What do you think of the Cafe Cruiser? Support Ebike Escape when purchasing from Ride1Up: go.ride1up.com/aff_c?offer_id=1&aff_id=1005&source=youtube (affiliate link)
All I know is that there are so many good choices at this price range currently that I'd be truly confused as to which one will be best for me. I would hate to pull the trigger on a specific model and then have something else come out later and have buyer's regret.
Great Zoom hydraulic breaks, Bafang 750 watts NOMINAL, 3 inch tires, back-swept handlebars, pre-load/lock-out front shocks, wide/comfy seat, welded back-rack with 130 pound capacity, 11-tooth rear cassette... Best price-point in it's class!! Gonna have to justify buying another ebilke 🤣
I've put 150 miles on my XR and I'm very happy. My wife has the ST and she loves her's. These are our first ebikes and we like how they handle and the power of the hub motor. The best part about these bikes is how they look. The classic design and the welded frame. I picked the latte color and it looks very classy sandy/grey, she picked the indigo which is a deep blue that shimmers in the light. I would recommend the Ride1Up CafeCruiser.
Thanks for all your info!... How are the metal fenders as far as picking up pebble ping? Suppose you could always spray Plasti Dip on the underside to quite them down. Never owened a bike w/fenders before, but I sure like the looks of them! Also, how glossy would you say the your sandy/grey paint is? Hard to tell from website. Thanks!
I rode both the Cruiser and 700 Series and my take is the 700 is more "bike like" and the Cruiser approaches a Moped or Small Motorcycle. Thats not entirely fair but the closest I could come to compare the two. I believe the key difference is the 3" tire is limited to 35 PSI max whereas the 700 series 2.4" tire can be pumped up to 55 PSI which ultimately creates less rolling resistance. I think its the lower tire pressure that gives the impression the Cruiser is a heavier bike even though the Cruiser and 700 are the same weight. One other note the Cruiser is about 6" longer than the 700 Series. If you want a nimble city bike I highly recommend the 700 Series. If your ok with a laid back heavy hauler beach Cruiser then the Cruiser is a nice bike for that. As for Ride1up they are a first rate company to deal with. I am getting ready to order a second bike from them so I can keep up with my wife on her 700 Series.
I view the Cafe Cruiser as more of a beach/boardwalk bike. Not that it's tailored to that use case alone but that's where you see these style of ebikes. But yes, the experience is indeed different than the 700 Series. Good point about it being longer - I should have mentioned that difference! Thanks for your comment.
@@dark_winter8238 You won’t be disappointed with your choice. My wife and I both own 700’s now. We rarely go beyond 150 to 250 watts assist because we want the exercise of pedaling. The assist just levels out the hills for us. Of course if you want to get up and go you can easily hit 28 mph with the top level assist and blow off the golf carts in your neighborhood. That said if I want to go that fast I can always ride my motorcycle. We bike for the exercise and the pleasure of cruising our neighborhood so the speed is not generally our priority. I hope you enjoy your new bike.
@@franklins6644 , what would you think of riding this cruiser in city traffic and over some hills? I'm near the Hollywood Hills of southern California and thinking of a 25-ish (one way) ride across town to the beaches. I like the upright posture of the bike (I also have a dropped handlebar street bike, but even with its triple chainwheel it's more of a workout than I want for this particular ride. (I don't like riding it in heavy city traffic)
@@DanielinLaTuna I have not taken that long a trip on one sitting but I still think the 700 would be a good bike for that. If you use a low pedal assist setting I think you could get a 50 mile round trip but if you run out of battery this bike would not be fun peddling uphill. I did not like the feel of the fat tire bikes because there was too much rolling resistance with the fat tires. Although the 2.4” tires pumped up to higher pressure would be less rolling resistance it’s not zero. If I were looking to ride an ebike for long distances I would pay close attention to range so I could complete the trip with at least some battery assistance. As for riding in traffic etc the 700 series is very nimble and handles very well.
