Lectric XP 3.0 VS Ride1Up Portola: Which $1000 Ebike is Better??

Lectric XP 3.0: lectricebikes.sjv.io/XxJEKb
Lectric XP 3.0 Long Range: lectricebikes.sjv.io/GjL1o2
Ride1Up Portola: go.ride1up.com/SH3P
In this video we compare the two most popular folding ebikes, the Lectric XP 3.0 and Ride1Up Portola. Be sure to check out our full comparison blog post: ebikeescape.com/lectric-xp-3-...
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#electricbike #ebikes
00:00 Introduction
01:30 Comparison Format
02:14 Prices, Frames, Colors, and Assembly
04:13 Component Differences
06:23 Display Comparison
08:56 Rear Racks and Accessories
10:13 Drivetrains and Motors
11:59 Battery Removals and Specs
14:44 Folded Dimensions and Ease of Transport
15:46 Bottle Cages and Customer Support
18:04 Riding and Pedaling Characteristics
19:57 Which is Better? Which Do We Choose?

[@EbikeEscape]

Here is a link to the Blog post if you want some more info: ebikeescape.com/lectric-xp-3-vs-ride1up-portola-best-1000-folding-ebike/ And if you found this content helpful, making a purchase after clicking any link of ours is a free and easy way to help support us here at Ebike Escape! Thank you all in advance!

[@Kevin-Schmevin]

I got a portola a couple weeks ago, I'm blown away by nice it is. All the components are way nicer than I expected at this price point.

[@JimmyCuba7070]

I agree

[@sdw90731]

Great review guys, this is the comparison that potential Ebike owners have been waiting for. I saw the Lectric XP 3.0 when I ws shopping around and was going to go for that then the Portola came along and after comparing them I thought it was just a better bike at its price point so I bought one. Most of the components are of a higher quality, the battery placement on the Portola is much easier to deal with than the Lectric's especially when you have knee issues like I do (and that was a prime selling point) and it has thoughtful touches like a front tire quick release and the strap to hold the folded bike together. And the early reviews pointed out the Portola's lack of a derailleur protector so I was pleased when Ride1Up listened and included it with my bike. And though it's not a deal breaker, the Portola is a more stylish-and cleaner-looking bike than the Lectric which looks a bit old-fashioned. The Lectric XP 3.0 finally has a worthy competitor in folding bikes and I couldn't be happier with my choice.

[@anthonyd9984]

I bought a Portola upon first release and was really hoping itd have a derailleur guard. Where does yours attach to?

[@michaell7102]

As a Lectric 3.0 owner from its initial release (and the 2.0 before that) I will agree that Lectric has excellent customer service, but I've had so many problems in the past year with my 3.0 that I've been waiting for an alternative to come out. Perhaps I got a lemon, but a Reddit search shows that a lot of the problems I've had with the bike, other users have had. Problems like squeaking coming from the pedal crank; front spokes "pinging" against the front brake caliper (new narrower front wheel sent out with the hydraulic brake "upgrade" last year); battery movement inside the frame for no specific reason, but would cause power outage that required the bike to stop, turned completely to the "unlock" position before turning back to "on" to fire the bike back up; cadence sensor went after 200 miles and needed to be replaced (though throttle still worked); headlight that snapped off because it was far too big and heavy for the connection screws- before it snapped off, it would drop at the slightest bump no matter how tight the holding screw was tightened. I've had other issues besides these, and while I'm still running at 1700+ miles, I'd rather have a bike that didn't need the customer service to run properly from the beginning. I'm just waiting on the tax returns to hit "send" on the Portola order.

[@nicktorres2114]

Some of the things you mentioned I’m having problems too with the headlight no matter how tight you tighten it on the 3.0 it’s still moves off a little bump and when you take the key out and try to put it back in, you will lose power and you have to snap it back in or wiggle the key back-and-forth a few times and they’ll turn back on

[@nicktorres2114]

I also have a 2.0 and that one is great I like it better than my three-point. Oh, I don’t have no problems.

[@DM-fp8uw]

These are all fair points. I've been doing a lot of reading on the Ride1Up forums and have read some disturbing customer service stories such as people receiving total lemons and having to pay $250 just to return. Others have no problems but it seems like a real gamble.

[@sharizeck9318]

I love my Lectric 3.0, but the Portola does not appear to have the one thing I hate about the Lectric and might tempt me away from Lectric for my next bike: the key position. You make the battery removal look easy, but for those of us who don't bend or crouch easily, getting the key in position, fiddling with it and the button while holding the folded bike is tough. Then holding the bike and making sure the battery doesn't hit the ground when I slide it out is a bit dicey. If you never intend to take out the battery, contending with the key position alone is doable, but removing the battery makes lifting the bike into the back of my SUV a bit easier, and because I have a detached garage, I don't want the battery sitting in the bike in the garage in the winter, so removing the battery is something I need to do more than once or twice. The Lectric solution for the battery looks cool, and allows for that substantial midsection which helps with the stability and robustness of the bike, but the key location is a loser and the awkwardness of battery removal a nuisance. I really appreciate your reviews, by the way!

