Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus Review: A Folding Fat-Tire Commuter for $1,899
A folding fat-tire bike that tucks into a small home or a car and still handles potholes, short hills, and a real daily commute.
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What the stars are rated against
The stars compare this bike with other commuter e-bikes we have scored — 45 of them, priced $1,329–$2,469. They are a ranking inside that group, not an absolute grade: four stars means it beats most of that set on the measure, not that it hits some fixed standard.
Peers are drawn from a tight price band around this bike, so a $1,000 commuter is judged against other $1,000 commuters rather than against machines costing three times as much. Change the group and the stars would change with it.
The headline Genius Score is not decided by that group alone. It blends the category ranking above with a market-wide view across every bike we publish, so a bike cannot climb simply by sitting in a weak category. How we score.
The Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus is built around one idea: a real everyday commuter that folds up when you're done riding. If you live in a small apartment, keep your bike indoors, or want to bring it along on a weekend away, it packs down without making you give up what makes a bike worth riding. The 20-inch fat tires soak up rough pavement and curbs, the hold up in the rain, and the 720Wh is big enough that daily charging isn't a chore.
It ships as a bike, so it has a and you can ride up to 20 mph without pedaling at all. That's the headline feature for a lot of buyers, and it makes pulling away from a stoplight or getting up a short hill easy. At $1,899 you're paying a fair mid-range price for a well-rounded folder, and the has enough grunt for a loaded commute.
Pros & cons
What we like
- Has a and ships in , so you can cruise up to 20 mph without pedaling
- Folds in half to fit where a normal bike won't, from a hallway closet to behind a car seat
- Big 720Wh with an up-to-60-mile claimed range means fewer trips to the charger
- 20-inch fat tires and handle rough roads and wet-weather braking
- 315 lb total payload leaves room for a rider plus a loaded rack or grocery bags
Worth weighing
- At 72.5 lb it's heavy for a folder, so lifting it up a flight of stairs is a real workout
- You're paying partly for the fold and Rad Power's brand support, so a non-folding commuter can offer more range or parts for the same money
Key specs
The motor & power
The puts out 750W, which is plenty for a daily commuter. It drives the rear wheel directly, so there's not much to maintain, and 750W handles stop-and-go city riding without straining.
You also get , and on a folding bike the small 20-inch wheels multiply that pulling power at low speed. So it gets a loaded bike moving from a dead stop without much fuss and takes the short hills of a normal commute in stride. A long, steep climb will slow it down, but that isn't what this bike is built for.
Rad Power doesn't publish a , so judge the motor on the 750W steady figure, which is an honest, capable number at this price.
Range & battery
The 720Wh is what lets this bike go the distance, with Rad Power quoting up to 60 miles on a charge. For a commuter that's genuinely useful, and most people will only need to plug in once or twice a week.
Like every , that 60 miles assumes friendly conditions. Real rides will come in lower depending on hills, your weight and cargo, cold weather, and how much you use the instead of pedaling. Planning around a lower number keeps you from getting caught short.
One practical touch: the battery pops off, so you can carry just the pack indoors to charge and leave the bike parked. Pulling it also lightens the bike by about 10 pounds, which helps when you're loading it into a car.
Ride & components
The 20-by-4-inch fat tires are the star of the ride. They put a lot of rubber on the road and run at low pressure, so they add real cushion over potholes, gravel, and curbs. That wide footprint also gives the small 20-inch wheels a bigger contact patch than skinny commuter tires can.
Braking comes from Gemma GA-1000B , which give you strong, reliable stopping with an easy lever pull in wet or dry weather. The drivetrain is a basic 1x7 Shimano setup, standard for a folder at this price and fine for getting around town on the motor.
Folding is the mechanical heart of the bike. The frame folds in the middle and the bars drop down, packing it into a compact shape you can tuck beside a desk or in a hallway when you're not riding.
This is one bike with a switchable class, not two different models. It ships in with the live, so out of the box you can ride up to 20 mph without pedaling. In the settings you can drop it to Class 1, which turns the throttle off and makes it only. Why bother? Some bike paths and multi-use trails only allow Class 1, so switching down is often what makes the bike legal there, while the Class 2 setting is your everyday road and bike-lane mode.
