Ride1Up TrailRush launched as affordable mid-drive electric mountain bike

Ride1Up is officially hitting the trails in a big way. Known for its commuter-focused electric bikes that deliver impressive value, the San Diego-based brand has just announced the new Ride1Up TrailRush: a trail-ready electric mountain bike that marks Ride1Up’s first true entry into the rugged world of eMTBs.

Sure, Ride1Up has branched out from its commuter roots, offering mopeds and trekking-style bikes before. There’s even been an XC version of its highly-acclaimed Prodigy line. But the new TrailRush, with its Brose mid-drive motor, MTB geometry, dropper seat post, and other trail-focused features, is purpose-made for hitting the dirt and winding through those trails, whether uphill or downhill.

And this isn’t a token hardtail with a fancy name. The TrailRush is packing a legit, highly-engineered German mid-drive motor, name-brand suspension, proper trail geometry, and a component list that reads more like a wish list – all at a price that could make a few legacy mountain bike brands start sweating.

The heart of the TrailRush is the German-made Brose TF Sprinter motor, producing a healthy 90Nm of torque. It’s paired with an integrated torque sensor in the bottom bracket to provide smooth, intuitive pedal assist, up to 28 mph. The controller is tucked neatly inside the mid-drive motor housing, while a 1.5-inch color display on the bars gives you ride stats at a glance. There’s no throttle, in true European style, meaning this fast trail bike is a true Class 3 ride in even the strictest interpretation.

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Fueling that fancy mid-drive motor is a 36V 14Ah battery built with Samsung cells and a smart BMS. It’s not the largest pack in the eMTB game, but its 504 Wh of capacity should give some decently long-range touring and light cross-country riding, especially without a throttle to drain the battery so quickly. Ride1Up’s real-world range estimate is 30-50 miles (50-80 km) per charge, depending on power level, rider weight, local terrain, and other contributing factors.

The drivetrain features Shimano’s Deore M6000 10-speed setup, complete with a clutch-equipped derailleur, Rapidfire Plus shifter, and a wide-range 11-36T cassette. That’s a reliable workhorse setup, and a good choice for trail riders who want durability without the fuss of constantly tuning a lower-end derailleur. It’s also several steps up the Shimano transmission hierarchy, which is a welcome change compared to what we’re used to seeing from direct-to-consumer (D2C) electric bike brands.

Up front, riders will find a 120mm RockShox Judy Silver TK air fork, which marks another big step up from the basic components we’re used to seeing on D2C bikes. This isn’t the typical spring forks that you’ll find on many budget eMTBs.

And to help keep your ride under control on the descents, Ride1Up went with Tektro’s Orion HD-M745 quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes. Again, there’s a common theme here: these are all much nicer parts than you’d expect. These components are more at home on bike shop e-bikes than something that the FedEx guy drops off by your front porch.

Continuing around the bike, a 150mm Exaform dropper post comes standard, letting you get low on the descents or quickly pop back up for climbs. The TrailRush rolls on Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR 29×2.6” tubeless-ready tires, which are trail favorites that should inspire plenty of confidence across a variety of terrains.

Back up in the cockpit, riders will find 780mm-wide mountain bike handlebars with a 28mm rise and 6° sweep, along with a Selle Royal SRX saddle. The bike uses standard 110mm/142mm hub spacing (plus thru-axles instead of skewers for more robust construction), so wheel upgrades and replacements won’t require any niche nonsense.

All of this is available for a price of $2,095, which comes in well below the big names in mid-drive electric mountain bikes. And keeping with the theme of offering more here, Ride1Up has three color options to choose from (Burnt Sunset, Cobalt, and Midnight), plus two frame sizes to better fit a range of riders. The three colors each seem to pack a bit of a surprise, too. The Sunset orange fades into that burnt color, the Cobalt blue incorporates a fun and funky wave pattern near the headtube, and the Midnight black hides away rainbow sparkles that pop in the sunlight – a pattern we first saw on Ride1Up’s CFRacer carbon road bike.

Ride1Up says the TrailRush was built for “long-range touring and light XC riding,” but with that build sheet, it’s clearly capable of punching above its weight on serious singletrack too. And priced at just a hair over $2k, this is likely the best deal in the entire market when it comes to a high-end German mid-drive on a quality electric mountain bike.

Electrek’s Take

This is a big move for Ride1Up. The company built its reputation on urban-focused commuters and hybrid e-bikes that make everyday riding more accessible. But with the TrailRush, Ride1Up is going full throttle into the trail market, errr, at least without a throttle. And the company is doing it with a bike that looks anything but entry-level.

A Brose mid-drive motor, RockShox air suspension, Maxxis rubber, quad-piston brakes, dropper post, and all for a price that’s well under what the big brands charge for similar builds? If the TrailRush lands anywhere near Ride1Up’s typical pricing strategy, it’s going to shake up the eMTB space.

In fact, it almost feels like they took a look at the Aventon Ramblas and said, “Hold our sports bottle.” The bikes offer similar specs, but with Ride1Up coming in at $500 less. I wish it had gone with LED lights like Aventon did, partly for trail visibility but mostly just as an extra safety feature when folks inevitably also use it on the road or in bike lanes. But as it stands, the TrailRush is a pretty compelling argument, and I’m excited to get on one later this week and start testing it out so I can bring you my full review.

Until then, let’s hear what you think about the new Ride1Up TrailRush in the comments below.