I just received my CC ST (Cafe Cruiser) yesterday. It is my 2nd e-bike. I got my 1st e-bike ($1,050) this past summer around the 4th of July. It is a 250 watt cruiser style also. But I realized, right away, that I should have spent a little more money (the CC ST model is currently $1,595. The XR is onsale for $1,395). I just didn't want to spend a bunch of money on my 1st e-bike and never use it. Man was I wrong! I love (d) it. So, I started researching what I would want on my next bike. 1. More power, for a little more speed and distance. 2. Front suspension. 3. Hydraulic brakes. 4. Passenger seat. To any seniors (I'm 61) thinking about jumping into to e-bike market.....Do your research. Not just for a reputable Company, but for "what you want" in your 1st e-bike. I wanted one because I wanted to get off the couch, get some exercise, give the grandkids rides too (they absolutely LOVE to take rides with me). Buying an e-bike was/is absolutely one of the best adult decisions that I have ever made. You'll get WAY more exercise (IMO) because you will ride your e-bike a lot more often, plus ride faster, plus ride longer (because you are having so much fun). If you are too tired to ride? Just take a cruise on pedal assist (PAS) 5 the whole time and have a blast. Next thing you know, you will have rode for 30-60 mins. Unless you have ALL flat streets, paths, etc.......at least get a 500 watt motor. Now for the CC thoughts......I was only able to ride it for about an hour yesterday but I can already tell it surpasses my expectations. Plenty of power. The passenger seat option is awesome. The shifting is super smooth. That 8th gear really makes a difference and it was super easy to assemble. The reason I settled on the CC was for the passenger kit and I also felt I was getting my best bang for the buck with the Ride1up components. If it wasn't for the passenger kit, I would have gotten the 700 from Ride1up. Summary....All Senior Citizens (my age group)....Research, research, research.....then BUY an e-bike ASAP! Almost forgot to mention one my favorite things about riding....not the exercise....It's the release of endorphins you get while you are riding. It's invigorating! Also, riding at sunrise? Wow. My favorite time to ride. Good luck. I'm not affiliated with any bike Company. I'm just a very happy customer.
Thanks for the review, I watched this in anticipation of getting one in Denver's EBike Rebate program. Something I never saw in the reviews that one of the store techs accidentally figured out the same day I test rode: Holding the (-) button the speed assist selector panel puts it in 'Walk mode" where it will assist you very slightly in walking the bike around. Fun feature I hadn't considered at all.
This is a standard function, that we forget to show most of the time. We have been in that tech's shoes a couple of times. Great test of reflex's to try and catch a ebike 😂
So I’m waiting for delivery of the 700 but after seeing your review, wondering if you like the Café cruiser better and I should return + exchange. Hill climb better on this than the 700? I have a 2 km hill with some stupid ascents on the way home from work, and will otherwise use the bike for shopping and errands, summer and winter. Really wish Ride1Up would open an affiliate / shipping office somewhere here in Canada.
Nice review thanks, I've seen all your R1U videos and settled on the 500XR and I love it. I've also been wanting to do videos of my rides like you do and was wondering if you could tell me who makes the chest cam harness you use for filming? Or maybe you have a link to it? Thanks!
Hi there! It's just a cheap one I've had for years. If I were to buy one now I'd probably get the official GoPro one as I assume it's higher quality and I use it a lot.
Great in depth review of CC! ... Interesting observation about rear tail being slightly obscured by the behemoth rear rack. R1U designers should have used a plate to mount the tail light to be more visible, especially when the bike is designed to carry children. I'm surprised more manufacturers of eBikes dont intergrade higher output led's with flashing modes. May have to wait for the 2G and let R1U iron out the kinks? Looking forward to your review of how the CC handles with the extra weight of cargo!
I’ve been shopping around for an bike for about a year now only just heard of this company today. Was really close to picking up either the walkee x3 pro or the cyrusher xr690, but I’m thinking this cruiser will be the better option. And that blue color is probably my favorite I’ve seen. Just kinda bummed about the basic screen on this one. Is it possible to upgrade the screen yourself down the line? Thanks for the great in depth review!
