My review of the 2020 RX

[Tausan]

I have this bike for about a month now and put 500 miles on it.

Misc problems:
- The bike arrived with damage on the body and rack. The damage is not a result of shipping. It was built and shipped with the damage. After a few weeks of back and forth, they agreed to refund me $200 for the damage. Although it's only cosmetic, I am disappointed with the lack of quality control.
- A few weeks ago, something was making a rattling noise like when you have coins in your dryer. It lasted about 2 miles then it stopped. I haven't heard it since. I sounded like it came from the motor but I can't really tell.
- When using the throttle in 9th gear, there is a clicking noise coming from the drive train. It clicks every few hundreds feet. I feel like something is going to snap or break. I have since stopped throttling in 9th gear. Waiting to Rize to help me troubleshoot this problem. The same clicking also happens in 8th gear but not as often.
- When the bike was new, in 9th gear, the chain was about 1/8 inch from the frame. It has stretch and now rubbing against the frame.
- I can no longer remove the battery. It looks like the key isn't "unlocking it". Waiting for Rize to help me resolve this problem.

Sizing:
- I am 5'8"/150lbs and the bike is too big in its default configuration. The suspension seat post adds about 4 inches to the height of the bike. The stem is not adjustable causing me to sit high and lean forward. I end up buying an adjustable stem and a regular seat post and the bike is more comfortable now.

Motor:
Here are my speed test result depending on how hard you pedal and battery level:
PAS 1 (sport mode): 14-22 mph
PAS 3 (sport mode): 20-28 mph
PAS 5 (sport mode): 24-32 mph (I can sustain 28 mph. You would have to be in very good shape to sustain 28+ mph)
Throttle only 8th gear: 30-34 mph
Throttle only 9th gear: 30-38 mph
The throttle is variable speed like your gas pedal.

Battery range:
Throttle only: 12-14 miles (estimated).
Pedal + Throttle: 8 miles PAS 5 (sport mode) + 8 miles (max throttle) about 15-20% battery remaining.
Pedal only (PAS 5 sport mode): 16 miles with about 25-30% remaining.
Pedal only (PAS 5 sport mode): 22 miles (estimated)

Note: once battery reaches about 10-15%, it might drop to 0 and provide less assist very suddenly. I have encountered this situation a few times going against the wind at around 18 miles mark (PAS 5 only, no throttle). At that point, the battery drop to 0 and I have to pedal a lot harder to get around 15 mph.

Misc:
The light is auto on/off which is nice. However, the front light is too dim to be useful. I manually turned it off and use my handle bar light.

The pedal is either too long or the center is too low. It will touch the ground every time I make a turn if it is extended to the bottom.

The hydraulic disc brakes work well. It is light to squeeze than a mechanical brakes but I don't think the stopping power is any different.

The tires are non-tubeless rated. However, I have no problems running them tubeless with Stan after I taped the wheels.

The display is nice and bright. I don't like having to reset the trip counter manually. I wish it would reset after power on/of. It has a clock and trip timer which I find useful.

 

[antboy]

I was considering a Rize RX, but really want to try a bike with the Bafang Ultra before making a final decision.

Have you tried riding it with the motor turned off? If so, how does it feel?

I already have a hub motor e-bike, and have tested a number of bikes with mid-drives (Giant, Trek, Specialized) that do a good job of just feeling like bicycles if the battery is off.

 

[HKPolice]

Sounds to me like you have a defective battery or the brakes are rubbing if the range is so terrible. The clicking sounds mean your derailleur needs adjusting due to cable stretch. Chain will need to be shortened as well.

 

[Tausan]

It doesn't ride like a regular bike with power off. It feels like I am riding my Radcity. Maybe HKPolice is right about the brake rubbing. It's raining this week in SoCal. I will adjust the brake this weekend and re-test.

The derailleur indexing is fine as I have no problem shifting gears. I don't have the tools to adjust the chain but will look into this.

 

[cuwatra]

OP doesn't sound too happy with the bike. Lots of little things adding up to a poor user experience. I'm seriously considering Rize and will be interested to hear how they stand behind their products.

 

[Tausan]

I actually like the bike a lot more than my Radcity. It is a a good value for the price compare to other vendors with similar configuration.
What I don't like is the battery performance. I thought I would get at least 15-20 miles using throttle and 30 miles with PAS 5. If anyone else owns this bike, please post your battery range.
Maybe I am just unlucky with all the issues. I will update as I work out the issues with Rize.

