Now more than ever, electric bicycles are becoming less and less bicycles with a motor attached, and more and more purpose-built machines designed to push the capabilities of pedal power even further. One of the newest models to hit the market comes from San Diego-based Ride1Up, in the form of the Turris. Designed as a rugged, yet practical two-wheeler, the company hopes to target the entry-level market by offering it at an attractive price tag.
Right off the bat, the Ride1Up Turris is equipped with all the essential features you’d expect to find in a versatile e-bike that’s equal parts fun and practical. It’s constructed on a rather generic frame design similar to most hardtail electric mountain bikes. It’s also powered by a hub motor to keep things mechanically simple, while at the same time keeping production costs low—something that translates to its retail price of just $1,295 USD.
According to Ride1Up, the Turris is designed to deliver the “most comfortable ride ever.” Backing up this claim, we find fat tires measuring 27.5 x 4-inches, and a front suspension fork with 100 millimeters of travel and a lockout feature for road riding. Furthermore, the Turris has a fairly neutral ergonomics package. Thanks to the riser handlebars, the rider sits tall while having ample leverage to the bars. A gel saddle prevents you from getting saddlesore after long miles on the road and trail, too.
The urban explorer is propelled by a 750-watt Shengyi rear-hub motor, which has a top speed of 28 miles per hour and can generate 60 Nm of torque. It doesn’t feature cutting-edge torque-sensing technology, but instead, keeps it simple with a basic cadence sensor. It does, however, feature a thumb-actuated throttle which can propel the bike to a top speed limited to 20 miles per hour. As for battery tech, the Turris' integrated downtube 48-V/12.8-Ah battery provides between 25 and 45 miles of riding per charge.
Allowing you to pedal seamlessly alongside the electric motor is a Shimano seven-speed groupset, and the bike comes to a stop with the help of Zoom hydraulic disc brakes with 180-millimeter rotors. The brakes also feature a motor cut-off system, ensuring maximum braking power at all times. Up front, a headlight with a 60-lux output increases visibility in traffic during the day and lights up the road and trail at night. Pertinent ride data is displayed on a 2.2-inch LCD display mounted on the handlebars, and the bike also gets front and rear fenders, and an adjustable kickstand. Lastly, there’s an optional rear-mounted luggage rack for extra practicality.
As mentioned earlier, the Ride1Up Turris is priced at a rather affordable $1,295 USD, making it one of the best value-for-money e-bikes on the market, especially given its versatile platform. Micah Toll from Electrek was able to get his hands on one, and had quite a lot of good things to say about it. Check out his review video below. Meanwhile, for more info on the Ride1Up Turris, as well as other e-bike offerings from the company, visit their official website in the source links below.
