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Juiced Bikes has been around since 2008 producing high capacity Lithium-ion battery packs and then a longtail cargo e-bike in 2010. They overhauled their lineup around 2016, introducing the sporty CrossCurrent commuter platform. Since then, the company has expanded to cruisers, and now fat bikes. There’s a lot of overlap with the latest generation including shared drivetrains, displays, and battery packs. Several sizes of battery packs… Their prices are extremely competitive and it sounds like all sales are now being done online, direct to consumer. That means, you have to do a bit more work and spend some time getting the product unpacked and setup. The RipCurrent S is being sold in three frame sizes and three colorways, so it’s a bit of a jump making an online purchase without touching and riding first, but the official website is full of videos and deep stats… just like EBR :D The founder of Juiced Bikes, Tora Harris, flies back and forth to Asia, working directly with manufacturers to produce some unique parts, such as the 1,050 lumen headlight, extra-wide fenders, and adjustable rack seen here. Batteries continue to be a focus for the company and you get three capacity options with the RipCurrent, each one packed into the exact same shell. There’s a lot to cover here, but the short story is that the bike is fairly comfortable but heavy at 70 lbs, it’s geared for speed (with a larger 52 tooth chainring and limited 11-32 tooth cassette) but isn’t especially zippy off the line. You get nine gears, so the steps are easy to make, but larger riders like Rich Davis (the marketing rep from the video, who weighs ~260 lbs) might have to pedal when ascending moderate hills and probably have to pitch in to top 25 mph. The motor operates smoothly, it accelerates more slowly, but spends less energy and may not wear out as quickly as some competing fat bikes. It doesn’t use a simple on/off cadence sensor for pedal assist, it combines a TMM4 torque sensor (measuring pedal strain) as well as a hall sensor inside the rear hub to create natural starts and stops. You can override assist with the trigger throttle and cut all power by squeezing either brake lever. The bike offers a lot of performance, but isn’t as impressive at first blush because of the natural power implementation. Juiced Bikes seems to struggle with inventory, often selling out shipments before they have even arrived in the US, they have a generous 7-day return policy and 1+ year warranty with lifetime on the frame.
Driving this electric bike is an impressively specced Bafang fat-bike specific planetary geared hub motor. It’s wider than the hub motors used for the CrossCurrent and OceanCurrent, which provides a stronger bracing angle for the thick 12-gauge spokes. The motor is rated from 750 watts up to 1,035 watts peak and offers 80 Newton meters of torque. The thing is, the rims on this bike are 80 mm wide and don’t have punched out sections, so they are probably heavier than many competing products like the ultra-cheap Sondors. Geared hub motors tend to be smaller and lighter than gearless, but the gears inside do produce some noise and may wear out faster (don’t worry about this too much, Bafang has a solid reputation). This motor freewheels efficiently and won’t hold you back when pedaling unpowered or beyond the maximum ~28 mph top speed. I love that the casing, spokes, and rims are all black. If you opt for the matte black frame color, it would probably look amazing (helping the cable housings and mid-frame battery blend in even more). I welcome your feedback as an end consumer, but my experience overall was that the performance of the RipCurrent wasn’t as impressive (zippy, specifically) as the specs make it out to be. The controller must be setup more for efficiency and speed than low-end torque. This should reduce strain on the motor and maximize range, but could leave you wishing for more help getting started… especially without a super low gear. The Shimano Altus derailleur is one step up from entry level but the shifter mechanism is great and I feel like it all works well enough. There is a walk mode (by holding minus on the control pad if the bike is turned on), just in case you can’t enough power to start in deep sand or snow. I wish I could have dug more into the speed and power of this bike but was in a park with lots of animals and people, so I didn’t want to disturb them. I also feel like the demo model might have had a loose cable or something, because the throttle just wasn’t feeling very consistent or powerful. The gears worked great, the brakes were awesome, the motor just left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. And again, that’s not necessarily a bad thing in terms of efficiency and durability.
