Ride1Up 700 Series Electric Bike Review: It Replaced My Car

The Ride1Up 700 Series is a fantastic electric bike that kind of made my car obsolete -- and with gas prices these days, that's a big deal for me.
Subscribe to CNET: / cnettv
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 bit.ly/3lO7sOU
Follow us on TikTok: / cnetdotcom
Follow us on Instagram: / cnet
Follow us on Twitter: / cnet
Like us on Facebook: / cnet

[@cliffbatson]

I bought one of these Ride1Up 700 series bikes pre-Covid, so I've had it for more than 2.5 years. It's a fantastic value. I had no trouble putting the bike together while watching the assembly video. Aside from it being heavy (like all e-bikes), I'm still glad I bought this model - and would do it again. I recently got a new replacement battery but the original battery is still working okay. If you are peddling enough to get some exercise, the bike will go a very long distance. I'm guessing I could get 80 miles out of mine. Of course, you can crank up the pedal assist and take it to 28 mph to get where you're going faster, at the expense of using more battery power. The throttle is a FANTASTIC feature... not for riding without pedaling, but for quickly getting up-to-speed after being stopped at an intersection. Two thumbs-up from me. I don't think anyone would regret buying this bike unless they have to carry it up stairs.

[@bernievassallo3336]

Hi Cliff… I’m shopping for a bike and wanted to ask you a few questions being you have had your ride 1 up 700 for a few years. How does it do on throttle alone up the steeper hills and how are the brakes?… thanks! Bernie

[@cliffbatson]

@@bernievassallo3336 The brakes are great. Hydraulic disc brakes can't be beat. As for throttle alone up steeper hills, I've honestly never even tried that. I never ride it without peddling. With the assist turned all the way up, and light peddling, hills are a breeze. It's like someone has their hand on your back, pushing you. Now, there ARE limits as to what you can expect. The bike has a rear rack installed. If you put panniers on the bike and load them up... and you're a heavy person... you could reach a point where hills are hard again. One thing that could help that scenario is to get a smaller chainring for your crankset. If I were to try any loaded touring with this bike, I'd defintely do that. It would make it easier to peddle up a hill with a loaded bike... at the expense of being able to peddle downhill (you'd be peddling like crazy due to the gear ratio). I hope this helps, Bernie. - Cliff

[@bernievassallo3336]

@@cliffbatson thanks Cliff! …Bernie

[@unpredictablelegacy3193]

Fam I need help please please, I want you're own personal advice/opinion/recommendations. 1. Which do you recommend rear hub motor or Mid Drive? 2. I'm stuck between this one or the prodigy, or the Lectric Premium. Which one should I get 😩😫. I plan to use it casually, here in Long Beach, CA. Plenty of cruises around Downtown Long Beach, The Pike, Lighthouse, beach. And possibly to go to work and back since it's just 11 miles away, on my way there is pretty flat surface. Just 2 bridges I cross.

[@cliffbatson]

@@unpredictablelegacy3193 not sure what to say. Bikes that are more expensive tend to have mid-drive motors but there are millions of people riding bikes with rear hub motors who are very happy. I'd get the 700 series bike all over again. Maybe you could take advantage of the 30 day return policy if that helps (20 mile limit).

[@JogBird]

without the motor, it feels just like riding any other 62 lb bike w 2.4 tyres... hahahahahaaaa

[@mikegreene9215]

Great short video that is to the point and answered a lot of questions. Thanks for posting!

[@o0o-jd-o0o95]

I too replaced my car with a ride1up 500 series... Don't regret it at all. I love the bike. unfortunately it got stolen from me. they picked the lock and everything. i did get it back but they tore it up completely. they ripped the battery off of it... they ripped the light off of it. two brake lines and a gear line ripped up ... i haven't been working because i've been having some severe depression problems. so i have no money to fix it. it is my only transportation. in an attempt to break up my depression i had some work lined up to do some yard work for the more elderly folks but it fell through when they stole my bike and i had no way of getting there. i am alone in this world 😥 i dont have family or friends even. because of my social awkwardness and depression i never made friends. heck i didnt even get to eat anything on thanksgiving like i would do normally because i had no way to go pickup food. some people do not seem to care what happens to someone when they steal from them. the bike was great though... i loved it. it did 28mph just with throttle. i used the throttle alot because i do have a bummed knee that hurts from time to time. im not saying i am old but i will be 50 here soon , so i am not young either

[@exionem]

Hang in there man.

