Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus Review: A Folding Fat-Tire Commuter for $1,899
A do-everything folding commuter with a full 750W motor, a throttle, and a 720Wh battery that covers a normal week of riding.
The Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus is built to be the one bike you reach for every day. It folds down to fit a closet or a trunk, the fat tires take the sting out of rough pavement, and there's enough range and power to cover a normal commute without much thought. That well-rounded, low-fuss package is what earns it a Genius Score of 62 out of 100 among mid-priced commuters.
Out of the box it's a e-bike, so it has a and you can ride up to 20 mph without touching the pedals. That's handy for pulling away from a light or clearing a short rise, and Rad lets you drop it to Class 1 if your local bike paths only welcome bikes.
Pros & cons
What we like
- A 750W with gets you moving briskly from a dead stop and takes moderate hills in stride, even with a bag of groceries along for the ride.
- A large 720Wh backs up the up-to-60-mile range, which covers a full week of short commutes for a lot of riders before it needs a charge.
- A means you can get going and keep moving without pedaling, handy on the days you're dressed for work and don't want to arrive sweaty.
- The 20-inch fat tires and folding frame let it fit into tight spaces at home while still giving a cushioned ride over cracked pavement.
- and a mean it slows down predictably with a full load and carries real cargo without feeling overtaxed.
Worth weighing
- At 72.5 pounds it's heavy for a folder, so the fold is best for tucking it out of the way at home or dropping it in a trunk, not for carrying it up a flight of stairs or onto a train every day.
Key specs
The motor & power
The RadExpand 5 Plus runs a 750W rear . With , it pulls a loaded bike away from a stop without straining and climbs moderate hills fine, though a long, steep grade with cargo aboard will have it working noticeably harder.
Because it ships as a Class 2 bike, the is live from the start, so you can roll away from a stop or work through stop-and-go traffic on motor power alone. Rad doesn't publish a figure, so the 750-watt continuous rating is the one to judge it by, and for city riding that's plenty of muscle.
Range & battery
The 720Wh is a genuinely big pack for a folding bike, and Rad rates it for on a charge. That top figure assumes flat ground, light assist, and an easy pace, so a hilly route, a heavy load, or steady throttle use will pull the real number down.
For most people that's still no problem, since a typical commute is well under 60 miles and you'll get several days of trips between plug-ins. The pack also lifts off the frame, so charging indoors is easy even if the bike lives in a garage or hallway.
Ride & components
The 20-inch by 4-inch fat tires are the comfort story here. They smooth out cracked pavement, gravel shoulders, and curb edges even without any dedicated suspension, and their low pressure adds a bit of extra give. The folding frame is the other half of the pitch, letting the bike tuck under a desk, into a closet, or behind the seats of a car.
On the practical side, it carries up to 315 pounds total, which leaves plenty of room for a rider plus a loaded front basket or a rear rack of groceries.
Stopping comes from , which give steady stopping power without much lever effort even on a fully loaded bike. Power runs through a simple 1x7 Shimano drivetrain, standard kit on folding commuters like this and easy to live with and maintain, though the narrow gear range means fewer options once a climb gets serious.
The RadExpand 5 Plus is one bike with a switchable class, not a setting you're stuck with. It ships in , where the is active and both throttle and top out at 20 mph. Switch it to Class 1 in the display and the throttle turns off, leaving pedal-assist only, still up to 20 mph. That lower setting is often what makes it legal on bike paths and multi-use trails, while Class 2 is meant for roads and bike lanes.
Price & value
At $1,899, the RadExpand 5 Plus lands in the middle of the price range and gives you a genuinely well-equipped folding fat-tire commuter for the money. A full-size 750W motor, a large battery, hydraulic brakes, and a throttle all come standard, which is a solid amount of bike per dollar.
You're paying partly for the folding convenience and the fat-tire cushion, two things cheaper commuters often leave out. If you don't need the bike to fold or don't care about the plush tires, you can find a plain commuter with similar range for less, so the value here depends on how much those two features matter to your life.
Who it's for
The small-space commuter
If you live in an apartment or a house with no garage, this bike folds down enough to live in a closet, behind a couch, or in a car trunk, and it still opens up into a comfortable, capable ride for the daily commute.
The pedal-when-you-want rider
If some days you want the exercise and other days you just want to get there without sweating through your shirt, you can twist the throttle and let the motor do the work, then go back to pedaling whenever you feel like it.
The big-hill commuter
If steep, sustained climbs are part of your route, the 64 Nm motor and simple 7-speed gearing will get you up but make you work for it. A bike with a wider gear range would climb more easily if hills define your ride.
The smooth-pavement minimalist
If your commute is all smooth pavement and you'd never actually fold the bike, you're paying for a folding frame and fat tires you won't really use, and a simpler commuter with similar range would cost you less.
Frequently asked
Does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus have a throttle?
Yes. It ships as a Class 2 e-bike with a , so you can get moving and keep cruising up to 20 mph without pedaling.
Can you ride the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus without pedaling?
Yes. The throttle drives the bike on motor power alone, though relying on it heavily uses more battery, so your range shrinks the more you lean on it.
How far does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus go on a charge?
Rad rates its 720Wh for under easy conditions. Hills, cargo, and throttle use will bring that number down.
How fast does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus go?
Its top assisted speed is 20 mph, and that's the same whether you set it to Class 1 or Class 2.
Can you change the class on the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus?
Yes. It ships in and you can switch between Class 1 and Class 2 in the settings. Class 2 keeps the throttle active for riding without pedaling; Class 1 turns the throttle off for pedal-assist only, which is often what's allowed on bike paths. Both cap at 20 mph.
How much does the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus weigh?
It weighs 72.5 pounds with the battery installed, or 62.5 pounds with the battery removed.
How much weight can the Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus carry?
It has a total payload of 315 pounds, with a maximum rider weight of 225 pounds.
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Read the reviewHow 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.