Ride1Up Revv 1 vs SUPER73-R Brooklyn: A Side-by-Side Comparison
April 28, 2023
As the world of ebikes matures, the moped-style ebike is becoming one of the top picks for people from all walks of life. These ebikes come with a range that can compete with typical commuter ebikes, high cargo capacities that suit the needs of both businesses and families and, quite often, all-terrain capabilities for the adventurous adrenaline seekers amongst us.
At the beginning of the year, we unveiled our first moped-style ebike, the Revv 1, and we designed it with the same intentions we design all of our ebikes: to be the best-in-class! With that in mind, we thought it pertinent to compare our Revv 1 to one of the ebikes from SUPER73, the viral video-producing brand that popularized the motorcycle-style electric bike.
We didn’t just select a random model to line up next to our Revv 1. We chose their highest-specification production ebike, the Brooklyn.
In this side-by-side comparison of the Revv 1 and the Brooklyn, we’ve split things up into four sections and are going to look at these e-bikes through these four different ‘lenses’. The first of these is akin to the bullet-pointed list you’d likely find in a store; this is the “Stats” section. After that, we’ll look more closely at the electrical and mechanical elements of these machines, before stepping back and looking at the physical elements that didn’t fit into the above sections.
Note: Here we’re using the stats of the full suspension Revv 1, not the hardtail model.
Stats
These are the fact cards you might see in a store.
| Revv 1 | Brooklyn | |
| Motor | 1000W (1500w Peak) | 750W (2000w Peak) |
| Battery | 20Ah 52V System (1040Wh) | 20Ah 48V System (960Wh) |
| Range | 30-60 Miles (1040Wh Battery) | 40-75 Miles (960Wh Battery) |
| Class | 2, 3, Off-Road Mode (Pre-Programmed Class 2) | 1, 2, 3, Off-Road Mode (Pre-Programmed Class 2) |
| Pedal Assist (PAS) | Yes | Yes |
| Throttle | Yes (Twist Grip) | Yes (Thumb Button) |
| Top Speed | 28+ mph (Off-Road Mode) | 28+ mph (Off-Road Mode) |
| Models | Full Suspension & Hardtail | Full Suspension |
| Weight | 93lb | 83lb |
| Carrying Capacity | 350lb | 325lb |
| Gears | Single Speed | Single Speed |
| Lights | Front (High and Low Beams) and Rear (Both Featuring Turn Signals) | Front and Rear |
| Display | Backlit, Square LCD Display with Turn Signal Indicators | Backlit, Circular LCD Display with App Connectivity |
| Colors | 3 | 3 |
| Price | $2,395 ($1,895 Hardtail) | $3,695 |
The first thing that strikes anyone who reads these through is that the Brooklyn is a full $1300 more expensive than the Revv 1. Reading back up these cards after this sticker shock, we find that the Brooklyn has a connectable app, weighs a little less, lists a higher peak wattage, and has the ability to function as a class 1 e-bike. But we also find that, at least on this surface level, nothing that can seemingly justify the extravagant increase between the price of the Brooklyn and the Revv 1.
Sure, the Revv 1 is 10 lbs heavier, has slightly less peak power, and can’t function as a class 1 e-bike. But these e-bikes are similar in many areas, and the Revv 1 has a greater carrying capacity, a headlight with high and low beam functionality, and front and rear turn signals. So you’re left wondering: how can more peak power (that’s only sustainable for a few seconds), an app, and a 25% increase in potential range be worth a more than 35% increase in price?
Electrical
What makes these e-bikes so appealing to many is the electric factor. So how do these shape up here?
