Ride1Up Revv 1 FS Review

The Revv 1 FS ships in Class 2 mode, packing a 1040Wh battery that drives its 1000W hub motor. Ride1UP's Multi-Class Speed System allows you to easily switch between Class 2, 3, and off-road modes. The full suspension frame provides 50mm of suspension travel, while the dual crown suspension fork gives 120mm of travel for the front end. The moped-style bike sports a 5" riser bar, a wide cushy saddle, and an excellent display that feels like a motorcycle dashboard. 4" knobby e-moped tires roll on 20" mag wheels for riders up to 350 pounds. It's hardly a bike, but we won't let semantics spoil the fun.

Performance Comparison

Ride

The Ride1Up Revv 1 FS just isn't a bike in, at least in conventional terms. The presence of pedals on little crank arms is more incidental and added to skirt existing laws about electric mopeds. This isn't to say it's not awesome; the Revv1 FS is loads of fun. Users hoping to get an e-bike that will provide a workout or nice pedaling experience should move on; this isn't the “bike” for you. For people wanting a quick, fun, convenient way to rip around town or trails on an inexpensive, easily rechargeable machine, we've got a treat for you. This rowdy little moped is remarkably capable, sporty, and easy to ride. Step over the baguette-shaped saddle, glance down at the fancy digital dash or the 4" knobby tire protruding out front, and you realize it's unlike any bike you've ever experienced. If you've spent time on a moped or motorcycle it feels quite familiar with a twist throttle, horn, turn signals, and a headlight switch. The seated position is relatively upright, giving you ample awareness of your surroundings, and unlike a bicycle, you can move forward or back on the large saddle to accommodate your desired reach; the saddle does not move up or down.

The short crank arms are ideally sized for staying out of the way and not contacting obstacles you might ride over, but they provide negligible leverage for pushing the almost hundred-pound bike forward. Since the bike uses a cadence sensor, you can use the drivetrain to signal the motor. A small rotation of the cranks makes the bike think you're pedaling, and it adds power according to your pedal assist mode. This makes it look like you're pedaling, but nothing about the bike's weight, geometry, or gearing is built for actual pedaling.

Despite the bike's hefty curb weight of 96.8 lbs, it has a sporty disposition that lends itself to carving turns and leaning into acceleration. It's significantly more comfortable than the HT version, with more travel up front and a comfortable, if not traction-enhancing rear end. The tires provide some dampening and a tremendous amount of confidence on the pavement. At 4" wide, the CST Scout tires have an enormous contact patch, and while their tread doesn't look like it would do well off-road, we were surprised by how much traction they provided in dirt and gravel.

The part spec on this bike feels appropriate for most purposes. As we noted above, the bike isn't light, and none of the parts were chosen because they'd be easy to pedal. The highlights of this model are the suspension components, that give the bike a buoyancy and comfort that all of our testers appreciated. The handlebar, stem, and mag wheels are the same as those found on the HT model and perform as expected. The cool-looking Bafang mag wheels are undoubtedly heavy but seem to drive the bike's direction less than on the lighter-weight model while providing unwavering stability over 30 mph.

The accessories included with this bike give it quite a bit of utility. Full fenders kept us dry in the rain and mud, but their all-metal construction made them louder than we would have liked on gravel surfaces. A bright headlight and tail light were adequate for times we rode after dark; of note is that the headlight follows the steering on this model rather than being bolted to the frame, and that gave us significantly more confidence off-road in the dark. A brake light and turn signals continue to blur the lines between the e-bike and the moped. We can appreciate what they might add to safety, but they contribute to a bit of an identity crisis. Along those same lines is the moped horn, it's far too loud and aggressive for bike path use but loud enough to alert drivers with windows up and music on. There is no rack or way to attach panniers to this bike, so carrying capacity is mostly limited to backpacks and storage inside the frame.

Range

The Revv 1 FS has a massive 1040Wh battery but it's also quite massive itself. Disguised as a motorcycle fuel tank and centered between dual top tubes, the removable battery features a stand-alone charge indicator so you can see the battery's state of charge without plugging it into the bike. The 52V system pushed this bike to 37.17 miles on a single charge. In this range test, the bike also conquered 1831 ft of elevation gain; this is outstanding performance, and it has the longest range of any e-bike we've ever tested.

Ride1Up claims this bike has a range of 30-60 miles, and it absolutely does. After looking at the distance and metrics of this test, we give it our highest range score, and this bike can be had with a dual battery! Of course, that will add another 10 plus pounds, but that's a small percentage of its weight and could give this bike over a 100-mile range on flat ground; wow.

