To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by RIZE Bikes. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of RIZE products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the RIZE electric bike forums.
Pros:
- Great price for an electric minibike with “all the fixins” including durable plastic fenders, integrated lights, an adjustable suspension fork, and even a rear rack! I like that they sell a battery pack upgrade and many other “guaranteed to work” accessories and have three colors to choose from
- Pretty decent drivetrain here… they chose a seven speed with 11-32 tooth Nickle plated freewheel vs. the standard 14 to 28 tooth setup, and the Acera derailleur is three steps up from the base! I also like the sporty trigger shifters vs. the usual big SIS thumb shifters on other value priced electric bicycles
- Powerful fat-bike specific Bafang geared hub motor feels very zippy with full throttle override in any of the 1-7 assist levels. The fact that they default to 7 vs. 5 gives you more subtle assist options… but the display lets you choose 3, 5, 7, or 9 steps as you wish
- The display is great, it lets you adjust the top speed from 6mph (9.6km/h) to 28mph (45km/h), shows your battery percentage, and even lets you set a password to prevent tampering with the bike
- Given that RIZE offers two battery sizes, I think it’s great that the REENTION pack has a built-in USB A charging port. And, the port is up high on the right, so easy to reach and use while riding. Consider a right-angle USB adapter from Amazon to reach the handlebars without having wires stick out and get in the way as you’re pedaling
- One of the options is an electronic horn, which has its own Micro-USB charging port built in. If you add this horn, it positions the USB charger right next to the display for even more convenience than the port on the battery pack
- The 52 tooth chainring has an aluminum alloy guide protecting your pant or dress ends and keeping the chain on track, if you ride over bumpy terrain. This is a great feature, especially if you go off road and use the throttle a lot
- I appreciate that this ebike comes with a steel derailleur guard, to protect the derailleur, shifter cable, and motor power cable on the right side of the bike. This is especially nice for products that are shipped direct to consumer (as the RIZE Bikes products mostly are). They also include a branded neoprene slap guard, that will keep the pretty paint from getting chipped and greasy over time if you go off-road a lot
- It’s cool that the company offers free shipping in the contiguous US and Canada, along with a one year comprehensive warranty. They have shipping points in both the US and Canada as well, so arrival times and support should both be pretty good
- Good weight distribution, the battery pack is low and center on this bike. Both battery pack sizes fit into the same slot in the downtube, but the larger option spills out just a bit to the left side. It did not cause problems for me when pedaling because the bike seat is already so wide… which I list as a con down below
- This bike performed very well in soft sand, after I lowered the tire pressure a bit. It has plenty of power, and both the throttle and pedal assist were smooth and responsive. It has a 12-magnet sealed cadence sensor, so it won’t get bumped or messy the way that external sensors might
- Great kickstand placement on the rear left, clear of the left crank arm and your shoes as you pedal. I also like how they hid the powerful 26 Amp controller under the saddle and sort of block it visually with the black metal sheets on both sides. By having a separate controller, they keep the price of the bike lower and reduce heat hear the battery, which extends battery lifespan
- It’s great that the battery is removable, because this reduces the weight of the bike, making it easier to move. This also allows you to store the pack in a cool dry location vs. extremely cold (which saps range) or extremely hot (which actually damages the cells over time). Keep the pack charged at 50% if you aren’t using it for long periods, and avoid going under 20% because that strains the cells a bit
- I appreciate that RIZE Bikes includes a bottle cage with the bike. It’s a unique adjustable design that is installed below the saddle by default. If there’s no bottle in it, the cage might rattle a bit… and the position could have your bottle leaking and dripping since it’s flat vs. upright or at an angle, but at least they included it!
