Back in January of 2026 we reported on Rad Power Bikes ignoring the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall of Rad e-bikes that poised a fire hazard. Rad, already in bankruptcy, said they didn’t have the ability or willingness implement the requested recall. The real losers were Rad e-bike owners. Well, it just happened again.
The CPSC is warning owners of Ridstar Q20 and Q20 Pro e-bikes, sold by Walmart, Amazon and Redstart, to stop charging the bike’s battery, stop riding the bikes, and properly dispose of the battery (or batteries as is the case with the Pro model). The CPSC is aware of 11 reports of fire, including one burn injury, five reports of smoke inhalation, and two reports of property damage totaling over $40,000.
This isn’t technically a recall because Ridstar is not cooperating with the CPSC (or its customers). There is no fix offered by the company. Ridstar riders are stuck with a product that could burn down their homes. The only option for a Ridstar owner is to properly junk the product. The CPSC adds “Do not sell or give away these hazardous batteries.”
RIDER ADVICE
Sorry, there is no easy way to say this. If you own a Ridstar Q20 or Q20 Pro, you have no recourse except to dispose of the bike properly. Get it out of the house now and don’t operate it again. Be happy that your house didn’t burn down or your child wasn’t seriously burned.
BUYERS ADVICE
Limit your e-bike search to established “bicycle” brands, not established e-bike brands. Specialized, Trek and Giant are going to be around for the foreseeable future and they all stand strongly and proudly behind their product offerings. They also boast a larger network of bicycle shops that sell and service their products.
If cost is no issue, there are smaller bicycle brands that I would recommend. They offer high-quality e-bikes in their line and they stand behind their products. As an example, I ride a Pivot e-bike. I would not recommend buying from an e-bike-only company.
Finally, you can’t judge an e-bike by its price. Both of these Ridstar e-bikes sold for over $1000.
