Should you buy one?
Only used, and only after you check the battery. The Ziprs F1 was one of the best-designed folding e-bikes I tested in 2021 for a paved commute. It’s light, it folds in under 30 seconds, a magnet holds the two halves together, and a small front roller wheel lets you push it around folded. But you can’t buy one new, and I couldn’t find anyone selling a replacement battery for it as of Oct 24, 2026. That makes the battery the whole decision. A used F1 with a healthy pack is a great little commuter. A used F1 with a weak or damaged pack is a 47 lb folding bike with no power, and there may be no way to fix it.
Why it’s used only. Ziprs was a new company and this was its first e-bike. The Wayback Machine shows that ziprs.com was redirecting to a domain sale listing on squadhelp.com by Dec 31, 2021, and to a name sale page on atom.com in its Mar 28, 2026 snapshot. Electric Revolution Reviews lists the F1 as “no longer available.” There’s no company left to back the 1 year warranty Electric Revolution Reviews lists, and my original affiliate link no longer works, so there’s no buy link on this page.
What a used one should cost. I couldn’t find a reliable source for used F1 prices, so a used price is not listed here. For reference, it was $1,499 on Ziprs’ site in 2021, and bikefolded.com saw it at $1,390 and sometimes under $1,000. With no warranty and no replacement battery source, I’d price a used one well below those numbers.
If the battery checks out (see the checklist below), buy it. If the seller can’t show you a full charge and a test ride, walk away.
How to check a used F1’s battery
This is the part that matters most, so here’s exactly what I’d do. None of it needs tools beyond the bike’s own key and display.
- Ask the seller to fully charge it before you arrive. A full charge takes about five hours (my video; Electric Revolution Reviews also lists 5 hours). Ask for the charger too. If there’s no charger, budget for a 36V charger with the right plug, and confirm the plug before you buy.
- Look at the pack out of the bike. Turn the key and pull the battery out from under the seat. Look for a swollen, cracked or dented case, burn marks, corrosion on the contacts or a rattle when you tilt it. Any of those is a pass. Don’t buy it.
- Check the rubber flap. The battery sits under a rubberized flap that I said isn’t very secure. Look for water marks or grit under the flap, because that’s the path water would take to the pack and contacts.
- Read the display at full charge. Put the pack back in and power on. It should show full battery bars. Ask how many miles are on it; my bike had 10.9 miles at review time, so the display tracks miles.
- Ride it hard on throttle for a few minutes. Hold full throttle on a slight incline. Watch the battery bars. A tired pack will drop bars quickly or cut out under load. I reached max throttle speed on a slight incline at 200 lbs on my new bike, so a healthy one should still do that.
- Know what a healthy pack does. In my range test video I got 17 miles on throttle only, and bikefolded.com lists about 18 miles on full throttle. If the seller says it only goes a few miles on throttle, the pack has lost a lot of capacity.
- Match the battery to the bike. The pack should be the 36V, 9.6Ah (345Wh) unit. Third-party listings say LG cells. A different battery means someone has already swapped it, and you should ask why.
Can you replace the battery? I couldn’t find a seller of an F1 replacement battery as of Oct 24, 2026. Generic 36V 9.6Ah packs exist, but I haven’t found one confirmed to fit the F1’s frame slot, connector or charger, so I wouldn’t count on one. Even bikefolded.com, back when it reviewed the bike, said its biggest concern was whether Ziprs would be around to provide replacement batteries. A battery shop that rebuilds packs with new cells may be an option, but I haven’t tried it and can’t vouch for one.
Legal note: Class 2, Class 3 and the throttle
The standard three-class system says a Class 3 bike assists only while you pedal, up to 28 mph, with no throttle. A bike that has a throttle and also assists to 28 mph doesn’t fit cleanly into any class. Some states handle this (Minnesota lets the throttle work only up to 20 mph on a “multiple mode” bike), and others may not have a clear rule. Class 3 also brings extra rules in some states, like age limits and staying off multi-use paths. My e-bike classes guide covers those state rules with links.