| Revv 1 | Brooklyn | Comments | |
| Battery | 1040Wh 20Ah (Samsung 50E 21700 Cells) 52V System | 960Wh 20Ah (21700 Cells) 48V System | Both these batteries have the same capacity but operate on systems with different voltages. The Revv1 uses a 52V system and the Brooklyn on a 48V system. This means that, even though the batteries carry the same amount of amps, the Revv1’s system has more power stored in it—1040Wh compared to 960Wh. Overall, this means that the Revv1 has more power for climbing hills, can accelerate faster, and has an overall larger power capacity, meaning that it has more power to go further and do more in each charge! The quality of your components matters too. Samsung is considered to be one of the, if not the, top battery manufacturer, offering one the best quality products on the market. The 50E cell used in the Revv 1 is also a high-capacity cell, fitting more charge into a smaller space than other 21700 cells. |
| Motor | 1000W Bafang Rear Hub (1500W in Off-Road Mode) | 750W Rear Hub (1200W in Off-Road Mode) | A motor’s wattage and power output is a big marketing tool, as people translate this to the raw power that they can actually feel. In off-road mode, the Revv1 can sustain 1500W of power output, while the Super73 is only able to sustain 1200W (20% less!). This means that the Revv1 humbles the Brooklyn by accelerating better, climbing hills faster, and simply having more all-around raw power. While the Brooklyn has a peak output of 2000W this can only be sustained for a few seconds. The emphasis put on this big number in marketing materials, rather than the e-bike’s actual ability, has led many performance reviewers to describe the real-world experience of the Brooklyn as “underpowered”. On top of this, the power unit in the Revv 1 is manufactured by Bafang, a renowned, widely trusted, and widely used e-bike component manufacturer. The Brooklyn’s motor is proprietary, with a much shorter history and a lower level of industry usage. |
| Charger | 4 Amp | 3 Amp | Simply, a bigger charger will charge your battery faster, allowing you to get back out and ride even quicker! |
| LCD Screen | Backlit, Square LCD Display, with Turn Signal Indicators | Backlit, Circular LCD Display, with App Connectivity | Both displays are backlit LCDs, but this is where the similarities end. The Revv 1’s 3.5” display gives all the information you need about your ride and battery in one glance. You can also cycle through different data points, including total distance trip distance, average speed, and top speed. Using the Revv 1’s screen you can change the e-bike’s class and even customize the PAS settings on the screen. The screen also features a WATT RPM bar and handy turn signal indicators. The Brooklyn’s screen is a small circle, less than an inch in diameter, offering only one ride metric at a time. It does have buttons for changing your PAS level, and can even display directions from the mobile app, but changing the e-bike’s class must be done using your phone. |
| Front Light | Moto-Style LED (120 Lux) (High and Low Beams with Turn Signals) | Round LED (600 Lumen) | The style of these lights are personal preference—but we know which one we prefer! Outside of style, the Revv 1 offers you flexibility with high and low beams, allowing you to lower your energy use when you can and light the way when needed. Both manufacturers have measured the output of their lights differently, one in lumens and one in lux, making them difficult to compare. Lumens state how much light a source emits in all directions, i.e. its brightness or “luminosity”. On the other hand, Lux is an accurate measurement of how much light reaches a certain area at a certain distance, i.e. how much that light “illuminates” a particular area, such as the road in front of you, at a specific distance. Unfortunately, we can’t compare the brightness of these lights, but Lux offers a much more accurate, or real-life, measurement than lumens. |
| Rear Light | LED with Brake Light Functionality and Turn Signals | LED with Brake Light Functionality | Both lights have a brake light functionality, and the Revv 1 has gone a step further and added handy and bright turn signals. |
Mechanical
At their core, these e-bikes are bikes, and these mechanical elements are just as important as everything else.
| Revv 1 | Brooklyn | Comments | |
| Brakes | 4-Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes with Electric Cut-Off Sensor | 2-Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes with Electric Cut-Off Sensor | Hydraulic brakes are superior, in both performance and efficiency than their cable counterparts. These e-bikes are both fitted with 4-piston brakes, meaning they have larger brake pads and can offer greater stopping power for longer. This all gives you greater control over your braking, a necessity for e-bikes of this size and with this amount of power. An electric cut-off sensor cuts power to the motor when brakes are active, preventing you from wasting energy. |
| Rim Type | Cast Rims | Spoked Rims | Your typical e-bike has rims whose shape and stability are maintained by a pattern of spokes. These are excellent, and the wheel can be adjusted should it be bent out of shape. However, for the power that these two e-bikes can generate, it is pertinent to think about the pressure these rims will be under, and cast rims can stand up better to the heavy loads of acceleration and braking these e-bikes will experience, meaning fewer visits to the repair shop to either replace the rims after a particularly hard hit or to adjust the tension of the spokes to realign an off-kilter rim. For these reasons, we opted for studier, cast rims on the Revv 1 that also offer greater high-speed stability, which is important for such a powerful e-bike with 20” tires. And not to mention that they look incredible too! |