Powering the RipCurrent S is one of three battery packs, the first two offer 48 volts and the third offers 52 volts! These packs are large and heavy, with the base model (48v 13ah) weighing ~7.5 lbs. I had to guess on this because Rich only had the 21 amp hour pack to show. None of the batteries have USB ports built in, something that probably confused and frustrated customers who bought older models that used stock packs (vs. the custom Juiced pack). Tora explained that they purposefully disabled the USB because it could slowly drain power and was a potential fail point. For a company that ships electric bicycles all over the world, it’s a good idea to simplify… but as a customer, sometimes I do want that USB option. Whether it’s being used to maintain my phone (for GPS or music), or as a backup energy bank off the bike. You can charge this battery on or off the frame, and the stock charger is a pretty average 2 amp that could take 7+ hours to fill the mid-sized battery. If you opt for the largest 52 volt pack, they give you a fancy Grin Satiator smart charger. I appreciate where the plug is located (clear of the left crank arm), and how securely the pack seats into the custom downtube section of the frame. This semi-integrated design allows for more space above and behind the pack for bottle cage bosses… and possibly enough room for a side-entry cage, but definitely for folding locks and mini pumps. The locking cylinder uses nicer inset keys and there’s a satisfying (and confidence inspiring) click when you seat it correctly. There is no handle on this pack, so be careful with it, and you do have to press an on/off button near the top before the ebike control panel can be activated. This extra step probably protects the battery from phantom power draw, but many companies now have fancy smart BMS systems that automatically go into deep sleep and don’t have a secondary on/off step. I cannot say whether Tora is ahead of the curve with his extra safe extra step or if this is a cost and complexity saving choice. The bike is just $1,699 after all. I can say for sure, that I appreciate how many of the cables are routed cleanly inside the downtube but remain accessible thanks to a rubber grommet. Tora has told me before that he wants to make Juiced Bikes easy to service… but I appreciate the nod to aesthetics here, especially with snow, mud, and sand in the mix for fat bike applications.
Operating the bike, once the pack is charged and locked into place, is a two-step process starting with the circular button on top of the battery. From here, you press and hold the rubberized power button on the backside of the display. This takes several seconds, but once it comes on, the computer responds very quickly to + and – clicks to raise or lower assist. It’s pretty simple really, you begin in level 1 and can + up to 2, 3, or S and – down to Eco. The higher you go, the more power potential you get, but there is no level where pedal assist is not active or where the throttle is not live. You can remove the throttle and you can adjust the top speed in the settings are (hold + and – to enter settings). Different geographies may have different settings by default, but the US is unlocked up to ~28 mph with pedal assist and 20 mph with the throttle. So, this is a hybrid Class 2 and Class 3 electric bike that may not be allowed on a lot of trails. It’s setup for off-road or private property use in terms of power and speed and could make an interesting commuter if you live in a ski town. The LCD readout is small, not removable, and cannot be angled, but I still really like it. The buttons are easy to reach, and you can go from a basic readout to a more advanced in-depth menu system by pressing the power and + button simultaneously. You can activate the display backlighting and the headlight by holding plus and you can activate walk mode by holding minus. It’s not overly complex, should stay out of the way when riding, and probably be less prone to damage if the bike tips or crashes. In fact, the bike did dip over when we were doing this review, and nothing was damaged. That said, it would have hurt me if the bike had hit my leg or foot (as most 50+ lb ebikes would). I cannot say much about the GPS tracking system that connects to the optional smartphone app if you get the upgraded 52 volt battery, but Juiced has great tutorials at their official website. I welcome your feedback and input as always.