I just received mine. It's a decent bike all together, but there reason I bought it was for the 750w motor. The part number on the motor itself is very clearly a 500w motor. I'm pretty pissed about that. I could've just gone with the velotric instead of that's the case
The controller and tuning is what really determines the motors power. So the motor may be a 500w, but the controller is probably supplying more power then that.
@@EbikeEscape I watched the display and I could see it pulling over 750. It's my first one and I was confused on what defines 750. I had a good ride up a steep hill and found it plenty powerful.
I've been riding since my mid-teen and one habit I have (except with my current 27-speed road bike -- short wheelbase makes it squirrelly) is riding without holding the handlebars. Would that be possible/advisable on this ebike? Thanks in advance
You could easily still do that. Is it advised? Probably not. But you will only be getting motor power when you are actually pedaling. So it shouldn't be much different then riding your normal bike. -JT
Both are nice ebikes. This has a different seating position and slightly different style. The cafe cruiser feels more like a beach cruiser style bike, while the 700 series feels like a city commuter.
What do you think of the Cafe Cruiser? Support Ebike Escape when purchasing from Ride1Up: go.ride1up.com/aff_c?offer_id=1&aff_id=1005&source=youtube (affiliate link)
Fiido t1 review next? :)
All I know is that there are so many good choices at this price range currently that I'd be truly confused as to which one will be best for me. I would hate to pull the trigger on a specific model and then have something else come out later and have buyer's regret.
Great Zoom hydraulic breaks, Bafang 750 watts NOMINAL, 3 inch tires, back-swept handlebars, pre-load/lock-out front shocks, wide/comfy seat, welded back-rack with 130 pound capacity, 11-tooth rear cassette... Best price-point in it's class!!
Gonna have to justify buying another ebilke 🤣
I've put 150 miles on my XR and I'm very happy. My wife has the ST and she loves her's. These are our first ebikes and we like how they handle and the power of the hub motor. The best part about these bikes is how they look. The classic design and the welded frame. I picked the latte color and it looks very classy sandy/grey, she picked the indigo which is a deep blue that shimmers in the light. I would recommend the Ride1Up CafeCruiser.
Thanks for all your info!... How are the metal fenders as far as picking up pebble ping? Suppose you could always spray Plasti Dip on the underside to quite them down. Never owened a bike w/fenders before, but I sure like the looks of them! Also, how glossy would you say the your sandy/grey paint is? Hard to tell from website.
Thanks!
I love this bike, Bought it for my Dad so he could join me on my rides.
Awesome! Such a fun way to spend time with family.
I rode both the Cruiser and 700 Series and my take is the 700 is more "bike like" and the Cruiser approaches a Moped or Small Motorcycle. Thats not entirely fair but the closest I could come to compare the two. I believe the key difference is the 3" tire is limited to 35 PSI max whereas the 700 series 2.4" tire can be pumped up to 55 PSI which ultimately creates less rolling resistance. I think its the lower tire pressure that gives the impression the Cruiser is a heavier bike even though the Cruiser and 700 are the same weight. One other note the Cruiser is about 6" longer than the 700 Series. If you want a nimble city bike I highly recommend the 700 Series. If your ok with a laid back heavy hauler beach Cruiser then the Cruiser is a nice bike for that. As for Ride1up they are a first rate company to deal with. I am getting ready to order a second bike from them so I can keep up with my wife on her 700 Series.
I view the Cafe Cruiser as more of a beach/boardwalk bike. Not that it's tailored to that use case alone but that's where you see these style of ebikes. But yes, the experience is indeed different than the 700 Series. Good point about it being longer - I should have mentioned that difference! Thanks for your comment.
Thank you Franklin. Helped me decide on the 700.
@@dark_winter8238 You won’t be disappointed with your choice. My wife and I both own 700’s now. We rarely go beyond 150 to 250 watts assist because we want the exercise of pedaling. The assist just levels out the hills for us. Of course if you want to get up and go you can easily hit 28 mph with the top level assist and blow off the golf carts in your neighborhood. That said if I want to go that fast I can always ride my motorcycle. We bike for the exercise and the pleasure of cruising our neighborhood so the speed is not generally our priority. I hope you enjoy your new bike.