 

[cuwatra]

Compare it to the Juiced Rip Current. Thoughts?

 

[Tausan]

I lifted my bike and both wheels are spinning freely. Therefore, either my battery is defective or the range is normal.

I also retested riding with the power off. It's not as bad as riding my Radcity but it's not like riding a regular bike. I can go around 7-8 mph with moderate effort. I can feel some resistance that should not be there if it's free wheeling.

I considered the Juiced Bike but went with Rize for the mid-drive and the 35mph speed. I just wish the range is better. The specs alone indicate I should be getting 30 miles range riding at 28mph but that's not the case. Hope someone else who bought this bike would provide some feedback.

 

[antboy]

I actually like the bike a lot more than my Radcity. It is a a good value for the price compare to other vendors with similar configuration.
What I don't like is the battery performance. I thought I would get at least 15-20 miles using throttle and 30 miles with PAS 5. If anyone else owns this bike, please post your battery range.
Maybe I am just unlucky with all the issues. I will update as I work out the issues with Rize.

I'd also ask in the Bafang area of the forum (or maybe General Discussion), to ask about tuning the engine via the display. It's my understanding that Luna Cycles, Biktrix and Ravi from WattWagons have done so. Maybe it's a matter of Rize using the default settings.

 

[worldwiderenegade]

Hello,
I purchased the RX and it was delivered March 17 but, with everything going on and all the rain here in Dallas I have not had a lot of time out on the bike and have not made careful notes on the performance of the battery. What I can say is that I have been very happy with the mileage I've been getting and even happier with the amount of time it takes to recharge it. Again, I have not taken notes on the recharge time rates as of yet. The performance has been exhilarating. The take-off speed is incredible and any hill has been a piece of cake. I must admit though that I have nothing to compare it to as this is my first e-bike and the only one I have ridden.
There was obvious damage to the box although sleight when I received it. There were some small but deep scratches to the top tube. I sent photos of the damage to Rize and the very next day they called me with an offer of taking the bike to a paint shop and having it repaired with them taking care of the invoice or they would credit me $100. I choose the $100 and it was credited back to my card that afternoon. The only issue so far I have with the bike is that sometimes when I start out from a standing stop for a few seconds there is a knocking sound and not sure where it is coming from.

 

[Tausan]

I agree this bike is an absolute blast to ride. It's interesting that you also received a bike with body damage. This is not a good sign for their quality control.

The knocking sound you are hearing could be the same as the issues I reported in my review.

The first one is related to the chain as it is skipping because it has worn out the sprockets or there is too much torque. I rarely use the throttle from stop but I do use it after I have pedaled up to around 26-28 mph. I use the throttle to get up to 35mph. Apparently, this has worn out my 9th gear. I started using the throttle on 8th gear and the same thing happened. I reported the problem to Rize and they sent me a new cassette. I will have to paid someone to replace it or buy some tools.

From a stop, you have to lower the PAS to 1-3 and lower the gear to 5-7. If you start at PAS 5 and 9th gear, it might damage the sprockets. This is one aspect of the bike that I don't enjoy. It's like driving a stick without the fun. I think it takes twice as long to go from 0-20 mph on this bike as compare to my Radcity. It is not because it doesn't have the power but because it has too much power. I have to shift gears and accelerate slowly to avoid chain skipping and sprockets damage.

I other knocking sound I reported in my original review is still there and it comes and goes. I have not being able to identified the source. If your chain is not skipping, this might be the same sound you are hearing. Please post if you figure out the source.

As for my battery removal problem, Rize is sending me a new lock assembly. I am waiting for the replacement parts and installation instruction. They were able to reproduce the problem. It's either a manufacture or installation flaw.

 

[Mr. AH]

I have this bike for about a month now and put 500 miles on it.

Misc problems:
- The bike arrived with damage on the body and rack. The damage is not a result of shipping. It was built and shipped with the damage. After a few weeks of back and forth, they agreed to refund me $200 for the damage. Although it's only cosmetic, I am disappointed with the lack of quality control.
- A few weeks ago, something was making a rattling noise like when you have coins in your dryer. It lasted about 2 miles then it stopped. I haven't heard it since. I sounded like it came from the motor but I can't really tell.
- When using the throttle in 9th gear, there is a clicking noise coming from the drive train. It clicks every few hundreds feet. I feel like something is going to snap or break. I have since stopped throttling in 9th gear. Waiting to Rize to help me troubleshoot this problem. The same clicking also happens in 8th gear but not as often.
- When the bike was new, in 9th gear, the chain was about 1/8 inch from the frame. It has stretch and now rubbing against the frame.
- I can no longer remove the battery. It looks like the key isn't "unlocking it". Waiting for Rize to help me resolve this problem.

