Ridstar MN26 Review: 5 Range Figures, One 960 Wh Pack

26-inch step-through fat-tire e-bike · one rear hub motor Ridstar rates at 1,500 W, "PEAK 2000W" · 48V 20Ah pack, 960 Wh by arithmetic · 26 × 4.0 tires, front fork and suspension seatpost, mechanical discs · 330 lb load on Ridstar's listing, 300 lb on its drawing · riders 5'7" to 6'7" on ridstar.com · $690.00 on October 16, 2026 · verified October 16, 2026

Quick Answer — The Ridstar MN26 is a $690 step-through fat-tire e-bike on 26 × 4.0 tires, with a 48V 20Ah pack (960 Wh) and a rear hub motor Ridstar rates at 1,500 W. On throttle alone at a steady 15 mph on level pavement, a 180 lb rider computes to 54 miles; Ridstar prints five range figures, 50 to 90 miles.

Ridstar's own pages give the MN26 two weights, two rider-height windows, two top speeds and those five range figures, and the figure table sets each beside the page that prints it. Before you order, settle three things: whether your state admits a 1,500 W motor (class), whether the saddle comes low enough for your legs (fit), and whose warranty you would be under (buying).

The maker's record, before you buy. In 2026 the Consumer Product Safety Commission told owners of three Ridstar models to stop using them: 26-337 covers the Q20 and Q20 Pro's batteries and wires, and 26-584 the Q20 and Q20 Lite's front wheels. Neither names the MN26, the CPSC recall list held no Ridstar recall on October 16, 2026, and the record section quotes both warnings.

What this review covers

Figures · What it is · Fit · Motor · Battery · Range · Weight · Brakes and lights · Frame and suspension · The Mercer fit test · UL · Recalls · The maker's record · The Ridstar family · Class · Where to ride · Green and red flags · Verdict · Checklist · Buying it from us · FAQ · Limitations · Bottom line · References

How we verified this Ridstar MN26 review

Every MN26 figure here was read on Ridstar's own pages on October 16, 2026: ridstar.net's MN26 listing and ridstar.com's with the US market selected, their seven gallery images, and the removed August ridstar.net MN26 page in our August 26 record.

The two dealers' pages, the CPSC record, the court dockets and our own price, checkout, freight and returns were read that same day. Each figure is checked against the specification Ridstar publishes and recomputed wherever arithmetic enters. We sell the MN26, so its red flags are read as closely as its green ones. This review belongs to our e-bike reviews.

Written by Milad Ghobadibeygvand, BScN (Western University, 2014). Corrections: support@redtailebikes.com.

The MN26's figures, page by page

Ridstar's pages give the MN26 one motor rating with a peak, two top speeds, five range figures, two weights, two load limits and two height windows, and the table puts each reading beside the page that prints it. This review plans on the second column's figure, and the third and fourth columns quote Ridstar's pages word for word, so you can check any figure against the page that printed it.

Ridstar's studio photograph from its newest MN26 listing, the only image on ridstar.net's page and the machine on our cover.

Read October 16, 2026 from ridstar.net's listing, ridstar.com's listing and its images, and from the dimension drawing on ridstar.net's removed August page.

The drawing that page carried prints "77.2 LBS Product Weight", "MAX 300LBS" and "5.3-6.3FT Recommended Height"; the same file is image 8 on our listing. The ridstar.com record also lists a package weight of "37.65 Kilograms", the boxed weight, about 83 lb.

Where Ridstar's pages disagree, this review prints every figure with its source and does not pick one for you; where a calculation needs one number, it names the number it runs and shows you the others beside it.

One frame, four stores: what the MN26 is

The MN26 is a 26-inch step-through fat-tire bike that Ridstar sells under one name on two stores of its own, at $600 on ridstar.net and $1,439.00 on ridstar.com in US dollars on October 16, 2026, while two dealers list it at $1,199.00 and €1,269.00. Both of Ridstar's titles call it "Unfoldable".

Prices as each store printed them on October 16, 2026; ridstar.com's are its US-market prices. ridstar.net's official statement calls every other similar website its dealer.

ridstar.net created its current MN26 listing on November 12, 2025. An older ridstar.net page for the bike, created April 1, 2024, carried the same text word for word under a title with a ® after Ridstar, and it answered 404 on October 16, 2026; the Wayback Machine holds seven captures of it, from November 14, 2024 to September 4, 2026.

ridstar.com's lead photograph shows the other side of the same frame; the saddle bag in the corner is one of the accessories Ridstar says ships with it.

No folding joint shows in any Ridstar photograph of the MN26, and both store titles say "Unfoldable". Two lines say otherwise: ridstar.net's own text opens its tire sentence with "The foldable e-bike's", and the dealer ridstar.eu files its page under an address beginning "folding-electric-bike". Neither describes a hinge, a latch or a folded size.

Four of the photographs on ridstar.com's MN26 listing, the motor panel, the four-part close-up, the saddle-and-fork close-up and the street scene, are the same files byte for byte as images on both stores' listings for the DC26, a folding 26-inch Ridstar whose lead photographs show a different frame, one that folds. ridstar.com's DC26 listing also carries a battery image saved under the name "MN26-battery.png".

That matters for one panel above all. The image printing "PEAK 2000W", "36MPH", "85NM" and "40°" sits on the MN26 listings and on the DC26 listings, so a figure on it may have been written for either bike, and the MN26's own spec block prints 28 mph.

ridstar.net also sells parts with an MN26 option, each shown in stock on October 16, 2026: a 48V 20Ah battery at $379, a controller at $89, an LCD display at $69, a throttle at $59, a front fork at $159 and a rear hub "contains motor" at $379. The battery section prices the pack against the bike.

Who the MN26 fits: a 35.4-inch lowest seat and three height windows

By the standard saddle formula, 109% of inseam from the pedal axle, a median 5'8" rider in the US Army's ANSUR II survey wants the saddle top 35.6 inches from the pedal, and Ridstar's drawing puts the MN26's lowest seat 35.4 inches from the ground.

The pedal sits above the ground, so for riders from about 5'10" up the post's bottom setting is low enough; below that it turns on a pedal height Ridstar does not print.

Three windows are printed for this one frame: "Recommended Height 5'7" -6'7"" on ridstar.com's listing, a height badge of 5.3 to 6.3 feet on Ridstar's dimension drawing, 63.6 to 75.6 inches read as decimal feet, and 5'3" to 6'3" in the FAQ of the dealer ridstar-ebike.com.

Ridstar's dimension drawing, the sixth image on its removed August ridstar.net page and the eighth on our listing. The table under the bike gives the nine figures this section uses.

Three steps give you your own answer:

1. Take your barefoot inseam: back to a wall, a hardback book squeezed up between your legs like a saddle, and a tape from the book's top edge to the floor.
2. Find your height in the saddle tables, first for the formula figure and then for whether the bottom setting is shown to reach it.
3. Once the box is open, use the heel check to put the saddle near its height, and fine-tune it toward 25 to 35 degrees of knee bend.

Ridstar's drawing prints the seat height from the ground, 35.4 to 47.2 inches, a 15.4-inch "Stand Height", two handlebar heights and the wheelbase, and no bracket height, crank length, seat angle or grip reach. The model therefore prints the formula's distances and what the two seat figures prove on their own, and it computes no lean or hand load.

Will the MN26's saddle go low enough for me?

Find your height for the saddle-to-pedal distance the formula sets, then check the second table for whether Ridstar's lowest setting is shown to reach it. The formula is Peveler et al.'s 109% of inseam; Ferrer-Roca et al. (2012) put the recommended range from 106% to 109% and their equation's range to 110.4%.

The formula saddle table. Inseam bands are the 5th to the 95th percentile of ANSUR II bodies at each height, at least 30 per band, and each distance is worked from the band's median leg. Ridstar prints no crank length, so LeMond's 88.3% from the crank axle is shown once, in the formula subsection.

Ridstar's drawing measures both seat heights from the ground up the seat-tube line, so at its lowest setting the saddle top sits less than 35.4 inches from the pedal. A rider whose 106% distance is 35.4 inches or more, a barefoot inseam of 33.40 inches or more, can therefore set the saddle at least that low; a shorter leg may or may not, depending on the pedal's height.

Counted over the same survey's bodies at each height from Ridstar's 35.4-inch lowest seat height. A rider counts as shown only where the printed figure alone proves the fit; the rest of each row is unknown, never too short. The 47.2-inch top setting leaves no surveyed rider short of 109%.

At 5'10", 67 riders in 100 are shown to reach a low enough saddle at 106%, at 6'0" 92 and from 6'2" all 100, while at 5'7" it is 11 and at 5'5" one. That fits ridstar.com's window opening at 5'7" rather than the drawing's and the dealer's 5'3", and a rider under about 5'9" should have the bracket figures in writing before ordering.

Can I put a foot down at a stop?

Yes: every surveyed rider from 5'3" to 6'4" clears Ridstar's 15.4-inch stand height barefoot, the shortest legs at 5'3" by more than 13 inches. On a step-through the frame sits low in the middle, so stopping means stepping forward off the saddle onto the ground.

Each row sets that height's barefoot inseams from the same survey against the 15.4-inch "Stand Height" on Ridstar's drawing; the middle column is the median leg. Ridstar draws that line from the ground toward the bracket and does not say which point of the frame it names.

The survey measured legs without shoes, so in riding shoes the margin over the frame grows by the thickness of the sole.

Will you sit stretched or cramped on the MN26?

How far you lean is not computed here, because no Ridstar page gives the grip reach or the seat angle the arithmetic needs. Its drawing gives a "Minimum Handlebar Height" of 45.7 inches and a "Maximum Handlebar Height" of 46.9, an adjustment of 1.2 inches, and a 28.3-inch "Handlebar Length".

Ridstar's text lists "adjustable seat and handlebars", and its four-part close-up labels a "Height Adjustable Handlebar". Set the saddle height first, ride a block, and raise the bar if your weight settles onto your palms.

How much weight goes through your wrists?

With no lean, the hand load is not computed either, because the share of your weight on the bars depends on that angle. The one measured reference is a racing one: Carahalios (2015) found about 15% of body weight on the bars for ten road racers holding their brake hoods, a reach far lower and longer than the MN26's upright bar.

Ride with loose elbows rather than locked arms. For palms that tingle after an hour, Slane et al. (2011) found padded gloves lowered pressure over the ulnar nerve, at the outer heel of the palm, by 10 to 28% across 36 experienced cyclists.

How do you set the saddle when it arrives?

Turn one crank down until it lines up with the seat tube, rest your heel on that pedal, and lift the saddle until the leg just straightens. Back on the ball of your foot, the knee keeps a small bend. Of 19 trained cyclists, Peveler et al. (2005) found 70% landed, set this way, within the 25 to 35 degree knee range that Peveler, Pounders and Bishop (2007) report the cycling literature recommends for preventing injury.

The MN26's seatpost is sprung, by ridstar.net's "adjustable front suspension and seatpost", so sit on it when you measure: the saddle settles a little under your weight. If the heel check finds the post already at its bottom while your knee still cannot straighten, that is the short-rider case the red flags are written for.

The fit arithmetic, step by step

Each saddle distance on this page multiplies a barefoot inseam by 1.09 and measures it from the lower pedal's axle up to the saddle's top. Take the median 5'8" leg in the survey, 32.64 inches: the 109% rule asks for 35.6 inches, and LeMond's 88.3%, counted from the crank axle instead, asks 28.8.

