If you’re like me, the first time you went to charge your Rad Power bike and tried to remove the battery, it just wouldn’t budge. It can be a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to confidently remove your battery each time. Even if you have poor strength, I’ll show you some tricks and tools you can use to make removing the battery easier.
If you’re looking for a quick version on how to remove the Rad battery, here it is. I’ll also be talking about some tips and tricks and troubleshooting further down the page.
Steps to Remove a Rad Battery (Quick Guide)
- Insert the key into the battery, push the key inward, and turn the key all the way to the left (counter-clockwise). You should hear two clicks. If the key won’t turn all the way, make sure you’re pressing it in toward the battery (like starting your car). In rare cases, may need to give it a little jiggle.
- Once the battery is in the “unlocked” position, you can remove the key completely.
- Grip the battery with one hand so that your fingers wrap around the bottom of the battery. Your hand that is wrapping around the bottom will be pushing the battery upward. The other hand can be used to grip the sides and pull upward. You will need to give it a good tug. Don’t be afraid to use a little bit of muscle.
- Sometimes you may need to remove the seat, tilt the rear lights, or make sure the seat post clamp isn’t in the way.
Why Are Rad Batteries Hard to Remove?
Rad batteries, for good reason, are designed to be securely mounted to the bike. It would certainly be a bad thing to have your battery fall off during a ride! Part of the battery attachment method is using a deadbolt. This is what “lock” and “unlock” mean when attaching and removing your battery.
The symbols on the Rad Battery are indeed confusing. While some people mark their key positions on the battery with paint or nail polish, I don’t think this is necessary. I only remember two positions, left and right. If I’m removing the battery, I turn the key all the way to the left. When I’m about to ride, I turn the key all the way to the right. I never keep the key in the battery.
Since the batteries are meant to be firmly secured, they can require some extra effort to get off. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of muscle. The first few times especially, the battery will be the most difficult to remove but will become easier with use.
The secret to getting your battery off your RadRover, Rad Mini, or any other model, is to push with your hand from the bottom of the battery. If you only try to pull from the sides, it will be more difficult.
What if the Battery Still Won’t Budge? (Tips)
Even if you followed all the steps correctly, for whatever reason, your battery just might be too tight. Or, you just might have enough strength to get the battery off.
Some riders have suggested using a little bit of grease or lubricant. There are different products out there you can use that each of their pros and cons, but all seem to help.
Here are a few suggestions from other Rad riders:
Spray dry Teflon lubricant on the carrier and you will never have this problem again.
Ray B
I had that issue with my Rad City. I use spray silicone every so often to make it less stressful.
Mary G
When you do get the battery off, apply a small amount of silicone oil or something similar to the bracket where the battery grabs hold to make it easier to come off the next time. Cheers!
Cheryl S
If adding lubricant isn’t an option, some riders had success by using some type of pipe or screwdriver covered in cloth (to protect your battery) to use as a lever to push the battery upward.
Do I Need to Remove the Seat?
I heard about people needing to remove the seat to remove the battery from their bike. I don’t have this problem with my Rad Mini (check out my Rad Mini Review), but I suppose it might be true if your seat was really low (see why bike seats are supposed to be “high”). Be sure that the seat post clamp isn’t in the way when you try to remove the battery.
Should I Keep the Battery on or off the Bike?
I would recommend storing the battery separately from the bike. I store my battery indoors and my Rad Mini in the garage for three reasons…
One is for security. Rad Batteries are not cheap (check the Rad Battery price), roughly 1/3 the cost of the bike! People already steal bikes, and electric bikes get stolen a lot more. Having the expensive battery separate from the expensive bike lessens the damage if the bike does happen to get stolen.
Second, I like to charge my battery indoors. I haven’t heard of Rad Batteries causing issues, but I know there have been other problems with batteries from other bikes. In the rare case that my Rad battery overheats or starts smoking, I can immediately unplug it. I always charge my battery where I can see it (check out other places you can charge your e-bike battery).
And lastly, I live in New Hampshire where the temperature can fluctuate a lot. Having a stable temperature indoors is much better for the battery.