I have this bike. You can add a second battery to increase its range. Also it's a single speed not technically a fixed gear. The belt should last at least 5,000 miles. Also likely the tension on the belt was too low. I'm a big strong cyclist and the belt doesn't skip when I apply torque. If I keep the bike in the lowest pedal assist mode I can get about 30 miles of range. Keep in mind that I weigh 220 lbs so it's a decent range off one battery. It can get you up some moderate hills but will struggle on steep gradients. It's a good value as long as you understand its intended purpose.
I appreciate your honesty. This might be the first "I'll be critical and not just fawn over it" review. This is my first ebike, arrives on Wednesday. Wish me luck.
I've had this bike for about 5 months now, and put around 700 miles on it. In that time I've broken 2 belts. Both belts broke at around 300 miles. I'm fairly mechanically adept and followed the instructions on the website for maintaining belt tension AND lubrication. This bike uses a top trans belt and I'm not convinced they're of the same caliber as belts used in other belt drives,
5:30 You make a good point here. In fact, I first discovered the Roadster V2, and upon perusing the website, the Core 5 looked to be the far superior product. Unfortunately however, I noted the Core 5 does not have a belt-drive, but a traditional chain. Even worse (for me) there was a derailleur and not an internal hub for shifting. As someone who lives in a rainy and flat place, the Roadster V2 is a much more enticing product. Even at $1100.
Its honestly probably one of the best commuter bikes out there if you don't mind the lack of creature comforts, I think outside of the KBO the only other bike i like in this class is the Vanmoof which i think is like $1300 more.
@@DredSk8 Big +1, Van Moof is one of the only other proper competitors for this bike and they work best if you live in very busy, very sketchy places like Flatbush in Brooklyn or Harlem in Manhattan as their anti-theft is unmatched
Good, balanced review. The unique feature of this bike, besides good looks, is the light weight. I like my Radmission1 throttle for getting up to speed then PAS. And the price is $999. Liked & subscribed.
I love my roadster V2. I found a little satchel at Wallyworld that fits to the top bar which just holds the charger. I stop at a gas station, buy some food and they let me charge it for 30 min which recharges the battery 2/3. I have gone for 30 mile rides with one recharge.
Not bad, i still wish they had an option to run a extender pack in parallel though, I never had range anxiety because you could always just ride, but having the option to go 30+ without charging would be super appealing in this form factor.
they should absolutely offer a version with gears, even if it means shedding the nice belt drive. put a nice 1x drivetrain and make a road/gravel bike for those who live in places with serious hills. even a 2x or 3x would be nice. a 3x is great on a near 50 lb ebike to get you places without needing motor either to conserve battery (especially a 7ah) , burn calories or get home over climbs in the event of power loss. might be great for those in florida but I'm in LA and the hills are like ski slopes. beautiful bikes though.
I have the 1up Roadster V2 for exactly the reasons it was designed. Belt drive, 350W hub motor, $1049 price, striped down, naked, flat bar, short commute eBike! It's a gorgeous looking bike especially in Burgundy Red! My buddy has a FLX "Baby Maker" that is a bit more refined bike, with hydraulic disc brakes, bullhorn bars, and a brass studded seat; not worth an extra $800.00 in my opinion. You can't go wrong with the Roadster V2.
After riding the roadster for a few months, I can tell you that the range is very limited. I have not yet been able to squeeze 20 miles out of the battery. I even turn off the assist whenever I can, but never on any sort of incline. I'm in decent shape and have had a very hard time pedaling the bike after losing power. I just installed the add on battery ($375.00) and I'm hoping to be able to get 35 miles total out of the two combined. I also made a mistake by purchasing the larger frame size and now I don't have clearance for a suspension seat post. As for people who are concerned about the class 3 rating, just get a class 2 sticker and keep the speed down to where it should be.