Power

The Revv 1 FS arrives in Class 2 mode, giving it a throttle-limited speed of 20 mph. Switching to Class 3 mode is as simple as pushing a few buttons on the controls. Unlocking off-road mode requires registering your bike with Ride1Up and signing the Multi-Class Speed System Waiver. Off-road mode is intended for private property or closed course riding, and when you sign the waiver, you'll agree to those terms. The Full-suspension and DRT models can also access Boost mode, giving them additional power and torque by increasing the controller's amperage from 28 amps to 35 amps. We found this to add some oomph on steep hill climbs and quicken the bike's acceleration.

Riding in Class 2 mode, the bike quickly reaches 20mph with just a twist of the throttle, it feels quick, predictable, and at least a little bit heavy. Switching to Class 3 gives you a bit more speed but it requires some motion of the pedals to hit those higher speeds. At speeds up to 28mph, the bike feels sporty but never sketchy, as its mass prevents it from ever feeling skittish or wobbly. In this mode, you feel a little adrenaline, the bike goes faster than you'd likely travel on an analog bike, and you can cheat traffic in urban environments.

Switching to off-road mode, you understand why they say it's “for private property only,” and they clearly want to steer clear of the liability of people using a bike this quick and powerful on city streets. After just a few hundred feet at off-road speeds, I went to fetch the bigger helmet and more safety gear. The bike gets downright fast and quickly puts you at speeds that would be almost impossible on an analog bike. The bike no longer feels heavy, we found ourselves roosting up dust piles and pushing the bike skyward on jumps you'd never imagine taking a “moped” on. The bright and clear speedometer showed numbers in the 40+ range, but we were reluctant to take our eyes off the trail for long enough to give exact figures. Prolonged use on steep hills is eventually too much for the bike, since pedaling hard or shifting gears isn't feasible there were times that we just needed to let the bike rest for a few minutes before it regained full power.

Interface

The 3.5" center mount display features turn signal indicators on this model but notably not on the HT or DRT models. The LED backlit screen is easy to read with good contrast even in direct sunlight. The display is chock full of relevant ride information, with current speed prominently displayed and several small icons that indicate the bike's settings. The battery and its state of charge are displayed graphically, with five bars at the top of the screen indicating a full charge. Next to the left grip is the bike's remote, where you power it on/off and change PAS modes. The right side of the handlebar features a twist throttle, headlight controls, turn signals, and a horn.

All of the controls feel pretty intuitive; the twist throttle on the right and lack of a shifter give the bike simplicity and user-friendliness. A Mode button switches views between running speed, trip distance, trip time, maximum speed, average speed, and motor power. It also illuminates a Bluetooth logo, but there is no Bluetooth connectivity. On the right side, just inside the throttle, are controls for the headlight, horn, and turn signals.

Assembly

The Revv 1 FS is delivered in a box that helps you assemble it efficiently. Simply remove the top of the box, and you will find the bike supported and ready for final assembly. The packaging is almost all recyclable save for a few zip-ties, and the majority of the bike's preparation involves removing that packaging. The fork is supported by a welded metal block that keeps the bike upright while you unwrap and adjust. All of the tools you need are included in the box, along with a nice set of ball-end Allen wrenches and a cool beanie. The only remotely difficult part of the assembly is installing the front wheel and having a friend to help support the bike makes this an easy task.

There is a step-by-step video on Ride1Up's website and printed instructions that will guide you through assembly. You'll need to make adjustments for fit and comfort, inflate the tires, and charge the battery before test riding.

Should You Buy the Ride1Up Revv 1?

We loved the Revv 1 hardtail and found it exceeded our expectations in almost every way. After putting over 1000 miles on it, we'd encourage you to pay the extra money for this bike. It's more powerful, more comfortable, and solves the few complaints we had about the HT model. If you want a quick, efficient way to cheat traffic, the Revv 1 FS can totally help with that. If you're after an e-bike that will help you get some exercise, this isn't going to be the ideal choice for you. This bike is incredibly convenient, easy to use, powerful, comfortable, and heavy. Consider whether you'd want to transport it via vehicle, as there are very few racks strong enough to carry its weight.

What Other E-Bikes Should You Consider?

While we prefer the FS model to the HT model, this may be a bit much for some people. If it seems like too much power, too much weight, and maybe too many dollars, check out the Ride1Up Revv 1 hardtail with similar form and function. We've tested the Super73 S2, and while it is remarkably similar in many ways, it doesn't offer nearly the value of either of these bikes, but it's quite fun to ride. If you want something that is pedal-able and still offers even more utility, you should give the Specialized Globe Haul ST a look. It's a fantastic small cargo bike that carries cargo and delivers convenience.