Those two answers are 6.8 inches apart because one rule counts from the pedal and the other from the axle the crank turns on; a published crank length would join them, and Ridstar gives none. The bounds use only Ridstar's two seat figures: 35.4 over 1.06 is a 33.40-inch inseam, 35.4 over 1.09 is 32.48, and 47.2 over 1.09 is 43.30.

The survey has 17 bodies at 6'5", 6 at 6'6" and none at 6'7", under the 30 a row needs, so the top of ridstar.com's window is not computed.

No frame dimension is read off the drawing, because neither its arrows nor the photograph beneath them keeps a single scale. Set to the 49.2-inch wheelbase between the two tire centers, the photograph gives a total length 1.6% short of the printed 78.7 inches and a rack 2.2% short of 17.7, but the step tube's lowest top edge 23.7% above the 15.4-inch stand height:

A measurement counts only when the scale reproduces three printed dimensions within 3.5%; two do here. The drawing's own arrows do worse, none landing within 3.5% of another at any arrow's scale, because they start neither at the axles nor at the bike's ends.

One rear hub motor, 1,500 W with a 2,000 W peak

Ridstar rates the MN26's motor at 1,500 W, "Motor: 1500W Motor" in ridstar.net's spec block, and adds "a 1500W motor (PEAK 2000W)" in its text, while neither store prints a continuous rating, a motor maker or a controller rating. The motor sits in the rear wheel: ridstar.net's parts store sells the MN26 a "Rear hub contains motor".

Ridstar's motor image, image 4 on ridstar.com's MN26 listing and a file that also sits on both stores' DC26 listings. It prints a "PEAK 2000W" headline and 36 mph beside the spec block's 28.

The dealer's motor image, which is also image 9 on our listing, prints 1,500 W, 80 N·m and 30°; Ridstar's own prints 85 N·m and 40°.

Computed for a 180 lb rider: on the range model, a rider of that weight on level pavement holds a steady 31.3 mph on the motor alone at full power, between Ridstar's 28 and 36. At 15 mph the motor needs about 196 W at the wheel and draws about 256 W from the pack.

Ridstar's text names "three modes: pure electric, assisted bicycle, and normal bike" and "five-speed settings" for the assist, and the dealer's display image prints "5 PAS Modes". ridstar.net's parts store sells the MN26 a "Turning Handle Throttle (two keys included)", so the pure-electric mode runs from a twist grip.

Whether the assist senses your pedal speed or your pedal force is not stated on either store. Ridstar's text claims "effortlessly conquering 30-40 degree slopes"; the hills subsection shows what a 10% grade, under six degrees, asks of this motor and pack, so you can weigh the hills on your own route.

A 48V 20Ah pack, 960 Wh by arithmetic

Both Ridstar stores print the MN26's pack as 48 volts and 20 amp-hours, "Battery: 48V/20 Ah" on ridstar.net and "48V/20AH" on ridstar.com's slider, which is 960 Wh by arithmetic. You can take it out of the frame: ridstar.com says "The detachable battery is located beneath the seat" and that "the rider can lock in the battery and remove it".

Ridstar's battery image, image 3 on ridstar.com's listing, saved under the name "MN26-battery.png". Its 75 miles carries no speed or mode.

The charge-time figures differ: ridstar.net prints "About 4-6 Hours", and ridstar.com's comparison chart "4 to 6 Hours" while its text says "a 3A charger, which takes 5 to 7 hours". At 3 amps into a 48-volt pack, about 144 watts, a flat 960 Wh pack needs close to 6.7 hours at that rate, which sits inside ridstar.com's 5 to 7.

The electricity, computed: a full refill of 960 Wh costs about 18 cents before charger losses, at the July 2026 US residential average of 18.31 cents per kWh that the Energy Information Administration reports. If you ride 1,000 miles a year at 15 mph on throttle alone, the model's 17.6 Wh a mile adds up to about $3 of electricity for the year.

A spare costs more. On October 16, 2026 ridstar.net sold the MN26 pack, listed as the Ridstar Q20/DC26/H20 48V 20AH 15AH Removable Electric E-Bike Battery with an "MN26" option, at $379 and in stock. Ridstar's text calls the pack "waterproof" and "with UL& BMS system", and the UL section sets out what that does and does not establish.

Range: 54 miles at 15 mph, and what moves it

A 180 lb rider on the 81.6 lb MN26 computes to 54 miles at a steady 15 mph on throttle alone, 39 miles at 20 mph and 83 miles at 15 mph with easy pedaling, all on level pavement from a full 960 Wh pack. Hills cost more than their distance suggests: on throttle alone, each 1,000 feet of climbing takes about 153 Wh of the pack at a 4% grade and 200 Wh at 10%.

Three moves get you a figure for your own ride:

1. Pick your cruising speed and how much you pedal from the speed tables.
2. Count the climbing on your route with the hill rows; on throttle alone, 1,000 feet costs 153 to 200 Wh on grades from 4% to 10%.
3. Adjust for what you and your cargo weigh and the season, then plan on the column that leaves 25% of the pack unused.

Every figure here comes from one steady-state model. It is built on Ridstar's own MN26 figures, a comparable 1,500 W motor's published curve, drum-measured fat-tire rolling resistance and a peer-reviewed cycling-power equation, and the formula subsection carries one ride through it line by line.

How much range does the Ridstar MN26 have?

On level pavement on throttle alone, a full pack computes to 75 miles at 10 mph, 54 at 15 mph and 39 at 20 mph for a 180 lb rider, and 150 W of steady pedaling at 15 mph stretches it to 162 miles. The first table pairs each speed with its planning figure, and the second adds what your legs buy at each speed.

Miles on a full 960 Wh pack, flat pavement, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike, 77 °F, tires at the median rolling resistance of ten fat-tire tests. The last column leaves 25% in the pack, the share Schmitt, Decker and Doppelbauer (2019) found unused when they measured a pedelec drawing 75% of its nominal capacity; Ridstar's MN26 pages state no reserve.

Full-pack miles at each effort, flat pavement, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike. Easy pedaling adds 75 W of rider power and steady pedaling 150 W; the throttle-only column repeats the speed table.

Ridstar's text gives a top speed of "28+++ mph" and its spec list "28mph", while the motor image on ridstar.com prints "36MPH". The model sets its motor's free-spinning speed from that 36 mph, and with a 180 lb rider on the flat it settles at 31.3 mph, so the tables end at 28 mph, where a full pack lasts 22 miles on throttle alone.

With the motor off, 75 W of pedaling moves a 180 lb rider on this bike at about 9 mph on the flat and 150 W at about 13 mph, which is why the effort table begins at 15 mph.

What gears does the MN26 have?

ridstar.net's spec list says "Gear Shift System: Shimano 7-speed Transmission System", and because the motor sits in the rear hub, the cog you pick sets your cadence and how much your legs add, while the pack's draw follows your speed, the grade and your watts. ridstar.com's text calls the seven gears "speed modes"; the display image counts "5 PAS Modes", the pedal-assist levels, and ridstar.net's text mentions "five-speed settings".

An image on ridstar-ebike.com, a store selling Ridstar bikes, that also sits in our MN26 gallery: the 7-speed cassette and derailleur beside the front fork.

ridstar.net also describes "three modes: pure electric, assisted bicycle, and normal bike." The table shows what each effort asks of the pack on the same ride; it is not a gear chart.

Watt-hours a mile from the pack on the flat and on two grades, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike, at three efforts. The two 12 mph rows are a slow ride up a 4% and an 8% grade.

What a climb costs the pack

On throttle alone each 1,000 feet of climbing takes about 153 Wh at a 4% grade, 167 Wh at 6%, 182 Wh at 8% and 200 Wh at 10%, and at a steady 10 mph a mile costs 28 Wh at 2% against 216 Wh at 15%. Easy pedaling trims each 1,000 feet to 135 to 177 Wh across the same grades.

Full-pack miles by grade at a steady 10 mph, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike, on throttle alone and with easy pedaling, grades from 2% to 15%.

Ridstar's slope figures run far past this table: "30-40 degree slopes" in ridstar.net's text, "Max. Slope 30°" in ridstar.com's comparison chart and "40° SLOPE" on its motor image. A 30° slope is a 58% grade and 40° is 84%, and none of the three prints a speed or a load. The model checks each row against the 1,500 W rating and the "85NM" on ridstar.com's motor image, and all fourteen pass.

The current is the harder limit. On throttle alone, 10% at 10 mph asks 51.7 N·m of the motor, 606 W at the wheel and about 47 A from the pack; 15% asks 73.3 N·m, 860 W and about 66 A. At 48 V, the 1,500 W rating works out to about 31 A and the 2,000 W peak to about 42 A.

The text of the MN26's pages and of ridstar.net's controller listing prints no current limit, so the rows from 10% up ask more current than Ridstar's own peak figure works out to. A controller that caps current there would climb those grades at a lower speed.

What is the MN26's weight limit?

ridstar.net's spec list says "Max Load: 330lbs", and at that load a full pack covers 44 miles at 15 mph on the flat on throttle alone, against 62 miles at 100 lb. Climbing 8% at 10 mph, the 330 lb load gets 5 miles from a full pack and the 100 lb load 17. Ridstar's dimension drawing prints a lower ceiling, "MAX 300LBS", and so does ridstar-ebike.com's FAQ: "payload 300 lbs at maximum".

Load the MN26 to 300 lb at most, the lower of Ridstar's two figures, counting yourself, your bag and anything in the basket or on the rack.

Rider plus cargo, 81.6 lb bike, throttle alone, flat pavement unless the column says climb. The bottom row is ridstar.net's 330 lb; the drawing's 300 lb is the row above it.

The bike's own weight in the model is the "81.6LBS" on ridstar.com's MN26 page. The drawing prints "77.2 LBS Product Weight", and the 4.4 lb between them moves the 15 mph range by less than half a mile.

The two weights Ridstar prints for the bike, 180 lb rider, throttle alone. The 81.6 lb row is the one every other table uses.

Range in the cold

At 32 °F the model gives 43 miles at 15 mph on throttle alone for a 180 lb rider, inside a bracket of 39 to 45, and at 14 °F it gives 39, inside 19 to 39. Ridstar names no cell maker or cell format for the MN26's pack, so the energy column comes from published temperature data for an LG HG2 lithium-ion cell.

Air temperature, the pack's energy against 77 °F, and the 15 mph flat range on throttle alone, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike. Brackets show the spread across the cell data; they open at 32 °F, and at 14 °F the pack's energy runs from 40% to 83%.

Warm weather adds miles in the model. Rolling resistance falls about 0.9% for each degree Celsius warmer, between the 0.88% of Bicycle Rolling Resistance's temperature test and the 0.97% of Rothhämel (2023), and is held flat below 41 °F, so the 95 °F ride goes farther than the 77 °F one with the pack at 99%.

Fat tires and how you sit

Across ten fat tires measured on a drum, the MN26's 15 mph range on throttle alone runs from 50 to 63 miles, with 54 at the median. The model uses that median, a rolling-resistance coefficient of 0.0105 from ten fat-tire tests, bracketed by 0.0070 for the lowest of the ten and 0.0126 for the highest. Ridstar's MN26 text names no tire maker and no pressure.