[@EbikeEscape]

Completely fair point. The battery placement is a big consideration on the Portola vs the XP 3.0.

[@Tom-xn2gu]

JT, thank you for such a thorough review of the two bikes, I'm really impressed with the care and thought you put into this. Looks like the Portola squad came out in droves to pretend to be potential Portola buyers. Good for them. I own a 3 year old Lectric xp 2.0 and you answered all my questions about the two bikes. I want a more updated, powerful ebike and have decided to go with the Lectric 3.0.. Not to knock Portola in any way, but Lectric ticks all the boxes I want. My old xp 2.0 has performed perfectly, not even a hiccup. I know the 3.0 will get me up and around the Rockies when I move there this summer.

[@chow-chihuang4903]

Ride1Up obviously did their homework on the Portola. Aside from slightly more weight capacity on the rear rack and overall, and more cargo accessories for the Lectric XP, the Portola out-specs the XP in every other metric. Extra batteries also list for significantly less ($375 vs $499, both 14Ah).

[@EbikeEscape]

Agree, the Portola suprised us a lot also. I am a bit skeptical on that extra battery sizing though. Since the Portola model comes with a 13.4Ah, surprised that the extra battery is listed as a 14Ah....

[@chow-chihuang4903]

@@EbikeEscape The extra battery is the old 18650 Samsung or LG cell pack for the 700 series. It is a full 14Ah. The 10.4 and 13.4 Ah batteries that come with the Portola are made with Yiwei cells, thus the capacity difference between the shipped-with and extra batteries. The newer 700 series batteries now use 21700 LG or Samsung cells.

[@doggyman1202]

Very thorough review. Excellent job. We have a Lectric Lite in the family, and I had the XP1.0 a few years ago. Biggest downside in my mind is the battery placement on Lectric e-bikes. In short, they're a pain in the butt to access and remove, and the clumsy key insertion point underneath adds to the aggravation. If I were deciding between the two in your comparison, the much more convenient battery placement on the Portola would make that model my hands down choice. Otherwise, these bikes appear to be very competitive.

[@tumbleweed1976]

The key placement on the Lectric 3.0 is lame. Also not a fan of fat tires or overall weight. I never take my battery out/off the bike so no biggie there. Would consider buying again but also consider other companies.

[@erides]

I just received the Portola for review, and your video came out just in time for me to see the difference. I really appreciate the ride1up quality in their other models, but I still need to unbox the Portola to see if it's as great as their other models

[@EbikeEscape]

Glad it could help. Good luck with your review. Ride1Up makes some awesome quality ebikes for the money!

[@AP-go1ks]

Great comparison! Portola all the way

[@jeromewaites5364]

Portola is a better bike 👍

[@duartecabral55]

Yes but can I get up to 60 miles with pedal assist like I can get with Lectric long range battery option?

[@jeromewaites5364]

@@duartecabral55 yes

[@allyma3]

omg u can go 60?? i want to do that​@@duartecabral55

[@haroldfitz5146]

​@@duartecabral55And the 48 tooth front sprocket on the Portola means more ghost pedaling at higher speed. I prefer the Lectric 52 tooth. Other than that, the Portola has some features I really like. Tough choice

[@ChristinaMarquez4homes]

Great review now I’m more confused than ever 😂 started with Lectric then found Portola but now bouncing back to Lectric. Maybe I’ll wait for the 4th generation.

[@insurancemann1]

Great review as always. Better bike than expected. Love the now off road area. Much better than traffic and pedestrians. I hope it becomes a regular riding location.

[@williamhach1550]

Great review! If I didn’t already have a Lectric 3.0 LR (AND a Euphree City Robin X+ thanks to your reviews 😊) the Portola would be a compelling option.

[@user-rh1mn2zq2e]

I would suggest not every Lectric or Portola peforms identical so the hill test would require at least a 3 bike average per model for me to give too much weight to that.

[@chriskelvin248]

I got my XP 3.0 last week and had been researching the category for a year. I never heard of the Portola, lol! But it looks a bit more refined, frame-wise. A newer, more stylish alternative. If they are that close in price, function, features and performance I would say either is a great bike. How else can you drive a toddler around on a bicycle without sweating and then fold it up and fit it in the hatch of a VW Golf with all the seats still up? Love these kinds of bikes! My brother and sister are RV’ers and they are eyeballing my new ride, lol.

