Ride1Up 700-Series Review

Ride1Up has quickly gained traction and market share in the fast-growing electric bike market by offering quality models like the 700-Series at direct-to-consumer prices. This Class 3 model uses a 750W motor, a massive 720Wh battery capacity, a suspension fork, and powerful hydraulic disc brakes. It comes nicely equipped, but it also costs less than comparable bikes from other brands. We took it to task against our diverse selection of electric bikes and were impressed by its performance and even more so by its value.

Since testing the 700-Series, Ride1Up has made a few improvements to the bike. The bike swapped its cadence sensor for a torque sensor, and the battery software was improved to give the rider a more accurate reading of its state of charge. Battery mounting was improved to make it easier to remove the battery, and the drivetrain was upgraded to a 9-speed version.

Tested and Rated

E-bike reviews are notorious for being produced by influencers and paid magazines but not at GearLab. We buy all of the bikes we test just like you would, leaving us impartial and not beholden to the manufacturer. What I really liked about the 700-Series is the amount of features packed in for the cost. The bike feels full-featured and enjoyable to ride but costs a fraction of what some other e-bikes cost.

Performance Comparison

Ride

The 700-Series has a great ride quality that's smooth and forgiving with a high level of comfort and quality components for the price. It's heavier than some, but I still found the handling to be precise, responsive, balanced, and never harsh or unpredictable. The value Ride1Up has packed into the bike is impressive, with a 100mm suspension fork, powerful hydraulic disc brakes, and name-brand components. It also includes an abundance of accessories that would typically cost you more to add.

With high-volume tires and 100mm of front suspension, the 700-Series provides a very comfortable and well-dampened ride. It still prefers smooth surfaces, but it definitely takes the edge off cracks, bumps, and holes in the road and feels much nicer on rough surfaces than many of the other bikes we tested. From a handling standpoint, it strikes a good balance between the hybrid comfort-style models and the more aggressive city-style bikes. The handling isn't zippy, but it never feels slow or sluggish. With 27.5-inch wheels, girthy tires, a relatively long wheelbase, and a fairly heavy weight, this bike is very stable and planted at speed, whether you're bombing down a hill or ripping at 28 mph using pedal assist. It feels best making medium to long radius turns, yet it still manages to be maneuverable enough in tighter spots and at lower speeds.

Comfort levels are high with the 700-Series. We tested the XR/step-over frame with a total weight capacity of 275 lbs (up to 50 lbs on the rear rack) and a recommended user height range of 5'5" to 6'4" with a standover height of 29.5 inches. Our six-foot-tall tester felt right at home on this bike, as did several other GearLab testers. We liked this bike so much when we were finished testing that we decided to keep it. The seatpost offers a large range of seat height adjustments, with a quick-release clamp for on-the-fly changes. The handlebar has a decent rise; you can adjust the height further with the adjustable stem. The 700-Series is also offered in an ST/step-through frame with a standover/step-over height of 17 inches and a recommended user height range of 5'0" to 6'2". We found the Selle Royal seat to have a very agreeable shape and a nice amount of padding, and the VELO faux leather ergonomic grips provide a comfortable perch for the hands.

Considering the price of the 700-Series, Ride1Up equipped it with quality components contributing to its ride quality. The 8-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain provides an adequate gear range for tackling the city street and climbing some hills, and the trigger shifters are nicer than some of the other options on other bikes tested. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors provide powerful stopping power for confidence-inspiring control. The 2.4-inch wide Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires roll fast and have enough volume to dampen the ride, and the Mozo hydraulic fork offers 100mm of bump-smoothing suspension. Wellgo alloy pedals offer plenty of grip to keep your feet planted and are more durable than cheaper composite/plastic options.

Features

The 700-Series has a somewhat more involved assembly process due to the inclusion of several great features. These include metal front and rear fenders, integrated lights front and rear, and a cargo rack rated up to 50 lbs. The rack has side mounts for panniers, plus it comes with a quality three-strap bungee to hold your gear in place. The bungee may sound somewhat trivial, but it's a nice touch as it fits the rack perfectly and does a great job securing your cargo. Additionally, Ride1Up sells front racks, baskets, and panniers so you can customize your rig.

Range

With a large 720Wh battery, we expected the 700-Series to do well in our range test, and we were not disappointed. It proved to be the top performer, traveling two miles farther than the closest competitor. If range is high on your list of priorities, the Ride1Up has you covered.

A larger battery typically equates to a longer range, and that was the case with the 700-Series in our standardized throttle-only range test. With 720Wh of juice, we rode from a full charge to a dead battery over the course of 32.4 miles with 1,726 feet of elevation gain/loss without even pedaling, with an average speed of 17.2 mph. Ride1Up claims a range of 30-50 miles, and the 700-Series easily topped the low end of that range using full-electric/throttle power only. It seems logical that it could go even further on flat terrain without the rolling hills of our test course. Of course, you could extend its range significantly using pedal assist and putting some effort into the cranks.

Power

The 700-Series comes equipped with a Bafang 750W geared hub motor with plenty of power. This Class 3 model is one of the most powerful electric bikes I've tested, topping the charts in this metric. The motor is reasonably quiet, power delivery is smooth, and it feels eager to reach its top pedal-assisted speed of 28 mph or 20 mph using the throttle.

