Ride1Up will soon unveil a slick new belt-drive e-bike known as the Ride1Up Roadster V2.
The bike will debut for an extremely tempting price of $995.
[Update: Ride1Up has now launched the Roadster V2 for pre-order, with shipping starting September 10. Full details below.]
Ride1Up has unveiled several interesting new electric bicycles over the last year, but the company’s latest e-bike will be one of its most affordable yet.
Replacing the previous version of the Ride1Up Roadster, the new Roadster V2 offers a stealthy package that could easily pass as a non-electric bike.
That design is possible due to the frame-hidden battery, which is becoming a popular design choice these days. The 36V and 7Ah battery has a capacity of 252Wh and an estimate range of 15-30 miles (25-50 km).
The bike sports an 500W peak (350W continuous) rear hub motor that is powered by pedal assist (no throttle on this one). The motor helps the bike a top-speed of 24 mph (38.6 km/h). The lack of a hand throttle helps the bike achieve reasonable range despite the smaller battery.
Instead of a chain drive, the Ride1Up Roadster V2 offers a single-speed belt drive.
The single speed nature completes the fixie-like urban commuter look, though the bike does have a freewheel and thus isn’t a true fixie.
Unlike most e-bikes these days that offer disc brakes, the Ride1Up Roadster V2 sticks with the fixie-look and opts instead for Tektro’s R315 dual-pivot V-brakes. They offer plenty of stopping power while evoking more of that hipster street-bike look.
Keeping with the minimalist design, the Ride1Up Roadster V2 sports a minimalist display on the left side of the narrow 550 mm handlebars.
The small LCD display outputs current speed, battery life, and distance. With minimalist everything, the e-bike weighs just 32 lb (14.5 kg).
Until now, Ride1Up’s e-bikes have started at $1,095. The Ride1Up Roadster V2 now ushers the company into the sub-$1k market.
Other major brands are making similar moves. Rad Power Bikes, the largest e-bike company in the US, recently announced the RadMission single-speed commuter e-bike priced at just $999. The RadMission also offers a more minimalist design, yet includes a larger removable frame-mounted battery and a throttle.
How will the Ride1Up Roadster V2 compete against the RadMission and other sub-$1k commuter e-bikes? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