Your riding position is the other half. The model takes a drag area of 0.640 m², the drag coefficient times frontal area, for upright cruiser riders in Tengattini and Bigazzi (2018). Sit like that study's everyday mountain-bike riders, at 0.603 m², and the 15 mph figure rises to 56 miles.

Rolling resistance as the drum measured it, with the 15 mph and 20 mph flat ranges on throttle alone, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike. Every row is pavement; sand, snow and loose gravel are outside the model.

How many miles does Ridstar say the MN26 goes?

Ridstar's two stores print five range figures for the MN26, 50, 60, 70, 75 and 90 miles, and the model ties each one to a steady ride on the flat.

The 50 miles ridstar.net's spec list gives "pure ebike mode" asks for 16.3 mph on throttle alone, the 70 it gives "assist mode" asks for 16.4 mph with 75 W of easy pedaling, and the 90 at the top of ridstar.com's "75 to 90 miles" asks for 5.9 mph on throttle alone.

The steady flat-pavement speed at which the model reaches each of Ridstar's range figures on a full 960 Wh pack, 180 lb rider, 81.6 lb bike, at three efforts: Easy is 75 W of pedaling and Steady 150 W. The sources are ridstar.net's spec list and text, and ridstar.com's text and battery image.

The "Max Range 75Miles" on ridstar.com's battery image matches the model's 10 mph throttle-only ride. Ridstar attaches no speed, rider weight or terrain to any of the five, and at a steady 15 mph on throttle alone the model's 54 miles sits just above the 50 Ridstar gives pure electric riding.

One owner's report runs far below every figure here. In a one-star Trustpilot review posted March 5, 2025 under Ridstar's ridstar.uk profile, a buyer wrote that their MN26 "only lasted 15 miles before the battery completely drained," then 13 the next day, and that the company "admitted that the battery was faulty." The record section covers what happened next.

How the range figures are computed

Three forces set the power the wheel needs: rolling resistance, gravity on a climb and air drag; the motor and the battery each lose some on the way. The arithmetic is the cycling-power equation of Martin and colleagues (1998), in which the power is the speed multiplied by those three forces added together, then divided by the drivetrain's, the motor's and the battery's efficiency.

Each input below carries its source, and a number that has no row here does not enter the model.

Every row is one of three kinds, a figure Ridstar or a study publishes, a comparable with its bracket, or a physical constant, and every value is copied from the provenance block the model writes. Sources are in the references.

A 15 mph ride, worked from the inputs. On flat pavement on throttle alone, a 180 lb rider on the 81.6 lb bike: rolling takes 82.2 W, drag 114.2 W, and the wheel needs 196.5 W. At that load the motor runs at about 77% efficiency, so the battery's terminals deliver 256.1 W, and with the battery's own losses at 97% the cells give up 264.6 W.

That is 17.6 Wh a mile, so 960 Wh carries the bike 54.4 miles, and the planning figure with a quarter left in the pack is 40.8 miles.

Run on the worked example in Martin and colleagues' Appendix I, the model returns 45.7 W for the rolling and potential terms and 158.8 W for the aerodynamic term, the paper's printed values to the last digit. Its comparable motor gives 80% efficiency at its rated point, the floor the Bafang workbook publishes, and no measured ride of an MN26 with its rider weight and speed stated was found to check the output, the gap Limitations records.

Change the motor assumption and the 15 mph figure lands anywhere from 53 to 60 miles. Treat the motor as rated at the 2,000 W Ridstar calls its peak and the 15 mph ride gives 53 miles and the 8% climb 12; a comparable rated at 750 W gives 54 and 8, and one at 82% efficiency 60 and 11.

All four cases share every other input, none of them is a measurement, and the figures the tables print fall within their spread.

Weight and load: 81.6 lb, 77.2 lb and two limits

Ridstar prints two weights for the MN26, 81.6 lb on ridstar.com and 77.2 lb on its dimension drawing, and two load limits, 330 lb on ridstar.net's spec list and 300 lb on the drawing. Plan a lift, a car rack or a stairway on the heavier weight, and a load on the lower limit.

The box is bigger than the bike's numbers suggest. ridstar.com's spec table gives the package as "61.75 x 31.75 x 12.25 inches" and "37.65 Kilograms", about 83 lb, so plan two people for the doorstep.

The battery comes off. ridstar.net calls it a "removable 48V 20AH waterproof battery", and ridstar.com says "the rider can lock in the battery and remove it whenever they need to charge it", so you can charge it indoors and lift the frame without it.

Mechanical discs, lights, horn and a color display

ridstar.net's spec list says "Brake: Mechanical Disc Brakes", and the text on both of Ridstar's stores names no brake maker and no rotor size. Ridstar's close-up shows a disc and caliper at the front wheel. If you want hydraulic brakes on a fat-tire bike, the three bikes in the verdict all carry them.

Ridstar's image 6 on ridstar.com's MN26 page: saddle, stem, both lights and the front disc.

ridstar.net's text gives the MN26 "a bell, bright LED headlight, and brake light", an "automatic taillight when braking", "a headlight and horn for safety" and a "built-in USB port for phone charging". ridstar.com's spec table adds a "Phone Holder", and its text lists the display's "mode switching, speedometer, power display, and mileage data".

An image on ridstar-ebike.com, also in our MN26 gallery: the display, which reads 29.8 mph in assist level 5 in this picture.

Frame, suspension and tires

Ridstar's stores disagree on the frame, "a robust carbon steel frame" on ridstar.net against an "Aluminum" frame material on ridstar.com, and both show a sprung front fork and a sprung seatpost.

The two dealers split again, "Chromoly Steel" on ridstar-ebike.com and "Aluminum alloy" on ridstar.eu. Plan on the 81.6 lb figure whichever metal ships to you, and read the "Dual" under ridstar.com's Suspension Type as those two parts: Ridstar's photographs show no shock at the rear wheel.

Ridstar's image 2 on ridstar.com's MN26 page: the saddle and the fork, with a glow the image adds.

ridstar.net describes "an adjustable front suspension and seatpost", a "Lockable Suspension Fork" and an "aluminum adjustable suspension fork and seatpost", and its text prints no travel for either. ridstar.com's table also gives the wheel material as "Carbon" and names no rim.

An image on ridstar-ebike.com, also in our MN26 gallery: the front wheel on its 26 × 4.0 tire.

ridstar.net says its 26 × 4.0 fat tires "provide excellent traction on various terrains, including snow, sand, and gravel", and the tire subsection shows what fat tires cost on pavement, the only surface the model covers. ridstar.net's listing adds the note "Front tires must be securely installed"; check that your front axle nuts are tight before every ride, and the record section explains why the front wheel is the part to watch on Ridstar bikes.

The step-through frame you unbox comes with "a large capacity basket, rear rack, and bottle mounts", which ridstar.net says "have already been installed", and a "detachable saddle bag". Ridstar says its bikes arrive "90% pre-assembled", and ridstar-ebike.com's FAQ says the MN26 "Takes about 45 minutes to assemble"; Ridstar's YouTube channel carries a video titled "Ridstar MN-26 Electric Bike 1500W Motor 48V 20AHAH Battery Unfoldable Fat Tire City Commuter E-bike".

The Mercer fit test

The MN26 is held here against seven members of the Mercer family, the fixed archetypes every reviewed bike meets. Each row reads the three printed rider windows, the formula's saddle distance for that height, how many riders in 100 at that height Ridstar's 35.4-inch lowest seat is shown to suit, and the law in the class section. The family are archetypes, never testers; read the row nearest your height.

The people are the Mercer family. Heights and ages are theirs; the saddle figures are 109% of the median inseam at each height in the ANSUR II survey, and "shown" counts the riders whose 109% distance is 35.4 inches or more.

On the MN26 the lowest seat sorts the family, and the stop never does. Every surveyed rider from 5'3" to 6'4" clears the 15.4-inch stand height, so all five adults can stand over the frame at a stop; the question for you is whether the saddle comes down far enough, and Ridstar's figures settle it only from about 5'10" up.

Ruth, Maya and Dana sit inside the drawing's window, which opens at 5.3 feet, and the dealer's, which opens at 5'3", and at or under the floor of ridstar.com's, 5'7".

Before any of them orders, get the bottom-bracket height and crank length in writing through the offer in the fit section; the Qiolor TIGER RL, with a recommended height of "5'1" - 5'9"" on Qiolor's page, is the bike to compare.

Cole is 16 and Ivy is 12, and the MN26 is not a bike for either of them. At 1,500 W it sits above the 750-watt limb of 44 of the 51 state definitions in the class section, so those states' electric bicycle rules, their age rules among them, do not reach it, and moped or motor-vehicle rules may apply instead. Ridstar's pages say nothing on the point.

A teenager who wants an MN26 has a state law question to answer first, and our 50-state atlas is where that answer starts.

Is the Ridstar MN26 UL certified?

ridstar.net's MN26 text describes the pack as "with UL& BMS system", and ridstar-ebike.com's FAQ says "Ridstar electric bike has passed the UL 2849 electric bicycle electric system safety standard test"; neither page prints a certificate holder or a file number, and ridstar.com's MN26 text does not mention UL. A sentence on a sales page is a claim; a certification is a file you can look up.

UL Solutions certifies e-bikes to UL 2849, a standard that treats the drive train, the battery and the charger as one electrical system. Ask the seller for the certificate holder's name and the file number before you pay. If a printed certification decides it, Eunorau's FAT-AWD 2.0 page states "UL CERTIFIED Yes" in its specification strip, and the same two questions apply there.

What ridstar.net's "Our Qualifications" links open. The footer under the MN26 listing links a "US trademark", a "CE trademark" and a "European trademark".

The first and last are registrations of the word "Ridstar": the US registration, Reg. No. 6,936,242 of December 27, 2022, and the EU registration, No. 018609888 of March 16, 2022. The "CE trademark" link opens a test report to EN 15194:2017 for a "Cargo electric bicycle", model "FM-002, CDDA20", with a "250W" maximum power figure, issued April 2, 2024. None names the MN26, and none is a UL document.

Has the Ridstar MN26 been recalled?

No. On October 16, 2026 the CPSC's recall list held no Ridstar recall, and the Commission's two Ridstar warnings name the Q20, the Q20 Pro and the Q20 Lite, and neither names the MN26.

The full recall list that day ran to 10,053 records, the newest dated October 15, 2026, and held no recall naming Ridstar, its maker, YVY or the MN26; the Commission's recall feed, 40 items from September 17 to October 15, held none either. Its warning list of 375 rows carries the two Ridstar warnings and no row naming the MN26.

A warning is not a recall, so no recall remedy exists for any Ridstar bike. Check the CPSC's recall search again in the week you buy, and read the maker's record for what the two warnings say.

The maker's record

Two CPSC stop-use warnings, a UK safety report and two lawsuits concern Ridstar bikes, and none of them names the MN26; one buyer's public review does. The record belongs to the company behind the bike, so it is set out in the regulators', the courts' and the buyer's own words.

Both rows as the Commission printed them, every quoted string re-read on October 16, 2026.

Both releases name the manufacturer as Huizhou Xingqishi Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., of China. The fire release says the company "has refused to agree to an acceptable recall" and records its answer, "The company objects to this press release"; the crash release says it "has been unresponsive to CPSC's requests for information about these products or a recall."

Where the MN26 meets the Q20 on Ridstar's own pages. ridstar.net sells the MN26's spare pack as an "MN26" option, $379, on a listing titled "Ridstar Q20/DC26/H20 48V 20AH 15AH Removable Electric E-Bike Battery", whose Q20 option is $399. The listing's own specification table names no MN26, and no Ridstar page says whether the two packs are one part.