In many ways, I feel that this review is about expectation setting. I had a great time riding the RipCurrent S, and the price is hard to ignore. It wasn’t the zippiest product I have tested, but it was a blast to ride (especially when I lowered the tire pressure a bit). The suspension fork was comfortable and includes lockout for those flatter sections, and the 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes worked great. There was some rubbing noise produced by a slightly bent rotor, or possibly the big plastic fenders, and I was told that the final product will have additional fender supports to keep them quiet and strait. I wish I could be more confident with some of the feedback being shared here and I would love to hear what some larger riders thing (Rich said he gets up to ~25 mph with a bit of runway but has to work to reach ~28 mph). I’m only 135 lbs and my time was limited, and the product may have had some different settings for this review. I didn’t go into it as much on camera because I have tested and enjoyed many of the other Juiced products, such as the OceanCurrent S without issue. Still, some customers have had issues with Juiced in the past, and they definitely worked hard to straighten things out and keep those prices down. I admire their spirit and appreciate what’s on offer here. Just remember, you’ll be getting a huge box and have some work to do on a fairly heavy ebike. I’d probably ask a local shop to run through it and make sure the wheels are straight, derailleur is greased and dialed in etc. before riding really long distances. I would probably also opt for the Silver frame, because it will stand out more at night… and keep an eye on that rear light, remembering to turn it on manually and then off manually with each ride, because it runs on independent AAA cells vs. the main battery, like the headlight. I was not given a max rider weight, but Rich seemed to do fine at ~260 lbs and with the thicker spokes and custom reinforced frame, I would guess that it can handle 300+. Big thanks to Juiced Bikes for partnering with me on this review and meeting me for the test ride. Please share your comments and experiences below or in the Juiced Ebike Forums and I’ll do my best to respond and engage :)
Pros:
- Available in three frame sizes and three color for an impressively low price, I’m used to seeing a single size and color for affordable ebikes (which helps to keep the price down) but Juiced is offering a lot here in terms of fit and style
- Lots of utility and custom parts, the wide plastic fenders are durable, the rear rack is sturdy and versatile with pannier hangars and bungee loop at the base, and the integrated headlight and basic stand-alone rear light keep you visible and actually light the path (because the custom headlight is so bright)
- Good warranty, Juiced is offering a one year comprehensive (covering electronics and battery) with two years on the motor and lifetime on the frame
- The frame is purpose-built to be electric and I appreciate how the battery pack is stepped-in for stability and lower weight positioning, the cables are semi-internal with a rubber strip on the downtube to keep them clean but also easier to service if necessary
- Juiced uses threaded connectors here, which are less likely to disconnect or let water in, I did notice that some of the wires were rubbing on the big chainring guide near the bottom bracket, but you could fix this with a zip tie
- The chain is rust-resistant and a bit stronger (made for ebikes), and should not fall off because the chainring has a sturdy alloy guide (plates on both sides)
- Even though the drivetrain is basic (Altus is just one step up from base in the Shimano line) you get nine gears to work with and a trigger shifter vs. the big difficult-to-reach thumb shifters on many other cheap e-bikes
- Two pairs of bottle cage bosses allow you to easily bring a mini pump or folding lock, you might need a side-entry bottle cage to actually bring fluids depending on the frame size (I haven’t tested the fit on any of them)
- I’m not sure what to make of the suspension fork, it’s an air and spring suspension that’s a bit more adjustable than hydraulic and it has lockout but the skewer is a standard 9 mm vs. thicker 15 mm thru-axles on most mid and high-level fat ebikes, this product goes faster so having a sturdy and thick front axle would have been nice
- Thick 13 gauge and 12 gauge spokes ensure that the larger, heavier rims and tires will stay strong at high speed and with heavier loads (if you load up the rear rack), it would have been nice to see punched out rims to reduce weight
- When you lower the tire pressure, this thing really is capable in mud, snow, and sand, and it makes the ride a lot more comfortable too, I appreciate the ergonomic grips and gel saddle, consider a cheap 27.2 mm suspension seat post to further improve comfort or get the fancy Kinekt BodyFloat from Juiced when you buy the bike
- I appreciate that Juiced added a torque arm to secure the rear axle and protect their frame, I also noticed how responsive and smooth the motor operated in pedal assist because of the torque and cadence sensor combo, and that the pure sine wave controller kept it fairly quiet and probably more efficient
- It’s neat that you can upgrade to different sized batteries and that the 52 volt option comes with a faster charger and anti-theft GPS tracking service (which apparently costs $5 per year after the first free year)
