We have the Ride1up 500 and an Espin Sport. The Sport is the same as the Flow but the Flow is step thru. Bikes are similar. I think the Espin is more comfortable for me, I am 5 foot 8. They have similar components but I like the look of the Espin better, more concealed battery, and I like the hydraulic brakes plus it comes with nice fenders and rear rack which will be useful in the City. (The Espin Flow is more like the Ride1up 700 step thru in terms of specs.) Definitely get a bike with a suspension front fork. Adding a suspension seat post is cheap and easy. We had some quality control issues with our Ride1up 500 with the chain falling off sometimes on bumps. My son still likes it. Other owners have had controller issues. Check the Ride1up forum page, but their customer service seems responsive. The packaging on my Espin was great, double boxed, and simple assembly was easier than my Ride1up. Espin has excellent customer service. Both bikes have a 1 year warrenty. Espin has a new model, the Nero, but it is a fat tire bike and may not be what you want for commuting. I would say order now you will have to wait 4-6 weeks for a bike probably.