The fire warning concerns the Q20's "batteries and wires", so that open question is the one for you to put to any seller. Both releases tell owners how to identify the warned bikes: black, with "the brand name Ridstar is printed on the battery", and the model number "on the purchase receipt". The MN26 in Ridstar's photographs is black, so the color does not set it apart; the model number on your receipt does.

Neither release lists redtailebikes.com among the places the warned bikes were sold; the crash release names AliExpress.us, Amazon.com, Ridstar.net and Walmart.com. The list records where those bikes were sold; it says nothing about any unit we ship.

Britain keeps its own file. On June 19, 2025 its Office for Product Safety and Standards named Ridstar's "Q20-Plus, Q20-Mini, E26 Pro and Chargers" a serious fire risk and gave the reason: "the charger has poor quality soldering, and the transformer does not meet the minimum requirements for creepage and clearance distances." That shipment "has been rejected at the border," and the report does not mention the MN26.

Two product-liability cases now in federal court claim that a Ridstar front wheel detached. The Oregon suit against Amazon, No. 3:26-cv-00692, concerns a "Ridstar Q20"; the Florida suit against Walmart, No. 9:26-cv-81045, concerns a bike whose title reads "Peak 1500W30MPH,48V 15.6Ah", a pack the MN26 does not carry.

Both suits are allegations, to be read as claims and not as findings, and Ridstar is a named defendant in neither. On October 16, 2026 the Oregon docket's last entry was a stipulated protective order of July 8 under a schedule running fact discovery to January 15, 2027, and the Florida docket showed a motion to dismiss with its briefing and an October 1 order for a joint scheduling report, with no ruling on the motion.

One buyer's account names the MN26. In a one-star review on Trustpilot, filed under Ridstar's ridstar.uk profile on March 5, 2025, a buyer in Britain wrote that a replacement battery "arrived after 21 days and was the wrong one", and that once the problem was proven "they neither accepted a return nor offered a replacement." That is one person's account of one unit, quoted as theirs.

Who would you be buying from?

ridstar.net's company page gives the business as "HK RIDSTAR TRADE LIMITED", at an address in Hung Hom, Hong Kong, while the MN26 listing on the same store says "Established in New Jersey and proudly serving the US since 2008." YVY's company page names the same business, so YVY and Ridstar bikes come from one company.

The US trademark names its owner as "Huizhoushi Xingqishi Sports Goods Co., Ltd.", in Boluo County, Huizhou, and the test report behind ridstar.net's "CE trademark" link names "Huizhou Xingqishi Sporting Goods Co.,Ltd.", the manufacturer both warnings name.

Which Ridstar store would you be buying from?

Four stores sold the MN26 on October 16, 2026, at the four prices in the store table, and their own words about which store is Ridstar's do not agree. ridstar.net's statement reads "Except ridstar.net, other similar websites are our dealers" and "we will not provide any after-sales service to customers who purchase ridstar products from other places."

ridstar.com's MN26 page says "The Ridstar Warranty Policy is only available to customers ordering from ridstar.com", and ridstar-ebike.com titles its MN26 page "Ridstar Official Store". Buying it from us sets out what those statements mean for a bike you buy here.

The MN26 in Ridstar's line

The MN26 is Ridstar's 26-inch step-through, and ridstar-ebike.com's comparison chart sets it beside two siblings: the folding H26 Pro, at "1500W", "37MPH" and "Dual Hydraulic Brakes", and the smaller MN-20, at "1000W" and "30MPH". In the same chart the MN26 reads "1500W", "36MPH", "48V 20AH" and "Dual Disc Brakes".

Every cell as ridstar-ebike.com's MN26 page printed it on October 16, 2026. The same chart gives all three "Front and Rear, Dual Shock Absorber"; Ridstar's own MN26 photographs show no shock at the rear wheel.

We review seven other Ridstar bikes, and each page reads its own maker's figures the way this one does, so you can set any two side by side:

• The H26 Pro, the folding 26-inch model in the chart above: our Ridstar H26 Pro review.
• The Q20, the one model both CPSC warnings name: our Ridstar Q20 review.
• The Q20 Pro, named in the fire warning: our Ridstar Q20 Pro review.
• The Q20 Lite, named in the crash warning: our Ridstar Q20 Lite review.
• The Q30 Pro, a two-motor bike named in neither: our Ridstar Q30 Pro review.
• The Q50, named in neither: our Ridstar Q50 review.
• The Q30 Lite, which ridstar.com sells as the Q50 Lite: our Ridstar Q30 Lite review.

For Ridstar as a company rather than one model, our Ridstar profile sets out its stores, the two warnings and the two suits, and our e-bike reviews put the MN26 beside other makers' bikes.

A 1,500 W motor against the e-bike classes

Ridstar rates the MN26's motor at 1,500 W with a 2,000 W peak, above the 750-watt line that 44 of the 51 state definitions draw, and no Ridstar page assigns it a class. Check the definition your own state writes before your MN26's first ride on a public road, lane or path.

At the federal level, 15 U.S.C. § 2085(b) defines a low-speed electric bicycle as one with "fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph."

Both statutes as govinfo and California's legislative site printed them on October 16, 2026, the day Ridstar's figures were read from its two MN26 listings and images.

In California the MN26's motor is outside the electric bicycle definition, because § 312.5(a) admits a motor that "does not exceed 750 watts of power" and Ridstar's lowest figure is 1,500 W.

California's moped definition, § 406(a), asks for "fully operative pedals", "an automatic transmission", a motor producing "less than 4 gross brake horsepower" and a top speed "of not more than 30 miles per hour on level ground". 1,500 W is about 2.0 horsepower and 2,000 W about 2.7, both under 4; Ridstar's 28 mph figures sit inside 30, and the 36 mph on its motor image sits above it.

Ridstar's spec list names a "Shimano 7-speed Transmission System", and whether a derailleur is "an automatic transmission" is a question for the California Department of Motor Vehicles and our California page; this review does not decide it for you.

Our census of the 51 state definitions, the 50 states and DC, read September 24, 2026, found 44 with a 750-watt motor limb. Rhode Island's counts power in horsepower instead: its motor must be "rated not more than two (2) (S.A.E.) horsepower", about 1,491 W, and the bike's top speed "of not more than twenty-eight miles per hour".

At a 1,500 W rating the MN26 is about 9 W over Rhode Island's line, and at its 2,000 W peak about 509 W over it. In the District, Montana, New Jersey and Oregon the definition carries no power figure at all, which leaves the speed figures to decide, and Alaska and Kentucky have no electric bicycle definition. Our 50-state atlas takes each from its statute, so you can read your own state's line.

ridstar-ebike.com's FAQ answers "Is it street legal?" with "Yes, It is, All Ridstar ebikes are street legal for family use." That sentence is the dealer's; the definitions above are the test your state applies.

Where you can ride it

A path that admits e-bikes by class admits the MN26 only where its own posted wording reaches a bike with no class, and Ridstar's pages assign it none. In California, if your bike is read as a motorized bicycle, § 21207.5(a) bars it from "a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, bicycle lane" unless the path is "within or adjacent to a roadway" or a local ordinance allows it.

Read each rulebook's own posted wording first; your motor's watts and top speed matter once that wording names them.

On National Forest land, 36 CFR 261.2 defines a motor vehicle as "any vehicle which is self-propelled, other than" a vehicle on rails or a wheelchair or mobility device, and 36 CFR 261.1b sets the penalty for breaking a Part 261 rule at "imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine in accordance with" the federal criminal code.

The fat tires invite sand and snow, and the agency that manages the beach or the trail you have in mind sets whether a bike of this power may use it, so check its rules before you ride there. Our public-land guide reads the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, wildlife refuges and Army Corps lakes one at a time.

Green flags / Red flags

Each green flag is a fact you can check on Ridstar's pages or ours; each red flag ends in a step you can take before you buy or ride.

Green flags

• 960 Wh of battery for $690. About $0.72 per watt-hour at our price, against $1.67 for the Samebike CREST, $1.76 for the Qiolor TIGER RL and $2.36 for the Eunorau FAT-AWD 2.0 on its one pack.
• Seven gears, a sprung fork and seatpost, and the cargo parts fitted. ridstar.net names a "Shimano 7-speed Transmission System", an "adjustable front suspension and seatpost", and a "large capacity basket, rear rack, and bottle mounts" that "have already been installed".
• A frame every surveyed adult can stand over. The drawing's 15.4-inch stand height clears every leg in the survey from 5'3" to 6'4".
• In stock at both Ridstar stores and buyable here. ridstar.net showed it at $600.00 and ridstar.com at $1,439.00 on October 16, 2026, and our listing took a cart that morning.
• A removable pack, sold as a spare. The MN26 option on ridstar.net's battery listing was $379 and in stock.
• Free freight within the contiguous United States, with the carrier claim filed for you if the box arrives damaged.

Red flags

• Ridstar prints five ranges, two weights, two load limits, two rider windows and two frame metals for this one bike. Plan on the model's range, the 81.6 lb weight and the 300 lb limit, and email us for any other figure you need in writing before you order.
• Under about 5'10" the fit turns on a pedal height Ridstar does not print. Get the bracket height and crank length through the fit offer; for a frame Qiolor sizes from 5'1", look at the TIGER RL.
• At 1,500 W it sits above the 750-watt limb of 44 of the 51 state definitions. Read your state's definition first; for a 750 W motor its maker prints as "Speed Class 2", look at the TIGER RL.
• The spare pack is sold on the Q20's battery listing, and the fire warning names the Q20's batteries. Read the maker's record, and ask any seller in writing whether the MN26 pack is the same part.
• Mechanical discs, with no brake maker or rotor size printed. For hydraulic brakes and a rear shock on the same 48V 20Ah pack size, look at the Samebike CREST.
• No UL certificate holder or file number is printed. The UL section lists what to ask for, and the FAT-AWD 2.0 states "UL CERTIFIED Yes" on Eunorau's page.
• Ridstar's stores limit their service to their own buyers. Buying it from us sets the statements side by side; ask us in writing which applies before you order.

Buy it if / Buy something else if

Buy it if you are about 5'10" or taller, want a step-through fat-tire bike with a basket, a rack and a 960 Wh pack for $690, ride where your state takes a motor Ridstar rates at 1,500 W, and are content with mechanical discs.

From 5'10" up, Ridstar's lowest seat is shown low enough for 92 riders in 100 at 109% of inseam, and every surveyed rider stands over the frame. At $690 the pack costs about $0.72 per watt-hour, and 1,000 miles a year at 15 mph on throttle alone costs about $3 in electricity.

Buy something else if you are under about 5'9", or you ride paths and lanes that admit e-bikes by class. The Qiolor TIGER RL, $1,099 on our store on October 16, 2026, prints "750W Power 1200W Peak power", "Speed Class 2", a "Recommended Height 5'1" - 5'9"" and a "Hydraulic Disc Brake" on Qiolor's page, which showed it in orange that day with white sold out.

It is single-speed with a 48V 13Ah pack, and Qiolor prints "Range(Throttle only) 40miles", so it trades the MN26's battery and gears for a rated motor that sits on the 750-watt line and a frame sized for shorter riders.