That was pretty inline with my experience, while never had range anxiety because its still a bike, it was def more of a chore to ride unassisted, idk if thats because of the belt gearing because i swear the regular single speed bikes i have ridfen before were not as hard to pedal but might just be forgetting. That said definitely glad they added a ER option for people with 10-20 mile commutes.
Bought the core 5 because of swappable battery. If they released this bike with a battery pack add-on for the bottlecage or something like that it would broaden appeal. If range could go 30-50 miles most people would be interested.
All good, its long since gone back to my friend, not sure if he had adjusted it at that point prior to getting it for this review but good call out. It is also possible the factory is using belts with a slightly too shallow key depth as well which in retrospect would have been good to rule out.
I have a Core5. This bike seems cool for other reasons,.. probably easier to transport with your car. A little stealthier. I would miss my throttle though.
The roadster is def more low profile commuter, the biggest selling point fkr me was the weight, no probs getting ot up and down stairs or on the train 🤙
I'm a week in on my core 5, I bought it for me n my Lil dog,he's 13yrs old and can't get around much so this w a big basket on back is ideal,liking my core 5 things so far, ******BEWARE OF BIKE THIEVES!!!!!!****SEE alot eye balling it not in envy either...bought 4 locks so gotta make it as difficult as possible for thieves....
Hi Dennis so ride 1up dosent appear to sell a mid drive, but the 500 and LMTD do have front suspension, generally though you wont find mid drives in this form factor.
This is a great video review and I appreciate the radical candor. How did it go without any electic assist? It's quite light compared to other ebikes and I'd imagine not so bad if the batteries do give out.
Hi CBR, IDK how good a measure i can give for the un poweref experience since my legs have been lazy lately, but it was certainly ride able on even ground, though where you really take a hot is on inclines where its a bot of a balancing act to make sure you have enough speed to start pumping without skipping the belt which happend toe a few times. Overall i would say its not any better or worse off than a standard fixie.
@@DredSk8 Thanks for your additional comments and it's definiltey one to consider. I'm waffling between this and the Rad Mission (although the Rad is much heaiver and has a chain drive)
@@2004cbr personal preference aside i would say it really comes down to whats your application, casual riding and quick trips the Roadster is great, but if you are looking for a touring bike to do serious riding on the mission might be worth the extra weight, part of the appeal of the roadster though was i didn't have to think about it when.i wanted to ride, just threw it over my shoulder and went out. But theres def trade offs for that convenience.
Nice, assuming its not a crazy price that firmly makes the V2 a solid choice for a daily commuter 🤙 though if im being honest theres definitely a bit more competition in the rime since I reviewed the V2.
Can you do a video going up a hill. From stop. With momentum. Try different hills with different grades. Also if you can provide a side shot of you going up different hills while showing the speed Mph that would be great
Hi Kmaa, the bikes gone back to its owner but im confident in saying that its a chore to re gain momentum on any incline over 10% from a dead stop, with my average assisted speed while climbing being about 10-13mph if that helps. You can regain assisted momentum from.a dead stop after pushing the cranks about 2/3rds of the way to get the pedal assist to activate but you have to swere a bit to avoid skipping the belt or push off.
Dred Sk8 it’s alright. Great video. I am giving you ideas (unsolicited, I know 🤷🏻♂️) for your next video. I own one, many of the owners/ potential buyers ( see Facebook group) want to see how it performs in hilly areas. There is at least 4 review videos on the roadster but none of them test it on hills...
I live in a jurisdiction that isn't at all sympathetic to e-bikes. Anything here with a motor is regarded as a street vehicle. A stealthy bike like this is essential for criminal reprobates like me who ride e-bikes on bike paths ...
@@ficklepickle2495 thank you kindly, and in general nah dont rally need to ride masked, but in Cali during the dry season its nice cause it keeps most of the dust/dirt/pollen out 🤙
Fixed Gear Bike = you stop pedaling, the pedals keep going. Single Speed Bike = you stop pedaling, the pedals stop and you can coast. I bought the KBO version of this same bike (I wanted disc brakes for my $1,000) and as a commuter, I love it. I had to have a bike that would also go on the bike rack on the front of buses and that was also manageable for a second floor apartment. A lot of bikes get eliminated with those two requirements alone, a lot of “regular” looking ebikes weight in at over 60lbs, doesn’t work so well on a rack on the front of a bus. KNOW what you plan on doing with an ebike before you buy it.
