Ride1Up adds throttle to its popular low-cost electric bike

Unlike in much of Europe and Asia, electric bikes sold in the United States can benefit from the inclusion of a hand throttle, which allows riders to power an e-bike’s motor without pedaling. These make up the vast majority of e-bikes in the US, and now the value electric bike maker Ride1Up is bringing that throttle to one of its only e-bikes that was missing one: the Ride1Up Roadster V2 Gravel Edition.

At just US $1,095, the Ride1Up Roadster V2 is perhaps one of the best deals on a belt-drive electric bike anywhere in the country.

When its upgraded Gravel Edition launched after the original bike’s release, the new version saw improved brakes and a higher quality Gates carbon belt drive added, though the price walked up a couple of hundred bucks to accommodate the higher quality parts.

Now, it looks like the company has made one more key addition to the Ride1Up Roadster V2 Gravel Edition: a thumb throttle.

The added throttle is likely an optional accessory that can be added or removed, so those who prefer to pedal or keep their e-bikes in pure Class 3 mode (the bike tops out at 24 mph or 38 km/h) can do so. And, of course, the throttle can simply be ignored as well by those who prefer using pedal assist most of the time but rely on throttle backup for extra steep hills or getting rolling on inclines. (This is a single-speed e-bike, after all.)

The throttle-enabled option looks to be a bit pricier at US $1,345, though this is still one of the most affordable Gates belt-drive e-bikes anywhere on the market. Those Gates belts are prized for their long life spans, silent operation, maintenance-free use, and higher average lifetime efficiency than chains.

The lightweight 33-pound (15-kg) e-bike comes in two frame sizes (small and large) to accommodate more riders. The Roadster V2 Gravel Edition offers a sporty ride stance, gravel-ready tires, and Tektro mechanical disc brakes.

The 350W motor (500W peak) is matched with an equally modest 36V 7Ah battery for 252 Wh of capacity. It’s not a particularly large battery, but it fits the lightweight and efficient design of the bike. On moderate pedal assist, riders can expect 30 miles (48 km) of range, though high-power riding will drop that range. Throttle-only riding will also tax the battery more quickly. A second auxiliary battery can be added, though, mounting like a water bottle on the frame and doubling the bike’s range. The bike is so light and easy to ride, though, that pedaling without any battery power is still quite easy.

Along with the throttle, Ride1Up has launched a new colorway option for the Roadster V2 Gravel Edition known as Stardust.

It’s been a big year for colorway updates from e-bike brands, many of which have focused on launching smaller updates to existing models instead of rolling out new models – though Ride1Up has bucked that trend with several new model releases recently.

Himiway also launched new colorways, though with state-centric themes for California and Florida. Rad Power Bikes saw new color options for the RadRunner, and Ampler Bikes just launched new limited edition pink and blue e-bike colorways as well. Some brands, like Electric Bike Company, have gone all in on colorways, offering to paint e-bikes literally any color in the rainbow for their customers.