Ride1Up Turris e-bike review: Multi-surface cruiser
If you are spending $1,000 on a bike, it's nice to be able to ride it for commuting, cruising, and trail rides.
Hyperdrive Hits
3/5 Medals of Yavin: Comfortable, high quality e-bike that offers supports various riding scenarios
Basic two-tone LCD display and controller
Assembly requires some skill with bike mechanics
Limited range
Priced about $300 more than expected for what it offers
Last year I tried out the Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser and it was certainly an enjoyable bike for a specific customer who wasn’t riding the bike for daily commuting. The Ride1Up Turris that I’ve been testing for a few weeks is a better commuter while also serving as a capable cruiser or basic trail bike.
Ride1Up has good quality bikes that are easy to find in local bike shops. The Turris is a multi-surface bike with knobby tires, ample 750W rear hub motor, fenders, and very comfortable swept-back handlebar arrangement. It’s not a bike I will use as a daily driver, but for the right person it may be a solid e-bike.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding Ride1Up Turris three (3) Medals of Yavin. The price seems a bit high, it’s a bit challenging to assemble, and it really isn’t that ergonomic for taller riders. It is a good quality bike with high end specifications and all of the essentials you want to see in a commuter bike that can also serve in other riding scenarios.
The Good and the Bad
It’s pretty rare for me to not find something that can be improved with a product and for things like electric bikes the pros and cons can depend on your riding needs.
Pros
Comfortable swept back handlebars with ergonomic hand grips
Excellent fit, finish, and welding quality on the frame
Front suspension and plush saddle
Hydraulic disc brakes and a removable battery
Good power to get up and go
2.4” wide tires are great for pavement and gravel trails
Cons
Rear brake light embedded in the rear fender is tough to install
Typical range of 20-40 miles with standard terrain
Challenging to assemble
Basic LED display
Experiences
The cardboard box that the bike arrived in was much smaller than I expected for a larger 750W motor e-bike that was not a folding or carbon fiber bike. It turns out that the small box was possible because there was quite a bit of assembly required to put the bike together. This was the first bike I’ve tested where I had to install the front front and attach the front hydraulic brake system to the fork.
Given my years of experience with bikes, and my engineering background, I was able to assemble the bike with the excellent detailed instructions and included tool set. If you are not comfortable assembling the bike, you can contact your local bike dealer and there are also many local dealers who sell the Ride1Up brand of e-bike.
The angled handlebars are very comfortable and the rubber handgrips with an ergonomic palm rest are fantastic for long rides.
A small LCD display is found on the left side with a center power button and plus/minus buttons to scroll up and down through the pedal assist levels. The numbers are big and easy to read in all lighting conditions too. A thumb throttle is located just to the left of the display.
The headlight provides 60 lux of light while the rear red light shines brightly too. At first I didn’t think there was a rear light for the bike, but it was included with the accessories and had to be bolted to the rear fender. This took a bit of finger gymnastics since there wasn’t much room between the tire and fender to thread on the nut.
I’m a fan of the 27.5-inch tire size and the ones on the Turris remind me of an eMTB tire with 2.4-inch width and plenty of tread that is perfect for the rain here in the Pacific Northwest. The bike comes with alloy fenders too so the rain will stay off of you as you ride, which is very helpful for a commuter bike.
The step-through model I tested is advertised to fit riders from 5’-1” to 6’-2” and with my 6’-1” height I felt a bit cramped riding the bike. My knees felt a bit too close to the head tube and handlebars so I think if I was to buy this Turris model I would go for the step-over model that is designed for taller riders.
If you are interested in a Ride1Up e-bike, make sure to check out the various locations where you can test ride one for yourself. There is an interesting Ambassador program where independent bike owners volunteer their time and bike for you to join then for a test ride. There are also bike shops and rental services that offer test rides.
Specifications
Specifications alone don’t mean much, but they are useful for comparing similar devices and checking that you are getting value for your money.
Frame: Aluminum alloy in three colors and two frame designs
Motor: 750W rear hub with 90 N-m of torque
Bike weight: 54 pounds
Bike capacity: 300 pounds
Battery: 48V14ah with UL2271 certification
Pedal assist: Five levels with throttle
Max speed and range: Class 2-3 with throttle up to 20 mph and 28 mph pedal assist
Transmission: 7-speed Shimano
Suspension: Front 100mm travel hydraulic fork with lockout
Advertised range: 30-50 miles depending on rider weight, terrain, level of assist
Brakes: LBN 180mm hydraulic disk brakes
Durability: IP65 rated for riding in light rain
Display: 2.2-inch dual-tone LCD
Tires: Kenda 27.5 x 2.4-inch anti-puncture brown side wall
Bottom Line
If you are looking for an e-bike that can serve as a commuter and a cruiser with the additional capability to serve as a basic trail bike then the Turris may be the one to consider. The adaptable tire size and tread, powerful battery, and solid frame will support various terrain.
I enjoyed riding the bike as a cruiser around the neighborhood, but it’s a bit too cramped for my height to serve as a daily commuter. I recommend you give it a test ride yourself before making a purchase decision.
The $1,295 price ($1,195 for step over frame) seems a couple of hundred dollars too high for me given the competition in this space. Ride1Up is located in San Diego and while the bikes are made in China like just about all e-bikes, the company provides free shipping, a 30-day return policy, 1-year warranty, and a cool Ride1Up pledge that saves you $40 by committing to replace at least two car trips per month with your new electric bike.