What do you think of the changes to the LMT'D V2? Would you pick this one over the V1? go.ride1up.com/SH7I If you do decide to upgrade or pick up your own V2, we would appreciate it if you used our link. It is a free and easy way to help support us here at Ebike Escape. Thank you all so much for the support in advance!!
I have over 3000 miles on my 2022 LMT’D V1 and would not trade it for a V2 unless the new one had a twist throttle and could switch from torque to cadence sensing. My V1 has the original MXUS motor with air shock and cadence sensing. On a full charge the throttle pulls 999 watts, gets up to 21 mph quickly and in PAS 5 it will do 31 mph on flat ground. I love this bike! I also appreciate Ride 1 Up as a company. Their customer service is really responsive and friendly, and the bikes have universally good reviews. Anyone considering this brand should watch the TH-cam that Micah Toll did recently about his trip to China. His coverage of the Ride 1 Up factory (near the end of the video) will make you a believer. th-cam.com/video/xEixW-H1_WE/w-d-xo.html PS: To put this in perspective, I am in my 70’s and a former motorcycle rider. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Ride 1 Up, just a very satisfied, long-time ebiker.
I'm wondering if the higher step-thru frame height actually made the bike feel stiffer. I'd love to see a video about ebike "wobble", which seems to be pretty common. I'm wondering if this is more common with the step-thru models.
Very timely review for me. What are your thoughts comparing the ride1up v2 to the new Velotric discover 2? I've narrowed down to these two e-bikes. thanks!
Just received mine last week. I got the step through in charcoal satin. The assembly was not difficult. Really like the torque sensor over the cadence sensor.
I agree for the amount of effort required to get to higher speeds. However, there are two styles of power management with a cadence sensor. A cadence sensor acts as an on/off switch. With one style, each PAS level corresponds to a speed target, with an arbitrary power curve set to reach it, and assistance drops off once the target is reached. With the other, each level sends a specific amount of current (power) to the motor, regardless of your speed (up to maximum assisted speed cap). The former can be dangerous when starting from a stop, especially with torquier motors and more powerful controllers. I was thrown off twice by such a bike as it sent between 900-1000W to the motor when starting from a stop, and often made wider turns than I wanted to. I was able to set the speed targets for the first two levels very low (4, 8mph) and it has only time to send a peak of between 400-500W before tapering off. It is my least favorite due to this nature. The latter gives you more control and is less likely to make you lose control. It’s the style used by all Ride1Up cadence sensor bikes, and newer Lectric models. Torque sensors give you the most control as the effort from the motor is in proportion to the effort of your legs, so you can more finely control the amount of assistance. The PAS levels set the ratio of effort. If you want to exert less effort, get one with a throttle, and ride with the higher PAS levels. If you ride with a group, a torque sensor ebike is the easiest to match speeds with other riders and is the safest for riding close to other riders, or amongst pedestrians. I wouldn’t trust a cadence sensor ebike that uses the speed-setting style in those conditions.
I’ve been using the AKM motor in my Lmtd V1 for over 1000 miles (purchased the AKM to replace the stock Bafang) to test it. Without doubt, it’s as quiet as a mid drive. Big difference compared to Bafang rear drive motors.
You talk about the ST forks air vs coil. I've owned bikes with both versions of SunTour suspension forks. I think you are right in that a rider could go either way - but I will caveat that's only for riders under about 225 - 250 lbs. Heavier riders will be frustrated by the coils. (Keep in mind that today, the average North American male weighs 200 lbs.) Heavier riders will immediately use up all the preload and have less travel with a coil spring Suntour fork. Suntour's air spring shocks are very adjustable for rider weight. (Yes, you can try to get a bike shop to install the optional "hard" coil springs in a coil shock, but that's a hassle.) I have an e-bike with a SunTour XCR 32 air fork with over 15,000 miles and it still works great. So the air shocks are very durable too.
Thank you for that great explanation and hands on experience. As a heavier guy myself (this is JT), I have found myself riding on the high end of the lockout for many forks. Air Forks just offer so much more adjustment.
This bike cost me roughly $1600. Now I'm curious: Now that R1U offers a torque sensor equipped model, what would buying a $3,000+ ebike get you that this much cheaper bike doesn't already offer? On Level 1, you can get the same exact exercise experience as a regular bike. On Level 5, the speed you can attain is terrifying. Every new customer will be a customer for life. Unless Ride1Up gets bought out by a larger company, it is destined to be one of the most successful ebike companies around.
