Ride1Up Portola – Best Value Folding Ebike
Mitchell Anderson
Mitchell has been fascinated by electric scooters since 2019. He began sharing his enthusiasm on his YouTube channel, “RK9 Rides,” in 2020. He joined Rider Guide in 2023, and between the two channels, he spends seven days a week riding, testing, and writing about electric scooters. He has tested dozens of models from dozens of brands and is always on the lookout for the newest and greatest scooters. His current favorite models are the Nami Klima and the NIU KQi3 Max.
At first glance, the Ride1Up Portola looks similar to most every other folding ebike on the market for around $1,000. However, the thing that Ride1Up always does better than the competition is giving their ebikes an extra level of polish.
From the unboxing to the riding experience, to the general look and feel, you just feel like you’re getting more for your money – and that’s because you are: more power, higher gearing, more speed, and more range than most folding, portable electric bikes on the market.
In this review, we’ll break down the specs, go for a ride, review the pros and cons, and I’ll give you my overall impression as a rider on the larger/taller side (6’1″, 200 lbs).
Ride1Up Portola Specs
| Range | 20-40 mi (10.4Ah) 25-45 mi (13.4Ah) |
| Top Speed | 28 mph pedal assist 20 mph throttle |
| Sensor | Cadence Sensor |
| Battery | 48V 10.4Ah 500Wh ($995 model)</b 48V 13.4Ah 643Wh ($1,195) |
| Motor | 48V 750W hub motor w/65Nw torque |
| Modes | 3 modes |
| Controller | 48V 20Amp DMHC Sinewave |
| Lighting | 12V 40 Lux front light, rear brake light |
| Brakes | 180mm Hydraulic Brakes |
| Shifting | Shimano 8 speed drivetrain |
| Weight Limit | 300 lbs |
| Suspens. | 80mm hydraulic lockout, 110mm dropout |
| Add. Feat. | Left hand thumb throttle, KD21C adjustable speed display, folding stem, folding pedals |
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Why Should You Buy a Folding E-Bike?
Generally speaking, folding bikes give you a lot of bang for the buck. If you're just getting into e-bikes, they’re are a great option because you don't need to worry about buying a bike rack.You also don't need to have a super large car. Folding ebikes collapse very compactly and can fit in just about any car, as well as the corner of your apartment. They're easy to move around. They're easy to ride. I love folding bikes for all these reasons.
The other big upside is the price. This comes in at around $1K right now, and we have a discount code down below, so if you like what you see, you can pick one up for even less.
Fit for Larger Riders
I get a lot of questions about whether folding electric bikes can fit larger riders. To give you some indication, I’m 6’1″, about 205 pounds, and the Portola is really comfortable for me.
The seat post goes plenty high, and while the handlebars aren’t adjustable, they fit me comfortably and I don’t feel like they need to be higher or lower.
Tires + Suspension
As with most folding ebikes, the Ride1Up Portola comes with 20-inch tires. They’re 3 inches wide, which is going to give you a little bit more traction if you happen to be riding in the dirt. The wider tires also give you better bump absorption to help out the front suspension.
Speaking of suspension, you get 80mm of travel with the front suspension fork, and that’s better than some more expensive full-size bikes I've tested. This is a suspension you're going to feel, and it’s an element of polish you don't see on bikes at this price.
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Motor + Drivetrain
The Portola’s Shimano Altus derailleur is pretty par for the course, but one thing you don't often see is an 8-speed on a folding ebike, which is another way the Portola ups the game.
I really like 8-speeds over 7-speeds because you sometimes get to that 7th gear and you're spinning in place to keep the bike at the top speeds. With that 8th gear, you can feel like you're still pedaling even at higher top end speeds.
Speaking of speed, you get speeds of up to 28 miles an hour with this bike. This is a Class 3 bike, even though on the frame it says class 2, because you can go into the P settings and change it so that it goes all the way up to 28 miles an hour.
The Portola gives you a 750 Watt motor, which is another bit of an edge over the competition. You typically only see 350W or 500W motors at $1K, and that makes a huge difference when it comes to hill climbing and acceleration. You definitely get better performance with the Portola that you do on less powerful models.
Battery + Range
Ride1Up gives you a fairly beefy 48 10.4 amp hour battery. You can step up a 13.4 am hour version for upwards of 10 extra miles of range. I think that if you're riding more than like 20 to 25 miles that it is worth upgrading to the larger battery.
Otherwise, you can save $100 and still get a great deal under $1000.
The standard battery is fully removable. You just pop the key in, turn it, and you charge the battery anywhere.
Braking
Another thing you don’t see very often at this price is hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes offer superior stopping power and much less maintenance.
Pair hydraulic brakes with large 180mm rotors in the front and back and you get fantastic stopping power. Powerful braking is definitely a strong suit of this bike.
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Ride1Up Portola: Worth it? Our Verdict
This is just a fast, fun, reliable, affordable little bike, no matter your experience level. I think if you’re only going to buy one bike, and you want it to be portable, a folding bike around this price is the best value proposition, and it’s hard to make a case for why you should buy something besides the Portola at the price.
Consider me impressed. Ride1Up has done a fantastic job. They’ve made a fantastic folding bike with more for less money, and they make some of the best electric bikes in general. Check out our other reviews of Ride1Up bikes on Rider Guide, and as always… stay frosty. I’ll see you next time.