- The large platform pedals are stiff and provide good traction, you could reduce weight and get even more grip with some magnesium Wellgos like this, and they make several colors
- Starting and riding is great, but with so much weight, it’s important to have good stopping power too, and Juiced provides hydraulic 180 mm disc brakes here with motor inhibitors on both levers, exactly what you’d want, though the brand was foreign to me (and possibly not as durable as Shimano or Tektro)
- Great kickstand position, it stays out of the way and offers adjustable length so you can ensure that the bike won’t tip into a wall or car in the garage, you can pedal backwards or walk the bike out without pedal lock too
- I really like the display panel that Juiced Bikes is using, it’s compact and simple but offers a lot of depth, while it is not removable or adjustable-angle, it stays out of the way which is great for a trail bike
- The battery info-graphic on the LCD shows 9 bars instead of just 4 or 5 like many other affordable displays, this allows you to get more precision when riding so you don’t run out of battery before making it home
Cons:
- Very heavy, even with the standard 48 volt 13 amp hour battery pack, this thing weighs in at above 70 lbs, the frame feels solid and you do get the rack, lights, and fenders, so I guess this is to be expected for a fat tire ebike with a hub motor
- There’s a lot of power on offer but it sometimes felt like the motor accelerated slowly with throttle operation, perhaps this was just a quirk? It’s nice to be able to override assist when you need help (or getting started) and I just expected more zip than what was offered
- The plastic fenders are durable but create a bit more chatter noise when riding on rough terrain, especially since this demo bike did not have the extra rack support that the final builds will have
- I really like the rack that Juiced chose for this bike, it’s wide, long, and has pannier hangars, but it also tips forward a bit (in the stock photos and on the demo bike, though it looks adjustable) and the front portion blocks the saddle from going all the way down
- The rear light is independent, which makes it durable and less expensive than one that’s wired to the main battery pack, but it just isn’t as convenient to switch on, uses disposable AAA cells, and could easily be forgotten and drained if you forget to switch it off after each ride
- The headlight is mounted to the suspension arch and may bounce up and down when you ride over rough terrain, ideally it would be mounted to the crown, stem, or handlebar to be sprung and more stable
- The derailleur and motor power cable are a bit vulnerable on the left side of the bike, some newer hub motors have the cable entering from the left side – tucked between the disc brake and frame for protection
- There’s a two-step on/off sequence for this ebike, the battery has a power button on top (very reachable) and the display has a rubberized power button that you have to hold in for a few seconds, it just takes longer to do and there aren’t any USB ports for using some of the energy to maintain your phone, GPS, or other portable electronics on the go
- Juiced Bikes used to sell through shops in addition to their website, but it looks like they have gone totally online to keep prices low… so you may struggle to find one for a test ride and the unpacking/building process will take additional time and effort (you might want to get a shop to really dig in and adjust the derailleur, add grease etc.)
- Minor gripe here, but I didn’t see a slap guard on the right chainstay, consider using some clear boxing tape to protect the paint or get a cheap neoprene guard like this
Resources:
Dean
7 years agoExcellent review Cort! I ordered the RipCurrent S in brushed aluminum with the 52v battery, which cost $3k. This bike is not inexpensive, (at least to me) and the few others I’ve talked to that have ordered one also ordered the big battery. I bet most are ordered this way.
I have to assume you had the prototype that Tora has been doing all his programming on and it was just mis-adjusted (or beat to death). I could be wrong about this but in his blog, I think Tora mentioned he was doing a lot of programming on the RCS to get it right and since the entire 1st shipment of RCSs is still enroute on a container ship destined to CA., you must have that prototype. I’m just not sure why Rich didn’t mention this.
Anyways, like rich, I am also 260lbs and am used to riding my 1500w, 35mph electric scooter on my local bike path, but never at 35mph. I know what unbelievable torque and electric speed feels like. If the RCS performs anything less than stellar, I will be quite disappointed because I did not buy an RCS, I really bought Tora Harris, if you know what I mean? I will be posting videos the night my RCS arrives. I’m in RI, so if it’s not snowing out, I will also post RipCurrent riding videos on my local bike path. I already bought 26 x 3.5 Vee Rubber Speedster commuter tires for it along with Shimano Saint MX80 pedals and a decent bike repair stand, so I’m ready to rock & roll. Dean
Replycourt
7 years agoAwesome, yeah Dean, lots to think about with regards to performance on the demo bike I tried… I’d love to hear how the bike works for you once it arrives. Please sound off about your experience here and in the forums so that people know what to expect from the final build, I’ll keep an eye out and really appreciate your perspective.