Buy something else if you want a printed UL certification, a heavier load rating or traction at both wheels. The Eunorau FAT-AWD 2.0, $1,699 in Raven and $1,799 in Maple on our store, lists "AWD 500W+500W", "UL CERTIFIED Yes", "CLASS Class 2 Speed limited Unlockable", "Total Payload Capacity 375 lbs" and "Hydraulic disc brakes" on Eunorau's page.

Its two hubs total 1,000 W, so how your state counts two motors decides its class, and our FAT-AWD 2.0 review reads that question state by state. Eunorau showed both step-over colors in stock that day.

Buy something else if you want hydraulic brakes and a rear shock with the MN26's pack size. The Samebike CREST, $1,599 in black, white or navy on our store, lists "1000W (Peak 1800W)", a "48V 20Ah Battery", "Hydraulic Disc Brakes" and "Fork&Shock Suspension" on Samebike's page. Its motor is past 750 W too, and our CREST review computes its range and fit.

Buy something else if the maker's warranty must sit with the store you buy from. Buying it from us puts Ridstar's two statements next to our own policy, and a written answer from us on which applies comes before you pay.

Before you buy: the checklist

Six checks cover the MN26: your state's definition, your inseam against the lowest seat, the figures you need in writing, the battery question, the warranty question and the first week of riding.

1. Look up your state's definition in our atlas, then read the posted rules on each path you plan to ride.
2. Measure your barefoot inseam and find your row in the saddle tables; under about 5'9", get the bracket height in writing first.
3. Choose the figures you will plan on: 81.6 lb to lift, 300 lb to load, and the model's miles for your speed.
4. Ask whether the MN26's spare pack is the Q20's part, and read the maker's record before you decide.
5. Settle who repairs it, using the warranty statements below, before you pay.
6. In the first week, inspect the delivery within 48 hours, check that the front axle nuts are tight (Ridstar's own note reads "Front tires must be securely installed"), and set the saddle with the heel check.

Buying it from us

Our MN26 listing was open at $690.00 on October 16, 2026, and the rows below are what that price buys. Every row describes something we do, as our store stated it that day.

Sources: our shipping policy, our refund policy and our checkout, as they stood on October 16, 2026. That morning our cart priced shipping at $0.00 to ZIP codes in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Alaska and Hawaii; for the last two the policy still asks you to write first.

A change-of-mind return is for an unopened bike in its factory-sealed packaging, requested within 72 hours of delivery, and carries a 15% restocking fee and the return freight; any order cancellation carries a 3% transaction fee, as our refund policy sets out.

Three stores, three sets of terms. The MN26 is sold on all three, and here is how their terms compare.

Each Ridstar term is quoted from the store's own page as it read on October 16, 2026: ridstar.net's return policy and warranty page, and ridstar.com's MN26 page, return policy and warranty page; ours come from our policies.

Settle who repairs it before you buy. ridstar.net's statement says it "will not provide any after-sales service to customers who purchase ridstar products from other places", while its own warranty page says "Ridstar dealers or Ridstar authorized partners will repair or replace, at no charge," a product that proves defective. ridstar.com's warranty page covers "Every electric bicycle purchased from RIDSTAR.COM".

Our refund policy says a power, charging or component fault "is covered under manufacturer warranty — we coordinate repair or replacement remotely." Ridstar's statements and ours do not line up for a bike bought here, and this page does not resolve them; ask us in writing which applies to the unit you are offered, and the answer comes before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ridstar MN26?

The Ridstar MN26 is a step-through fat-tire e-bike on 26 × 4.0 tires that ridstar.net lists at $600.00 and ridstar.com at $1,439.00, with a rear hub motor Ridstar rates at 1,500 W, a 48V 20Ah pack, a sprung fork and seatpost, seven gears and mechanical discs. The specification table quotes each figure from the page that prints it.

How fast does the Ridstar MN26 go?

Ridstar prints three answers: "28+++ mph" in ridstar.net's text, "28mph" in its spec list and "28 MPH" on ridstar.com's slider, and "36MPH" on ridstar.com's motor image. The range model's motor, given a free-spinning speed of 36 mph, holds 31.3 mph on level pavement with a 180 lb rider. No measured top speed is published for it.

How far can the Ridstar MN26 go on one charge?

On level pavement with a 180 lb rider, the model computes 54 miles at 15 mph on throttle alone, 39 at 20 mph and 83 at 15 mph with easy pedaling. With a quarter of the pack held back, the figure to plan your rides on is 41 miles at 15 mph on throttle alone. Ridstar prints five figures from 50 to 90 miles with no speed beside any of them, and the range section maps each to a ride.

How much does the Ridstar MN26 weigh?

Ridstar prints two weights: "81.6LBS" on ridstar.com's MN26 page and "77.2 LBS Product Weight" on its dimension drawing. ridstar.com gives the box at 37.65 kg, about 83 lb. Plan your lift or your car rack on 81.6 lb, and the weight section shows what each figure does to the range.

What battery does the Ridstar MN26 use, and what does a spare cost?

A removable 48V 20Ah pack, 960 Wh by arithmetic, which ridstar.net calls "waterproof" and ridstar.com "detachable". On October 16, 2026 ridstar.net sold a spare as the MN26 option on its Q20/DC26/H20 battery listing for $379, in stock. The battery section prices a full charge at about 18 cents.

What should I check if my Ridstar MN26 is not charging?

Ridstar's two MN26 pages carry no charging troubleshooting steps. ridstar.com's warranty page says a fault is diagnosed with tests such as "testing a battery with a voltmeter and submitting a picture of the result via email". If you bought the bike from us, a bike that "won't charge" is a fault our refund policy covers, and we coordinate the repair or replacement.

Does the Ridstar MN26 fold?

No. Ridstar's own titles call it "Unfoldable", its drawing and photographs show a one-piece step-through frame, and no page prints a folded size. ridstar.net's text calls it "The foldable e-bike" in one sentence, and the dealer ridstar.eu's address reads "folding-electric-bike", so read the title. Our H26 Pro review covers a Ridstar that does fold, if you need one.

Is the Ridstar MN26 street legal?

On Ridstar's own figures its 1,500 W motor puts it outside the federal low-speed electric bicycle definition and California's, and above the 750-watt limb of 44 of the 51 state definitions we read. The dealer ridstar-ebike.com says "All Ridstar ebikes are street legal for family use"; your state's definition decides, and the class section has the detail.

Is the Ridstar MN26 named in the CPSC warnings?

No. The Commission's two Ridstar warnings, on fires and on front wheels, name the Q20, the Q20 Pro and the Q20 Lite. No Ridstar recall exists, and the record section explains why the MN26's spare pack listing is the open question.

Does the Ridstar MN26 have a throttle?

Yes. ridstar.net describes "three modes: pure electric, assisted bicycle, and normal bike", and sells a "Turning Handle Throttle (two keys included)" with an MN26 option for $59, a twist grip. On throttle alone, the range tables give 54 miles at 15 mph for a 180 lb rider on the flat.

What brakes does the Ridstar MN26 have?

ridstar.net's spec list says "Brake: Mechanical Disc Brakes", and ridstar.com's table says "Dual Disc Brake"; neither store's text names a brake maker or a rotor size. The brakes section shows Ridstar's close-up of the front disc, and the verdict names three bikes on our store with hydraulic brakes, if you want them.

What warranty does the Ridstar MN26 have?

It depends on the store you buy from. ridstar.net's warranty page gives the MN26 a "one-year warranty on the motor, battery, and charger"; ridstar.com's MN26 page prints "Two-year warranty for the bike and lifetime tech support", while its warranty page sets one year for components, one and a half for batteries and motors and two for the frame. Both limit service to their own buyers, and buying it from us sets out ours.

Where is the Ridstar MN26 manual?

ridstar.com lists a "User manual" among the MN26's included components, so one comes in the box, and neither MN26 page links one online. The menu page titled "Ridstar/YVY User Manual" on ridstar.com held the store's return policy and no manual on October 16, 2026. Ask us for any figure you need from it in writing.

How tall do you need to be for the Ridstar MN26?

Ridstar prints three windows: "Recommended Height 5'7" -6'7"" on ridstar.com, "5.3-6.3FT" on its drawing and 5'3" to 6'3" in the dealer's FAQ. If you are 5'10" with the Army survey's median 33.8-inch inseam, you want the saddle 36.8 inches above the pedal axle, and the 35.4-inch lowest seat is shown low enough for 92 riders in 100 at that height.

How long does the Ridstar MN26 take to assemble?

ridstar-ebike.com's FAQ says "Takes about 45 minutes to assemble", with "handlebars need to be bolted on" and the "front wheel needs to be installed on the front forks". ridstar.net says its bikes arrive "90% pre-assembled" with the basket, rack and bottle mounts already fitted. Tighten your front axle nuts before your first ride, and set your saddle with the heel check.

Which Ridstar website sells the MN26?

Four did on October 16, 2026: ridstar.net at $600.00, ridstar.com at $1,439.00, ridstar-ebike.com at $1,199.00 and ridstar.eu at €1,269.00. ridstar.net calls itself the only official site, ridstar-ebike.com titles its page "Ridstar Official Store", and ridstar.uk answered 404 on every route, so it could not be read.

What tires does the Ridstar MN26 use?

26 × 4.0 fat tires, which ridstar.net calls "puncture-resistant" and names no maker or pressure for. On October 16, 2026 ridstar.net sold an outer tire for $159 and an inner tire for $59, each with an MN26 option. On pavement the tire you choose moves the 15 mph range from 50 to 63 miles, as the tire subsection shows.

Is the Ridstar MN26 worth it?

At $690 it gives a 960 Wh pack, about $0.72 per watt-hour, with seven gears and the cargo parts fitted. That value holds if you are about 5'10" or taller, ride roads where a 1,500 W motor is allowed and have read the maker's record; if not, start with the three bikes in the verdict.

Limitations of this review

These are the limits on what this page can tell you about the MN26 and its sellers, each stated with what it changes for your decision.

