Two folding e-bikes $4 apart with almost the same parts list. One has a much stronger motor and is 8 lb lighter. Here is which to buy.
These two are the most complete folding e-bikes you can buy for about $1,000, and on paper they are close to twins. Both have 20-inch fat tires, a 28 mph top speed, a torque sensor, hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors, a Shimano Altus 8-speed, a front fork, a rack rated for 150 lb, fenders, turn signals, UL 2849 certification and a one-year warranty. So the decision comes down to the few places where they are actually different. Every spec here comes from Ride1Up’s and Lectric’s own product pages.
| Ride1Up Portola 02 | Lectric XP4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $995 | $999 |
| Top speed | 28 mph | 28 mph |
| Range (claimed) | 45 mi | 50 mi |
| Motor | 750W | 500W |
| Battery | 480Wh | 500Wh |
| Weight | 61 lb | 69 lb |
| Max payload | 342 lb | 330 lb |
| Street legal | Yes | Yes |
| Folds | Yes | Yes |
| Throttle | Yes | Yes |
| Rider height | 58–75 in | 58–75 in |
| Sold | Direct | Direct |
The motor. The Portola has a 750W motor with 90 N·m of torque. The XP4 at this price has a 500W motor with 55 N·m. Torque is what pulls you up a hill from a stop, and 90 against 55 is a big gap. If you live somewhere with hills, this is the deciding number.
The weight. 61 lb against 69. Eight pounds matters every time you lift the bike into a car or carry it up stairs.
The extras. The Portola has Apple Find My built in, so you can track a stolen bike from your phone, plus a color display and USB-C charging. Its fork has 100mm of travel with a hydraulic lockout. Lectric does not publish travel for the XP4’s fork. Its sensor can also switch between torque and cadence, if you prefer the on-off feel of cadence assist.
Range, slightly. Lectric claims up to 50 miles from the XP4’s 500Wh battery. Ride1Up quotes 25 to 45 miles for the Portola’s standard 10Ah battery and does not list its watt-hours. Real range depends on your weight, hills and how much you use the throttle, but on the brands’ own numbers the XP4 goes a little further.
The folded size. Folded, the XP4 is 17 inches wide and the Portola is 19. That small difference can decide whether it fits in a closet or a small trunk.
Popularity. The XP4 is the best-selling folder in America. That means more owners to learn from, more accessories, and more used ones for sale if you want to pay less.
Both have bigger versions. Ride1Up sells the Portola 02 with a 15Ah battery, claiming 30 to 60 miles. Lectric sells a long-range XP4 with a 750W motor, 85 N·m and an 840Wh battery claiming 85 miles, but it costs $1,299, which is $300 more. Going the other way, the Portola 02 Lite drops the rack, fenders and turn signals and costs $895 with the same motor and sensor.
Buy the Portola 02 if you have hills, if you will lift the bike often, or if you just want the stronger bike for the same money. That is most people.
Buy the XP4 if range on flat ground matters most to you, if it has to fit a tight space folded, or if Lectric is running a sale that puts it well under the Portola’s price.
Neither is a bad choice. Both are direct-to-consumer, which means you assemble it yourself and warranty work happens by mail, not at a local shop.
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