For the F1, the listed numbers point to a 20 mph, 350W bike with a throttle, which fits Class 2. If a used F1 has been set to assist faster than 20 mph, it may not fit any class in your state. Check the display settings when you look at one, and check your state’s rules in my e-bike laws by state page.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Light magnesium alloy frame that’s still full size
- Folds and unfolds in about 30 seconds
- A magnet holds it together when folded, which I want every brand to copy
- Small front roller wheel so you can push it while folded
- Fit easily in my Model 3
- 350W motor that pulled me, at 200 lbs, to max throttle speed on a slight incline
- Removable battery with a great handle, and it comes out without folding the bike
- Twist throttle, bell and a loud horn
- Front headlight
- Disc brakes brought me to a full stop with no problem
- Ultra cushiony seat
- Clean all-black design with reflective whitewall tires
- Integrated mud flaps
Cons
- No replacement battery source I could find
- No rear tail light, just a reflector
- Battery sits under a rubber flap that isn’t very secure
- My left grip twisted from the factory (early production bike)
- No suspension, so it’s paved roads only
- The pedal can tip it over while folded
- The double lock on the center bracket confused me the first time
- The company appears to be gone, so there’s no warranty support
Controls and display
On the right side there’s the shifter (one gear up front, six in the back), a twist throttle and the rear brake. Underneath the throttle there’s a nice loud horn, which is really useful in city traffic. On the left is the display with the front brake and a bell.
The display is minimal and isn’t color, but it shows everything you need, and it matches the all-black look. There are three pedal assist modes, with 3 giving the most assist. If you want miles per hour instead of kilometers, hold up and down for a couple of seconds and use the power button to find the setting. On a used bike, that same menu is where I’d check what speed limit has been set.
Holding the up button turns on the front headlight.
The missing tail light, and the fix
There’s no rear tail light, just a reflector. I said in the video that I wasn’t too happy about that. The simple fix is a battery-powered clip-on rear light on the seat post or the rear of the frame. I didn’t fit one in my video, so I can’t name a model that I’ve tested on this bike. If you ride at dusk or at night, treat a rear light as part of the purchase price.
The grip fix
The left grip was twisting from the factory. It’s an easy fix: spray a little hairspray inside the grip and it stops twisting. I probably had this issue because mine was an early production model. On a used bike, twist both grips before you ride.
Battery and charging
The battery sits under a little rubberized flap. This was my second gripe. The flap isn’t very secure, and it’s protecting probably the most expensive part of the bike.
The battery itself is great. Ziprs rated it at 345Wh and up to 45 miles, depending on how much you pedal and which assist mode you use. A turn of the key pulls it out, so you can park the bike outside your office and carry the battery inside. It has a great handle. A full charge takes about five hours, so it can charge while you’re at work. Bikefolded.com also notes that the battery comes out without folding the bike.
Range: what my test showed
When I filmed the review, I had 10.9 miles on the bike and said I’d do a max range test in an update video. I did make that video: “RANGE TEST | Folding Commuter Ebike | Ziprs F1,” posted on my channel on Oct 4, 2021. In its description I wrote that I got 17 miles using just the throttle, and that with some pedaling I expected to be able to triple that and beat the 45 mile rating.
What I measured on camera: 10.9 miles on the bike when I filmed (video, 12:13).
Two caveats. First, the tripling was my expectation, not a measured result. Second, I couldn’t pull the transcript for that video (YouTube blocked the download), so I’m only using what’s in its title and description. The route, temperature and assist settings aren’t in the description, so I can’t give them here.
The 17 mile figure lines up with bikefolded.com’s “around 18 miles in full throttle mode.” Electric Revolution Reviews lists “low range on hills” as a con. A 345Wh battery is small, so if your commute is more than about 15 miles round trip and you like the throttle, plan to charge at work.
Frame, fit and brakes
I’m about 6’1” and 200 lbs. The F1 is slightly smaller than the Aventon Sinch I reviewed before it, but it’s still a full-size magnesium alloy frame, so it’s lightweight and compact. It’s a step-through design, all matte black, with cool rims and reflective whitewall tires on 20 inch wheels. The flip pedals take up even less space when folded.
The disc brakes brought me to a full stop with no problem. Electric Revolution Reviews lists them as Tektro, and bikefolded.com says they’re mechanical, which means cable pull rather than hydraulic, so on a used bike the cables and pads are cheap to replace.
Motor and ride
The F1 has a 350W rear hub motor. Most of the bikes I review are 500W, but because the frame is so light, this one felt more powerful than its rating to me. In the video I said it had no problem pushing me up significant inclines on pedal assist. The only incline on camera, though, is a slight one, where I held the throttle and reached max speed. I didn’t measure grades, and Electric Revolution Reviews says it “needs more power to climb,” so if your commute has steep hills, test ride one on a hill first.