[@misaelramos83]

Fellas, don't work so hard. Don't take yourselves so seriously. Get the step thru. It'll be so comfortable and it'll help with sharing the bike with people of all sizes. ST is the way to go for comfortable mobility.

[@dustinmcdowell848]

Go with the step through. Especially if this is a car replacement. Ebikes are heavy and when loaded with groceries you don't want to lean it way over. Men need to get over the idea of "girl" bikes and "boy" bikes. It is all marketing. The Dutch all ride these "Omafiets" ie grandma bikes. It's just more practical. Bike looks slick. Ride 1up seems to make good budget ebikes.

[@JogBird]

is this an american thing?? bikes have been unisex for decades

[@dustinmcdowell848]

This is definitely still a thing here, especially in big box stores and children bikes. Girl bikes are usually step through cruisers with traditional feminine colors and Boy bikes are 90s mountain bikes with traditional masculine colors.

[@miles5600]

@@JogBird depends, bike stores have unisex frames and so do online retailers, but stores like Walmart and some other stores still are mostly male and female type frames.

[@LouisBriand]

Yes and no, the difference between the two is that the high-step is built for taller riders compared to the step-through. It's not designed to be a men's bike, but men are generally taller than women.

[@miles5600]

@@LouisBriand no, high step is made for people that wanna throw their leg over the bike cause it’s faster than the step through. Womans use them too, but now a days almost everyone rides a unisex bike that’s guy friendly as well as woman friendly.

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

2.4” tires are pretty standard on mountain bikes. Do not take this bike off road though. Those aren’t off road tires. Gravel paths at best is where that bike belongs.

[@thestoebz]

I have taken it off road. Unless you're going on insanely rocky paths with lots of level changes, this thing performs great

[@Esoxfan]

Same

[@MP-zf7kg]

started to write a bunch of stuff about frame quality, fatigue cracks, throttle placement, but just decided on this: your primary issue may well be the theft/thuggery rate in your area; evaluate whether you can safely store your bike, and whether you're taking it to more or less secure locations.

[@bernievassallo3336]

Hi.., did you purchase the 700 from ride 1 up? If so how do you like it?… thanks!

[@keymusic]

While holding the battery “that 750 watt motor just lasts forever”. Ok good to know I won’t have to be replacing the motor anytime soon. 🤣🤣🤣

[@bernievassallo3336]

Hi I wanted to ask how you like your 700 and how is it up hills?…thanks!

[@ruhulkuddus3424]

I have been driving a Ride1Up 700 Series Step-through model since July 2021. I prefer the step-through model to the step-over model because of the ease of mounting and dismounting. My bike has about 3,000 miles at this point. I drive it mostly on paved roads and hilly but paved bike trails. The bike is running well, the battery still holds charge for weeks and I can drive about 30 miles per full charging. I needed to change the brake pad last summer. The original tires lose air pressure quite often are they are not leak-proof (they can get punctured by thorns). After the rear tire got punctured in July 2022, I replaced the tubes with gel tubes, but it added a new headache; the valves get clogged. I often need to change the valves to pump the tires. This month, I found that the original fork has been partially frozen. I like to buy a fork that can replace the existing one without any other alterations. I think the bike package as it is shipped, is incomplete in terms of safety, comfort, and convenience. I found the flood light inadequate, so I added an additional USB rechargeable headlight (about $20). To increase safety, I have added a bike bell (about $5), a Kenanlan bike mirror to the left handle (about $20), and a Wankskey battery-powered rearview camera with a monitor (about $60). I also added several reflective patches to the bike for increased nighttime visibility (about $5). For comfort, I have changed the original seat to a Selle SMP TRK Gel Seat (about $75) and the original seat post to a Redshift ShockStop seat post (about $200). For convenience, I have added a Coospo Bike computer (about $50) and a Kemimoto bike bag (about $35). All these changes and additions, to my opinion, turned the bike into a more complete equipment. Overall, I enjoy my bike and drive it every day if it does not rain or snow.

[@thestoebz]

Just assembled mine. About to go on a nice test ride. It's my new daily driver

[@bernievassallo3336]

Hi… I’m researching my new bike and have a few questions about your 700 if that’s cool. The website states 750 watt motor but many reviews say 500 with max output 750… do you know which is accurate? Lastly… I have one very steep one 3rd mile hill as I walk out my front door, how does it do on hills? … thanks Bernie

[@thestoebz]

@@bernievassallo3336 well for the motor, I know it says 750 watt, mine has actually put out up to around 900 watts. I'm around 220 lbs at 6'1", it does just fine for me on hills. There is an extremely steep hill near me, on my way back from work, it's about 30-35°, and I have to peddle somewhat hard for 10-15 seconds, but it makes it. Everything else is an absolute breeze. I've never had such a smooth ride on a bike.