1. Ridstar's figures disagree, and each is printed. The motor is 1,500 W with a 2,000 W peak; the top speed 28, 28+++ and 36 mph; the torque 85 and 80 N·m; the slope 30 to 40 degrees, 30 and 40; the range 50, 60, 70, 75 and 90 miles; the weight 81.6 and 77.2 lb; the load 330 and 300 lb; the rider window 5'7" to 6'7" and 5.3 to 6.3 feet, with the dealer's 5'3" to 6'3" a third; the frame carbon steel and aluminum; the charge time 4 to 6 and 5 to 7 hours; the warranty one year and two.
2. Parts of our own listing were written before this page. On October 16, 2026 its text still carried some older descriptions of the bike and its terms; where it differs from Ridstar's current pages or our checkout, this review prints what those pages and our checkout showed that day.
3. The August ridstar.net page is read from its record. Its address answered 404 on October 16, 2026; the drawing and the 35.4-inch seat figure come from our deposit of that page, Ridstar's file server and the Wayback Machine capture of September 4, 2026.
4. The motor in the range model is a comparable, because Ridstar's pages print no curve for the MN26's own motor. Bafang's published RM G0H0 curve is rebuilt at 48 V and 1,500 W with its free-spinning speed set from Ridstar's 36 mph, and the sensitivity cases move the 15 mph figure from 53 to 60 miles.
5. The controller's current limit is not printed. Every climb row passes Ridstar's 1,500 W and 85 N·m, yet the 15% row asks the pack for about 66 A; that figure is arithmetic, and the controller may allow less.
6. The model runs on the heavier of Ridstar's two weights. At the drawing's 77.2 lb the 15 mph figure moves by less than half a mile.
7. The wheel diameter is derived. Ridstar prints a 26 × 4.0 tire and no outer diameter, so the model uses 30.01 inches from the tire size; it sets the torque a climb needs and not the flat-road figures.
8. The tires were not measured. With no tire maker or pressure on Ridstar's pages, the bracket covers the spread of the ten fat tires on the drum.
9. The cold rows rest on one published cell's data, the LG HG2, because Ridstar names no cell, and below freezing their brackets grow wide.
10. No measured MN26 ride with its rider weight and speed stated was found to check the model. The one owner's mileage report quoted here describes a pack its owner says the company called faulty, so it is not a test of the model.
11. Ridstar prints none of its five range figures with a speed, so the maker's band works out the steady ride each one implies.
12. Ridstar's drawing prints seat heights from the ground and no bracket height, crank length, seat angle or grip reach. The saddle figures are the formula's and the bounds are proven only one way; a scale taken from Ridstar's photograph passed two of its three controls and was not used, so the lean and the hand load are not computed.
13. The fit tables use the US Army's ANSUR II survey, 4,082 men and 1,986 women, a population different from the general public, and it holds too few riders above 6'4" for a row. Your own inseam outranks any row.
14. The saddle formulas describe averages. The studies' recommendations span 106% to 110.4% of inseam, and on your own leg the heel check decides.
15. No UL certificate can be read from Ridstar's pages. Its UL wording comes with no file number, and the single "CE" document ridstar.net links tests another machine, a 250 W cargo bike.
16. The warnings, the UK report and the suits do not name the MN26, and no Ridstar page says whether the MN26's spare pack and the Q20's are one part; this review does not say either way.
17. One owner's account is quoted. It comes from a Trustpilot review under Ridstar's British store, and the one MN26 post found on Reddit was a coupon listing; each account stands alone and none is totaled.
18. The dealer comparison covers ridstar.eu and ridstar-ebike.com. ridstar.uk answered 404 on every route on October 16, 2026, so it could not be read.
19. The state census reads the statutes as published on September 24, 2026, with the federal, California and Rhode Island text quoted here re-read on October 16. Any change since then is outside these figures, and our atlas is where each state's current definition lives.

The bottom line

Buy the Ridstar MN26 if you are about 5'10" or taller, want a step-through fat-tire bike with a basket, a rack and a 960 Wh pack for $690, ride where your state takes a motor Ridstar rates at 1,500 W, and can live with mechanical discs.

On flat pavement it computes to 54 miles at 15 mph on throttle alone for a 180 lb rider, 41 with a quarter kept in reserve, and 1,000 such miles cost about $3 a year to charge.

Read the maker's record before you order, ask whether the spare pack is the Q20's part, and keep the receipt.

If you are under about 5'9" or ride paths that read class wording, the Qiolor TIGER RL is $1,099: buy it in orange. If you want a printed UL line and all-wheel drive, the Eunorau FAT-AWD 2.0 is $1,699 in Raven or $1,799 in Maple. For hydraulic brakes and a rear shock on a 960 Wh pack, the Samebike CREST is $1,599 in black, white or navy.

Image credit: every image below the cover is Ridstar's own file, from its ridstar.com and ridstar.net MN26 listings and its removed August ridstar.net page (re-fetched from Ridstar's file server on October 16, 2026), or a Ridstar image as ridstar-ebike.com, a store selling Ridstar bikes, serves it. Each appears whole, at its native size or scaled evenly, with no retouching.

Cover: Ridstar's own front three-quarter studio photograph of the MN26 from its ridstar.net listing, scaled uniformly with no pixel of the bike changed. The studio around it was generated earlier on Playcut (playcut.ai) with Nano Banana Pro for our house covers and is reused here unchanged, and the type sits in the open space beside the bike.

Source register

Every document this review relies on is listed below with the tier we grade it at, the figure or sentence it backs on this page and the day we read it.

Expiry conditions

Any of these would date the page: a recall, a new warning or a change to either warning from the CPSC; a changed figure, listing, price or warranty on any Ridstar store, or the return of the August MN26 page to ridstar.net; a Ridstar page saying whether the MN26 and Q20 packs are one part; or a ruling or new filing in either lawsuit.

So would a change to our listing's price, stock or text, or to our shipping or refund policy; a change to 15 U.S.C. § 2085 or to California Vehicle Code §§ 312.5, 406 or 21207.5; or a change to any state definition in our census. Verified October 16, 2026.

References

The same documents again, numbered, with the publisher, the part relied on, the day each was read and its web address, so any figure here can be checked at its source.