- The suspension fork offers preload adjust to “pre load” the spring for heavier riders or dual-rider setup. You can also lock out the front fork, to reduce bobbing if the terrain is smooth. The saddle felt very padded and the ergonomic grips were comfortable
- Excellent choice with hydraulic disc brakes and larger 180mm rotors here. Both the brake rotors and hub motor get a mechanical advantage, turning smaller 20″ wheels here. Hydraulic disc brakes are easier to pull, and more consistent between the left and right levers compared to mechanical. They also have adjustable reach levers, so you can set them up for smaller or larger hands, and use more comfortably with gloves
- I noticed that the flip-down foot pegs are made from aluminum alloy and are mounted to square pads with ridges to prevent spinning. The end cap for the pegs appeared to be plastic, so they won’t mar walls if you lean the bike or accidentally scrape while walking by
- The included battery charger is from a company that I recognize called Sans, and it’s fairly compact and lightweight. The real win here however, is that it’s rated at 3 amps vs. just 2, so it will charge faster! This is great news if you opt for the higher capacity battery option ;)
- Pretty nice cable wrap choice here, most of the cables are internally routed through the frame (at least through the main portion of the downtube), and they went with black rims, spokes, hubs, and even fender support arms! It all matches and looks great
- I mentioned the blinking rear light earlier, and just want to highlight this again… it’s a feature that very few ebike lights offer, and you can activate it by holding the up arrow again after you’ve held it once to first activate the lights. This could keep you more visible in some situations and is a cool option in my opinion. There’s also cruise control built in, if you hold the throttle consistently for 8-10 seconds. I’m not sure if this is a great feature however, because it could surprise you by staying on when you expected that releasing the throttle would slow down. Thankfully, both brake levers have motor inhibitors for instant cutoff
- This is a really minor detail, but I love the flick bell that RIZE chose for their Blade model. It sounds great and just feels more reliable and sturdy than a lot of the other basic bells that come with most value priced electric bicycles I see
Cons:
- RIZE Bikes is brand new, and that brings some risk of failure or short-term changes… but I recognize team members from other companies dating back to 2016, and they came onto the scene with a great selection of bikes that really nail the details, and the prices are good
- With the above-average 136kg 300lb maximum recommended weight, the bike seems like a good option for heavier riders or those who are hauling cargo (since the rack can handle 25kg 55lbs), but it would be easy to go over this if you actually bring a passenger. Just be careful with two riders, because handling will change, and make sure they don’t accidentally scoot back onto the rack, because it will bend and break
- The headlight is bright and durable, it points where you steer and is attached to a bracket with knurls to keep it from slipping side to side, but it is not easy to see from the sides because the front lens is recessed and there aren’t any side cutouts
- Since this bike doesn’t use a traditional saddle on a seat post, you cannot use a suspension seat post or raise and lower the seating position. This means that you miss out on some comfort options and may struggle to achieve optimal leg extension in most cases, and the wider banana seat design can rub on your inner thighs and cause a sort of frog-legged seating position. The bike is setup more like a scooter than a true bicycle
- Smaller wheel diameter usually means lower air volume and higher attack angle, which translates to less comfort. At least in this case, the four inch width increases air volume and stability, but you may still feel more of the road bumps than a full sized 26″+ wheel and steering can get a little twitchy if you lower the air pressure for sand (as I did in the video review above)
- The battery charging port is low on the left side of the bike, right inline with the left crank arm. So, you have to bend over to plug it in and if you bump the cranks, they may unplug or bend the plug… ideally the charging port would be up by the USB port on the top right side of the pack
- Weighing in at nearly 70lbs with the rear rack installed, this is not a lightweight ebike… and that’s with the smaller battery pack. Add another 1.3lbs for the larger upgrade. I recommend removing the battery pack before lifting, to reduce weight by ~10lbs. Perhaps RIZE Bikes could have upgraded to punched-out rims to reduce weight, but that might also impact the maximum load capacity
- The button pad near the left grip has long + and – buttons, which adjusts assist level, and the way the plastic is designed makes it vulnerable to snags. I have seen this type of button pad get snagged and ripped up, which bends the plastic and may even break it. Just be extra careful with your left arm and sleeve to protect the button pad. Perhaps RIZE could change to a different type of button pad in the future if people see this issue frequently. I’ve only seen it once
- Be careful with the rear rack if you install it, because it’s fairly wide and is easy to bonk your shin or knee on… this happened to me during the test ride because I swing my leg around back. The standover height and minimum saddle height is fairly high on these minibikes vs. a step-thru or high-step diamond with sloped top tube. I also noticed that a super tall rider could hit their knees on the front handlebar unless it’s swiveled forward or they scoot back, and then there won’t be a lot of space for a passenger
Rod says
I’m in Canada Ottawa, 6’2″ tall, weigh 200lbs. I own a yellow Blade with upgraded battery. It’s my fourth ebike, also have Easy Motion, VoltBike 750, RadRover and a couple of Daymak scooters.