There’s no suspension at all. The only cushioning comes from the air in the tires and the seat. On some pretty big bumps I had more trouble with my camera than with the ride, because the seat is ultra cushiony. This is a city commuter. In the video I said it’s not for an off-road commuter. If your commute includes dirt or trails, pick a different e-bike.
It was so comfortable and easy to pedal that I did a lot of pedaling.
What the specs mean on the road
345Wh battery, 45 miles. That’s a small battery. The 45 mile rating depends on pedaling, and my throttle-only test got 17 miles.
20 x 2.1 in tires. These are regular-width tires, not fat tires. They’re lighter and quieter than 4 inch fat tires, and with no suspension they’re best on pavement.
47 lb. That’s light for a full-size e-bike folder, but it’s still heavy to carry up stairs. The roller wheel and the magnet are what make it manageable.
32 x 26 x 24 in folded. That’s per bikefolded.com. It fit in the back of my Model 3 easily.
Folding
This is the best part. The F1 is light and folds easily, so it’s simple to throw in the back of my Model 3.
The first time I folded it, I was looking for the usual hook or front kickstand, and instead found a small front wheel. When folded, you can roll it around without lifting it.
Ziprs also put a magnet and plate on the wheels, so the bike stays together when folded. One of my biggest gripes with folding e-bikes is that the front and back wheels don’t stay together. This makes it one unit that’s easy to lift into a trunk. To unfold it, I pry it apart with my leg to release the magnet, and in under 30 seconds it’s completely secured. The double lock on the big center bracket gave me a little trouble the first time, just because I wasn’t familiar with it.
Before you fold it, the seat goes down. There’s a little button that stops the seat from dropping too far, because the battery pack sits under it.
The tip-over, and how the magnet fits in
Here’s what happened. When the bike is folded and the magnet is holding the halves together, it’s supposed to rest on that little center roller wheel. But the pedal stuck out far enough that it touched the ground before the roller did, and the folded bike tipped over. I tried to twist the pedal out of the way, but it wouldn’t twist. The magnet did its job. The bike stayed in one piece as it tipped. The problem was the pedal, not the magnet.
My workaround was to lift the front and roll it on the two big back wheels instead of the little roller. That was just as easy. So getting it through a lobby or out of an office building, then unfolding it on a busy sidewalk, really isn’t a big deal. On a used bike, fold it and set it on the roller before you buy, and see whether the pedals fold flat enough to keep it upright.
On a bus
In the video I said you could commute with this on a bus or carry it onto one. I didn’t take it on a bus. Folding bike rules vary by transit agency, and some limit size or times. Check your agency’s rules with the folded size above.
Build quality
Apart from the battery flap, I said Ziprs didn’t cheap out anywhere. The battery, the rims, the disc brakes and the lighter frame all felt like premium parts to me. Electric Revolution Reviews’ bottom line called it “lightweight, easily compactable and well made.”
How it compares
| Ziprs F1 | Aventon Sinch (2020) | Gyroor C5 Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | 350W | 500W sustained, 750W peak | 500W |
| Battery | 36V 9.6Ah (345Wh) | 48V 14Ah (672Wh) | 48V 12Ah (576Wh) |
| Rated range (mi) | 45 | 40 | not listed |
| My range result (mi) | 17, throttle only | 42, one charge | not tested |
| Suspension | None | RST fork, 45mm travel | Front and rear |
| Tires | 20 x 2.1 in | 20 x 4 in | 20 x 4 in |
| Weight (lb) | 47 to 47.4 | 68 | not listed |
| Folds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price, USD | 1,499 (2021) | 1,499 (2020 launch) | not listed |
| Buy new today? | No | No (Sinch 2.5 sold out, Oct 22, 2026) | not listed |
Ziprs figures are from my video and the third-party pages above. Sinch figures are from my Aventon Sinch review, which cites Aventon’s 2020 launch spec. Gyroor figures are from my Gyroor C5 Max review.
- Aventon Sinch: almost twice the battery and a front fork, but about 20 lb heavier. Also used only.
- Gyroor C5 Max: a fat tire folder with front and rear suspension.
Who it’s for
- Used buyers who can check the battery in person.
- Car-plus-bike commuters. Drive to a free lot, unfold, ride the last few miles.
- Riders on paved paths and bike lanes.
Who should look elsewhere
- Off-road or dirt commuters. No suspension.
- Riders with long throttle commutes. I got 17 miles on throttle.
- Night riders who won’t add a tail light.
