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The Search for Sun-Loving Machines Has Begun! Try Starting With the 500 Series E-Bike

Let's face it, rarely will any of us buy some performant e-bike to win triathlons with or race down mountains. For us ordinary humans, an e-bike just needs to be a comfortable and fresh alternative to getting around town to do the things our daily lives ask of us. Oh, and if it couldn't cost us very much, that'd be great.
500 Series XR Frame 11 photos
Photo: Ride1Up
500 Series XR Frame500 Series XR Frame500 Series XR Frame With Fenders and Rack500 Series XR Frame With Fenders and Rack500 Series XR Frame500 Series XR Frame500 Series Step-Through Frame With Fenders and Rack500 Series Step-Through Frame500 Series Step-Through Frame500 Series Step-Through Frame
As to why I chose to bring to light the 500 Series e-bike from Ride1Up, it's because this crew is known for offering riders the things they seek most: speed and a bike that won't leave them wondering where their savings went, and that seems to be clicking with quite the crowd. After all, this crew was able to enter a market dominated by teams with nearly 50 years of history or more and managed to stay alive.

Now, the 500 Series is an e-bike destined for everyday city use, which means certain advantages that other e-bikes don't offer. One of those advantages is comfort. The Ride1Up team decided to create a bike that allows for easy mounting and dismounting no matter the frame style, be it step-through or the XR. Sure, the XR may be a bit stiffer, but the step-through frame yields the most comfort and safety.

Think about it; you no longer need to lift your leg over a top tube, meaning your balance is unaffected. If there's a need for a quick maneuver where both feet need to be planted on the ground simultaneously, you can hop off the seat with no worries. This sort of frame style is used by countless major manufacturers, too, standing as a testament to its reliability. On the other hand, the XR version does include a top tube but with a small drop near the seat tube, offering some clearance.

500 Series Step\-Through Frame With Fenders and Rack
Photo: Ride1Up
One thing I rather enjoyed about the 500 is the inclusion of a front fork suspension. While most city-oriented e-bikes don't include this feature as standard, 100 mm (3.93 in) of travel ensures that each curb or crack in the road is as soft as the pillow you lay your head on at night. This also means that you can venture off the tarmac, But nothing too wild, just to occasional grassy or dusty path.

Comfort and styling aside, there's another reason why Ride1Up has managed to stay alive in this industry, they feed riders' need for speed. Mounted to the rear wheel of the 500 you'll see a 750 W motor that can crank out 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) of torque. Wondering what that means for you? It means up to 28 mph (45 kph) speeds with pedal assist; more than enough power to pull your cheeks back into the shape of a smile. Best of all, you'll be able to sustain your smile for up to 45 mi (72 km), but this depends on things like rider weight, terrain, and road conditions. If you're feeling lazy or tired after a long day at the office, just use the thumb throttle and ride around with no effort and a max speed of 20 mph (32 kph).

500 Series XR Frame
Photo: Ride1Up
Since the lifestyles we lead in cities also call for different activities to be carried out, 500 is also tuned to be the machine you use for things like going to the office, grabbing groceries, even picking up your child from school (with a carrier add-on). Standard, you can grab a 500 for an MSRP of $1,395 USD (1,284 EUR at current exchange rates), but if you want to transform it into a machine optimized for errands, no matter the weather, for an extra $100 USD (92 EUR), you receive a fully equipped bike, fenders, racks, and lights. Without this gear, the bike comes in with a weight of 55 lbs (25 kg) and has a 275 lb (124 kg) capacity.

At the end of the day, the 500 Series seems to have what it takes to make new riders happy; there's speed, capability, and a price that looks worth the experience. Sounds like a ready-to-ride kind of machine.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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