ReplyDave
7 years agoHi Court,
I appreciated your honest review of the RCS. I am quite certain that you were riding a first run production RipCurrent S on March 17th. I ordered mine with the 52v battery on Jan. 1st. I have subsequently been told, by Juiced Bikes, that the bikes themselves arrived pretty much as scheduled. It was the larger amp hour batteries that didn’t arrive until yesterday. I was also told Mon 3/19) that the 52v still have to have the GPS’ installed and that they “should ship within a couple of weeks”. I am quite sure that they *have* delivered the first orders that were purchased with the smallest, (stock?) battery. In fact, they have a video clip on social media of their “first RipCurrent customer’s” reaction to his new RCS. I purchased the RipCurrent S for the same reasons as Dean in Rhode Island, coupled with your review of the CrossCurrent. And like Dean, I am hoping to receive the RCSTora described on Juiced’s website. And I hope that it’s soon.
Thanks for all of your great information and unbiased reviews, Court. You provide a real service, and it’s appreciate
Replycourt
7 years agoAwesome, thanks for sharing your updates and some background there Dave. I hope yours arrives soon and am very excited to hear what you think, how it actually performs in terms of acceleration and the throttle consistency etc. :)
ReplyReid
7 years agoReally the best reviewer, period
Replycourt
7 years agoHey, thanks Reid… I’m doing my best, trying to show love to consumers and the manufacturers. Being objective, saying when I don’t know an answer… I’m really thankful for this job and opportunity. Thanks again for your support :)
ReplyMarc Vieux
7 years agoHi Court great video, I purchased this Rip Current S can’t wait to receive it. I have a question what larger color LCD screen would work with this e bike Thanks, I’m in Brooklyn NY may be 20 minutes from Chirs shop Propel Electric Bikes, once I receive bike if your in Brooklyn visiting Chis at Propel Electric Bikes you can use my bike to do another Rip Currents S Review, let me know. OK Thanks Marc
Replycourt
7 years agoHi Marc! That’s great, I’d love to hear how it works for you once it arrives and you’ve had a chance to ride some. As for the LCD, I have no clue which ones would be compatible for sure, but am assuming that most Bafang branded ones could be tried and possibly work… there may be different generations to explore and just making sure that the connector is the same (to go to the controller). Perhaps people in the Bafang Forums would know and have some ideas for you :)
ReplyDanny
7 years agoCan you somehow compare the Bafang engine to the BBSHD? In terms of power, torque and how the torque sensor feels? The RCS seemed so underpowered.
Replycourt
7 years agoHi Danny, I’m going to reserve judgement for this specific model because I’m not sure the unit I was riding had all of the settings dialed in correctly. Perhaps a real owner/user can respond here or in the Juiced Ebike Forums. My experience between perfect Bafang hub motors and their BBSHD mid-drive (both made by Bafang) is that the mid-motor is quieter but requires shifting to feel zippy from low speed and achieve higher speeds. They each have advantages but the middrive will be more efficient in general while the hub motor is easier on the drivetrain and simpler to use, and possibly more satisfying if you like the feeling of a scooter vs. a bicycle.
ReplyDanny
7 years agoHi Court, thank you for your answer. I’ve never driven one of the two motors and I am asking myself, do you feel the difference of the torque sensor of the hub motor in comparison to the bbshd, which just has the cadence sensor? I already have a normal fat bike and can’t decide if i want the RCS or just add an BBSHD to it. I want a zippy bike, which is fun to drive, with enough Torque and Power/Speed.
Erik
7 years agoThe Rip looked slow in your video and you even state this as one of the cons. I suspect the 20amp controller is the main reason why along with the 70lb weight. I would have like to have seen at least a 25amp controller. This would be a big factor on whether or not I would buy the bike. Overall, it looks to be an decent offering by Juiced and you do get a lot for the money.
Replycourt
7 years agoYeah, I really wish I knew how it would perform with the final 100% stock version because it seemed like the throttle was cutting out a bit on the demo bike and pedal assist was more of a smooth acceleration vs. zippy start. That’s not a bad thing if it conserves battery, but sometimes you want instant power and that’s where the throttle should come in (if it works right).
ReplyKev
7 years agoI just placed an order for a black RCS with the 48v 19Ah battery upgrade. There are only three reviews on YouTube that I could find and of course EBR was the best and most thorough of them all. However, a review by Joelster G4K here gives a good idea of the ride, speed and power of the bike. He mentions a couple of times how impressed he is by the torque. Hopefully that confirms that the bike you reviewed was in fact having some issues. I love your site, it has been extremely helpful in my search for my first eBike, thank you!