The button pad is close to the throttle, I keep hitting the minus button and then my throttle doesn’t work. I moved it away from the brake lever to help solve this. I also bought a stem extender, so no knee strike problems when pedaling now. ps. in the United States, Rize has upgrade kits for off-roading this and other models (shhhhhh).
Thanks EBR
plz don’t wear spandex… plz
only Lance Armstrong is allowed
Court says
Oh! Great tip about moving the button pad back, I can totally see how it would be easy to accidentally press the minus button, thanks Rod! Also, yeah, the bikes can be unlocked to go a bit faster off-road, nice! As far as spandex… probably not in my future, lol, thanks again man, it sounds like you’ve got lots of fun ebikes to play with! I haven’t been to Ottowa yet, but if I do, let’s go for a ride :D
Ted says
Loved the review (and video review) and actually have one of these on the way.
Rod – can you share a couple links or photos that capture the mods (to the seat and the button pad) you made? Both sound extremely helpful. Thanks!
Jess says
Out of the 4 ebikes, is the Blade your favorite? the others aren’t scramblers so they have more adjustability
Mike says
So this used to be Spark Bikes.
Vishal says
Just wonder if I can apply the quad sticker kit from https://www.mx.graphics/?? Please advise.
Court says
Hi Vishal! I looked through the website a bit, cool stuff! I think you probably could stick some different decals to the black side covers on this bike, and possibly some of the tubing. I don’t think it has as much surface area as a motorbike or quad, but those stickers could still look cool. Good luck! I’d love to see your end results if you do this, post a picture in the RIZE Ebikes forums for us!
Vishal says
Will do this for sure. Thanks
Michael Stefano says
Hello Court, I love all you do for the eBike world. I have a gorgeous yellow Blade on the way. I’d like to mention I was on the lookout for a scrambler style bike with a formidable drivetrain. Saw the 11/32 – 52 tooth setup here, and after I spoke with Peter from Rize, I pulled the trigger. I wrote them about the off road kit. Will I get access to that by default, or is it an upgrade?
Thanks Again,
Mike Stefano
Court says
Congrats, Michael! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. RIZE has been doing a great job with their products. As for the off-road upgrade, I would ask them directly. It seems like the faster mode could just be unlocked for free as long as you grand permission or sign a disclaimer. That’s how it works for some other brands. They understand that people might want to ride off-road or on private property, so they allow it if explicitly requested :)
Jason says
Hi Court, would you know how many amp does the Rize Blade bike controller gives off for the Canadian version? I see that it is 26 AMP controller but not sure how much amp it provides to the motor. I recently placed a preorder but my order was for 500w Bafang motor. I recently learned that Rize is offering 750w and 1000w motor for their August shipment. I want to know if it makes sense to change my order and take up the 750w or even 1000w motor. Thank you in advance.
Court says
Hi Jason! I sent your question to my contact in RIZE and just heard back! They said “We use a 22amp controller for 500watt motors and a 26amps controller for 750watt and 1000watt motors”. I hope this helps you out :D
Jason Le says
Thanks, Court.
I see the motor for the US version is Bafang G060.750.D, would you know if this is the same motor for the Canadian version?
Jason
Court says
Good question, Jason. Thanks for your patience while I searched for an answer. I actually contacted RIZE and was told “In the US it’s not the same motor. We use Bafang G060.750 which is a real 750watt and goes on full throttle 28mph. While in, Canada it’s Bafang G060.500 which is 500watt.”
That’s a pretty honest and straightforward answer! That’s why I love RIZE, I hope it helps you :D
Danny B says
Hey there Court, I am quite interested in a few of rizes bikes the Rize X and Rize RX, However I have read and watched youtube videos of people complaining about Rize’s customer support being non-existent, Now I know people are much more likely to complain about something than they are to praise something, so I am curious what is your opinion of Rize as a company, should I take the complaints to heart and stay clear of Rize?
I like rizes bikes, like they come standard with hydraulic breaks, price, look of the bikes, bufang motors, they are local to me (i live in Surrey, BC), the list goes on, but is it worth the risk if any?