If you power only one, rear is better for acceleration, climbing hills and easier-to-manage handling. If you power just the front, learn how it handles at a lower power level before you max it out. If you power both, you can still spin the front, possibly losing control if the front wheel spins out from under you. Some models let you start with just the rear then activate the front after you’ve started rolling. They’re great for riding through loose sand though, and if you fall, it doesn’t hurt much.
This bike or the lectric xpress. Anyone have thoughts? Currently own a lectric xp 1.0 but ready to graduate to a 750w with torque sensor. Any input would be greatly appreciated
@@mark7362 actually changed my requirements. I'm leaning towards a lighter bike, with less power which will promote more pedaling on my end. Debating between the Velotric T1 ST Plus or the Ride1Up Roadster V3. Leaning towards the Raodster because it comes with fenders and the battery is removable.
@@TravelingThruLife ohh ok, yea, those are good requirements. I just recently got to test ride a Velotric T1 ST and it's super nice, I could easily pedal it without pedal assist, the pedal assist has very good acceleration. I also testrode a Lecric Xpress ST and that bike was a ton of fun to ride with the throttle, felt like riding an ATV haha (first ebike ride) I've heard a lot of good things about Lectric as a brand, whereas I hear some bad stories about Velotric's bikes longterm and their support, which almost sort of scares me away from them, but then again every company will have reviews like that, & they are really nice bikes. If I was going to get a lightweight one I'd be tempted to get the carbon fiber one from R1Up even though it's a little more expensive, or maybe the aventon Soltera -40lbs, 20mph, has a throttle, no suspension fork though.
It is a better value, but you may find, as I did with my XPedition, you will have to fix or tolerate a few things, especially with some of their accessories. There were two dangerous manufacturing issues - the brake calipers didn’t line up with the rotors and can kick out the pads while braking, and the double kickstand can loosen and fall off due to being installed with a flat washer and a split-ring lock washer, negating the lock washer’s function. I had to grind down the spacers for the calipers and replace the kickstand washers with a wedge-lock washer. The front battery mount and bottle cage bosses are also quite noticeably off-center. The footboards are also quite cheaply and shoddily made. I had to grind the frame mounts to allow them to click into place. The footboards also didn’t support their large panniers, so I added 1in spacers to them. Hopefully, they’ve improved their quality, but don’t be surprised if you find similar issues. I still like my XPedition as it does what I intended it to do, but it definitely had a couple of major and some minor but annoying issues. The XPress frame looks similar to the XPeak’s, so it may have the same “death wobble” due to too little trail. If you experience it, it can be controlled by replacing the headset with a viscous dampening one, as some have done. Others have minimized it by not using a front rack and keeping the rear rack loaded with less than 20lbs of cargo, but that really reduces its utility. Hopefully they fix the geometry issues in future versions.
@@chow-chihuang4903 Thanks a lot for these comments. I'm likely looking for more stability, I don't want death wobble of any kind. Would the LMT'd V2 ST deliver this? It seems to currently be the best comparison and value to the XPress. I'm very much an amateur to all things bike, but even so comparing the geometry of the XPress and LMT'd I had some concerns, hence my search for more knowledge. I have to make the decision by today too, I'm out of time lol
I agree on the fork and derailleur, but this adds included fenders, lighting and a quieter motor with stronger helical gears, and it does list for about $300 less than the previous one. I suppose you could spend that difference on an air fork - even the basic RST air fork that came on the original LMT’d feels nicer than a coil fork. I think the Altus derailleur works fine, though my LMT’d has the Alivio derailleur. If you’re comparing step-thru models, the V2 frame looks much sturdier with that substantial gusset.
What do you think of the changes to the LMT'D V2? Would you pick this one over the V1?
go.ride1up.com/SH7I If you do decide to upgrade or pick up your own V2, we would appreciate it if you used our link. It is a free and easy way to help support us here at Ebike Escape. Thank you all so much for the support in advance!!
V1 is only available on the used market now
I have over 3000 miles on my 2022 LMT’D V1 and would not trade it for a V2 unless the new one had a twist throttle and could switch from torque to cadence sensing. My V1 has the original MXUS motor with air shock and cadence sensing. On a full charge the throttle pulls 999 watts, gets up to 21 mph quickly and in PAS 5 it will do 31 mph on flat ground. I love this bike!
