Let’s say you have a teen who has good eye-hand coordination, a healthy respect for both speed and traffic, and a need for more self-directed transportation. An e-bike is an affordable alternative to a car, and the Ride1UP Portola makes our roundup because few e-bikes have reached this level of value.
We like the Portola because it is an effective means of transportation, and for students, the rear rack is perfect for carrying a book bag or pannier. Also, because it’s a folding e-bike, should there be a late function at school, it can be folded up to fit in the back of almost any car. Also, it comes with a longer-than-usual seatpost (350mm), which means your teen can grow and grow without outgrowing this e-bike until, or unless, they make the starting squad on the varsity basketball team.
This is a folding e-bike that Ride1UP says will fit riders as short as 4 feet 10, thanks in part to an adjustable handlebar mast. It sports a 750W brushless, geared hub motor and comes standard with a 500Wh battery, but that can be upgraded to a 643Wh battery if your teen has a long ride to school. And in case of a longer commute, the Portola can be unlocked to give Class 3 speeds, which maxes out at 28 mph.
Ride1UP gave the Portola hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors and an 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain with a wide-range (11-32t) cassette, making it well-suited to use in hillier places. The Portola folds up in seconds, making it easy to store. Plus, it comes with a complete array of accessories for commuting: front and rear lights, fenders, a rear rack, and a heavy-duty kickstand.
To make starting off easier and cut the lag time between when a rider begins pedaling and when the motor starts, Ride1UP included a 24-magnet cadence sensor as opposed to the 12-magnet cadence sensor we usually see. Ride1UP included a full selection of accessories, including front and rear lights, fenders, a rear rack, and a heavy-duty kickstand.
