Stealthy Ride1Up CF Racer1 gravel ebike packs carbon frame at half the price of the competition

Ride1Up is known for making some of the most affordable electric bikes around. Now, the company is hoping to bring new features to the sub-$3,000 electric gravel and road bike segment with the launch of the CF Racer1.

The CF Racer1 is a design that Ride1Up is using to pull both gravel and road duties, and features a geared hub motor capable of 250 W of sustained output and pedal assistance with 42 nm of torque at up to 28 mph. The CF Racer1 is clearly not designed for the long haul, with its range rated for 16–40 miles, depending on terrain and riding style.

Ride1Up's CF Racer1 uses the same carbon-fibre frame and fork combo for both the Road and Gravel versions but changes out some of the equipment. For one, the Gravel trim features burlier drop bars with a 15° flare, alongside tougher Continental Terra Trail tyres for a more versatile experience.

The CF Racer1 comes with an 11-speed SRAM Rival 1 drivetrain and SRAM Rival 1 Ergofit brake levers. There's also a VeloFox colour OLED display mounted to the centre of the bars, providing information about things like speed and level of assist. It also features 160 mm SRAM Rival 1 hydraulic disc brakes and enough tyre clearance to install fenders for winter and wet-weather riding.

The best use case for the CF Racer1 seems to be more to offer assistance for brief difficult sections rather than to use as a predominantly-assisted commuter. Ride1Up also sells the handy Roadster battery for $290, effectively doubling the CF Racer1's battery capacity for longer rides at a relatively low price. Other accessories include a luggage rack and rear pannier bags.

At $2,295, Ride1Up happily points out that the CF Racer1 is substantially cheaper and as light as or lighter than other electric gravel and road bikes, like the $3,625 alloy-framed Cannondale Topstone Neo SL2 and the lighter but substantially more expensive $7,699 Orbea GAIN M21E 1X 20MPH.

As part of the launch event, you can back-order the Ride1Up CF Racer1 for $2,195 ($100 off) on Ride1Up's online store.

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