Good point i should have probably clarified a bit more that this was actually a single speed and not a true fixie. Thats aside though yes this bike is a fantastic commuter, dosent advertise much more than what it offers which I really like, just a straight forward ride experience with a little extra.
@@jrnamida5470 disc brakes are disc brakes. If you want to, you have the option to change to hydraulics if you want. You don't even have the option on the roadster without major modifications. You do know they have e-bike specific hydraulic brake handles available, right?
I have this bike. You can add a second battery to increase its range. Also it's a single speed not technically a fixed gear. The belt should last at least 5,000 miles. Also likely the tension on the belt was too low. I'm a big strong cyclist and the belt doesn't skip when I apply torque. If I keep the bike in the lowest pedal assist mode I can get about 30 miles of range. Keep in mind that I weigh 220 lbs so it's a decent range off one battery. It can get you up some moderate hills but will struggle on steep gradients. It's a good value as long as you understand its intended purpose.
I appreciate your honesty. This might be the first "I'll be critical and not just fawn over it" review. This is my first ebike, arrives on Wednesday. Wish me luck.
Happy to help, i try to keep these as level as possible so thanks for feedback and happy cycling with your new bike 🤙
Dred, I ordered one and it shipped yesterday. So thanks for the review!
Awesome 🤙 I miss it lol one of my fav daily drivers.
I've had this bike for about 5 months now, and put around 700 miles on it. In that time I've broken 2 belts. Both belts broke at around 300 miles. I'm fairly mechanically adept and followed the instructions on the website for maintaining belt tension AND lubrication. This bike uses a top trans belt and I'm not convinced they're of the same caliber as belts used in other belt drives,
5:30 You make a good point here. In fact, I first discovered the Roadster V2, and upon perusing the website, the Core 5 looked to be the far superior product. Unfortunately however, I noted the Core 5 does not have a belt-drive, but a traditional chain. Even worse (for me) there was a derailleur and not an internal hub for shifting. As someone who lives in a rainy and flat place, the Roadster V2 is a much more enticing product. Even at $1100.
Its honestly probably one of the best commuter bikes out there if you don't mind the lack of creature comforts, I think outside of the KBO the only other bike i like in this class is the Vanmoof which i think is like $1300 more.
@@DredSk8 Big +1, Van Moof is one of the only other proper competitors for this bike and they work best if you live in very busy, very sketchy places like Flatbush in Brooklyn or Harlem in Manhattan as their anti-theft is unmatched
Good, balanced review. The unique feature of this bike, besides good looks, is the light weight. I like my Radmission1 throttle for getting up to speed then PAS. And the price is $999. Liked & subscribed.
Thank you kindly and subs much appreciated, its got its quirks but i loved it as a daily driver 🤙
I love my roadster V2. I found a little satchel at Wallyworld that fits to the top bar which just holds the charger. I stop at a gas station, buy some food and they let me charge it for 30 min which recharges the battery 2/3. I have gone for 30 mile rides with one recharge.
Not bad, i still wish they had an option to run a extender pack in parallel though, I never had range anxiety because you could always just ride, but having the option to go 30+ without charging would be super appealing in this form factor.
they should absolutely offer a version with gears, even if it means shedding the nice belt drive. put a nice 1x drivetrain and make a road/gravel bike for those who live in places with serious hills.
even a 2x or 3x would be nice. a 3x is great on a near 50 lb ebike to get you places without needing motor either to conserve battery (especially a 7ah) , burn calories or get home over climbs in the event of power loss.
might be great for those in florida but I'm in LA and the hills are like ski slopes.
beautiful bikes though.
