When the original Lectric XP 1.0 folding e-bike was introduced back in 2019, it made a major impact on the e-bike landscape. Over the years, Lectric has evolved the XP and added more value and features and they’ve kept the starting price consistently under $1,000.
Even in the face of hyperinflation, you would be hard pressed to find a similar model today that comes with the same quality components and features in this price range from a trustworthy company. So when Ride1Up announced their latest E-bike model, the Portola it became an instant competitor to the Lectric XP 3.0 the best selling ebike.
A folding e-bike in the sub $1,000 range? Many were excited to see another e-bike company take on what most consider to be the market’s value leader.
The XP is literally the best selling electric bike in all of America…
Especially one from a manufacturer that has a reputation for quality and value like Ride1Up has. But does this new E-bike measure up against the XP 3.0 or does it fall short? Let’s explore how these two e-bikes match up and see if there’s a new contender to take on the value ebike King.
At first glance, the Portola looks like a much more streamlined version of the XP 3.0. Step through both the 3.0 and Portola have an integrated battery in the down tube, the same draft style handlebars that you’ll find on most folding eBikes, 20 inch tires and similar integrated rear racks that are welded onto the frame. It’s as though ride one up looked at the step through 3.0 and said, let’s do that, but let’s make it a bit more modern.
That modern frame design comes with some flash, with some cool paint choices, while the XP 3.0 step through has your basic black and white color options, and the high step version only comes in black. The Portola comes in three different colors, which they describe as a glossy charcoal, a glossy turquoise and indigo, and a matte finish. In a side by side comparison, the 3.0 appears to be longer, but the overall lengths are almost exactly the same.
The Portola measures in just over 66 inches end to end, and the XP comes in at 66 inches or 67 inches depending on the frame. The handlebar reach is very similar as well about 18 and a half inches depending on where the seat is adjusted to and despite there being a visual difference between the two frames. Both manufacturers say that the standover heights measure in around 18 inches as well, but of course the high Step XP is almost six inches higher at 24 inches. So the recommended rider heights for all three bikes are pretty similar.
The Ride1Up recommends riders that are anywhere from four foot 10 to six foot four, while the electric recommends riders four foot 10 to six five on the high step and four 10 to six three on the low stack. And if the Portola comes in at five pounds lighter than the XP 59 pounds versus the XP coming in at 64 Personally, the weight difference wouldn’t be a deal breaker to me, but I do know it’s something that many people factor into a folding E-bike purchase. Also if you are on the taller side say 6″3 and up you may find that both ebikes seem small.
The overall cargo capacity of the XP is rated for 330 pounds versus only 300 pounds on the Portala, and the weight capacity for the rear rack is rated for only 130 pounds while the 3.0 is 150 pounds. It’s not a huge difference, but it can certainly give you a bit more peace of mind when hauling heavy loads or if you decide to bring an adult passenger along for the ride.
As far as the motor power to get you in the Portola, it comes out with a slight advantage. It comes with a 750 watt nominal rear gear tub motor with 65 newton meters of torque ride. Ride1Up doesn’t list the specific peak wattage of the bike, but go in by the controller rating that they list at 20 amps. It should have a peak motor output of at least 960 watts. The XP 3.0 isn’t too far behind though coming in with a 500 watt nominal motor with a listed 55 Newton meters of torque.
Lectric also indicates that their controller runs at 20 amps and lists a peak wattage for the 3.0 at 1000 plus watts. But no specific numbers are given for the peak wattage of either setup, both bikes list class two and Class three capabilities, a 20 mile per hour, class two speed for throttle only and 28 miles per hour. Class three speed for motor assistance while pedaling. However, these top speeds will vary depending on terrain, battery power, and of course how much weight you have on the bike. So keep that in mind.
Both bikes give you the choice of two different battery sizes. The XP and Portola both have a standard battery option that is 48 volt, 10.4 amp hours. However, the long range battery options do differ slightly. The XP’s long range battery has 14 amp hours of capacity and the long range Portola is just slightly smaller at 13.4 amp hours in size.
The way that these batteries are accessed though is different. Some may prefer the fact that you can attach and remove the Ride1Up battery with a single twist of the key and flick of a lever, but the XP’s battery is only accessible when the bike is folded, which can be a slight irritation if you want to quickly grab your battery and bring it with you. If you’re not folding up your bike to store it, having to stop, fold it, slide the battery out of the frame and fold it again, every time you want to remove the battery, it can get a bit tedious.