Rde1Up equipped the 700-Series with a Bafang 750W geared hub motor. Geared hub motors are generally considered to have better low-end/high torque power than their brushless/direct drive counterparts, and we found this to be reflected in our testing. In acceleration tests, I found that this bike wasn't the absolute fastest off the line, though it was still no slouch at 0-20 mph in 13 seconds on flat ground using the throttle. Instead of feeling super jumpy when you push the throttle, the power delivery feels smooth and controlled, and once up to speed, it maintains it very well. I performed some uphill acceleration tests and found it quite impressive while climbing our test hill. From a complete stop, it could accelerate up the moderate pitch of the hill up to 16 mph, only slowing to 14 mph at the steepest part of the incline near the top, where most other bikes bogged down significantly more. This was also reflected in our range testing, where the 700-Series maintained an average speed of 17.2 mph over the course of 32.4 miles of riding gradually rolling hills while using the throttle only. This is one of the highest average speeds of all the models tested and a testament to the motor's ability to maintain speed while going uphill.

Sure, you could push the throttle and use up your battery much quicker, but with 5 levels of pedal-assistance, the 700-Series provides a great range of support for your pedaling efforts. As you shift up through the levels, the motor provides more assistance and a higher top speed so you can choose the level that best suits your needs or the situation at hand. The assistance is engaged through a cadence sensor (newer models use a torque sensor), reacting very quickly when the cranks start turning. The motor delivers power as long as you are pedaling, regardless of how much effort you're putting into the pedals, and we found the delivery to feel quite smooth and controlled, not as jumpy as some other models we tested. In level 5, I found it quite easy to get this Class 3 bike up to its top pedal-assisted speed of 28 mph, requiring less effort than some other competitors. It also felt very strong while climbing the hills around GearLab HQ, making quick and easy work of the steepest inclines. For those who like to customize things, the pedal-assist settings are also adjustable so you can dial them exactly how you like them, the sensitivity of the pedal assistance, speed limit, and more.

Interface

While it isn't the fanciest or most advanced, I found the display and controls of the 700-Series to work very well. The control buttons and throttle have pretty good ergonomics, and their use is very intuitive and straightforward. The color display is fairly large and easy to read. The sleek hydroformed aluminum frame houses the battery within the frame's downtube, which can be easily removed for charging on or off the bike.

The controls of the 700-Series consist of a thumb paddle throttle and a display/control unit next to the left grip. The paddle throttle is immediately next to the grip, and it is easy to reach and press with the thumb. Next, the display has three buttons on its left side, closest to the tumb. The power button in the middle turns the bike on and off, while the + and - buttons shift up and down through the pedal assist levels. The display screen is fairly large, showing you everything you need to know at a glance. I tend to prefer displays centered on the handlebar, but this one is easy enough to see while riding, regardless of its location by the left grip. The screen has a dark background with bright numbers/letters, and we found it easy to read, even in direct sunlight. At the top of the screen, the wattage/power output of the motor is displayed in small numbers on the left side. The current speed is shown in large numbers in the middle, with a battery graphic on the right that shows the remaining charge in green (voltage is also displayed above, and it can be changed to a percentage if you prefer). Across the bottom of the screen, your pedal-assist setting is in the middle (0-5), the trip meter is on the right, and the total odometer is on the left.

One of the primary reasons that Ride1Up's bikes look good is the super clean battery integration. The 720Wh battery of the 700-Series is completely housed within the frame's downtube, giving it a very streamlined appearance. Despite this integration, the battery is still easily removable by unlocking it with the keys, then turning a small tab and pulling it out from the bottom of the downtube. This way you can take the battery with you for security or charging off the bike, otherwise, there is a large rubber charging port on the right side of the frame.

Assembly

The 700-Series is one of the most involved and time-consuming bikes to assemble that I've ever tested, earning it a 6 out of 10 in this metric. Nothing is incredibly difficult; there's just a lot going on, with more steps in the process than most other bikes tested. If you're not particularly good at assembling things, this is one bike that we'd suggest bringing to a bike shop to do it for you. If you're reasonably confident in your ability to follow instructions closely and put things together, then you should be able to do it yourself; know that it will take a little time.

In my experience, Ride1Up bikes come a little less assembled than many of their competitors, and they can fit them into slightly smaller boxes as a result. That said, it's still a fairly large box, and it's certainly not lightweight given that the 700-Series has an assembled weight of 63 lbs and 11 oz. Unless you're super strong, we'd suggest getting another person to help you remove the bike from the box. Once out of the box, our bike was very well protected from shipping damage, but that meant there was quite a lot of packing materials to be removed from the frame and all the parts. The bike comes with detailed assembly instructions, and an assembly video can guide you through the process step by step. It also comes with a nice little set of Allen wrenches and a free Ride1Up beanie (a nice touch). Again, nothing about the assembly is particularly difficult, but a lot is happening here. We suggest following the instructions exactly and having a little bit of patience. You'll need to install the fork, front brake caliper, front wheel, front fender, front light, rear rack, rear light, handlebar and stem, drive-side crank arm, and the seat and seatpost (not necessarily in that order). Once that's all done, you need to pump up the tires and make comfort adjustments to the seat and handlebars to dial into your liking. The process took me about 75 minutes to complete.

Should I Buy the Ride1Up 700-Series?

Not only is the 700-Series one of the best all-around models I've tested, but I think it's also a great value. Ride1Up has produced a powerful bike that rides very well, has a great range, and has features that most riders will appreciate for a price less than comparable bikes from the competition. Whether you're looking to commute across town in a hurry, cruise to the beach, or run errands around town, this versatile ride covers you. We think you'd be very hard-pressed to find another electric bike on the market that performs this well at this price.

What Other E-Bikes Should I Consider?

The main competition is the Ride1Up Turris XR, which is similarly priced. The 700 has better acceleration and better range and comes with a rack. But the Turris offers a bit of utility off-road. If you want to be more adventurous on your rides, check out the Aventon Aventure. This Class 3 fat-tire bike also packs a punch with its 750W motor and 720Wh battery, and its girthy 4-inch wide knobby tires expand its versatility to everything from pavement to dirt roads and paths. The Aventure can take you there if you want to get off the beaten path.