| Suspension Fork | Coil Suspension 120mm Travel, Preload, and Rebound Adjust with Hydraulic Lockout | Inverted Coil Suspension 120mm Travel, Rebound Clicker, Compression Clicker | The Brooklyn’s front fork is an inverted fork that, while a more complicated piece of equipment than a regular fork, is designed to handle more extreme forces. Outside of this, both have an excellent 120mm of travel, meaning they can take you just about everywhere you will want to go in comfort. Both be finely tuned to suit your particular riding style and needs. It is worth noting that the suspension fork on the Revv1 features preload and rebound adjustment, along with a lockout feature These features allow the rider to customize their ride to their weight, their style, and the terrain they’re riding on; meaning that they can fine-tune their riding experience to be exactly what they were looking for. |
| Rear Suspension | DNM AOY-38RC, Rebound, Air Pressure Adjust, and Lock-Out | DNM Coilover Piggyback Mono Coil Suspension, 100mm Travel, Preload Adjust, Compression Adjust, Rebound Damping | Both e-bikes have rear suspension from the highly-rated manufacturer DNM. The Revv 1 has an air shock designed for cross-country riding, while the Brooklyn has a coil suspension, which is more designed for all-mountain and downhill riding. Comparing the two is to compare the two types of shocks available, air and coil, and arguments can be had long into the night about which is better. In the end, it’s a personal preference. What it comes down to is that coil shocks are more suited to downhill riding and offer a smoother, more responsive ride over very uneven and rough terrain at higher speeds. Air shocks are infinitely more adjustable than coils, and can easily be fine-tuned to suit the rider and the terrain beneath them (you can even adjust them in the parking lot). |
Physical
Finally, let’s take a step back and look at some of the other features of these e-bikes that don’t fit into the two categories above.
| Revv 1 | Brooklyn | Comments | |
| Models | Full Suspension & Hardtail | Full Suspension | The Revv 1 is also available in a hardtail model that may better suit some people’s riding style and budget. The Brooklyn is the highest-spec model from the R Series, which has four permanent models and limited edition collaboration runs. |
| Colors | 2 | 3 | Color options give you a chance to express yourself with your ride; always important! |
| Fenders | Hardened Alloy Fenders | Plastic | Both of these e-bikes have fenders, and those of the Revv 1 are made out of a much more durable material than those on the Brooklyn. |
| Tires | CST Scout eMoped All-terrain Tires 20×4.0” | GRZLY All-Terrain Tires 20”x4.5” Front20”x5” Rear | The Brooklyn’s GRZLY all-terrain tires look mean, and they are made by Vee Moto, a tire manufacturer for motorcycles and ATVs. However, the two tire sizes used are proprietary to SUPER73, meaning you can only buy replacements directly from them. The Revv 1’s all-terrain Scout tires are from CST, who also make bike, motorbike, and ATV tires. They are a standardized size, 20”x4”, and replacements can readily be bought from other vendors if you prefer another tire. This also means that, if you want, you can get plain road tires or even some studded snow tires. This is not possible with the Brooklyn. Black Butyl has also been added to the Revv 1’s tires to help prevent flats and increase the tire’s lifespan. |
| Range | 30-60 Miles (1040Wh Capacity Battery) | 40-75 Miles (960Wh Capacity Battery) | Range is always variable and depends on a myriad of factors, including motor usage, rider weight, tire style, terrain, and temperature, to name a few; and direct e-bike-to-e-bike comparisons are hard to make. While these ranges might seem to differ greatly, and that range is dependent on many factors, it is worth noting the settings used when these numbers were achieved. The “75″ mile top-end range on the Brooklyn was achieved in pedal assist mode in the Class 1 setting. While this might be a true data point, no one buying one of these ebikes is going to be using this setting regularly—if at all. Additionally, the 40-mile “low-end range” comes from using the e-bike as a class 2. Meaning that users using the Brooklyn in the modes it is advertised in, Class 3 and Off-Road mode, should expect a much smaller range than this. On the other hand, the figures for the range for the Revv 1 reflect testing in settings that are expected, and intended, to be used, i.e. in Class 2, 3, and Off-Road mode. Furthermore, the primary variable determining the range capacity is the battery. The battery on the Revv 1 has a total of 1040Wh capacity vs that of the 960Wh battery you find on the Super73-R Brooklyn. |
| Throttle Operation | Twist Grip | Thumb Button | These are motorbike-inspired e-bikes, in the look, feel, and the way they ride! Therefore, as a rider, everyone is going to want that true motorbike feel and this can only be achieved by using a twist grip, not a button under your thumb, to lay down your power! |
| Handlebars | Width: 720mm, Sweep: 25°, Rise: 120mm | Width: 700mmSweep: 10º Rise: 200mm | Wider handlebars offer a more stable ride, and different degrees of sweep and rise height change the riding position and distribute the rider’s weight differently on the e-bike. Personal preference, size, and riding style decide what suits a rider best, but both of these are designed, like the saddle, to mimic the handlebars of café racer motorbikes. |
| Waterproofing | IP-65 | Not Given | If you’re paying this much for an outdoor product you want to know what conditions you can safely use it in. While you might assume that the Brooklyn can withstand wet weather that’s a big risk to take. |
Bringing it All Together
Both of these e-bikes are high-quality machines that have been designed in a café racer style. But, while seeming quite similar up front, under the hood, we can see that they have been tailored to different purposes; even if there are not many major differences between them.
