowing trails, challenging descending and technical terrain, compounded further by the bike’s heavyweight and cumbersome handling.
The Rad Rover 6 plus is better suited to flatter terrain and wide trails, where you don’t have much negotiating to do.
In that sort of setting you can feel comfortable in the saddle and push out a good few hours without any bother.
ℹ️ If you want to venture into technical terrain, avoid the Rad Rover 6 Plus, it isn’t suitable and simply won’t cope.
Wheels/Tires
One big plus point with the Rad Rover 6 Plus are the bike’s fat tires.
It comes fitted with a pair of 26-inch ultra-durable aluminum rims, which are coated in a 4-inch wide pair of Kenda Juggernaut fat tires.
They’re enormous, providing a great balanced base to the bike, which is capable of heading out in all conditions.
This is where the Rad Rover 6 Plus really comes into its own – if you want to tackle snow, muddy bogs or even river sections, the tires are capable of doing so.
The bike is perfect for heading out on a long weekend of camping adventures, with the fat tires helping to provide a good level of balance if you’re carrying an extra kit.
There isn’t an array of plus points with this bike, but the Rad Rover fat tires and the all-weather capabilities are aspects to admire.
Brakes
The Rad Rover 6 Plus comes with a simple pair of custom hydraulic caliper brakes.
They’re a basic model, which only just about cope with the heavy weight of the bike.
If you’re moving at pace they sometimes struggle and that can be quite sketchy if you’re loaded up with extra weight from luggage.
Take it steady if you’re carrying a heavy load and don’t push the bike too hard.
Drivetrain
The Rad Rover 6 Plus is fitted with a 7-speed custom drivetrain.
We don’t think it offers anywhere near enough range to help cart the heavy bike around.
Having a low number of gears certainly helps keep the price down, however, on challenging climbs, it can be tricky to churn the pedals around.
At least a 10-speed is needed to cope with the heavy weight of the bike.
Price - $1,399
The price is certainly attractive.
It’s getting towards the lowest end of the e-MTB price spectrum and we can see why – there are several issues with the bike and the Rad Rover 6 Plus specifications aren’t fantastic.
There are quite a few basic components that don’t cut the mustard for serious trail riding – such as the drivetrain, brakes, and suspension.
However, it is a capable weight-bearing bike at times and as long as you understand its limitations and only cycle within them, you can have an enjoyable cycle.
Rad Rover 6 Plus Step Thru Facts & figures
Geometry configurations
| GEOMETRY | ||
|---|---|---|
| HIGH-STEP | STEP-THRU | |
| RIDER HEIGHTS | 5'7" - 6'2" (Approx. bike inseam between 30.5"-36.5") | 5'2" - 6'2" (Approx. inseam between 25"-33.5") |
| FRAME SIZE | 17" | 14.8" |
| HANDLEBAR HEIGHT | 45.7" | 45.7" |
| HANDLEBAR REACH | 16.4" | 17" |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 27" - 36.6" *Measured from bottom of the pedal stroke | 25" - 34" *Measured from bottom of the pedal stroke |
| STANDOVER HEIGHT | 30.5" | 22.5" |
| TOTAL LENGTH | 77" | 77" |
| WHEELBASE | 47.8" | 47.8" |
| DROPOUT WIDTH | Front: 135 mm Rear: 175 mm | Front: 135 mm Rear: 175 mm |
| BOTTOM BRACKET SHELL WIDTH | 100 mm Square Taper Bottom Bracket | 100 mm Square Taper Bottom Bracket |
| SEAT TUBE LENGTH | 17" | 14.8" |
| TOP TUBE LENGTH | 24.6" | 24.8" (62.99 cm) |
| HEADTUBE | 8" | 6.5" |
| CHAINSTAY | 20" | 20" |
| HANDLEBAR WIDTH | 700 mm (27.5") | 700 mm (27.5") |
| CRANK LENGTH | 170 mm | 170 mm |
| SEATPOST DIAMETER | 27.2 mm | 27.2 mm |
| MAX TIRE WIDTH | 4.5" | 4.5" |
| BIKE WEIGHT | Total: 73.4 lb (with battery) Battery: 7.7 lb | Total: 72.5 lb (with battery) Battery: 7.7 lb |
| PAYLOAD CAPACITY | 275 lb | 275 lb |
Full Specs
| ELECTRONICS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | Charger | Controller |
| 589-672 Wh Bikes shipped to NYC are compliant with UL 2849 and 2271 | 48V, 2 Amp Rad Power Bikes smart charger, operates on 100V-240V AC power outlets | 48V, 750W frame-integrated controller |
| Display | Hub Motor | Lights |
| Backlit LCD with charge indicator, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, pedal assist level, clock, and more | 750W brushless geared hub motor, 5:1 planetary gear reduction. Stated wattage is the manufacturer’s rated power capacity. Actual power-to-ground wattage is under 750W to ensure ebike regulatory compliance and may vary depending on riding conditions | Front: Standard Rad Power Bikes LED headlight Rear: Integrated taillight with brake light |