[@yudai_dsu]

Perfectly adequate explanation of what a person would want to know before buying a bike, thank you very much🙏

[@Top5ebikes]

Ride1up is a solid ebike brand that provides a ton of value with any of their models, but especially the 700 series. If you're looking for a DTC brand, you need to consider Ride1up.

[@Top5ebikes]

FYI Ride1up has a sale and the 700 series is either $1445 or $1545 depending on the frame & color

[@Buharialtinee]

Thanks for sharing

[@LoganMoy]

Great video! Super informative and beautifully shot! 😀

[@gregwestcott2211]

How tall are you, just trying to get a perspective on the size of the bike with you on it, I'm 6' 3" at 212lbs.

[@ratcatcher4804]

Contintental cross king protection 2.6 up front and 2.3 for the rear for fender clearance with 27.5 slime tubes, thudbuster st seatpost with a c9 sofa seat. This thing can go plenty off road trails in comfort. I got 2 52v aftermarket rhino battery as well. One is in a storage bag on top of the rack with loaded panniers on the side. I found the 21700 cell 48v rhino looses its punch below half charge. Gets 30-40 miles floating on moderate hills loamy thick foliage trails. Not too fast with no rear suspension. But the 700 can really take a beating

[@karljdrumsgc12]

Where did you source the replacement battery?

[@jbergcosta]

This Ebike is amazing, it is very pleasant on dirt roads and perfect on streets and trails

[@Superhermit]

Great video. I've narrowed my choices to the Ride1up 700 vs Ariel Rider Kepler. Just can't make up my mind and pull the trigger

[@seanbrown8920]

Did you consider the Wing Fatty ebike? What have you heard?

[@Superhermit]

@@seanbrown8920 nah, not exactly what im looking for. I need a Fast Ebike for commuting to work. I think the Torque on the Kepler will be more exciting. But 700 series has a good sale right now. But its a neat design. Lot lighter in weight too.

[@adiposerex5150]

Does it come with snow tires?

[@shaaficimaxamedaxmedshaafi9667]

Thanks pro 👍

[@dhirendersahani2544]

Wow awesome bicycle 🚲 👏

[@gordondunkeld6237]

I bought the 700 series a couple of years ago. Put 2000 miles on it and was completely satisfied and other than the battery lock it is a very well made and sturdy bike. Unfortunately, recently the bike started cutting out despite having more than 50 percent charge left. At first I could unlock the battery, put it back, and the bike would function properly. Then the lock failed so anytime the bike cut out, I had to ride it home without power which is not easy as it is a heavy bike. I contacted support and he told me how to pry the battery off the bike which wasn't easy and he told me then to ride a short distance charge for 12 hours and do that three times and it may correct the power cutting out. I also lubricated the latches on the device that holds the battery in place but the lock still doesn't work. Nothing has helped. I am looking for a local ebike repair shop but Ride 1up doesn't have that service near me. In the end I cannot recommend this bike due to these problems and if I need to replace it I will not go with Ride 1up.

[@x2s7]

i’m so jealous of other countries, my countries do not allow 750w ebikes. man for a first world country we are pretty backward. Singapore btw.

[@reuvan16]

I’m an UF player, this guy killed me. Really hitting his target audience

[@hectorfernando4445]

Only available for sale in the 48 Continental?

[@MotoMotives]

I was able to buy the LTD model and I live in Toronto, Canada. It took a couple weeks to arrive but I had no issues with the purchase or with customs.

[@Chris_0202]

looks so cool..

[@saranbhatia8809]

Pretty cool

[@unpredictablelegacy3193]

Fam I need help please please, I want you're own personal advice/opinion/recommendations. 1. Which do you recommend rear hub motor or Mid Drive? 2. I'm stuck between this one or the prodigy, or the Lectric Premium. Which one should I get 😩😫. I plan to use it casually, here in Long Beach, CA. Plenty of cruises around Downtown Long Beach, The Pike, Lighthouse, beach. And possibly to go to work and back since it's just 11 miles away, on my way there is pretty flat surface. Just 2 bridges I cross.