1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Ridstar E-Bikes Due to Fire Hazard; Risk of Serious Injury or Death. CPSC warning 26-337, March 19, 2026: names the Ridstar Q20 and Q20 Pro and does not name the MN26; 'The e-bikes' batteries and wires can ignite'; 11 reports of fire, including one burn injury; the manufacturer, Huizhou Xingqishi Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., 'has refused to agree to an acceptable recall'; 'The company objects to this press release.' Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-Ridstar-E-Bikes-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death
2. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using Ridstar E-Bikes Immediately Due to Crash Hazard; Risk of Serious Injury or Death. CPSC warning 26-584, June 25, 2026: names the Ridstar Q20 and Q20 Lite and does not name the MN26; 'The front wheel can detach without warning'; 32 reports, 31 with injuries; the manufacturer 'has been unresponsive'; the bikes are black, 'the brand name Ridstar is printed on the battery' and the model number is on the purchase receipt; sold on AliExpress.us, Amazon.com, Ridstar.net and Walmart.com. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-Ridstar-E-Bikes-Immediately-Due-to-Crash-Hazard-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death
3. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Recalls & Product Safety Warnings. CPSC recalls on October 16, 2026: no recall naming Ridstar, its maker, YVY or the MN26 in the whole list (10,053 records, the newest October 15, 2026) or the recall feed (40 items, September 17 to October 15); the warning list's 375 rows carry the two Ridstar warnings and no row naming the MN26. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls
4. Office for Product Safety and Standards (UK), Product Safety Report: Ridstar E-Bikes and Chargers (2506-0011). UK OPSS product safety report 2506-0011, June 19, 2025: Ridstar 'Q20-Plus, Q20-Mini, E26 Pro and Chargers', a serious fire risk; the charger's soldering and creepage and clearance distances; the import 'has been rejected at the border'; not the MN26. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-safety-report-ridstar-e-bikes-and-chargers-2506-0011
5. U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon (docket via CourtListener RECAP), Cunanan v. Amazon.com Services LLC, No. 3:26-cv-00692. Cunanan v. Amazon.com Services LLC, No. 3:26-cv-00692 (D. Or.): allegations about a Ridstar Q20 front wheel; Ridstar not a named defendant; on October 16, 2026 the last entry was a stipulated protective order of July 8, 2026 under a scheduling order setting fact discovery to January 15, 2027, and no ruling on the claims. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73159439/cunanan-v-amazoncom-services-llc/
6. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (docket via CourtListener RECAP), L.E., a minor, v. Walmart Inc., No. 9:26-cv-81045. L.E. v. Walmart Inc., No. 9:26-cv-81045 (S.D. Fla.): allegations about a bike titled 'Ridstar Electric Bike, Peak 1500W30MPH,48V 15.6Ah Electric Bicycle, Full Suspension Mountain Bike UL2849'; Ridstar not a named defendant; on October 16, 2026 the docket showed a motion to dismiss (August 31), its briefing (September 14 to 23) and an October 1 order requiring a joint scheduling report, with no ruling on the motion. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/74691512/le-v-walmart-inc/
7. US Government Publishing Office, 15 U.S.C. § 2085 — Low-speed electric bicycles. 15 U.S.C. § 2085(b): the federal low-speed electric bicycle definition, a motor 'less than 750 watts (1 h.p.)' and a top speed on the motor alone 'less than 20 mph' with a 170-pound rider. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap47-sec2085.htm
8. California Legislative Information, California Vehicle Code § 312.5. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5(a): the California electric bicycle definition, 'fully operable pedals' and a motor that 'does not exceed 750 watts of power'; class 2 stops assistance at 20 miles per hour. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=312.5.
9. California Legislative Information, California Vehicle Code § 406. Cal. Veh. Code § 406(a): the motorized bicycle or moped definition ('fully operative pedals', 'an automatic transmission', 'less than 4 gross brake horsepower', 'of not more than 30 miles per hour on level ground'). Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=406.
10. California Legislative Information, California Vehicle Code § 21207.5. Cal. Veh. Code § 21207.5(a): motorized bicycles barred from 'a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, bicycle lane' unless the path is 'within or adjacent to a roadway' or a local ordinance allows it. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=21207.5.
11. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-1-3 (definitions). R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-1-3: an electric bicycle's motor 'rated not more than two (2) (S.A.E.) horsepower', about 1,491 W, and a top speed 'of not more than twenty-eight miles per hour'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-1/31-1-3.HTM
12. District of Columbia (DC Council), DC Code § 50-2201.02. The District's motorized bicycle definition: a motor 'incapable of propelling the device at a speed of more than 20 miles per hour'; no motor-watt limb (the census of September 24, 2026). Retrieved Sep 24, 2026. https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/50-2201.02
13. Oregon Legislature, ORS chapter 801 (ORS 801.258). Oregon's electric assisted bicycle definition (ORS 801.258): classes by speed, no motor-watt limb (the census of September 24, 2026). Retrieved Sep 24, 2026. https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors801.html
14. Forest Service, USDA (eCFR), 36 CFR § 261.13 — Motor vehicle use. 36 CFR 261.13: the National Forest motor vehicle use map rule. Retrieved Sep 26, 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-261/subpart-A/section-261.13
15. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Office of the Federal Register, eCFR), 36 CFR 261.2 Definitions. 36 CFR 261.2: a motor vehicle is 'any vehicle which is self-propelled, other than' a vehicle on rails or a wheelchair or mobility device. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-261/subpart-A/section-261.2
16. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Office of the Federal Register, eCFR), 36 CFR 261.1b Penalty. 36 CFR 261.1b: a breach of Part 261 carries 'imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine in accordance with' the federal criminal code. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-II/part-261/subpart-A/section-261.1b
17. U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, 2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel (ANSUR II), public data release 2017. ANSUR II, public release: the 6,068 bodies (4,082 men and 1,986 women) the fit model's saddle, bounds and stand-over tables count. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://www.army.mil/article/188601/for_good_measure_natick_releases_raw_data_from_army_wide_anthropometric_survey
18. NOAA, NASA, US Air Force, U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA-S/T 76-1562; NASA TM-X-74335). U.S. Standard Atmosphere 1976: the air density by temperature the range model uses. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19770009539/downloads/19770009539.pdf
19. BAFANG, BAFANG Workbook OEM 2021. Bafang OEM workbook 2021: the comparable motor's curve (the RM G0H0 shape rebuilt at 48 V and 1,500 W), its efficiency floor of 80% and maximum torque. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://www.bafang-e.com/Uploaded/Labels/BAFANG%20Workbook%20OEM%202021.pdf
20. Bicycle Rolling Resistance (Jarno Bierman), Fat Bike Tires Test Results. Bicycle Rolling Resistance: ten 26 x 4.0 fat-tire rolling-resistance tests on a drum, the median 0.0105 the model uses and the 0.0070 and 0.0126 that bracket it. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/fat-bike-reviews
21. Journal of Applied Biomechanics (Human Kinetics), Martin JC, Milliken DL, Cobb JE, McFadden KL, Coggan AR. Validation of a Mathematical Model for Road Cycling Power. Martin et al. (1998): the cycling-power model and its Appendix I values (45.7 W rolling and potential, 158.8 W aerodynamic) the range model reproduces. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://collections.lib.utah.edu/dl_files/b4/8e/b48ef26086091662c561e673d7bd990d77868437.pdf
22. Journal of Sports Sciences (Taylor & Francis), Tengattini S, Bigazzi AY. Physical characteristics and resistance parameters of typical urban cyclists. Tengattini & Bigazzi (2018): drag area 0.640 m² for upright cruiser riders (used) and 0.603 m² for everyday mountain-bike riders. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://civil-reactlab.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2022/11/Tengattini_2018_Physical-characteristics-and-resistance-parameters-of-typical-urban-cyclists.pdf
23. World Electric Vehicle Journal (MDPI), Arango I, Lopez C, Ceren A. Improving the Autonomy of a Mid-Drive Motor Electric Bicycle Based on System Efficiency Maps and Its Performance. Arango, Lopez & Ceren (2021): battery efficiency as a function of discharge current. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/wevj/wevj-12-00059/article_deploy/wevj-12-00059.pdf
24. IEEE / EPE'19 ECCE Europe (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology authors), Schmitt M, Decker S, Doppelbauer M. Measuring and Characterization of a Pedal Electric Cycle (Pedelec) on a Full System Test-Bench. Schmitt, Decker & Doppelbauer (2019): a measured pedelec used 75% of its nominal pack, the basis of the 25% planning reserve. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000100371/50695920
25. McMaster University (Kollmeyer et al.), Mendeley Data, LG 18650HG2 Li-ion Battery Data and Example Deep Neural Network xEV SOC Estimator Script. LG 18650HG2 cell data (McMaster, Kollmeyer): cell energy against 25 °C at low temperature, the cold table and its brackets. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://doi.org/10.17632/b5mj79w5w9.2
26. Bicycle Rolling Resistance (Jarno Bierman), CRR at Different Temperatures: Examining Temperature Dependence of Rolling Resistance. Bicycle Rolling Resistance's temperature test: rolling resistance falls about 0.88% per degree Celsius warmer across six tires. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/crr-temperature-test
27. International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing (Inderscience), Rothhamel M. On rolling resistance of bicycle tyres with ambient temperature in focus. Rothhämel (2023): rolling resistance of a bicycle tire against ambient temperature, about 0.97% per degree Celsius from +5 to +25 °C. Retrieved Sep 23, 2026. https://www.inderscience.com/filter.php?aid=132317
28. Harris Cyclery (Sheldon Brown, technical reference), Tire Sizing Systems. Sheldon Brown's tire-sizing table: the 559 mm bead seat of a 26-inch fat tire, which with twice the 4.0-inch width gives the 30.01-inch outer diameter the range model uses. Retrieved Sep 27, 2026. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
29. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online (American Society of Exercise Physiologists), Peveler et al., Comparing methods for setting saddle height in trained cyclists, JEPonline 8(1):51-55. Peveler et al. (2005): the 109% saddle formula, and the heel method putting 70% of 19 trained cyclists within 25 to 35 degrees of knee bend. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://www.asep.org/asep/asep/JEPonlineFEBRUARY2005_PevelerSaddle.doc
30. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (NSCA), Ferrer-Roca V, Roig A, Galilea P, Garcia-Lopez J. Influence of saddle height on lower limb kinematics in well-trained cyclists: static vs. dynamic evaluation in bike fitting. J Strength Cond Res 26(11):3025-9; doi 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318245c09d. Ferrer-Roca et al. (2012): the recommended saddle range of 106% to 109% of inseam and their equation's range to 110.4%. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22190163/
31. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (NSCA), Peveler, Pounders & Bishop, Effects of saddle height on anaerobic power production in cycling, JSCR 21(4):1023-7. Peveler, Pounders & Bishop (2007): the paper's abstract reports the cycling literature's recommended 25 to 35 degree knee angle for preventing injury. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18076230/
32. University of Colorado Boulder (MS thesis), Carahalios A. An Analysis of the Bicycle-Rider Interface Forces in Stationary Road Cycling (MS thesis, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado). Carahalios (2015): about 15% of body weight on the bars for ten road racers on their brake hoods. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://scholar.colorado.edu/downloads/70795789x
33. Clinical Biomechanics (Elsevier), Slane J, Timmerman M, Ploeg HL, Thelen DG. The influence of glove and hand position on pressure over the ulnar nerve during cycling. Clin Biomech 26(6):642-8; doi 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.03.003. Slane et al. (2011): in 36 experienced cyclists, padded gloves lowered pressure over the ulnar nerve by 10 to 28%. Retrieved Sep 25, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21458120/
34. UL Solutions, E-Bikes Certification: Evaluating and Testing to UL 2849. UL Solutions: e-bike certification to UL 2849, which treats the drive train, battery and charger as one electrical system. Retrieved Sep 26, 2026. https://www.ul.com/services/e-bikes-certificationevaluating-and-testing-ul-2849
35. YVY / HK Ridstar Trade Limited (yvyebike.com), Company Address. YVY's company page names its business as HK Ridstar Trade Limited, the business on Ridstar's company page. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026. https://yvyebike.com/pages/company-address
36. Ridstar (ridstar.net), Ridstar Official Statement. Ridstar.net's official statement: 'Except ridstar.net, other similar websites are our dealers' and 'Except for customers who purchase from ridstar.net, we will not provide any after-sales service to customers who purchase ridstar products from other places.' Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/pages/ridstar-official-statement
37. Ridstar (ridstar.net), Company Address — ridstar.net. Ridstar's company page names its business as 'HK RIDSTAR TRADE LIMITED', at Room A1, 11/F, Winner Building, 36 Man Yue Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/pages/company-address
38. Ridstar (ridstar.net), Ebike Warranty — ridstar.net page. Ridstar.net's warranty page: 'Ridstar MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike one-year warranty, including a one-year warranty on the motor, battery, and charger'; 'Ridstar dealers or Ridstar authorized partners will repair or replace, at no charge,' a defective product; the banner 'One year warranty on all products'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/pages/ebike-warranty
39. Ridstar (ridstar.net), Return & Refund Policy — ridstar.net page. Ridstar.net's return and refund policy: 'All returns and refunds must be within 15 days of receiving the bike'; 'All bikes over 10 miles in total mileage cannot be refunded'; up to a 15% restocking fee and $200 return shipping per bike. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/pages/return-refund-policy
40. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Warranty — ridstar.com page. Ridstar.com's warranty page: 'Every electric bicycle purchased from RIDSTAR.COM is covered by our limited warranty'; 1 year for components, 1.5 years for 'e-bike batteries and motors', 2 years for the frame; diagnosis by tests such as 'testing a battery with a voltmeter and submitting a picture of the result via email'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.com/pages/warranty
41. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Return & Refund Policy — ridstar.com page. Ridstar.com's return and refund policy: returns within the first 15 days of receipt with $200 return shipping at the buyer's cost; a 10% process fee on an order canceled before shipment. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.com/pages/return-refund-policy
42. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Ridstar/YVY User Manual — ridstar.com page. Ridstar.com's menu page titled 'Ridstar/YVY User Manual' holds the store's return policy text and no manual on October 16, 2026. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.com/pages/ridstar-yvy-user-manual
43. Ridstar (ridstar.net parts store), Ridstar Q20/DC26/H20 48V 20AH 15AH Removable Electric E-Bike Battery. Ridstar.net's 'Ridstar Q20/DC26/H20 48V 20AH 15AH Removable Electric E-Bike Battery' listing: an 'US / MN26' option at $379, in stock, beside a 'US / Q20' option at $399; the listing's specification table names no MN26. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-q20-dc26-h20-48v-20ah-removable-electric-e-bike-battery
44. Ridstar (ridstar.net parts store), Ridstar Turning Handle Throttle (two keys included). Ridstar.net's 'Turning Handle Throttle (two keys included)' listing, with an MN26 option at $59. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-turning-handle-throttle-two-keys-included
45. Ridstar (ridstar.net parts store), Ridstar Controller. Ridstar.net's 'Ridstar Controller' listing, with a 'US / MN26' option at $89; its text prints no current rating. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-controller
46. Ridstar (ridstar.net parts store), Ridstar LCD Display. Ridstar.net's LCD display listing, with an MN26 option. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-lcd-display
47. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Ridstar DC26 2000W Folding Fat Tire Mountain Electric Bike — ridstar.com product page. Ridstar.com's DC26 listing (a folding bike) carries four of the MN26 listing's gallery files byte for byte and its 'MN26-battery.png'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.com/products/ridstar-dc26-2000w-folding-fat-tire-mountain-electric-bike
48. U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector. EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A: the US residential average for July 2026, 18.31 cents per kWh, the battery section's charging cost. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_06_a
49. Redtail eBikes, Shipping policy. Our shipping terms: free shipping on every electric bike within the contiguous United States; Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, P.O. boxes and remote areas may incur additional charges or be excluded; dispatch within 1–3 business days of confirmation; most e-bikes arrive 5–10 business days after dispatch. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://redtailebikes.com/policies/shipping-policy
50. Redtail eBikes, Refund policy. Our refund terms: change-of-mind returns only unopened and factory-sealed, requested within 72 hours of delivery, with a 15% restocking fee and the return freight; all order cancellations carry a 3% transaction fee; damage reported within 48 hours with photos, and we file the carrier claim; a power, charging or component fault 'is covered under manufacturer warranty — we coordinate repair or replacement remotely'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://redtailebikes.com/policies/refund-policy
51. Qiolor (maker), TIGER RL Electric Cruiser Bike — maker product page. Qiolor's figures for the TIGER RL: '750W Power 1200W Peak power'; 'Speed Class 2'; 'Recommended Height 5'1" - 5'9"'; '750W 13AH Hydraulic Disc Brake Single-speed'; '48V 13AH(624Wh)'; 'Range(Throttle only) 40miles'; orange in stock and white sold out on its US store. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://qiolor.com/products/tiger-rl
52. Eunorau (manufacturer), FAT-AWD 2.0. Eunorau's figures for the FAT-AWD 2.0: 'AWD 500W+500W'; 'BATTERY 48V15Ah (2nd 15Ah Optional)'; 'CLASS Class 2 Speed limited Unlockable'; 'UL CERTIFIED Yes'; 'Total Payload Capacity 375 lbs'; 'Hydraulic disc brakes'; 'Recommended Rider Heights 5'3" ~ 6'1"'; Step Over in Raven and Maple in stock on its US store. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://eunorau-ebike.com/products/fat-awd-2
53. SAMEBIKE US (Guangzhou Sameway Electric Bicycle Co., Ltd.), CREST Large Battery Fat Tire Powerful Peak 1800W Mountain Electric Bike — product page. Samebike's figures for the CREST: '1000W (Peak 1800W)'; '48V 20Ah Battery'; 'Hydraulic Disc Brakes'; 'Fork&Shock Suspension'; '26*4.0 Inch'; black, white and navy in stock on its US store. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://us.samebike.com/products/crest-large-battery-fat-tire-powerful-1000w-mountain-electric-bike
54. United States Patent and Trademark Office (copy hosted by Ridstar), US trademark registration certificate No. 6,936,242 (Ridstar), as hosted on ridstar.net. Ridstar's 'US trademark' link under the MN26 listing: US registration No. 6,936,242 of the word mark Ridstar, registered December 27, 2022, owner 'Huizhoushi Xingqishi Sports Goods Co., Ltd.' of Boluo County, Huizhou; not a UL document. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0696/9960/0602/files/Ridstar_12_6936242.pdf?v=1720059854
55. European Union Intellectual Property Office (copy hosted by Ridstar), EUIPO certificate of registration, EU trade mark No. 018609888 (Ridstar), as hosted on ridstar.net. Ridstar's 'European trademark' link under the MN26 listing: EU trade mark No. 018609888, the word mark Ridstar, registered March 16, 2022. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0696/9960/0602/files/Ridstar-12_018609888.pdf?v=1720059857
56. Shenzhen ATS Testing Technology Co., Ltd. (copy hosted by Ridstar), TEST REPORT EN 15194:2017 Cycles - Electrically power assisted cycles - EPAC Bicycles, No. ATS240329142LR, as hosted on ridstar.net. Ridstar's 'CE trademark' link under the MN26 listing opens a test report to EN 15194:2017 for a 'Cargo electric bicycle', model 'FM-002, CDDA20', 'Maximum power measurement 250W', issued April 2, 2024, applicant 'Huizhou Xingqishi Sporting Goods Co.,Ltd.'; it names no MN26 and is not a UL document. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0696/9960/0602/files/FM-002_ATS240329142LR_EN15194.pdf?v=1730083922
57. Playcut, Playcut. Tool credit: Playcut, where the house studio around Ridstar's photograph on the cover was generated on October 11, 2026 with Nano Banana Pro, reused here unchanged. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026. https://playcut.ai
58. Ridstar (ridstar.net), Ridstar MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike — ridstar.net product page. Ridstar.net's 'Ridstar MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike' listing (US market, USD): $600.00, available, created November 12, 2025; 'a 1500W motor (PEAK 2000W)', '30-40 degree slopes', 'a top speed of 28+++ mph', 'a removable 48V 20Ah battery (with UL& BMS system)', 'up to 60-70 miles', 'a range of 50-70 miles', 'Riding Range: 50miles (pure ebike mode) to 70miles (assist mode)', 'Max Load: 330lbs', 'Max Speed:28mph', 'Brake: Mechanical Disc Brakes', 'Gear Shift System: Shimano 7-speed Transmission System', 'Charging Time: About 4-6 Hours', 'three modes: pure electric, assisted bicycle, and normal bike', 'five-speed settings', 'a robust carbon steel frame', 'adjustable front suspension and seatpost', 'Lockable Suspension Fork', 'aluminum adjustable suspension fork and seatpost', 'a bell, bright LED headlight, and brake light', 'automatic taillight when braking', 'a headlight and horn', 'built-in USB port', 'a large capacity basket, rear rack, and bottle mounts', 'have already been installed', 'detachable saddle bag', 'The foldable e-bike's 26" * 4.0 fat tires', 'puncture-resistant', 'Front tires must be securely installed', '90% pre-assembled', 'a one-year warranty on the motor, battery, and charger', 'Established in New Jersey and proudly serving the US since 2008'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-mn26-1500w-unfoldable-fat-tire-mountain-ebike-1
59. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Ridstar MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike — ridstar.com product page. Ridstar.com's 'Ridstar MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike' listing (US market, USD): the US variant $1,439.00, compare-at $1,699.00, in stock, created April 10, 2024; slider '1500W' 'POWERFUL MOTOR', 'Max Speed 28 MPH', 'Recommended Height 5'7" -6'7"', 'Weight 81.6LBS'; 'At full charge, it can go for 75 to 90 miles'; 'a 3A charger, which takes 5 to 7 hours'; 'the rider can lock in the battery and remove it whenever they need to charge it'; 'Seven speed modes and lockable front fork shock'; the display's 'mode switching, speedometer, power display, and mileage data'; spec table rows (label, then value): Number of Speeds 7, Frame Material Aluminum, Suspension Type Dual, Wheel Material Carbon, Item Package Dimensions 61.75 x 31.75 x 12.25 inches, Package Weight 37.65 Kilograms, and 'Dual Disc Brake', 'Phone Holder' and 'User manual' among its features and components; 'Two-year warranty for the bike and lifetime tech support'; 'Parameter comparison' chart 'Max. Slope 30°', 'Charging Time 4 to 6 Hours'; '15-Day Money-Back Guarantee'; 'The Ridstar Warranty Policy is only available to customers ordering from ridstar.com'; '5.00 out of 5', 'Based on 1 review'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.com/products/ridstar-mn26-1500w-unfoldable-fat-tire-mountain-ebike
60. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Motor image, ridstar.com MN26 listing (image 4 of 6). Ridstar.com's MN26 motor image (image 4 of 6): 'PEAK 2000W POWERFUL BRUSHLESS MOTOR', '36MPH' 'Top Speed', '85NM' 'Max Torque', '40°' 'SLOPE'; the same file sits on both Ridstar stores' DC26 listings. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0658/3225/5545/files/71dtEMNE2CL._AC_SL1500.jpg?v=1755067979
61. Ridstar (ridstar.com), Battery image, ridstar.com MN26 listing (image 3 of 6), 'MN26-battery.png'. Ridstar.com's MN26 battery image (image 3 of 6): '48V20AH' and 'Max Range 75Miles', with icons for fast charging, a lock and a detachable pack. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0658/3225/5545/files/MN26-battery.png?v=1782812304
62. Ridstar (ridstar.net), MN26 dimension drawing, Ridstar's file server (ridstar.net gallery image 6, August 2026). Ridstar's MN26 dimension drawing (image 6 of the August 26, 2026 ridstar.net MN26 page, image 8 on our listing), re-fetched from Ridstar's file server on October 16, 2026: '77.2 LBS Product Weight', 'MAX 300LBS', '5.3-6.3FT Recommended Height'; A Total Length 78.7", B Minimum Handlebar Height 45.7", C Maximum Handlebar Height 46.9", D Wheelbase 49.2", E Minimum Seat Height 35.4", F Maximum Seat Height 47.2", G Handlebar Length 28.3", H Rear Rack Length 17.7", I Stand Height 15.4". Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0696/9960/0602/files/20250320150323.jpg?v=1751968438
63. Internet Archive (capture of ridstar.net), Ridstar® MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike — ridstar.net, Wayback Machine capture 20260904132440. The Wayback Machine's capture of September 4, 2026 of ridstar.net's older MN26 page ('Ridstar® MN26 1500W Unfoldable Fat Tire Mountain Ebike', created April 1, 2024), which answers HTTP 404 on October 16, 2026; seven captures from November 14, 2024 to September 4, 2026, and its text matches the current listing's word for word. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://web.archive.org/web/20260904132440/https://ridstar.net/products/ridstar-mn26-1500w-unfoldable-fat-tire-mountain-ebike
64. ridstar-ebike.com (a store selling Ridstar bikes), Ridstar MN-26 Electric Bike 1500W Motor 48V 20AH Battery Unfoldable Fat Tire City Commuter E-bike — ridstar-ebike.com product page. Ridstar-ebike.com, a store selling Ridstar bikes, MN-26 page (US$, read in a headless browser): $1,199.00, regular $1,699.00, in stock; page title 'Ridstar Official Store | Ridstar MN-26 Unfoldable Electric Bike 1500W 48V 20AH Battery'; short description 'UL2849', '36MPH Max Speed', 'Max Range 50 Miles Electric Mode (70 miles assist mode)', '20×4 Inch Fat Bike Tires'; FAQ 'recommended rider height is 5’3″ ~ 6’3″, payload 300 lbs at maximum', 'handlebars need to be bolted on', 'front wheel needs to be installed on the front forks', 'Takes about 45 minutes to assemble', 'Ridstar electric bike has passed the UL 2849 electric bicycle electric system safety standard test and CE 2014/35/EU, 2006/42/EC test', 'Yes, It is, All Ridstar ebikes are street legal for family use'; a chart of the MN-26, H26 Pro and MN-20 ('1500W', '36MPH', '48V 20AH', 'Dual Disc Brakes', 'Front and Rear, Dual Shock Absorber' for the MN-26); 'Frame Material Chromoly Steel'; 'Item Weight 77.2LBS'; gallery panels for the motor, display, derailleur and fork, and tire. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar-ebike.com/product/ridstar-mn-26-city-commuter-bike/
65. ridstar.eu (a store selling Ridstar bikes), Electric Bike Ridstar MN-26, 1500W, 20Ah — ridstar.eu product page. Ridstar.eu, a European store selling Ridstar bikes, MN-26 page: 'Electric Bike Ridstar MN-26, 1500W, 20Ah', €1,269.00, regular €1,499.00, in stock; the address reads 'folding-electric-bike-ridstar-mn-26-1500w-20ah'; 'Max speed 25 km/h (15.5 mph)'; 'Frame Material : Aluminum alloy'; 'Front and rear disc brakes'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://ridstar.eu/product/folding-electric-bike-ridstar-mn-26-1500w-20ah/
66. Trustpilot (a buyer's review), Ridstar Electric Bike: Faulty Product, Bad Service, Huge Disappointment! — Trustpilot review. A one-star Trustpilot review posted March 5, 2025 under Ridstar's ridstar.uk profile by a buyer in Britain, of a 'Ridstar MN26 1500W electric bike' bought in December 2024: 'The website stated that the bike could travel 70-95 miles on a full charge, but it only lasted 15 miles before the battery completely drained', then 13 miles; the company 'admitted that the battery was faulty'; a replacement battery 'arrived after 21 days and was the wrong one'; 'they neither accepted a return nor offered a replacement'. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://www.trustpilot.com/reviews/67c845128f9899cf4d749bd9
67. Ridstar (YouTube channel @ridstarebike), Ridstar MN-26 Electric Bike 1500W Motor 48V 20AHAH Battery Unfoldable Fat Tire City Commuter E-bike — YouTube. Ridstar's YouTube channel (@ridstarebike) carries a video titled 'Ridstar MN-26 Electric Bike 1500W Motor 48V 20AHAH Battery Unfoldable Fat Tire City Commuter E-bike', the video ridstar-ebike.com's MN-26 page embeds. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://youtu.be/4ALyw6KgxE0
68. Redtail eBikes (our listing), Ridstar MN26 1500W Fat Tire Mountain Electric Bike — our product page. Our MN26 listing on October 16, 2026: $690.00, one variant ('Default Title', 52402072944923), buyable (inventory not tracked, policy DENY); checkout offered a credit card or Google Pay and 'Pay now $690.00'; the cart quoted 'Free U.S. Shipping $0.00' to ZIP codes in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Alaska and Hawaii. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://redtailebikes.com/products/ridstar-mn26-1500w-unfoldable-fat-tire-mountain-ebike
69. Redtail eBikes (our listings), Qiolor TIGER RL, Eunorau FAT-AWD 2.0 and Samebike CREST — our product pages. Our route listings on October 16, 2026: the Qiolor TIGER RL at $1,099.00 (orange), the Eunorau FAT-AWD 2.0 at $1,699.00 (Raven) and $1,799.00 (Maple), and the Samebike CREST at $1,599.00 (black, white, navy), each buyable. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026. https://redtailebikes.com/products/tiger-rl