Help choosing folding ebike please

JillMary

New Member
Region
USA
Would love some input on my first folding ebike. Needs to be under $1K, lighter weight, and for a rider that's only 5'1" and 96 lbs. I'm a senior citizen. I'm looking at:
1. Ride1Up Portola
2. Revel 2
3. VIVI MT20UL
4. KBO K2
Any input or other consideration would be really appreciated. Thank you in advance
 
Would love some input on my first folding ebike. Needs to be under $1K, lighter weight, and for a rider that's only 5'1" and 96 lbs. I'm a senior citizen. I'm looking at:
1. Ride1Up Portola
2. Revel 2
3. VIVI MT20UL
4. KBO K2
Any input or other consideration would be really appreciated. Thank you in advance
I'd avoid the KBO K2, I've read problems with poor quality control on that model. The Vivi is heavy at 52lb. The Portola is heavier, weighing 59lb. The Revi Rebel 2 is heaviest at weighs 65lb. I'd avoid all four bikes on your list. Here are some other lightweight ebikes for your consideration, they all weigh around 42lb with the battery fitted:
  • Zizzo eForte. Based on the well regarded Zizzo Forte folding pedal bike. It has rim brakes but it has brake inhibitors on the levers which stop the motor and the rim brakes work well on my Zizzo Liberte folding pedal bike. It is a Class 2 ebike with a throttle. Were I in the market for a folding ebike under $1,000 this is the one I'd choose.
  • Qualisports Volador. $200 over your budget, it has mechanical disk brakes. It does not have brake inhibitors, however it is available to be shipped to and serviced by many local dealers. It is a Class 2 ebike with a throttle.
  • Dahon K-One mid-drive (used, but in nearly new condition with only 98 miles on the odo). $350 over your budget. It has a TSDZ2 mid-drive motor. If you live in an area with steep hills this is the one to get because the mid-drive motor is a better hill climber than the hub motors on the other two bikes. It also does not have brake inhibitors. It is a Class 1 ebike with no throttle.
 
Last edited:
Here's my Huffy Oslo folder, it was under $400 incuding shipping and tax. Though it needed to be "fixed" with a new controller, freewheel and derailluer, so more like $500. It's under 40 pounds and fits in the boot of my VW Golf with luggage.

What I want to say is get one that folds for where you want to put it, and is light enough that you can comfortably lift it.

PXL_20240926_153002699.jpg
 
I recently gave away my Lectric XP 3.0. It was a great ebike BUT it was heavy and the battery was tricky to remove. If I was to do it again (meaning I needed a folder) I would consider a Lectric XP Lite belt drive. Or a Blix Vika X. What exactly is your intended use for a light folder? Exercise? Commuting? Exploring your neighborhood? Your use needs will factor in to helping you pin down a folder that will better fit your needs.
 
I recently gave away my Lectric XP 3.0. It was a great ebike BUT it was heavy and the battery was tricky to remove. If I was to do it again (meaning I needed a folder) I would consider a Lectric XP Lite belt drive. Or a Blix Vika X. What exactly is your intended use for a light folder? Exercise? Commuting? Exploring your neighborhood? Your use needs will factor in to helping you pin down a folder that will better fit your needs.
Desired use exercise, fresh air, and fun. Have been considering the Lectric XP Lite too. Thanks for your assistance.
 
The 20" fat tire bikes you mentioned in your first post have really put like a quarter million or more Americans onto two wheels. They're nice in that you can ride on mud, hard packed sand, or light snow, but you still might fall down. Also fairly inexpensive and rugged. All have plenty of power unless you want to ride at 25 mph with cars.

The tradeoff is the 60 lbs, which you'll have to heft if you try to fold these bikes and put them in a car, They're too heavy for conventional bike racks, so you need to buy a heavy rack to carry them behind your cars. You still have to lift then. You also don't need those fat tires if all you do is ride on pavement, which is why the Lectric Lite XP is popular,

The bikes that Dewey mentioned are not as popular. I have not seen many skinny tire folding bikes when I ride. Here's a size comparison of a fat tire and a skinny tire 2-" folder. Both are mine. There's about a 20 lb weight difference, That shows up in how quick the bikes respond to pedal effort. The smaller wheels have quicker handling, Some riders prefer the more measured feel of the bigger heavier bike,

P1110414.jpg

In any case, I gave the big 20" fat tire to my son. We have four of these unpopular(?) ebikes with small 20" wheels. They can be fitted for smaller riders. My granddaughter, not much smaller than the OP just took to ebiking this past summer.

My wife and I have over 5000 miles on them, Ridden them mostly on pavement, but they can handle groomed gravel.
P1100699.JPGR5200712.JPG

Just wanted to mention there are big and small folding 20" ebikes. and both have their tradeoffs. We use ours now mostly for travel. It was easier to pack them when we only had a small wagon,
 
Thank you for your input. Still thinking about the skinnier tire, stability wise, although they are much lighter bikes. Will be used mostly for paved trails although I've seen people riding on the beaches with the fatter tires.
 
Back