Replycourt
7 years agoSweet! Thanks for the link and follow-up input Kev. I left it as a Google shortlink so you can track clicks but linked the word here to keep it natural language, hope that’s alright. Did you order one? Have you been considering it?
ReplyTyler
7 years agohas anybody heard anything from this company as to whether the bike that was reviewed was working properly? (llack of zippiness).
also, has anybody actually recieved one yet? i like that this bike claims Class 3 status but it sounds like if i ordered one i might not get to ride it for quite some time
Replycourt
7 years agoHi Tyler, I suspect that the bike may have been a pre-production unit but haven’t fully confirmed that. Someone else shared this ride video which seems a lot more powerful and appears to be a customer who purchased independently. I hope it helps you! You can also ask around in the EBR forums Juiced Bikes forums for more input.
ReplyXLeka
6 years agoHi Court, I’m torn between 2 bikes, RCS and Radrover. which would you prefer?
Replycourt
6 years agoI’ve heard so many great stories about Rad Power Bikes having wonderful customer service from their customers, here in the comments, in the forums, and I have even seen it when visiting their headquarters in Seattle. That’s a big deal for me, and I like the style and consistency of their products. That would be my personal choice, even though I do like the Juiced brand as well and think that the RipCurrent looks cool :)
ReplyBen
6 years agoIs this bike $1.7k or is it $2.5k? Because when i click the link it says the bike is $2.5k which is a huge difference than what i read above.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoHi Ben, great question… I list the MSRP that the company gives me at time of review. My content gets outdated and many companies run sales or lower the price at different times in the season. Think of this information as a snapshot and guide vs. representing the reality of where the company is at. Others might chime in and you can also discuss in the Juiced Bikes forum.
ReplyRC5
6 years ago*MARCH 2019* – JUICED BIKES RIPCURRENT S FIRMWARE UPDATE for 52V 1st GEN
There is now an ECU / LCD update for your 1st gen Ripcurrent S (52v only) to bring it up to current spec. This will give you 6 levels of assist and several more new features / options in order to get the most from your RCS.
To learn more about this, join the Juiced Bikes Club and click on the post ***ECU UPGRADE FOR 1ST GEN 52V RIPCURRENT S ***
ReplyCourt
6 years agoThanks for the tip, RC5. Hopefully this helps others in the space. I am not a member of this group and cannot personally vouch for the download, but perhaps others in the Juiced Bikes forums will be able to comment on it.
ReplyRC5
6 years agoHi Court, Gee, I wish it were just a simple download! Unfortunately, you have to send the ECU and LCD display back to juiced to get this firmware update done. Juiced claims it’s a 2-week turnaround, which I’m waiting to see if it’s true.
Also, do you ever re-review ebikes? The Ripcurrent and Ripcurrent S have come a long way since your initial ride. Unlike other fat ebikes that you just hop on and ride, Juiced Bikes seem to be more for the DIYers who like to personalize, tinker and upgrade. If reviewed in this light, it may appeal to more. Just a thought.
RC5
6 years agoHi Court, Concerning my Juiced Ripcurrent S update. If you remember I sent my ECU and LCD display to them on the 8th on March for a firmware update for the 1st gen Juiced Ripcurrents to bring them up to current… Well, if you remember, I said Juiced promised me a 2-week turnaround, and it looks like this is actually happening.
Gibram at Juiced Customer Service, has been keeping me abreast on the progress of the update. It looks like it’s already being returned to me as I’ve received numerous emails saying it’s been shipped and here’s the tracking number. If it makes it back to me by the 22nd of March (2 days from now) it will be the first time Juiced has stuck to its word with me. Even if it’s returned close to this date, I will give huge kudos to Juiced for making this happen. They are literally on the other side of the country from me, and to get this done in a timely manner with that distance between us is VERY difficult for any company to pull off. Of course, I’ll need some time to reassemble my RCS and make sure the update works. My next Comment will be when it arrives. RC5
ReplyCourt
6 years agoThat’s awesome! Thanks for the update, RC5. I’m excited to hear updates once the bike arrives, gets tuned up, and ridden some :D
ReplyRC5
6 years agoTHIS JUST IN…. I just received my updated ECU/LCD back from Juiced Bikes for my Ripcurrent. That’s exactly a 14-day turnaround from across country. This cost me a total of $20. I really think Juiced is getting their customer service act together. 2 weeks is pretty impressive from RI to Chula Vista back to RI in only 2 weeks.