@@franklins6644 , what would you think of riding this cruiser in city traffic and over some hills? I'm near the Hollywood Hills of southern California and thinking of a 25-ish (one way) ride across town to the beaches. I like the upright posture of the bike (I also have a dropped handlebar street bike, but even with its triple chainwheel it's more of a workout than I want for this particular ride. (I don't like riding it in heavy city traffic)
@@DanielinLaTuna I have not taken that long a trip on one sitting but I still think the 700 would be a good bike for that. If you use a low pedal assist setting I think you could get a 50 mile round trip but if you run out of battery this bike would not be fun peddling uphill. I did not like the feel of the fat tire bikes because there was too much rolling resistance with the fat tires. Although the 2.4” tires pumped up to higher pressure would be less rolling resistance it’s not zero. If I were looking to ride an ebike for long distances I would pay close attention to range so I could complete the trip with at least some battery assistance. As for riding in traffic etc the 700 series is very nimble and handles very well.
I just got mine put together and took a first ride! I love it so much already! Cannot wait to hit some National Parks and ride.
Enjoy!
How is your bike doing after 2 months? Any gripes or regrets? Thanks. I really like the looks
I just received my CC ST (Cafe Cruiser) yesterday. It is my 2nd e-bike. I got my 1st e-bike ($1,050) this past summer around the 4th of July. It is a 250 watt cruiser style also. But I realized, right away, that I should have spent a little more money (the CC ST model is currently $1,595. The XR is onsale for $1,395). I just didn't want to spend a bunch of money on my 1st e-bike and never use it. Man was I wrong! I love (d) it. So, I started researching what I would want on my next bike. 1. More power, for a little more speed and distance. 2. Front suspension. 3. Hydraulic brakes. 4. Passenger seat.
To any seniors (I'm 61) thinking about jumping into to e-bike market.....Do your research. Not just for a reputable Company, but for "what you want" in your 1st e-bike. I wanted one because I wanted to get off the couch, get some exercise, give the grandkids rides too (they absolutely LOVE to take rides with me). Buying an e-bike was/is absolutely one of the best adult decisions that I have ever made. You'll get WAY more exercise (IMO) because you will ride your e-bike a lot more often, plus ride faster, plus ride longer (because you are having so much fun). If you are too tired to ride? Just take a cruise on pedal assist (PAS) 5 the whole time and have a blast. Next thing you know, you will have rode for 30-60 mins.
Unless you have ALL flat streets, paths, etc.......at least get a 500 watt motor.
Now for the CC thoughts......I was only able to ride it for about an hour yesterday but I can already tell it surpasses my expectations. Plenty of power. The passenger seat option is awesome. The shifting is super smooth. That 8th gear really makes a difference and it was super easy to assemble.
The reason I settled on the CC was for the passenger kit and I also felt I was getting my best bang for the buck with the Ride1up components. If it wasn't for the passenger kit, I would have gotten the 700 from Ride1up.
Summary....All Senior Citizens (my age group)....Research, research, research.....then BUY an e-bike ASAP!
Almost forgot to mention one my favorite things about riding....not the exercise....It's the release of endorphins you get while you are riding. It's invigorating! Also, riding at sunrise? Wow. My favorite time to ride. Good luck.
I'm not affiliated with any bike Company. I'm just a very happy customer.
Thank you for sharing your input. I know your advice will definitely help someone else make a better ebike purchasing decision.
Thanks for the review, I watched this in anticipation of getting one in Denver's EBike Rebate program. Something I never saw in the reviews that one of the store techs accidentally figured out the same day I test rode:
Holding the (-) button the speed assist selector panel puts it in 'Walk mode" where it will assist you very slightly in walking the bike around. Fun feature I hadn't considered at all.
This is a standard function, that we forget to show most of the time.
We have been in that tech's shoes a couple of times. Great test of reflex's to try and catch a ebike 😂
Thanks for the review..will def be going with this bike..XR step over in indigo blue..will use your link
So I’m waiting for delivery of the 700 but after seeing your review, wondering if you like the Café cruiser better and I should return + exchange. Hill climb better on this than the 700? I have a 2 km hill with some stupid ascents on the way home from work, and will otherwise use the bike for shopping and errands, summer and winter. Really wish Ride1Up would open an affiliate / shipping office somewhere here in Canada.