[@o0o-jd-o0o95]

I am 195 pounds and I have the 750 Watt hub motor and I think it works great for riding the bike on roads and stuff... I didn't want the mid drive because I don't want the pedals to be constantly spinning... With the hub motor I can just hit the throttle like it's a gas powered moped or something and it just goes without the pedals moving. I was also worried about what if the chain binds up

[@unpredictablelegacy3193]

@o0O-JD-O0o Appreciate the feedback, seems like a hub motor is more relax, easy, chil going. And a Mid- more powers but gotta know when to shift the gears correctly otherwise like you said, chain may snap

[@solidunit]

It’s a cadence sensor and not a torque sensor?

[@acchaladka]

Correct. It's a very good commuter bike.

[@PaulHo]

Sean is a beefcake. 🥺

[@olajideparis]

What about rain or when it’s cold?

[@miles5600]

wdym by that?

[@TheLegendOfNiko]

@@miles5600 I think the OP is asking if this “electric” bike is water proof

[@dustinmcdowell848]

Poster doesn't know what a raincoat, rain pants or winter coat is. So silly since it rains all the time in The Netherlands and snows all the time in Norway and a considerable amount of the population bikes all year long.

[@miles5600]

@@TheLegendOfNiko alright, although every e-bike is waterproof, else it would be a useless bike right?

[@abinjoseph9808]

@@miles5600 but is it going to be water proof after like cuople of years?

[@zero11010]

Why is the throttle on the left side? I’ve ridden motorcycles for years. Throttle has been on the right side for decades and decades. They went with the left for a reason. What’s the reason?

[@nathanstell5665]

I have this bike and it took me a while to get used to the throttle on the left, but now it’s great. I suspect that it’s on the left to make room for the shifters on the right. Honestly it feels really nice, throttling up from a stopped position, while shifting into gear at the same time. I love this bike.

[@zero11010]

@@nathanstell5665 do you think you would be able to apply throttle while shifting? Oh, did I see a thumb throttle like on the e-scooters? I could see where it’s hard to use your thumb to throttle and also use your thumb to shift. It sounds like a twist shifter or a twist throttle would solve that. It took me a little bit to get use to using the throttle on a motorcycle while applying the front brakes (both on the right side). It’s not needed for mundane riding. It’s the same as heel toe driving in a car to manage brake while using throttle to maintain vehicle load balance while also downshifting. Modern vehicles will do “downshift blips” to rev-match for the same effect. I think I’m just saying the hand can do more than one thing at a time. Feels weird to move the throttle. But, bicycles already have the brakes happening in reverse so …. Whatever, I guess! 🤣

[@rndmfella1874]

Main issue is the power-mode-shifter on the same hand side .. Most likely he just assembled it weirdly.

[@acchaladka]

@@zero11010 twist throttle apparently has a tendency to get cycle riders in to trouble, according to what I've heard on the group FB page. Also, left placement as shifting gears on a bicycle means a pause in power, shift, then re-apply power and usually with the feet. I find the left throttle fine as I'm almost always using pedals to move, rarely the throttle.

[@zero11010]

@@acchaladka that’s pretty funny! Motorcycles have had twist throttle for decades and decades and decades. But, bicyclists are getting in trouble with them? Heh. I’ve seen twist gear shifters. If you had a twist gear shifter you could freely use a thumb accelerator like it has. The object is just to allow both to be used at once.

[@tonyda2656]

Nice review, but the 62lbs, $1,695 price (I estimated it would be $1,600) AND the left throttle (not what I would want) - make it unlikely for me. But it IS a decent bike.

[@pddellow]

The shifter is on the right, so.. you need to have the throttle on the other side. It is really not an issue, as k Long as you have use of your left thumb. If not.. move it all to the right side

[@scottmadcharo7363]

It's now $1545....... $1668.60 with tax. I bought it yesterday. 😆

[@TheLegendOfNiko]

This bike needs a good paint job

[@dima1603]

This isn’t a review, it’s an ad. I learned nothing about the pros/cons of this bike versus it’s competitors.

[@knoxxpredator]

Exactly, I find it hard to believe that the only con of this bike is the weight.....

[@acchaladka]

I own the 700 and I think it's a great bike. That said, the review was merely okay. A hill test and comparison of size weight and durability would have been welcome. CNET seems to take ebikes half-seriously.

[@jesdadotcom]

Honestly the only cons are the thin paint and weight.

[@votdfak]

Belt > chain

[@johnrevere9567]

Disagree on the weight... light... many are heavier... not even a hassle. You need to work out more dude!!!

[@blasstd327]

At 5:02 the left pedal is being turned to the right, when it should be turned to the left:)

[@stillwaters4097]

I see why you waited until the end to tell us the price. It might not be expensive to you but 1700 is a lot of money to me.

