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Ariel Rider launches a $999 ‘no-BS commuter e-bike’ as its most affordable electric bike yet

Ariel Rider is showing off its latest electric bicycle known as the Rideal. The e-bike was designed to be the perfect low-cost commuter e-bike that doesn’t compromise on performance.

Ariel Rider described it a bit differently:

At Ariel Rider we’re known to make fast, robust, e-bikes for any type of adventure. But none of our previous models were as affordable as the Rideal!

We’ve created a no-BS commuter e-bike with the high quality materials and parts we’ve been using on our other e-bikes, so that you can commute in style.

Ariel Rider Rideal launched

The $999 Ariel Rider Rideal features a 750W rear hub motor powered by a 48V 14Ah downtube-mounted battery. With 672 Wh of capacity, Ariel Rider rates the e-bike with 30-60 miles (48-96 km) of range. The higher end of that range will of course only be achievable with pedal assist. Making liberal use of the half-twist throttle is likely to garner you closer to the lower end of that range.

A 20 mph (32 km/h) max speed keeps the bike street legal as a Class 2 e-bike in the US. While some of Ariel Rider’s other e-bikes can be unlocked for higher speed, the Rideal has a hard limit of 20 mph.

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The 52 lb (23.5 kg) bike is available in both a mid-step and high-step variant to fit various rider heights, and both frame styles feature a 285 lb (130 kg) load rating.

While some low-cost e-bikes have eschewed components like built-in LED lighting, multi-speed drivetrains, and even kickstands, the Ariel Rider Rideal includes all of those features.

But to keep costs down, the typical LCD display is replaced by a simplified LED display. Simple mechanical disc brakes bring the bike to a stop, and you won’t find other fancy features like a built-in USB charging port.

Options for racks and fenders are available, but they’ll cost extra.

Even so, the Rideal seems to offer a nice combination of performance and features for its low $999 price.

The Ariel Rider Rideal represents a new direction for the company as it expands its focus to target the budget-end of the e-bike market.

Other models such as the Ride1Up Roadster V2 and Rad Power Bikes RadMission have also targeted this niche with no-nonsense commuter e-bikes built on lightweight frames and sporting pared-back features.

In the past we’ve reviewed Ariel Rider’s more high-performance offerings such as the dual-motor Ariel Rider D-Class electric moped. That 33 mph (53 km/h) e-bike is focused more on the higher power end of the market, though even the D-Class was topped by Ariel Rider’s recently unveiled 3,000W all-wheel drive Grizzly e-bike.

The new Ariel Rider Rideal, on the other hand, is likely to help the company stake its claim to the budget end of the e-bike spectrum.

The bike is now available for pre-order with shipping expected to begin in late May.

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Author

Avatar for Micah Toll Micah Toll

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at Micah@electrek.co, or find him on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.