Ride1Up REVV 1 First Ride Review: The Heavyweight Challenger

If you can’t find it, build it. That’s the mantra Kevin Dugger lived by when he founded Ride1Up in 2018. Growing up in a Dutch household, Dugger discovered the merits of cycling from a young age. That experience paid dividends in college, where the Political Science major repaired old bikes to make ends meet.

After countless hours in the garage, Dugger learned to distinguish high-quality components from bargain basement bits. Searching the market for an affordable yet premium electric bicycle, Dugger soon realized that bang-for-buck rarely goes hand-in-hand with top-of-the-line. So, the enterprising enthusiast leveraged his mechanical know-how to build his first e-bike. That maiden prototype gave rise to Ride1Up, and the San Diego, California-based brand continues to elevate its products to this day.

From the minimalistic Roaster to the versatile Prodigy, Ride1Up’s lineup offers extensive options – all for under $2,500. That price-conscious range already boasts its fair share of commuters, cruisers, and city bikes, so the startup recently trained its scope on the popular moped-styled e-bike category. Ride1Up isn’t treading lightly either, entering the uber-competitive space with the heavily armed REVV 1. But can the rookie outing prove fruitful for the firm? We spent a month with the REVV 1 to find out just that.

Class Conventions

Most e-bikes of the REVV 1’s ilk borrow from classic motorcycle design; specifically, 1960s café racers. Ride1Up falls headlong into the timeless style with the REVV 1. Whether it’s the double-cradle frame, the flat bench seat, or the gas tank-shaped battery pack, the model’s silhouette is unmistakably moto. Even slotted side panels tie the REVV 1 closer to its stylistic source material. The e-bike doesn’t just draw from motorcycling’s design well for its aesthetics, though.

Ride1Up also readies the REVV 1 for the road with a round LED headlight, standalone front blinkers, and indicators integrated into the taillight. Though most of the category’s competitors favor a thumb throttle, a twist throttle honors authentic motorcycle operations. The REVV 1 even goes as far as to adopt a tachometer-style watt meter within its 3.5-inch reverse LCD display.

Underneath all that moto-informed form, the REVV 1 adheres to e-bike conventions. That includes a 52-volt, 20-amp-hour Samsung power cell that Ride1Up claims nets 30-60 miles per charge. The Full Suspension variant (available in Hard Tail trim as well) buttresses its alloy tubular frame with a preload- and rebound-adjustable, double-crown fork and a rebound-adjustable DNM AOY-38RC rear shock. Ride1Up then shods the model’s six-spoke cast wheels in CST Scout all-surface tires and outfits the lot with four-piston disc brakes.

In all, the REVV 1 ranks as a handsomely equipped e-moped, but the model’s stout build quality also results in a 93-pound curb weight.

Might over Matter

All that weight sure doesn’t carry well up flights of stairs, but on the go, the REVV 1 uses its poundage to its advantage. From speed bumps to potholes, from pavement to patches of sand, the hefty e-bike plows through nearly all terrains. Given the available ground clearance, relaxed ergonomics, and limited wheel travel, I wouldn’t suggest venturing onto genuine single-track routes. However, the model attacks bike-path-adjacent trails with aplomb.

The REVV 1’s stocky stature steamrolls all minor inconsistencies and slight undulations while the appropriately sprung suspension absorbs hard-edged hits with nary a chatter. Despite its mighty mass, the e-moped is also willing and ready to launch off all curbs and platforms. Expect to generate considerable momentum to get the bike airborne, but its DNM monoshock practically ensures a smooth landing upon touchdown. For all the benefits of the REVV 1’s burly build, that extra weight also presents drawbacks in other arenas.

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Joni Mitchell once famously crooned, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” That’s the case when it comes to the REVV 1’s electric propulsion. With pedal assist and the twist throttle at the rider’s beck and call, the e-bike boogies with the best of them, effortlessly maintaining its 20-mile-per-hour speed restriction. Once that juice runs out, though, every ounce of the model’s 93 pounds slows the ride to a crawl. That snail’s pace only decelerates further when encountering even the slightest incline.

