Ride1UP CF Racer1 Spec Review: Bike Overview
You may be wondering why you can’t see a motor or battery. Well, the Bafang motor and battery are completely hidden within the frame. The system is so new it’s not even on Bafang’s website. The motor produces 250W, nominally. No word yet on how much torque it produces. The motor is powered by a 252Wh battery.
Before anyone thinks this e-bike is underpowered and won’t have any range, we think this is a pretty terrific setup. Allow us to explain. Most mid-drive motors carry a 250W nominal rating. A 250W mid-drive motor has plenty of power because it uses the gears to multiply that effort, just as they do for the rider. Class 1 eMTBs use a 250W mid-drive motor.
Our rule of thumb for good range for an e-bike is a roughly 1:1 ratio of motor power to battery capacity and the Ride1UP CF Racer 1 is bang on the money in that regard with its 252Wh battery. We don’t have any word yet on what the potential range is estimated to be. We would expect, at minimum, for riders to see at least two hours of riding in the highest PAS level. In its lowest assistance level, we would expect more like four to five hours of riding.
The biggest difference between the Ride1UP CF Racer1 and carbon fiber race bikes is of course the 250W Bafang motor helping riders. The other notable way that this e-bike differs from more traditional racing bikes is that they have really skinny tires, generally 23-25mm (⅞-1 in.).
The road version of the Ride1UP CF Racer1 comes with 32mm-wide tires (1 ¼ in.) which can be pumped up to a reasonable pressure (~60 psi as opposed to ~100 psi) for greater rider comfort. The gravel version of the Ride1UP CF Racer1 comes with 40mm-wide tires, which fits rigjt in the sweet spot for gravel riding.
Helping riders find the right gear on the up, the down and in-between, SRAM’s Rival 1 x 11 group gives riders a 42t chainring paired with an 11-42t cassette. That makes for a nearly 400 percent gearing range with a 1:1 low gear, which is low enough for most locations around the country. Some riders on the Western seaboard riding steep fire and logging roads would probably wish for an even lower low gear, but this is where the 250W Bafang motor will provide the necessary extra muscle.
The SRAM Rival hydraulic disc brakes offer terrific power and modulation. Even though we have a stated preference for 180mm rotors with disc brakes, the 160mm rotors spec’d here are the appropriate choice given the tire size.
Ride1UP is producing the CF Racer1 in two sizes, 50 and 56cm. That measurement corresponds to the top tube length and gives a rider of the length of the reach from the saddle to the bar, which is every bit as important as the saddle height. Two sizes are better than one size, but for e-bikes in this category, most companies would offer sizes every 2-3cm. (For basis of comparison, Specialized’s competitor for the CF Racer1, the Creo, is made in six sizes from 49cm to 61cm.) Ideally, Ride1UP would add two more sizes: 53 and 59cm, which would cover 80-90 percent of the probable buyers. Further context: I’m 5 feet 11 and I’d ride the 56; someone 6 feet 1 or taller is likely to feel cramped, while someone 5 feet 8 will feel like they are trying to make a save at Wimbledon in reaching the bar.
Ride1UP chose an integrated bar and stem for the CF Racer1. It gives the e-bike a very trick look, but making fit changes to better accommodate the rider’s needs are harder as a result. It prevents the bar’s tilt and stem length from being changed.
