San Diego-based Juiced Bikes unveiled and then launched its newest e-bike model, the RipRacer, last November. Now the company’s founder and CEO Tora Harris is taking us on a behind-the-scenes look at how production is moving along in China.
The RipRacer was launched as a ‘fun-sized’ e-bike with smaller 20″ fat tires and a similarly smaller frame.
Unlike traditionally large fat tire e-bikes, the RipRacer is designed to be more nimble for agile urban riding, while still offering dirt and trail riding opportunities thanks to those fat tires.
It was launched in two versions: a Class 2 version of the bike that reaches speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h), and a Class 3 version that pushes the envelope even further with a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h).
The Class 2 bike uses a 52V 10.4Ah battery rated for 540 Wh to offer a max range of 35 miles (56 km). The higher power Class 3 version has a larger 52V 15.6Ah battery with 780 Wh of capacity that should achieve a max range of closer to 55 miles (88 km) per charge.
The bikes were launched for pre-order months ahead of when production was expected to be completed, which has become common practice in the e-bike industry.
In a recent video, seen below, Harris walks us through the production line at the company’s factory in China to see how the bikes are produced.
The frames can be seen passing through various TIG welding stations, where the main portion of the frame is welded on a jig before the rear triangle is welded onto the assembly.
“So far the frames look really good,” explained Harris. “I’m very impressed with the quality of the frame this time.”
From there, the finished frames pass through to the heat treatment section of the factory to strengthen the aluminum.
Next we jump to an assembly area where the frames can be seen already painted and being prepped with internal components.
Wires and cables for the various electronics can be seen snaked through the frames as assembly workers in the background piece together more components on a moving conveyer belt.
Harris explained that the company has begun with production of the Class 3 version of the RipRacer, which is the higher speed and longer range version of the e-bike.
“We’ve got our first bikes already coming off the line,” explained Harris before adding with a chuckle, “only 4,000 more to go!”
The RipRacer will debut with Juiced’s new battery case design, which comes with a carry handle and custom holder for an Apple AirTag to help locate the battery or bike should either go missing.
The batteries will also be able to dock into Juiced’s new charging dock, which should come out later this year.
The docking feature will serve double duty as a powerbank, as it will add AC and DC power taps to allow the battery to provide off-grid power for running other devices.
That’s a feature we haven’t seen before in the e-bike market, but could add huge functionality for the large battery packs. While many batteries have a single USB port that can allow them to serve as a powerbank for phone charging and other devices, the added functionality of both AC and DC power opens new doors for using e-bike batteries for off-grid power supply.
The RipRacer went on sale back in November of last year, starting at $1,399 for the Class 2 version. The higher power and higher speed Class 3 version are priced at $1,599.
Despite the seemingly good progress seen in production, Juiced’s website still lists April as the expected delivery timeline. That likely includes expected shipping delays from China as the country’s month-long spring festival will begin in February, as well as stateside shipping delays caused by long waits for container ship unloading off the coast of California.
While we all wait for RipRacers to make their way to North America, let’s hear what you think of the pint-sized e-bikes. Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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