[@paulseiser6693]

Another great e-bke review by JT (and Ryan). The more I view the reviews, the more I learn. However, I don’t know if I’m closer to a purchase yet, because I want just about every folding bike that I’ve seen them review. Keep them coming! Nice job sharing your expertise with people like me. The comments below sure seem to favor the Portola.

[@EbikeEscape]

Thanks for the kind words. The Portola is a great folding ebike. It would be hard for me to choose if I had to also! haha.

[@Bobster986]

You should do a review between the Lectric XP vs the AiPAS A2 to see which is better next.

[@dhawkr.3678]

Can you do one for lectric 3.0 vs Jasion x-hunter? Thanks that's very informative.

[@grantsvlogs]

It would be great if Lectric sold the previous model of the xp as well as the new one and the same year. Some people like the older model and they could make it affordable considering it’s already been out. Most companies sell there older versions on their website and that’s the only thing different with lectric

[@sarahcross3456]

I went with the Portola, and I love it!

[@debbieporter1]

Just ordered my step thru Lectric 3.0 another difference that made all the difference was all the freebies i received from Lectric while the other offered none. I received front and rear baskets, phone holder and lock for the 3.0 instead of the othe minor differences. I don’t know but the dollars to purchase these items on the other site made more sense to get them free. To include more time on the market vs the unknowns that may arrive with the other brand as time goes on. It's the 3.0 for me.🎉

[@mbb720]

I was noticing this too! If you don’t mind me asking, how much was the total for that before tax?

[@chow-chihuang4903]

When I check UL’s ProspectoriQ for a list of UL2849 ebike models, I find neither Lectric or Ride1Up models. So, while they may be in-process, they’ve not been certified, at least as far as I can find in UL’s database. I check every few days as I’m waiting for the Portola to get certified before I buy one. I intend to take it when I travel, and NYC and SF are both on my bucket list.

[@HighLevelPlayer]

I asked Ride1up's support if they planned on adding UL2849 certification, but they said they don't. However, they said that the batteries themselves would be UL certified in the future.

[@duartecabral55]

I've looked at so many reviews on the Portola but not once has ANYBODY mentioned how far you can go. I know the Lectric can go for up to 40-60 miles with pedal assist and the long range battery. How far can the Portola go?

[@johnmcnamee5755]

I personally prefer the electric ex p 3.0 long range I bought it 3 months ago and its sweet as as hell I only have 27 miles on the bike when it comes out of my house people are going to go crazy it is one bad ass bike it's got every thing you can think of even off the grid

[@JesusGarcia-ub2wt]

I was just about to buy an XP 3.0 and then I found out they are announcing a new bike this Tuesday so I'm going to wait to see what it is.

[@EbikeEscape]

Good idea, our video will tell you everything you need to know on the new bike 😁

[@0420573]

Road bike

[@TheHungrySpouses]

Would you compare Portola vs Velotric Fold 1, please…

[@blown9646]

Portola for sure, but I'll take my $750 20ah Sohamo S3 all day

[@rodneyjones8433]

I have 2 XP 1.0 and 1 XP 2.0, it's so easy to change the class 2 to 3, you can change how much Torque you want the motor to give you even when you pedal. Had mine up to 31mph, just wish it had a higher or maybe the 8th gear.

[@sbukosky]

I’m curious about the nonadjustable bars. That seems like an important negative. What’s with the front brake cable hanging out? Thumb throttle and wimpy, off center display? As much as I dislike the 3.0’s battery and key, I’ll take that temporary inconvenience to have a more motorcycle like throttle and display. That actual power of the Lectric makes it the winner IMO.

[@danielangel5887]

I opted to get the 2.0 instead of the 3.0 because it was on sale, and it is my first E-bike. The Portola caught my attention thanks to The Channel. Didn't know the 4.0 was going to be this year, so more than likely, I'll go with that! If it's your first Ebike, you'll be happy with either 👍🏽

[@reallifescience2069]

Lectric make cheaper products. I'm not sure that's the take-away

[@SlotCarMisfitsofallscales]

Who has the best customer service ?

[@JohnBrown-hx5oy]

I like the Lectric battery storage. If there ever is a (too often) battery fire, I would MUCH rather have a concealed battery!

[@MSF769]

Drivetrain is better on Portola since it features 8-speed Shimano Altus. The Lectric XP 3.0, however, features 7-speed Shimano Tourney. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[@EbikeEscape]

10:20 Correct. 7 speed Tourney on the Lectric vs the 8 speed Altus derailleur and shifter on the Portola.

[@cjjin7795]

With the NEW Velotrec Fold 1 has anything changed. YES adjustable post is a great design for both tall and short riders

[@EbikeEscape]

Will work on getting our Fold 1 review out asap

[@Ctrey97]

I don't understand how Ride1Up claims to have a 750W motor but it is weaker than Lectric's 500W motor. I feel like it isn't actually 750W based on your testing.

