2022 Ride1UP

500 Series ST

Battery range exceeded expectations. The 624Wh battery powered the 500W motor for a solidly long distance

The 8-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain is awesome, especially at this price point. Bonus points for the under-bar thumb shifter pod

Though the power delivery at first is tame and controlled, it’s a surprisingly quick bike — especially on higher PAS settings. We never had a problem holding close to the bike’s max motor-assisted speed of 28 mph

Ride1UP balanced comfort and sportiness well with this one. It’s a pleasant ride that doesn’t trade efficiency for an overly upright position

Overall, there’s lots of bang for your buck: Good components, good motor and good looks for around $1,300

There’s a noticeable lag before the motor stops applying power after you stop pedaling. This is controllable with the brake-activated kill switches, but worth keeping in mind

The battery readout isn’t super accurate and says the battery is more empty than it really is. But we’ll take a conservative readout over one that overpromises

An affordable urban electric bike with slightly higher top speed of 25mph, trigger throttle operates from zero and overrides all nine levels of assist for maximum control, zippy 500 watt Bafang hub motor, basic 160mm mechanical disc brakes

Upgraded Shimano Acera derailleur with basic 7-speed 14-28 tooth freewheel, upgraded rims with matching black spokes, thicker spokes in the rear for strength, unlabeled SR Suntour suspension fork with preload adjust adds comfort when paired with the gel saddle and stitched ergonomic grips

Sloping top tube makes the bike approachable with a lower standover height, value brake levers have rubberized edge for comfort and motor inhibitors for safety, integrated headlight keeps you visible, compact display is easy to use and offers some settings adjustments

Great kickstand placement, excellent sealed 12-magnet cadence sensor, two color options and even a swept-back handlebar option make this bike unique, ships to US, Canada, and Mexico for not much extra, more steps to assemble because the fork and stem are not attached, no bottle cage bosses, no slap guard