Loved it! Keep the great videos coming:)
I have the 1up Roadster V2 for exactly the reasons it was designed. Belt drive, 350W hub motor, $1049 price, striped down, naked, flat bar, short commute eBike! It's a gorgeous looking bike especially in Burgundy Red! My buddy has a FLX "Baby Maker" that is a bit more refined bike, with hydraulic disc brakes, bullhorn bars, and a brass studded seat; not worth an extra $800.00 in my opinion. You can't go wrong with the Roadster V2.
After riding the roadster for a few months, I can tell you that the range is very limited. I have not yet been able to squeeze 20 miles out of the battery. I even turn off the assist whenever I can, but never on any sort of incline. I'm in decent shape and have had a very hard time pedaling the bike after losing power. I just installed the add on battery ($375.00) and I'm hoping to be able to get 35 miles total out of the two combined. I also made a mistake by purchasing the larger frame size and now I don't have clearance for a suspension seat post. As for people who are concerned about the class 3 rating, just get a class 2 sticker and keep the speed down to where it should be.
That was pretty inline with my experience, while never had range anxiety because its still a bike, it was def more of a chore to ride unassisted, idk if thats because of the belt gearing because i swear the regular single speed bikes i have ridfen before were not as hard to pedal but might just be forgetting. That said definitely glad they added a ER option for people with 10-20 mile commutes.
Bought the core 5 because of swappable battery. If they released this bike with a battery pack add-on for the bottlecage or something like that it would broaden appeal. If range could go 30-50 miles most people would be interested.
For sure, I still think its a great buy, but there's certainly plenty of quality of life tweaks like range and brakes I would love to see in a v3
If the belt skips then the belt is not tensioned correctly. There us a specific tool for this, have a shop check the tension and report back.
All good, its long since gone back to my friend, not sure if he had adjusted it at that point prior to getting it for this review but good call out. It is also possible the factory is using belts with a slightly too shallow key depth as well which in retrospect would have been good to rule out.
great vid, just bought it cause of this review. subscribed too
Its a great commuter, just no frills ride that you can grab and go 🤙
I have a Core5. This bike seems cool for other reasons,.. probably easier to transport with your car. A little stealthier. I would miss my throttle though.
The roadster is def more low profile commuter, the biggest selling point fkr me was the weight, no probs getting ot up and down stairs or on the train 🤙
I'm a week in on my core 5, I bought it for me n my Lil dog,he's 13yrs old and can't get around much so this w a big basket on back is ideal,liking my core 5 things so far, ******BEWARE OF BIKE THIEVES!!!!!!****SEE alot eye balling it not in envy either...bought 4 locks so gotta make it as difficult as possible for thieves....
I WOULD LIKE IT IF IT WAS MID-DRIVE AND HAD FRONT SUSPENSION. IS THERE SUCH A THING?
Hi Dennis so ride 1up dosent appear to sell a mid drive, but the 500 and LMTD do have front suspension, generally though you wont find mid drives in this form factor.
This is a great video review and I appreciate the radical candor. How did it go without any electic assist? It's quite light compared to other ebikes and I'd imagine not so bad if the batteries do give out.
Hi CBR, IDK how good a measure i can give for the un poweref experience since my legs have been lazy lately, but it was certainly ride able on even ground, though where you really take a hot is on inclines where its a bot of a balancing act to make sure you have enough speed to start pumping without skipping the belt which happend toe a few times. Overall i would say its not any better or worse off than a standard fixie.
@@DredSk8 Thanks for your additional comments and it's definiltey one to consider. I'm waffling between this and the Rad Mission (although the Rad is much heaiver and has a chain drive)
@@2004cbr personal preference aside i would say it really comes down to whats your application, casual riding and quick trips the Roadster is great, but if you are looking for a touring bike to do serious riding on the mission might be worth the extra weight, part of the appeal of the roadster though was i didn't have to think about it when.i wanted to ride, just threw it over my shoulder and went out. But theres def trade offs for that convenience.
