I test rode a Riide bike out of their new 9th street store in early December. I had previously tested a Faraday (at BicyclespaceDC) and a Specialized Turbo (at Freshbikes in Arlington). The Riide looks kind of home-made, or maybe badass, depending on your personal aesthetic. Obvious welds and flat-black powder coat. Still, the test ride was a lot of fun. I tried the same hill that Court Rye rode on the video review. I was following a line of bike commuters and I had to lay off the throttle to keep from overtaking them, which would have seemed like cheating. The throttle control is great for getting going from a dead stop. I'm not so keen on having to hold on to the throttle to keep the power on long term. The torque sensors in the Faraday and the Turbo are superior. I see the e-assist as more of a temporary thing, to get you going from a start, or to help you up a hill. The bike would be really fine for within a city, though. I'll probably not get a Riide, since my commute is a bit long (9 miles each way) and somewhat hilly. Still, I think that their $79/month lease option is very innovative. It's a clever way to overcome the sticker shock that many people would encounter when evaluating a new purpose-built e-bike. The Faraday and Turbo are great bikes, each in their own way, but at $3500 and $3000, respectively, and without all of the racks and stuff that commuters would want, many folks would not consider that kind of commitment.