- Anyone who wants a warranty. The company appears to be gone.
What the ride footage shows
I filmed the riding on a paved path through the woods in summer, with a short stretch over a wooden bridge deck, on dry pavement. Most of it is from my handlebar view, so you can see the display and both hands the whole time. The path is mostly flat with a slight incline in one section, and that’s where I held the throttle and still reached max throttle speed at 200 lbs. The bumps you see in the footage are the “pretty significant bumps” I talk about. The camera shook more than I did because of the seat.
I also showed the folding on that path, unfolding on the pavement and riding off from there.
What I didn’t test
- Range with pedaling. My range test was throttle only.
- A measured pedal assist top speed.
- Wet weather. Every ride in the review was dry.
- Steep or long climbs. The only incline on camera is a slight one.
- Night riding. I turned the headlight on in the garage, not on a dark road.
- Bus or train travel.
The battery cells
When I pulled the battery, I said it appears to be made by LG, and I was glad it wasn’t an off-brand pack. Electric Revolution Reviews also lists LG cells, so two sources agree, but I didn’t open the pack to confirm it.
What Ziprs claimed on its product page
My video shows Ziprs’ own product page graphics as I go through each part. These are Ziprs’ claims, not things I tested:
- A water and dust resistant LCD display
- An integrated swappable battery pack
- A lightweight magnesium alloy frame
- Tires with a reflective sidewall
- Front and rear disc brakes
- A motor with “smart” pedal assist
I never rode it in the rain, so the display’s water resistance went untested.
Where other sources disagree with me
These are third-party pages, checked Oct 24, 2026.
| Item | My video | Other source |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | not listed (I never weighed it) | 47.4 lb (bikefolded.com); 47 lb (Electric Revolution Reviews) |
| Max load | 265, then 260 lb | 265 lb (both) |
| Pedal assist top speed | I said 28 mph (my class mix-up) | 20 mph (both) |
| Climbing | No problem on inclines | “Needs more power to climb” (Electric Revolution Reviews) |
| Throttle-only range | 17 mi (my range test) | about 18 mi (bikefolded.com) |
| Display rating | Water and dust resistant (Ziprs graphic) | IPX5 display (bikefolded.com); IPX5 “waterproof” (Electric Revolution Reviews) |
Similar frames sold under other names: a lead, not a match
A Reddit thread (post y65q40) says the same folding frame was sold under other brands, including MS Energy i10, Ducati MG-20, Blaupunkt and Onebot S9. That’s one forum post. I haven’t seen any of those bikes next to an F1 or compared parts, so I’m not saying any of them is the same bike, or that their batteries fit. If you can’t find a used F1, those names are worth a search, and then compare the frame, fold, battery and specs yourself.
Note that the ONEBOT bike I reviewed is not the S9 from that thread. My ONEBOT folding e-bike review covers the S7, which has a 250W motor and a 187.2Wh battery, so it’s a smaller, different bike.
Recall check
I searched the CPSC recall database for Ziprs on Oct 24, 2026 and found no recalls.
FAQ
Is Ziprs still in business?
It doesn’t appear to be. Wayback Machine snapshots show ziprs.com redirecting to a domain sale page by Dec 31, 2021, and still redirecting to a name sale page in March 2026. Electric Revolution Reviews lists it as no longer available.
Can I get a replacement battery?
I couldn’t find one for sale as of Oct 24, 2026. Check the battery before you buy.
How far does it go?
Ziprs rated it for 45 miles. In my range test I got 17 miles on throttle only.
Does it fit in a car?
It went easily into the back of my Model 3. Folded, it’s 32 x 26 x 24 inches per bikefolded.com.
How much does the Ziprs F1 weigh?
I never weighed it. Bikefolded.com lists 47.4 lb and Electric Revolution Reviews lists 47 lb, both as of Oct 24, 2026.
Has the Ziprs F1 been recalled?
I found no CPSC recall for Ziprs as of Oct 24, 2026.
Price
In 2021, the F1 was $1,499 on Ziprs’ website, and my link took another $150 off, to about $1,350. As of Oct 24, 2026, there’s no new price because the Ziprs website is gone, and I couldn’t source a used price. For bikes you can buy new, see my list of the best e-bikes under $2,000.
Related reviews and guides
- Aventon Sinch review
- Engwe EP-2 Pro review
- E-bike classes explained
- Types of e-bikes explained
- E-bike laws by state
- Compare e-bikes
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