Now, I just need to find some time to reinstall these components onto my Ripcurrent and see if it all actually functions properly. I will keep you posted here and on the Juiced Bikes Club pages. RC5
ReplyCourt
6 years agoSweet! Glad things are working out :D
Tim from Minnesota
5 years agoOk, here’s what I did. I ordered a HyperFat 1100 XL and had Juiced set it up like a Rip Current. So… I got the knobby Kenda tires instead of slicks. I got the front and rear fenders with the rear rack. I had them put the riser handlebars on so I could be a bit more upright. I also sprung for a suspension seat that they offer to help add a little more cushion for my big butt (I’m 6’2″ and almost 300 lbs). But, unlike the Rip Current S, I have the big 52 V battery and the 1100 W Bafang motor. So far I’ve had it about a week and have been on it every day!!!
I had it shipped to a bike shop for an expert to assemble and adjust it. This was great for me because I don’t know much about bikes AND I wanted to get a professional opinion on my purchase. The set up took about an hour or a little more. The owner of the shop and his son took it out for a spin and were blown away by the power. They were also very shocked at how heavy the bike was in general AND how heavy the battery is. They are what they are. There’s no question about that, but the weight really adds stability. The best news was that the bike shop owner asked me what I paid and said, “you got a hell of a bike for that.” He told me the components were really good and that he was impressed with the construction. So that’s great for Juiced. They are not skimping on the stuff that matters.
The first day I took it about 20 miles round trip out of town and back. Then I parked it at the bar for a beer. I achieved 32.7 MPH with just throttle only. Also, in Sport mode and me pedaling as fast as I can, I get maybe 2 more MPH, but that’s about it. With the knobbies and my weight on it, it’s just not a 40 MPH bike. But I don’t care cuz I was going more than fast enough. I rode most of the time in pedal assist level 2. This allowed me to go about 24 MPH steady and got me a pretty good workout. I passed everybody on the path from casual Charlie to the guys dressed like Lance Armstrong. It was great. At the bar a ton of people were asking about the bike locked up outside. It definitely drew a crowd and generated a ton of discussion. Oh, I should mention after 28 miles or so the battery was about 1/2 used.
Second day I took it even further in a different direction mostly on rural roads. I noticed a little squeak in the front wheel that I thought was the brake rubbing. I took it back to the bike shop and he adjusted it and also pointed out that he thought it was the “dust covers” on the front wheel that are rubber and designed to keep dirt out of the axle (if that’s the right name for it on a bike). Anyway, he said it would go away before long. It’s not the disc breaks which work amazing and provide tremendous stopping power. I finally depleted the battery and had to charge it up after 2 days of riding.
My 15 year old son (who weighs about 130) has been riding it too. He begs me to ride because it’s so much fun. He can go 37+ MPH with throttle only because he’s so much lighter. He won’t test how fast he can go with Sport mode and pedaling as hard as he can because 37 is fast enough for him. The front headlight is the BOMB!!! I have zero concerns about my son zipping around on this thing at night. You can see him coming a mile away with that light.
So far, so great! 5 stars all the way!!! hope to update after a month or two.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoWow Tim! That’s an awesome update. Thanks for spending some time to really dig in and explain the entire purchase and ride experience. I’m excited for you and your son! I remember my first moped, zipping around at maybe 20 mph and just feeling so free. It’s awesome to ride anything powered when you’re too young to drive a car. I just loved it… Glad your local bike shop was so supportive. It sounds like you live in a really cool town with great people. I look forward to future updates but this was just wonderful to read and I’m sure it will help future interested readers. Thanks again man :)
ReplyJeff
5 years agoThat’s exactly the setup that I’ve been thinking about… HyperFat, but with Knobby Tires…and the largest battery…. If you don’t mind me asking, what was the total purchase price for that setup…??
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