Ride1Up’s 700 Series E-Bike Offers A lot for the Money

Electric bikes are popular right now and look to be for quite some time.  Prices range from about $1000 for a decent ebike to over $10,000.  There’s several different types of e-bikes as well from the moped inspired to the rugged off-road offerings to cargo/utility and e-bikes that resemble bikes you’re probably more familiar with and ones that will blend in with others on city bike trails and bike lanes.

If you’re looking for an electric bike that has better components than the budget e-bike and an e-bike that will feel right at home in the city than the 700 Series from Ride1Up is one to consider.

Ride1Up is a newer e-bike company but has gained a good reputation for customer service and a growing rider community.

The 700 Series offers a sleek minimalistic design but with good attention to detail where it matters and better than entry level components.  Hydraulic disk brakes are becoming more standard on e-bikes but not in the 700 Series price range so it’s nice to see the 700 Series equipped with hydraulic brakes.

Hydraulic disk brakes on a bike use fluid and are very responsive with a slight pull of the brake lever.  Mechanical disk brakes do the job but they use cables that you’re probably familiar with on bikes and cables tend to stretch over time and require tweaking.   Plus the back brake tends to require more pulling of the lever.  Not a big deal but you’ll probably prefer the performance of hydraulic disk brakes on a heavier e-bike.

And while some e-bike companies will nickel and dime you to death on the accessories which must be purchased separately the 700 Series comes with front and back aluminum alloy fenders, integrated front and rear lights,  and a back carrying rack for a trunk bag or panniers.  They even throw in a bungee cords which is nice!

The 48v14ah lithium ion battery should provide enough juice for longer rides while the 500 watt geared hub motor with a peak 1000 watt output can achieve speeds up to 28-ish mph with pedal assist.  Max speed is variable depending upon rider weight, terrain, winds, etc., but you should be able to get up over 20 mph with pedal assist.

The 700 Series also has a throttle which can achieve a max speed of 20 mph.  Personally, I feel like I’m going too fast once I near 17-18 mph on a bike but maybe you’re more daring.  However, I do appreciate having enough power and speed when crossing intersections or trying to get out of the way of (or keep up with) residential traffic.

And as someone who knows what a difference front shocks can make on a heavy e-bike (the 700 Series is 62 pounds) I appreciate that the 700 Series comes with a hydraulic lockout suspension fork with 100 mm of travel.  That’s enough to even out the ride and save your wrists from jolts.

Add a suspension seat post, not included, and you should have a comfortable ride.

I also appreciate how the ST frame option (ST stands for step-thru) of the 700 Series can accommodate riders from 5’1′ to 6′.  The minimum seat height of the ST is 30.5 inches which short riders like me will be happy to hear.

Step-thru frames make a lot of since for electric bikes because of their weight.  It’s much easier to handle the bike when you can more easily straddle it comfortably.  Step-thrus are also great for those with knee or hip issues.  Step-thru frames aren’t meant just for women.  Many men appreciate step-thru frames.  However, there is the XR frame option which I think looks really nice.

The XR frame of the 700 Series has a minimum seat height of 34″ and a max height of 43″ which should fit riders from 5’5″ to 6’4″.  Max rider weight is 275 pounds for either frame style.

So the 700 Series is an ideal option for a husband and wife wanting to ride together on the same type of e-bike since the two frame options of the 700 Series accommodates such a wide range of rider heights.  The bike is also more affordable by e-bike standards so you can buy two without cashing in your 401k.  Financing is also available through Affirm if you’d rather pay with monthly installments.

The battery is protected in the down tube which gives the bike a sleek look and one that doesn’t scream “I’m an electric bike!” while going past other bike riders.

So why is this e-bike, currently priced at $1499, cheaper than similar e-bikes?  For one, it is a direct order company so you’re not paying the middleman.  You’re buying directly from the manufacturer.  Also, the bike will require assembly, maybe more assembly than other e-bikes. See the video below and if you think you can handle putting the bike together you should be good to go.

The bike does come with a 1-year warranty and more information can be found on Ride1Up’s website.

I’m looking forward to receiving the bike and sharing my assembly and bike riding experience with you so check back for a full review soon!  I’ll update this article with a link to the review when it is ready.

You can check out Ride1Up’s 700 Series E-bike here.