[@danimayb]

Can all boil down to the controller, But also the motor not being the true rating they say it is. One bike could have 15a controller and the other 20 for example, The 20a will deliver more torque at peak.

[@Ctrey97]

@@danimayb That's a good point, I just looked on each companies website and they both list 20 amp controllers. So does that mean that Ride1up doesn't have a true 750W motor? I wasn't able to find the peak wattage of the motor on Ride1up's website but looks like Lectric's peaks at a 1000W

[@danimayb]

@@Ctrey97 If they are both 20a peak controllers then cross that off. It's now down to the motors as you say. There is a difference between a true 500w rated motor and 750w motor (the size of the windings inside). a 750 will naturally have more punch than the 500 with equal amps. So it's matter of finding out what these motors are... My guess, One is a 500 the other is 750? Because those are the most common by far used in these cheap fat ebikes, It will be one or the other. If both are true 750 or 500, and both have 20a controllers... Then fuck knows lol. Maybe one controller is actually a bit weaker than than the other despite it's rating.

[@Ctrey97]

@@danimayb @EbikeEscape Ryan and JT, can you shed a little light on this since you have both of the bikes? I am starting to think that Ride1Up maybe pumping their numbers up to try and appear like the better ebike but in actuality they really have a weaker motor than Lectric. @danimayb and I just want the truth 🤣

[@danimayb]

@@Ctrey97 Yeah sorry I ain't no help I'm just ranting with you 😂. You just don't know what ya getting with these bikes unless someone gives the details or you buy one and dig out the details yourself (by which time it's too late as you've just coughed up lol)

[@Murillos1]

Vitilan i7 Pro is better than both.

[@richdv6800]

Agree, or the Vitilan U7 step through with 20Ah battery!

[@kevdiggidydowg]

I’m really on the fence between these two. But after watching this video, I feel like the Ride 1 Up is more form over function and compared to the Lectric XP 3.0.

[@slacktide7113]

Juiced Rip Racer is the pick.

[@michaell7102]

Rip Racer doesn't fold. That puts it in a different category altogether.

[@davidhunternyc1]

How long will it take to see a 30 pound 750 watt folding e-bike? Both of these bikes are way too heavy and cumbersome if you need to carry them.

[@quantumfx2677]

You are not until batteries become smaller and lighter! U can go carbon fiber and u will pay more for it!

[@mrc1436]

30 lb bike with specs anywhere close to this is about 19 years away so ff ever 50 lbs with slightly less power and battery and thinner tires is available now

[@davidhunternyc1]

@@mrc1436 Well, the Hummingbird's ebike is 250 watts and weighs 23 pounds. It won't take long to make a 750 watt folding bike that weighs under 30 pounds. Also, for a folding bike, I think 500 watts would be sufficient if the motor were on the front wheel so that cogs could be used to assist the bike to 30 mph.

[@mrc1436]

Humming bird has 1/3 the power, Battery is 1/4 the size, top speed is 15 mph, super narrow tires and it costs $5700.00 US There is no comparison the style bike they are reviewing here might come in about 50 lbs in 10 years with extreme advancements in battery, electronics and materials.

[@aricgudmundson2029]

Mars 2? I'll go with the Mars 2

[@DM-fp8uw]

Only negative for the portola for me is the throttle not being twist.

[@EbikeEscape]

I get that

[@gbgarcia17793]

And right now comes with free baskets, free xtra long road battery, and upgraded seat.

[@EbikeEscape]

Yeah...that's compelling

[@DM-fp8uw]

Never seen anyone give an argument for lack of quick release before.

[@EbikeEscape]

Pros and cons depending on what you want. We just wanted to point it out for those who might care.

[@MHH3180]

The question should be, "Which bike is worse?"

[@realeyesrealizereallies6828]

The one without the giant letters that spell Lectric would win for that reason alone..

[@creed1741]

Less stealable lol

[@ProjectMat66]

Lectric 3.0 Made in China. The pony tail-wearing dudes in the promotional videos want you to think these are good 'ol American entrepreneurs operating a nice clean company based in Arizona. Order one and presto! Made in China Decent bike but I bought two advertised bundles and received almost entirely different packages. extra seat for one, bike lock on another, different headlights, on and on. Customer service is quick to respond but not a lot of help at the end of the day.

[@donwilson350]

I've looked at a lot of e-bikes and the King bull is better than both of those bikes

[@EbikeEscape]

How's the customer service?

[@donwilson350]

I've read a lot of reviews and they've got all five stars so it must be pretty good

[@derrekb4501]

Lectric CEO gives me the creeps😅

[@EbikeEscape]

Really? He's the most down to earth CEO I've met.

[@BigB0ss00]

Portola looks way better than the XP which looks like an ugly duckling who will never turn into a beautiful swan