Radio Flyer M880 Review | BikeRide.com

[Lemon]

(12-20-2022, 11:58 PM)BRScott Wrote:  Hey Lemon, happy to assist!

The price of the unit is pretty attractive, especially since it is now at 1299.00 on the website it seems.

As for why the price is low, I think $1299.00 is a good price for what you are getting. It is missing some items like hydraulic brakes, and the included light is wanting if night riding will be in the cards.

Having said that, what you do get with the flyer are solid entry-level components, a Shimano shifter, levers and a cassette and although they are mechanical the brakes are Tektro so a good brand.

Now I can not determine the motor manufacturer or controller used, so this could be a weak spot. I did note while the 500W motor got me up some steep hills it is not as powerful as other motors I have tried, and it seemed to struggle with repetitive hills. While the bike is fine to pedal it's not the most efficient and is very heavy. The acceleration is not as good as other e-bikes I have ridden, and it does seem to falter at max speed, dropping 1-2 mph and then picking it back up. If you are planning on riding for good distances at max speed you may find this frustrating compared to other bikes as it seems to be a signature trait of the motor or controller programming.

Slow to accelerate and lacking torque, are my biggest complaints from me. Aside from that, it is large and heavy with no suspension so definitely keep that in mind. You may be able to find a lighter bike or one with a suspension fork for the same price range.

Now cargo capacity and battery life (Samsung cells and large capacity) are excellent, and it is a pleasure to ride when under power other then that max speed falter. I would recommend it for first-time e-bikers, or those who want to carry out the cargo carrying and use it on a more recreational basis as opposed to a daily commuter. I feel experienced riders who know what they want in a bike may be left wanting from its performance in specific areas, or daily commuters who need to stick with traffic will want more power.

But as far as value goes the bike is good value, it's well-built and the components are solid entry-level. All around it's a good option for the money IMO and I enjoyed testing it. Having been able to ride a lot of e-bikes now I don't know if I would choose it for me (performance), but it's hard to beat at the price point for reliability it seems.

Hope that helps! I've got some other commuter/Cargo bikes coming up so stay tuned.

Hi Scott!
I did not thank you for providing such a nice reply.
Have you noticed any worthy newcomers in the electric cargo bike market since your review of Flyer M880?