The SUPER73-R Brooklyn
Aggressive off-road tires, a high-peak wattage motor, a high-spec front fork, and a more forward-leaning riding position reveal the intentions of the Brooklyn—that it is aimed at thrill seekers and trail riders, those who may push the bike to its limits on almost every ride. There is, however, one thing to note about the Brooklyn.
This e-bike features a number of unusually proprietary components, most notably the tires, and motor. Meaning that owners rely heavily on the manufacturer should they need motor repairs or tire replacements.
It is, however, worth noting some places where the Brooklyn falls short of the expectations it is marketed with. Notably, its range, while probably accurate, doesn’t at all represent the modes that it is advertised to be used in, and the motor, while having a high peak output, has a much lower sustained output, leaving many reviewers to describe it as “underpowered”.
The Ride1Up Revv 1
The Revv 1 is also built tough and is definitely in the mix with the Brooklyn when out on the trail. But, from the above comparison, it is clear to see that the Revv 1, with a more upright riding position, a larger carrying capacity, a branded motor, a larger screen featuring all the controls, and standard-size tires, has been designed to comfortably fulfill, and even exceed, the needs of a wide variety of users—from trail-burning thrill seekers and fun riders to families, commuters, and food delivery service riders.
It can also be seen that a little more thought has gone into some of the features and components of this e-bike -e.g. alloy fenders, cast rims, a twist throttle, the addition of indicators, high and low beams, a bigger screen, and a faster charger- to make it meet and exceed the rider’s expectations.
Finally, it is worth noting that with a 52V system, a higher power output, and a battery that carries more power (but the same amount of amps) the Revv1 humbles the XR-Mojave where that e-bike is advertised to excel. Designing the electrical system to excel in this way exemplifies the fact that a lot of thought was put into designing the Revv 1 to ensure it satisfied the expectations it is marketed for, rather than falling short of them.
Is It Worth an Extra $1,300?
This price difference may lead some to think that the Revv1 is cutting corners somewhere, however, this in-depth comparison shows the opposite, that the Revv1 is a well-thought-out e-bike that simply trumps the most popular e-bikes in its class; at 65% of the price! But, how is this possible?
The reason that Ride1Up can offer the Revv1 at such an attractive price is by being a direct-to-consumer brand. Ride1UP has a very small in-store presence and we don’t collaborate with a bunch of celebrities to promote our products. This, in turn, means that we can offer comparable, and even better products than our competitors for a much lower price point than our competitors.
The “Is it worth it?” question is the big one, and the answer to it will be different for each of us. Now that you’ve read a side-by-side comparison of one of the first and most highly rated moped-style e-bikes with one of the newest additions to the category, and seen what each e-bike is really made up of, you can make a clear and well-informed decision as to which e-bike you might want to spend your hard-earned cash on.
Finally, there’s also the appearance factor to consider, and we know which one we’d prefer to be seen riding! (Especially once you add the center storage case.)
Comments
Really like the Revv1. But…
Please add a rear wheel motor quick disconnect, like other companies(Super73!), to help with rear tire maintenance. Myself & many others are sitting on the fence, money in hand, waiting to see if the next version fixes this simple mechanical omission.
Thank you for your support and feedback. Because of the current and amount of wires and data running through the cable, it would add a lot of potential issues to have two wire disconnects and to have that exposed disconnect. We plan to make the motor disconnect a little easier to pull out of the motor case compartment, but we find the look and also lack of issues with the wire connection inside the motor case is worth the trade off.