After 4 long rides, my question is what is the point? Why make a carbon fiber road e-bike? You take a nice CF road bike and make it heavier. Yes, you can go faster, but you have to keep paddling, whatever the terrain, so little rest for the tired. Overall it does not match the joy of a CF road bike. The R1UpCF does not have a throttle like the other CF bike I tested. So it is not a light road bike, and is not a real smooth cruising e-bike.

The Ride1 UP CF bike arrived with the front tire leaking the sealant all over. (Now after 2 months/4 rides I seem to have an issue with a consistently flat tire – but that could be anything). On arrival, the brake was not adjusted and needed new tools to adjust. The company’s answer was this happens and it is easy to fix. Communication with customer service was not helpful. They sent links to internet videos that we had referred them to. By the third time we communicated, they were dismissive.

The shifter (newest (to me) technology I guess) makes noise and is not in place when it reaches the top gear, and it keeps clicking – not acceptable on a new bike. The seat is a butt buster, the hardest I’ve ever ridden. At assist levels 1 & 2 the ride feels more tiring and less smooth than a regular CF road bike. I do feel the speed and ease at levels 3-5, when the battery drains quickly. I’d stick with a nice CF road bike.

I’ve been riding a Lemond Buenos Aries the past 30 years and decided, at 76, I needed to upgrade to a bike that would give me an assist on long windy rides. My biggest surprise is that with no assist I am able to ride close to the same speeds as the Lemond. I also found the large frame fits me well and the saddle is not uncomfortable for my 5’10” height. With assist I can ride any day without considering hills or wind. A fully charged battery is good for about 50 miles with the level of assist I typically use.