Nice review thanks, I've seen all your R1U videos and settled on the 500XR and I love it. I've also been wanting to do videos of my rides like you do and was wondering if you could tell me who makes the chest cam harness you use for filming? Or maybe you have a link to it? Thanks!
Hi there! It's just a cheap one I've had for years. If I were to buy one now I'd probably get the official GoPro one as I assume it's higher quality and I use it a lot.
On the store reviews someone said their tubes popped like 4 times in a matter of months. Others had tube issues as well. It’s a beauty though
Interesting, no issues on our end with quite a bit of riding.
@@EbikeEscape yeah I’m really hoping they are flukes as I’m very interested in getting this bike for my wife and using it myself 😉
Great in depth review of CC! ... Interesting observation about rear tail being slightly obscured by the behemoth rear rack. R1U designers should have used a plate to mount the tail light to be more visible, especially when the bike is designed to carry children. I'm surprised more manufacturers of eBikes dont intergrade higher output led's with flashing modes. May have to wait for the 2G and let R1U iron out the kinks?
Looking forward to your review of how the CC handles with the extra weight of cargo!
Thanks! I would love to see better lights on all ebikes. I still have not seen a flashing mode on an ebike light. Thanks for watching!
I agree about the lights. This bike is missing an integrated brake light, which isn't necessary but, I feel, offers an extra layer of safety.
I’ve been shopping around for an bike for about a year now only just heard of this company today. Was really close to picking up either the walkee x3 pro or the cyrusher xr690, but I’m thinking this cruiser will be the better option. And that blue color is probably my favorite I’ve seen.
Just kinda bummed about the basic screen on this one. Is it possible to upgrade the screen yourself down the line?
Thanks for the great in depth review!
Hi Shawn, I've reached out to Ride1Up about a potential for an upgraded display - stay tuned!
Nice looking bike and the color is fantastic. Wonder if it's painted or powder coated. Another awesome review video, thanks!
Thank you! Yeah not sure - either way it looks great.
I just received mine. It's a decent bike all together, but there reason I bought it was for the 750w motor. The part number on the motor itself is very clearly a 500w motor. I'm pretty pissed about that. I could've just gone with the velotric instead of that's the case
The controller and tuning is what really determines the motors power. So the motor may be a 500w, but the controller is probably supplying more power then that.
@@EbikeEscape I watched the display and I could see it pulling over 750. It's my first one and I was confused on what defines 750. I had a good ride up a steep hill and found it plenty powerful.
Thoughts on the Turris from ride 1up
Great option - we've reviewed it.
If 'yall had to pick one, either the Aventon Level or this, which one would you lean towards and why?
Both great bikes. Probably comes down to whether you want a cruiser bike and whether you need the additional capacity on the rear rack.
@@EbikeEscape I am also debating between these two. But the level 2.0. The original Level 1.0 is marked down this memproa; day weekend for 1399.
Good price-value ratio
Is the rear light a brake light also?
How did you get the seat? They told me mine wouldn't arrive for another month.
It was sent to me for review.
I've been riding since my mid-teen and one habit I have (except with my current 27-speed road bike -- short wheelbase makes it squirrelly) is riding without holding the handlebars. Would that be possible/advisable on this ebike? Thanks in advance
You could easily still do that. Is it advised? Probably not. But you will only be getting motor power when you are actually pedaling. So it shouldn't be much different then riding your normal bike. -JT
3 inches is a fat tire bike on the low side.
That's fair. Thanks for watching!
Did you have to buy the easyfit seat adaptor to fit the Thule Yelp Maxi Child seat?
You do not, check out our Cafe Cruiser accessories video - more info there.
How would you compare this bike with their 700 ?
Both are nice ebikes. This has a different seating position and slightly different style. The cafe cruiser feels more like a beach cruiser style bike, while the 700 series feels like a city commuter.