I also appreciate Ride 1 Up as a company. Their customer service is really responsive and friendly, and the bikes have universally good reviews. Anyone considering this brand should watch the TH-cam that Micah Toll did recently about his trip to China. His coverage of the Ride 1 Up factory (near the end of the video) will make you a believer. th-cam.com/video/xEixW-H1_WE/w-d-xo.html
PS: To put this in perspective, I am in my 70’s and a former motorcycle rider. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Ride 1 Up, just a very satisfied, long-time ebiker.
Finally, 2nd youtube review on this new update!
I like Ride1Up as a company.
This comment is one reason I’m getting one. Thanks
@@SchoolforHackers I hope you love it. E bikes are awesome 👍
Ha ha - wife and I scored two LMT’Dv2s during their open box sale! My palms are itching as we wait …
I'm wondering if the higher step-thru frame height actually made the bike feel stiffer. I'd love to see a video about ebike "wobble", which seems to be pretty common. I'm wondering if this is more common with the step-thru models.
Very timely review for me. What are your thoughts comparing the ride1up v2 to the new Velotric discover 2? I've narrowed down to these two e-bikes. thanks!
This is the comparison I am looking for too. The Level.2 seems to be at the bottom of this group.
Awesome bike, would love to own both versions. Congrats on another great review!
Just received mine last week. I got the step through in charcoal satin. The assembly was not difficult. Really like the torque sensor over the cadence sensor.
I’m 82 years young and find the cadence sensor models suit the elderly better.
I agree for the amount of effort required to get to higher speeds.
However, there are two styles of power management with a cadence sensor. A cadence sensor acts as an on/off switch. With one style, each PAS level corresponds to a speed target, with an arbitrary power curve set to reach it, and assistance drops off once the target is reached. With the other, each level sends a specific amount of current (power) to the motor, regardless of your speed (up to maximum assisted speed cap).
The former can be dangerous when starting from a stop, especially with torquier motors and more powerful controllers. I was thrown off twice by such a bike as it sent between 900-1000W to the motor when starting from a stop, and often made wider turns than I wanted to. I was able to set the speed targets for the first two levels very low (4, 8mph) and it has only time to send a peak of between 400-500W before tapering off. It is my least favorite due to this nature.
The latter gives you more control and is less likely to make you lose control. It’s the style used by all Ride1Up cadence sensor bikes, and newer Lectric models.
Torque sensors give you the most control as the effort from the motor is in proportion to the effort of your legs, so you can more finely control the amount of assistance. The PAS levels set the ratio of effort. If you want to exert less effort, get one with a throttle, and ride with the higher PAS levels.
If you ride with a group, a torque sensor ebike is the easiest to match speeds with other riders and is the safest for riding close to other riders, or amongst pedestrians. I wouldn’t trust a cadence sensor ebike that uses the speed-setting style in those conditions.
How is this bike compared to the Velotric Discover 2?
I’ve been using the AKM motor in my Lmtd V1 for over 1000 miles (purchased the AKM to replace the stock Bafang) to test it. Without doubt, it’s as quiet as a mid drive. Big difference compared to Bafang rear drive motors.
You talk about the ST forks air vs coil. I've owned bikes with both versions of SunTour suspension forks. I think you are right in that a rider could go either way - but I will caveat that's only for riders under about 225 - 250 lbs. Heavier riders will be frustrated by the coils. (Keep in mind that today, the average North American male weighs 200 lbs.) Heavier riders will immediately use up all the preload and have less travel with a coil spring Suntour fork. Suntour's air spring shocks are very adjustable for rider weight. (Yes, you can try to get a bike shop to install the optional "hard" coil springs in a coil shock, but that's a hassle.) I have an e-bike with a SunTour XCR 32 air fork with over 15,000 miles and it still works great. So the air shocks are very durable too.
Thank you for that great explanation and hands on experience. As a heavier guy myself (this is JT), I have found myself riding on the high end of the lockout for many forks. Air Forks just offer so much more adjustment.
@@EbikeEscape I found the shocks in the V1 to be the weak point.
This bike cost me roughly $1600.
Now I'm curious:
Now that R1U offers a torque sensor equipped model,
what would buying a $3,000+ ebike get you that this much cheaper bike doesn't already offer?
On Level 1, you can get the same exact exercise experience as a regular bike.
On Level 5, the speed you can attain is terrifying.
Every new customer will be a customer for life.
Unless Ride1Up gets bought out by a larger company, it is destined to be one of the most successful ebike companies around.
Very good review, as always!
to bad they raised the price while fitting a cheaper fork
I have the V1. I paid $1795. V2 is now at $1495 on their website.