[@nikolairose2739]

In e bike world its a great price.

[@RedRyz3n]

If a bicycle makes your car obsolete then you never needed a car to begin with.

[@garonlove]

I im 57" and 280

[@dickriggles942]

Let's see you use it in the rain, snow and yo haul groceries, lol.

[@rndmfella1874]

a stronger motor doesn't make your battery last longer 🤦 .. and he said it twice! before I turned the video off

[@larsthorwald3338]

I wanted to get an electric bike, but I was too busy sprawling on the couch, eating pizza and swilling beer in my underwear. hahaha I have a simple question for anyone considering one of these low-powered motorcycles: What's wrong with your legs?

[@jesdadotcom]

I use the electric power to get to work and then pedal home. No one wants to show up at the office sweating and stinking. “Hahaha”

[@acchaladka]

Nothing is wrong with my legs. It's my heart failure and immune suppression drugs I'm on that keep me from pushing a regular bike up the hills around here, and this is the perfect solution. Side note: I played semi-pro rugby and served a few years for my country: why are you playing macho bully here?

[@Zetler]

This dude is too excited about mundane features like a throttle.

[@keithwhite9978]

If you live in the UK you need tax insurance and a driving license because of the 750 watt motor

[@adalventura5139]

compre hace unos meses esta bicicleta , recorri varios kilometros y en estas fechas que el combustible es mas caro esta bicicleta me ahorro ya varios miles de pesos y no a sufrido desgaste alguno su motor es exelente para mi peso (64.5 kg) los controles de exelente calidad la pantalla a color muy bonita y luminosa tiene grados para su iluminacion, puedes usarla totalmente electrica, yo la uso para recorrer kilometros en solo electrico y no gasta bateria casi a pesar de eso, tambien tiene modo hybrido que es motor y pedaleo ese modo lo uso para colinas ya que es mas da mas potencia, tiene sus puntos malos por ejemplo la luz de enfrente se inclina hacia arriba o abajo con la vibracion y es molesto tener que regresarla a su lugar puedes usar una banda elástica como yo le hago jaja, también note que el aro de los rines son de una calidad un poco dudosa apesar de que aun asi les meto velicidad tengo miedo de que se rompan ya que estan rajados por que no fueron soldados correctamente al igual que la parrilla de atras esta rajada por no soldarlo bien y tambien y la latita para detener la bicicleta es muy corta y queda muy inclinada la bicicleta y aveces se cae por el peso de la bateria que empuja la bicicleta en un angulo muy enconveniente para la patita esos son los puntos malos, la luz trasera es muy hermosa y brillosa parece moto me encanta la de enfrente es muy potente y los carros muchas veces me insultan para que la baje de itnensidad pero asi es se la tienen que pelar, los manubrios estan cubiertos por piel muy bonitos y durareros esteticos, frenos totalmente hidraulicos, las llantas a pesar de ser delgadas no se me han pinchado nunca, la calidad de pintura es exelente color mate gris hermosa muchagente me chulea mi bicicleta.

[@danielr.1480]

Their customer service is email only and it takes almost a week to get a response. I got one of their bikes but have issues with it and their customer service is not helpful. Good bike but with their lackluster customer service, I wouldn’t recommend

[@pddellow]

That is not true.. maybe over the holidays it takes longer. Most of the times they answer same day. They also answer a Phone calls.

[@ra4okdev29]

Third

[@henrihunter8030]

How about a ride one up mini....this one too big

[@SoldierBoy3064]

this bike is not tight buy a bike that you think performs amazing and looks tight then you won't suffer from buyers remorse

[@jamesbucsis6296]

Does not have a mid-drive JUNK

[@jamesbucsis6296]

Junk

[@sdshawn29]

That is so lame throttle on the left I wouldn't buy because of that

[@MindfulFactsTV]

STAY AWAY AT ALL COST! The customer service is horrible. Their response to sending an unrideable, damaged bike was to fix it yourself.

[@larsthorwald3338]

Electric bikes are a great way to avoid exercise!

[@acchaladka]

I'm a cardiac patient and my 75 year old father in law is buying one a part of his cancer recovery. Pedal assist is a thing for us, and gets thousands of non purists out on two wheels. Good luck Lars.

[@nikolairose2739]

It's the wind we are afraid of. Where I live it's always fine when I'm on the way to the gym. But coming back it's absolutely brutal and increases my commute by as much as 20 minutes some days. I also have a single speed fixie so maybe wind is mainly a fixie problem. Perhaps with gears they can easily peddle through wind on lower gears with increased cadence.