| Pedal Assist | Range | Throttle |
| Intelligent 5 level pedal assist with 12 magnet cadence sensor | 25-45 miles per charge (estimate) | Half twist throttl |
| Wiring | USB Ports | |
| Water resistant connectors and wiring harness | Optional, sold separately | |
| COMPONENTS | ||
| Brake Calipers | Brake Levers | Brake Pad Material |
| Rad Power Bikes approved hydraulic brake caliper | Rad Power Bikes approved aluminum alloy levers with motor cutoff switch and adjustable reach (2.5mm Allen wrench) | Semi-metallic |
| Brake Rotors | Chain | Crank Set |
| 180 mm front and rear | KMC Z7 | 42T chainring, 170 mm crank length, dual-sided aluminum chainring guard |
| Derailleur | Fenders | Fork |
| 7-Speed | Full coverage front and rear | RST spring fork, 60 mm travel with lockout and preload adjustment, 277 mm steerer tube |
| Frame | Freewheel | Gearing |
| 6061 aluminum alloy | DNP 7-speed freewheel, 11-34T | 1 x 7-speed |
| Grips | Handlebar | Headset |
| Durable imitation leather ergonomic grips | Custom formed aluminum, 700 mm wide, 4" rise | Semi-integrated, 1-1/8" straight steerer tube |
| Kickstand | Pedals | Racks |
| Heavy-duty aluminum with wide plastic foot | CrMo axle, forged aluminum platform with reflectors, standard 9/16" x 20 TPI threading | Optional |
| Rims | Saddle | Seatpost |
| Double-wall aluminum alloy, 36 hole Rim width: 75 mm | Ergonomic seat with lifting handle | 390 mm x 27.2 mm |
| Seatpost Clamp | Shifter | Spokes |
| Quick release | 7 speed thumb shifter | 12-gauge stainless steel, black |
| Stem | Tires | |
| 50 mm + 30º (15 mm rise) | Rad Power Bikes by Kenda Juggernaut 26" x 4", K-Shield puncture-resistant liner *tires received may not include branding | |
How Does it Compare?
Despite its faults, we consider the Rad Rover 6 Plus electric bike one of the best electric mountain bikes under $2,000 in 2023.
In this comparison, we’re going to pit the bike up against another heavy-duty cargo-carrying bike – the Juiced Rip Current S.
Both bikes suffer from heavy weight issues – the Juiced Rip Current S is 2kg heavier than our already bulky Rad Rover 6 Plus, coming in at 34kg.
Both bikes have poor handling as a result, with a lack of maneuverability.
However, you do get a much more impressive top-range figure on the Juiced Rip Current S – it’s fitted with a 998Wh battery.
That provides a range of more than 100km, which dwarfs the 75km on our Rad Rover.
The Juiced is also more impressive in the motor department – it comes with a 1,000Wh motor, which can kick out 80Nm of torque.
The max torque is the same as our Rad Rover, but you can reach dizzying speeds of up to 45km/h on the Juiced – higher than our ride.
The Juiced also comes with a little extra travel in the forks, 80mm in total, compared to 60mm on our Rad Rover – they perform similarly on bumpy terrain and can’t cope well at all.
Both are poor on technical terrain, bumpy terrain, and narrow trails – they’re better suited to open-style forest roads or flat single tracks.
The Juiced enjoys the same luggage-baring capabilities as the Rad Rover. It’s well suited to carting around weekend adventure gear and has a large weight-baring ability.
They come with the same sized fat tires too – 26 inches by 4 inches, which provide excellent balance and are well suited to all weather conditions.
Finally, let’s talk about price – the Juiced Rip Current S is currently discounted down to $1,399 on their official website – the same price as our Rad Rover.
It’s hard to call a winner on this one, they’re direct rivals and very similar in a lot of departments – however, we think the extra battery range makes the Juiced Rip Current S the winner.
Final Thoughts
The Rad Rover 6 Plus won’t be for everyone.
If you want to head into technical terrain, descend, or climb, it simply won’t suffice – the brakes aren’t up to it, neither is the suspension or the drivetrain and it weighs a massive amount.
However, its luggage-carrying capabilities, all-weather tires, range, and level of comfort make it a capable weekend adventurer – perfect for camping, fishing, or carrying other sorts of loads.
If you’re looking for those sorts of adventures then it might be worth a sniff at only $1,399, but if you’re seeking any other style of riding, we recommend avoiding it.
That’s our take, but what do you think? Only one way to find out.