What is better? Front motor driven or back wheel driven?
If you power only one, rear is better for acceleration, climbing hills and easier-to-manage handling.
If you power just the front, learn how it handles at a lower power level before you max it out.
If you power both, you can still spin the front, possibly losing control if the front wheel spins out from under you. Some models let you start with just the rear then activate the front after you’ve started rolling. They’re great for riding through loose sand though, and if you fall, it doesn’t hurt much.
*Can you see the display when wearing sunglasses?*
Would an adjustable stem be enough to make the step-thru fully comfortable for a 6'0 rider?
It would certainly help
Does the display show how many watts your using?
Yes
This bike or the lectric xpress. Anyone have thoughts? Currently own a lectric xp 1.0 but ready to graduate to a 750w with torque sensor. Any input would be greatly appreciated
I have the same dilemma, such a hard decision, R1U Ltd v2 vs. Xpress vs. R1U 700, which one did you go with?
@@mark7362 actually changed my requirements. I'm leaning towards a lighter bike, with less power which will promote more pedaling on my end. Debating between the Velotric T1 ST Plus or the Ride1Up Roadster V3. Leaning towards the Raodster because it comes with fenders and the battery is removable.
@@TravelingThruLife ohh ok, yea, those are good requirements. I just recently got to test ride a Velotric T1 ST and it's super nice, I could easily pedal it without pedal assist, the pedal assist has very good acceleration. I also testrode a Lecric Xpress ST and that bike was a ton of fun to ride with the throttle, felt like riding an ATV haha (first ebike ride)
I've heard a lot of good things about Lectric as a brand, whereas I hear some bad stories about Velotric's bikes longterm and their support, which almost sort of scares me away from them, but then again every company will have reviews like that, & they are really nice bikes.
If I was going to get a lightweight one I'd be tempted to get the carbon fiber one from R1Up even though it's a little more expensive, or maybe the aventon Soltera -40lbs, 20mph, has a throttle, no suspension fork though.
5:41 WOW... No motor cutoff when hitting the brakes seems really dangerous.
It is a nice safety feature to have
This vs Aventon Level.2?
Cheaper and way more powerful (500w vs 750w - don’t let those “peak” claims fool you, the Level2 has a 500w continuous motor).
The Lectric Express is a much better bike and deal.
For $1.299. with two batteries
It is a better value, but you may find, as I did with my XPedition, you will have to fix or tolerate a few things, especially with some of their accessories. There were two dangerous manufacturing issues - the brake calipers didn’t line up with the rotors and can kick out the pads while braking, and the double kickstand can loosen and fall off due to being installed with a flat washer and a split-ring lock washer, negating the lock washer’s function. I had to grind down the spacers for the calipers and replace the kickstand washers with a wedge-lock washer. The front battery mount and bottle cage bosses are also quite noticeably off-center. The footboards are also quite cheaply and shoddily made. I had to grind the frame mounts to allow them to click into place. The footboards also didn’t support their large panniers, so I added 1in spacers to them.
Hopefully, they’ve improved their quality, but don’t be surprised if you find similar issues. I still like my XPedition as it does what I intended it to do, but it definitely had a couple of major and some minor but annoying issues.
The XPress frame looks similar to the XPeak’s, so it may have the same “death wobble” due to too little trail. If you experience it, it can be controlled by replacing the headset with a viscous dampening one, as some have done. Others have minimized it by not using a front rack and keeping the rear rack loaded with less than 20lbs of cargo, but that really reduces its utility. Hopefully they fix the geometry issues in future versions.
@@chow-chihuang4903 Thanks a lot for these comments. I'm likely looking for more stability, I don't want death wobble of any kind. Would the LMT'd V2 ST deliver this? It seems to currently be the best comparison and value to the XPress. I'm very much an amateur to all things bike, but even so comparing the geometry of the XPress and LMT'd I had some concerns, hence my search for more knowledge. I have to make the decision by today too, I'm out of time lol
It seems like a downgrade from the first Ride1Up LMT'd
I agree on the fork and derailleur, but this adds included fenders, lighting and a quieter motor with stronger helical gears, and it does list for about $300 less than the previous one.
I suppose you could spend that difference on an air fork - even the basic RST air fork that came on the original LMT’d feels nicer than a coil fork. I think the Altus derailleur works fine, though my LMT’d has the Alivio derailleur.
If you’re comparing step-thru models, the V2 frame looks much sturdier with that substantial gusset.