Ride1Up Releases the TrailRush eMTB, VIVI Recalls 24k Batteries, and eBliss Plans a US Factory | TWR Ep 41

The new TrailRush eMTB from Ride1Up is built around a powerful, natural-feeling 250W mid-drive motor from Brose (the same German company manufacturing custom motors for Specialized). The motor, which produces up to 90 Nm of torque, is paired with a 504-Wh battery to provide an advertised 30-50 miles of range.

The bike also features a fully-stacked spec sheet, including a 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain with a clutched derailleur, a RockShox Judy Silver TK air suspension fork with 120mm of travel, and an Exaform dropper seatpost with 150mm of travel. It’s also equipped with 4-piston Tektro Orion hydraulic disc brakes and tubeless-ready 29” Maxxis Minion tires.

As one might expect from Ride1Up, the bike is priced extremely competitively! Whereas some similar models are priced closer to $2500, the TrailRush is priced at a staggering $2,095.

Our Take: With such a low starting price, this model is clearly designed to compete with last year’s Aventon Ramblas. While the TrailRush makes some compromises in terms of specs (it has a slightly less powerful motor, a smaller battery, and a more limited gearing range), it’s extremely well-equipped for its price.

We’re happy to share that we currently have the bike in testing and are impressed with its performance thus far. Stay tuned for our full review in the near future!

As announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, roughly 24,000 lithium-ion batteries sold with VIVI e-bikes have been recalled due to a potential safety risk. The batteries can overheat and catch fire; 14 incidents of overheating have been reported along with 3 reports of fires, though no injuries have been caused.

E-bikes with affected batteries were sold between December 2020 and November 2023 through online retailers, including Walmart, Wish, Amazon, Wayfair, Aliexpress, Sears, eBay, and VIVI. A variety of models were affected (model numbers are provided on the CPSC’s website or VIVI’s recall announcement page), with the bikes having been sold for between $365-$950.

The brand is offering replacement batteries and chargers for free upon receiving proof that the faulty units were disposed of correctly. The recalled batteries should be delivered to a household hazardous waste center unless instructed otherwise by municipal authorities. Once the batteries have been disposed of, proof can be sent to [email protected].

Our Take: Even large e-bike manufacturers can experience the need to recall their products (we reported on Giant’s recall in last week’s news post), but this specific recall is a perfect example of why we are highly cautious about the budget-tier e-bikes we recommend.

Larger, more well-established e-bike brands typically use batteries from similarly reputable battery manufacturers. These companies adhere to strict production and safety standards, whereas other brands may not devote the same level of attention to detail in their product development. In short, you get what you pay for.

Regardless, we’re happy to note that VIVI is offering free replacements to its customers after receiving the proper proof of disposal. We’re also pleased that no injuries have been reported from the faulty batteries!

With a $4.1 million investment, the Austin, Texas-based e-bike brand eBliss Global plans to build and open a new assembly facility in Utica, NY. The factory, which will create 40 new jobs, will have the capacity to produce up to 100,000 e-bikes annually. eBliss plans to start with a more manageable annual production goal of 15,000 bikes.

The new will be constructed in downtown Utica’s recently redeveloped Harbor Point area. It will exist near apartments, commercial space, and a promenade.

As a company, eBliss boasts an impressive team of industry veterans:

• Bill Klehm, the company’s CEO, is a former CEO of Fallbrook Technologies. Fallbrook is the developer of the NuVinci continuously variable transmission (CVT).
• Tony Ellsworth, eBliss’ lead designer, founded the Ellsworth mountain bike brand
• Steve Richey, the Vice President, is a former VP of Operations at Denago and Bike.com

Mr. Klehm made a statement about the new factory, saying, “This endeavor has been years in the making. This factory represents a significant and crucial step in our mission to build e-bikes in the USA. Utica, Oneida County, and Upstate New York have historically been known as a hub of blue-collar industry, and we’re thrilled to be part of its next chapter and to build the green transportation revolution right here in Upstate New York.”

Our Take: Very few brands assemble their e-bikes domestically, so we’re thrilled to see another brand invest in US-based production. It’s important to note, however, that brands that assemble e-bikes on American soil still import many (if not all) of their components from overseas.

As such, if the Federal government’s high import tariffs remain in place for the long term, e-bike production costs will still likely be affected.