Sizing:
- I am 5'8"/150lbs and the bike is too big in its default configuration. The suspension seat post adds about 4 inches to the height of the bike. The stem is not adjustable causing me to sit high and lean forward. I end up buying an adjustable stem and a regular seat post and the bike is more comfortable now.

Motor:
Here are my speed test result depending on how hard you pedal and battery level:
PAS 1 (sport mode): 14-22 mph
PAS 3 (sport mode): 20-28 mph
PAS 5 (sport mode): 24-32 mph (I can sustain 28 mph. You would have to be in very good shape to sustain 28+ mph)
Throttle only 8th gear: 30-34 mph
Throttle only 9th gear: 30-38 mph
The throttle is variable speed like your gas pedal.

Battery range:
Throttle only: 12-14 miles (estimated).
Pedal + Throttle: 8 miles PAS 5 (sport mode) + 8 miles (max throttle) about 15-20% battery remaining.
Pedal only (PAS 5 sport mode): 16 miles with about 25-30% remaining.
Pedal only (PAS 5 sport mode): 22 miles (estimated)

Note: once battery reaches about 10-15%, it might drop to 0 and provide less assist very suddenly. I have encountered this situation a few times going against the wind at around 18 miles mark (PAS 5 only, no throttle). At that point, the battery drop to 0 and I have to pedal a lot harder to get around 15 mph.

Misc:
The light is auto on/off which is nice. However, the front light is too dim to be useful. I manually turned it off and use my handle bar light.

The pedal is either too long or the center is too low. It will touch the ground every time I make a turn if it is extended to the bottom.

The hydraulic disc brakes work well. It is light to squeeze than a mechanical brakes but I don't think the stopping power is any different.

The tires are non-tubeless rated. However, I have no problems running them tubeless with Stan after I taped the wheels.

The display is nice and bright. I don't like having to reset the trip counter manually. I wish it would reset after power on/of. It has a clock and trip timer which I find useful.


I just got one of these too, with a mid-drive bike and a motor as powerful as the Ultra you'll be doing chain maintenance regularly, personally before I received the bike I bought a near-$100 tol KMC ebike chain, a chain-breaker, chain-pliers, missing-links and a digital link-stretch meter, cost a few bucks but that's what a guy needs especially when running that high-torque motor, I'm telling you now...

 

[Mr. AH]

Using the gears and torque of the Ultra motor is mostly the reason to buy this particular bike, it's really best for previous motorcycle riders imo, if you're just having too-much problems it's relatively easy to have it converted to a dual mid and hub-motor drive...

I agree this bike is an absolute blast to ride. It's interesting that you also received a bike with body damage. This is not a good sign for their quality control.

The knocking sound you are hearing could be the same as the issues I reported in my review.

The first one is related to the chain as it is skipping because it has worn out the sprockets or there is too much torque. I rarely use the throttle from stop but I do use it after I have pedaled up to around 26-28 mph. I use the throttle to get up to 35mph. Apparently, this has worn out my 9th gear. I started using the throttle on 8th gear and the same thing happened. I reported the problem to Rize and they sent me a new cassette. I will have to paid someone to replace it or buy some tools.

From a stop, you have to lower the PAS to 1-3 and lower the gear to 5-7. If you start at PAS 5 and 9th gear, it might damage the sprockets. This is one aspect of the bike that I don't enjoy. It's like driving a stick without the fun. I think it takes twice as long to go from 0-20 mph on this bike as compare to my Radcity. It is not because it doesn't have the power but because it has too much power. I have to shift gears and accelerate slowly to avoid chain skipping and sprockets damage.

I other knocking sound I reported in my original review is still there and it comes and goes. I have not being able to identified the source. If your chain is not skipping, this might be the same sound you are hearing. Please post if you figure out the source.

As for my battery removal problem, Rize is sending me a new lock assembly. I am waiting for the replacement parts and installation instruction. They were able to reproduce the problem. It's either a manufacture or installation flaw.

 

[Mr. AH]

I've just put 150 kilometers and I see substantial wear on the teeth of #9 and 8 even-with being careful, not a big deal as I knew what I had, lot's of fun though along the way