Price & value
At $1,899 the RadExpand 5 Plus sits in the mid-range for a fat-tire folder, and you get a fair amount of bike for it: a big battery, hydraulic brakes, a throttle, and Rad Power's parts-and-service network behind you. Our Genius Score of 67 out of 100 reflects that balance of everyday capability and price.
The value is fair for what you get. A few rivals match the range or the tire size for a little less, so part of your money buys the folding convenience and the brand support. If that combination fits your life, it's money well spent; if the fold isn't essential, a standard commuter may stretch your dollar further.
Two different weight numbers sit in the spec sheet, and it's worth knowing which is which. The bike's 315 lb total payload covers everything on board, but the max rider weight is 225 lb, so the remaining 90 pounds is there for cargo, a rack bag, or a passenger setup. A rider close to or over 225 lb is past the limit even though the headline number reads 315.
Who it's for
The tight-on-space commuter
If you live in a small apartment, park your bike indoors, or share a garage with no room to spare, the folding frame is the whole reason to buy this. It collapses into a corner between rides and still rolls out as a comfortable, capable commuter.
The rider who'd rather not pedal
If you want to just twist the and go, especially pulling away from a stop or nudging up a short hill, the setting gives you that up to 20 mph. The 720Wh battery leaves room to use it often, though the more you ride on the throttle, the sooner you'll recharge.
The mileage-first pedaler
If you love pedaling fast under your own power and racking up big weekend miles, the seven-speed drivetrain and small 20-inch wheels will hold you back, the way they do on most folders. This bike is at its best on errands and a normal commute with the motor doing the work.
The budget-focused shopper
If the folding trick isn't something you actually need, a non-folding commuter will likely give you more range or better parts for $1,899. Part of what you're paying for here is the convenience of a bike that stows away, so make sure that's worth it to you.
Frequently asked
Does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus have a throttle?
Yes. It ships in Class 2 with a , so you can ride up to 20 mph on motor power alone, no pedaling required.
How far does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus go on a charge?
Rad Power claims up to 60 miles from the 720Wh battery. Real-world range will be lower depending on hills, rider weight, temperature, and how much you use the throttle, so plan for a more conservative number.
How much does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus weigh?
It weighs 72.5 lb with the battery installed, or 62.5 lb with the battery removed. The battery pops off, which makes lifting the bike a bit easier.
Can you change the class on the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus?
Yes. It ships in Class 2, and you can switch it in the settings between Class 1 and Class 2. Class 2 keeps the throttle on for riding up to 20 mph without pedaling; Class 1 turns the throttle off for pedal-assist only, which is often what's allowed on bike paths and multi-use trails.
How much weight can the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus carry?
The total payload is 315 lb, with a maximum rider weight of 225 lb. The extra capacity is meant for cargo and gear, so anyone near 225 lb should check the numbers before buying.
How it compares to its siblings
RadExpand 5 Plus is the only folding bike in the family, running Class 1/2 instead of the Class 2-only RadRunner and RadWagon models, on 20" x 4.0" tires. At $1899 it costs more than RadRunner, RadRunner Plus, and RadWagon, but its Genius score (67) sits below all three, and its 315 lb payload capacity is the lowest in the lineup. Pick it only if folding portability matters to you — otherwise RadWagon or RadRunner Plus offer more payload and a better score for the same or less money.
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Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus is ranked on:
Guides worth reading
- E-bike classes explained: Class 1, 2 and 3Three classes, two questions: does it have a throttle, and how fast does the motor keep helping.
- Nominal vs peak watts on an e-bikeThe wattage in the headline is usually the peak figure, which can be roughly double the number the motor actually sustains.
- E-bike range explainedEvery range figure on every spec sheet is a best case. Here is how to translate it into what you'll really see.
How we score: the Genius Score blends a bike's capability against same-price peers with its value for the money, weighted for what this commuter buyer prioritises. Specs are pulled from the manufacturer's live page and normalised (nominal vs peak watts, true weight with battery). Ratings are our estimate from specs, not a lab test.