RadRunner e-bike from Rad Power has recently been controversial in the Reddit community and even made it to the list of most discussed products on r/ebikes.
According to CleanTechnica, last year, on January 31, a lawsuit was filed against Rad Power due to an accident involving 12-year-old Molly Steinsapir. At that time, she was riding on the back of her friend’s RadRunner down the steep hill of Enchanted Way in Pacific Palisades, CA. Steinsapir’s friend pulled the brakes as the electric bike gained speed, but it did not stop, as per the lawsuit Steinsapir’s parents filed. Steinsapir was hurled to the concrete, where she lay face-down and unconscious after her friend lost control of the bike.
Although the reaction of Steinsapir’s parents is completely understandable, it is also worth noting that aside from suing Rad Power, which has over $150 million in assets, Steinsapir’s parents (who are attorneys) also sued the manufacturer of Steinsapir’s helmet, Giro Sport Design. To think about it, Steinsapir’s parents blamed and sued everyone but not the girl’s friend who owned and controlled the bike.
Despite all this, Rad Power’s RadRunner has been receiving a spotlight in r/ebikes solely on its relative merits. In fact, RadRunner even got on Looria’s list that features the most discussed products on r/ebikes.
Interestingly, Reddit user KatsHubz87 commented, “I think it goes to show the demand is there especially at lower price points. I wonder if these premium brands are missing their opportunity to introduce more riders to their bikes by not having a value option.”