Ride1up now offers a battery add on for the V2 now
Nice, assuming its not a crazy price that firmly makes the V2 a solid choice for a daily commuter 🤙 though if im being honest theres definitely a bit more competition in the rime since I reviewed the V2.
Hi whats the name of the helmet your wearing ? Thanks
Hi Trooper, that's the Thousand bike helmet.
This bike is fixed gear?? What? 3:35
Is it available gravel version ?
Yeah they have new colors now.
@@DredSk8 I can't find it, could you give me an hint ? Thanks
@@lanfrancopignoli5553
You have to click the color options
ride1up.com/product/roadster-v2/
Can you do a video going up a hill. From stop. With momentum. Try different hills with different grades. Also if you can provide a side shot of you going up different hills while showing the speed Mph that would be great
Hi Kmaa, the bikes gone back to its owner but im confident in saying that its a chore to re gain momentum on any incline over 10% from a dead stop, with my average assisted speed while climbing being about 10-13mph if that helps. You can regain assisted momentum from.a dead stop after pushing the cranks about 2/3rds of the way to get the pedal assist to activate but you have to swere a bit to avoid skipping the belt or push off.
Dred Sk8 it’s alright. Great video. I am giving you ideas (unsolicited, I know 🤷🏻♂️) for your next video. I own one, many of the owners/ potential buyers ( see Facebook group) want to see how it performs in hilly areas. There is at least 4 review videos on the roadster but none of them test it on hills...
@@KMAAlive all good, thats good to know, i might see about borrowing it again and posting a hill climb vid to the user group 🤙
Don't take off the original screen cover or get an universal screen protector. Can't see with sunglasses outside.
The Pit Vipers look good.
For that classic Chad vibe 🤙👌
I want to test ride this bicycle, and want to ride it and see how far battery will let me ride in level 2 without any real hills...
In mode two on flat ground you could probably double what i was getting roughly though 30miles would be a more conservative estimate.
I live in a jurisdiction that isn't at all sympathetic to e-bikes. Anything here with a motor is regarded as a street vehicle. A stealthy bike like this is essential for criminal reprobates like me who ride e-bikes on bike paths ...
idk if you need a mask riding alone in an empty parking garage…actually i do know. u don’t. still dropped a like for the good review tho 👍
ah nvm smh at the censored bar? wtf hahah i hope you get well soon
@@ficklepickle2495 thank you kindly, and in general nah dont rally need to ride masked, but in Cali during the dry season its nice cause it keeps most of the dust/dirt/pollen out 🤙
This bike has side pulls, not V brakes.
The term your looking for is single speed, not fixed gear
Fixed Gear Bike = you stop pedaling, the pedals keep going.
Single Speed Bike = you stop pedaling, the pedals stop and you can coast.
I bought the KBO version of this same bike (I wanted disc brakes for my $1,000) and as a commuter, I love it. I had to have a bike that would also go on the bike rack on the front of buses and that was also manageable for a second floor apartment. A lot of bikes get eliminated with those two requirements alone, a lot of “regular” looking ebikes weight in at over 60lbs, doesn’t work so well on a rack on the front of a bus. KNOW what you plan on doing with an ebike before you buy it.
Good point i should have probably clarified a bit more that this was actually a single speed and not a true fixie. Thats aside though yes this bike is a fantastic commuter, dosent advertise much more than what it offers which I really like, just a straight forward ride experience with a little extra.
@@DredSk8 most people confuse a fixie with a single speed bike and use the term interchangeable, don’t feel like you are alone in this.
How are the mechanical disc brakes, compared to a decent rim brakes of the Ride1Up Roadster V2?
@@jrnamida5470 disc brakes are disc brakes. If you want to, you have the option to change to hydraulics if you want. You don't even have the option on the roadster without major modifications. You do know they have e-bike specific hydraulic brake handles available, right?
Do you have a link to this "KBO" version? I'd rather have disc brakes for this bike myself.