Sadly, the REVV 1’s hill-climbing woes aren’t restricted to pedal-powered ascents either. To keep the model from surpassing its Class-2 speed limit, Ride1Up programs the drivetrain to neuter power to the back wheel upon descent. However, the system doesn’t reapply the wattage as soon as the rider starts scaling the subsequent incline. Instead, the REVV 1 awaits a dip in velocity before kicking back into gear. On one occasion, the speedometer plummeted from 24 mph to 13 mph – effectively scrubbing off all my downhill momentum – before pedal assistance aided my last uphill gasp. The e-moped may be slow on the uphill uptake, but it can also get ahead of itself as well.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

To launch the REVV 1 out of the starting blocks, Ride1Up tunes its 750W motor to deliver 95 Newton meters (70.1 pound-feet) of torque. The problem is the REVV 1 pours on all that pull at the slightest tug of the throttle. Pedal assist levels 5 and 4 produce a similar effect, sending the e-bike jolting forward away from a stop. Fortunately, settings 3 through 1 spare your neck muscles with progressively smoother torque application. That multi-level pedal assist may suggest varying range figures, yet each setting primarily alters acceleration.

All five profiles arrive at the REVV 1’s 20-mph speed limit; they just get there at different rates. As a result, levels 3 through 5 return similar mileage. Unless intersections dominate your route, most users won’t benefit from the eco-minded settings either. On average, the LCD dash reported that I traveled 24 miles before draining the 994-watt-hour battery. That may seem modest for a power cell of that size, but remember, it’s pushing nearly 100 pounds of metal and 165 pounds of man. To add to the problem, the REVV 1’s odometer also sells itself short.

After riding my customary testing route, the e-bike’s trip meter logged just 17 miles. A quick check of Google Maps later confirmed that my trip actually spanned 26 miles. Applying that algebraic formula to my 24-mile average pushes the REVV 1’s single-charge range closer to 35 miles. That total better aligns with Ride1Up’s claimed range (though it doesn’t nearly satisfy the 60-mile max). On another note, the display’s distance dissonance doesn’t bode well for adventures off the beaten path. For that reason, I clung to well-tread trails, especially with the dash’s lopsided battery power estimates.

The REVV 1’s simple yet effective LCD screen positions the remaining charge icon in the top-right corner. With five bars comprising the readout, I expected each bar to represent 20 percent of the battery’s capacity. Suffice it to say, I assumed wrong. After clocking 20 miles (according to the display), only two charge bars disappeared. To my surprise, the third and fourth bars only accounted for two miles each while the final bar started blinking after less than one mile. Of course, the REVV 1’s skewed mile measurements don’t help its argument in this case, but owners should be aware of the quark before setting out on longer journeys.

Conclusion

Even with those detractions, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Ride1Up’s REVV 1. Sure, the downhill-to-uphill power management, odometer, battery meter, and limited range leave much to be desired. But, on the flip side, I often overlooked those foibles due to the fun factor alone. The model’s sturdy build quality and full suspension handled every wheelie, jump, and skid I could throw at it. To that effect, the REVV 1 is here for a good time, not a long time (distance not duration).

Starting at just $2,395, that’s by no means a bad thing. Ride1Up’s range is already chockful of practical commuters. Those looking for a better balance between business and pleasure, between work and leisure, will gravitate toward the REVV 1. Yes, the model stumbles in specific areas, but Ride1Up certainly upholds its bang-for-buck mantra with the freshman entry. We hope the brand further refines the REVV 1 with future generations, but it should hold its own in the cluttered e-moped segment for now.

How to Buy:

Ride1Up only sells the REVV 1, or any model for that matter, on the company’s website. Each unit arrives partially assembled and requires about an hour of installation time. While the REVV 1 goes head-to-head with other moto-inspired e-bikes like the recently reviewed Super73 S2, PEDAL Electric’s AWD III and Juiced Bikes’ HyperScrambler 2 occupy the same price range.