Court says
Hi Danny! Sorry for the very slow reply to your comment. I’m not fully up to speed with RIZE and not aware of major customer support complaints. It’s a tricky topic because the industry is going crazy right now and many bikes are sold out… this leads to unhappy customers who have to wait longer to get their bikes. I personally liked the Blade and can appreciate their other products (just looking at pictures) but don’t have much more to add right now. I do see some posts in the RIZE forums talking about support issues, and that’s too bad :/
Cortlandt says
I just have a question, how do you take the default speed from unlock speed to get to 8-9 instead of just 0-7?
Court says
Great question Cortlandt! I’m not 100% sure, because sometimes these companies update their displays and controller software multiple times per year… but if you get into the display settings by turning the display on and then pressing the power button twice quickly, there may be a way to change the number of assist levels :D
Susy C says
Hello Court, I really enjoy all of your videos and always looking forward to them and especially for the Liberty which is in the same “creno” as the HyperScorpion. There is not a lot of choices for someone who is 5″1 like me and wants something fast, powerful and a joy to pedal… most of them are not made for pedaling and this is something important to me. I already own the Rize Mini which I love, but due to my inseam I find it “limit”. Thanks for your great work!
Court says
You’re welcome, Susy! I’m glad you found a bike that works, even if it’s just barely a fit. RIZE has been doing a great job, I’m very impressed with them and hope they provide you with great support ongoing :)
Phil says
Hi Court, I’m planning on buying a fat ebike (my first ebike) next summer for some mainly off-road riding (rough trails, soft ground etc.), and I’d love to see a full review of the Rize X. I’m also looking hard at the Rad Rover (it seems like a great brand), but the Rize X sounds like more of an off-road choice. I like the price and features of the Rize X, including the hydraulic brakes and the torque sensor. I’ve also seen some of the comments on customer support issues at Rize, and I understand your comment on the state of the industry in these times, but I think Id be willing to take a chance.
As a general comment, in researching the ebike concept I’ve found your site and its reviews extremely useful, and a go-to resource for a newbie. Thanks for any suggestions, and I’ll be following your site regularly.
Cheers!
Court says
Hi Phil! Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I like what RIZE is doing and appreciate the different options out there. The RIZE X does look cool and I hope to cover it someday. The site here is meant to be objective and data rich, but also friendly, and extremely open to feedback and community input (in the forums especially). I’m glad it has been good for you, and I appreciate the support and encouragement :D
Chris says
When you reviewed the Blade in Canada, you mentioned you were on a Canadian version 500w and you were respecting the 32kmph. But when you are talking about the screen settings and the Max speed, it clearly shows you were at 45kmph. Did you have the 750w or 500w version for this review. Obviously it was unlocked for your ride. Would be nice if the 500w went that fast unlocked. I’m thinking you may have been a 750w. Let me know. I’m thinking of getting the 500w. Thanks How Tall are you? 6ft?
Court says
Hi Chris, I’m 5’9″ 135lbs and am not sure which version I was on? I didn’t realize that I was going that fast, or perhaps I thought it was the wheel size setting being off (like set for a 26″ wheel even though the Blade uses 20″. My goal is to follow the rules and often times I’m relying on manufacturers to communicate what they are providing. The bike definitely felt powerful and I was impressed with the product. Perhaps your best approach would be to contact RIZE directly and speak with Ace about the options for motor and top speed. Maybe the bike can be unlocked for off road use? Maybe that’s what I was given here.
Whitney Cowles says
Please review other Rize bikes. They seem to have a nice lineup yet not that many reviews out there.
Court says
Hi Whitney! I agree, and they have been on my list for a while but travel and some prior commitments have gotten in the way. Thanks for the request :D
Christopher Cramer says
Hi, how close to the Blade do you think the Blade 2 would be? I pre ordered the Blade 2 because I like the dual battery system, the 1000 watt hub motor and the full suspension.
Court says
Hi Christopher! I haven’t looked closely at the Blade 2, but I suspect it offers minor refinements and some cosmetic changes. I wish I had more time to look into this for you, but I’m doing some family stuff right now and also working on programming. Perhaps you can get some feedback on the EBR forums in the RIZE Bikes area.
Paul says
Can anyone comment on the Rize Leisure. I am 78 yrs old with bad knees, so looking for comfort and using the throttle mainly.