But if you rarely take the battery off the bike, this won’t be an issue. These motor/battery combination would translate into an estimated range of anywhere from 20 to 40 miles for the standard batteries and somewhere between 25 to 65 miles of range for the larger ones. You can of course pedal these E-bikes without any motor assistance. They are still bikes. Both come with a multi gear drive train and unbranded seven speed system for the electric models and an eight speed model drive train for the Ride1Up.
Bringing these bikes to a stop should be easy since they both come with hydraulic disc brakes and 180 millimeter rotors (Lectric uses the Zoom brand brakes). So it may vary dependent on supply chain availability or they may simply be a lesser known or no name brake brand. Either way, I don’t expect there to be much of a problem with either.
While the actual handlebars themselves are very similar between the two bikes, the bar setup is quite different. Ride1Up tends to go with a more discreet display system on their bikes. It comes with a basic left handlebar mounted 2.2 inch black and white LCD display. While the XP 3.0 uses a center mounted display screen that is a bit larger and comes with a left hand free button remote for controls. Both displays will have the same basic functionality though, which will show you your speed, odometer pedal, assists level, power level, and a basic battery bar graphic.
A big colorful screen would be a nice upgrade for either model. However, I do know many riders Including me) do prefer a more simplified display that is easier to read instead of a readout that’s prettier but may be more difficult to see in the sunlight.
Another big difference is the throttle. The Lectric has a half grip twist throttle that is standard on many E-bikes, but Ride1Up went with a left thumb throttle instead. This again boils down to preference, but I often hear that most riders prefer the grip throttle if they had to choose. I am more of a thumb throttle fan.
Both E-bikes will come with a front fork suspension to take some of the impact out of those bumpy roads, but the tail end is rigid, so you may want to pick up a suspension seatpost if you’re looking for a smoother ride. Both come with 20×3 inch knobby tires, which I feel is the sweet spot for folding e-bikes of this type.
They’re wide enough to give you a comfy ride, but thin enough to be light and nimble with turns and grippy enough to let you ride on most terrains on streets or dirt trails. The Portola and XP 3.0 come with the basic features that you’d expect on a folded knee bike such as front and rear lighting, contoured handlebar grips, a plush saddle folding pedals, as well as metal fenders to protect you from the elements.
Both bikes seem to have a relatively easy assembly process. The XP requires you to attach the handlebars to the stem and the portal load just needs the stem attached to the head tube. Either task should be a rather easy undertaking for most owners setting up their bikes for the first time. Finally, we come down to price. Both of these bikes start under $1,000 for the standard battery option $999 for the XP 3.0 and $995 for the Portola.
Not much of a difference there, but the long range battery options come in at $1049 for the porta. Only $50 more than the standard battery model and the XP 3.0 long range is priced at $1199. Granted, the long range Lectric does have a slightly larger battery when it compared to the ride one up, but you only lose 0.6 amp hours of battery while you’re saving $150.
Keep in mind though, these are the current regular prices at the time of writing so you may be able to get a better deal with any sales that could be happening, and this could only be the introductory price for the ride one up since it was just released. Its price may go up in the future.
Both ebikes come pretty well equipped, so you wouldn’t need to purchase any basic features such as fenders or lighting on either bike to get you started. As I mentioned before, you may want to upgrade to a suspension seat post to make your ride a bit smoother and seating upgrade bundles are available from both manufacturers. These bundles include a larger seat with more padding and a basic suspension seat.
The Lectric seat bundle will run you $125 when it’s not on sale and Ride1Up seat upgrade bundle will cost $75 and it comes with a side mirror. Keep in mind that these e-bikes use standard seat posts and saddles, so if you want, you can probably get a third party upgrade at a lower cost elsewhere. Rear passenger seats however are not as universal, so you may have difficulty finding an aftermarket alternative.
So which is the better ebike? In the end, though it’s still a tough choice. Both brands have great reputations and are known for good customer service and decent quality bikes for the cost. Lectric has been the undisputed king for the affordable folding E-bike for half a decade, but with the launch of the Portola coming in with nearly the same features and stats at the same or even a lower cost is big.
At the end of the day you won’t go wrong with either ebike in my opinion.
Learn More: Lectric XP or Ride1Up Portola