Quick Answer: The Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Speed ($3,499) is the best Serial 1 electric bike for most riders who want the fastest, longest-range option — a Brose TF Mag mid-drive motor making 90Nm of torque, a 706Wh battery Serial 1 claims is good for 25-115 miles, and a Class 3 top speed of 28 mph. Off-road riders should look at the full-suspension SWITCH/MTN ($3,499) or the hardtail BASH/MTN ($2,999). Commuters who want a step-thru frame should look at the RUSH/CTY Step-Thru ($2,999), and the lowest-priced way into Serial 1 hardware is the single-speed MOSH/CTY ($2,499).
Serial 1 was Harley-Davidson’s electric-bicycle division before it was spun off and sold in 2023 — and it’s now a sibling brand to two others we’ve already covered on this site. We ranked the current five-model lineup on motor, battery, and price, and we’re upfront about the ownership churn and a striking repricing since the brand’s Harley-Davidson days.
Serial 1 in 2026, by the numbers
- 3 owners in 5 years. Harley-Davidson launched Serial 1 internally in 2020, spun it off in 2021, then sold it to Life EV (Life Electric Vehicles) in 2023, per Electrek’s reporting on the sale.
- Now a sibling to Rad Power Bikes and QuietKat. Life EV completed a $13.3 million court-approved acquisition of Rad Power Bikes’ assets in March 2026, then acquired QuietKat in June 2026, per Bicycle Retailer & Industry News — all three brands now run under Life EV’s Rad Life Mobility subsidiary, the same group we noted in our best QuietKat electric bikes guide.
- Prices dropped 34-40% since Harley-Davidson ownership. Electric Bike Review’s 2022 test listings priced the RUSH/CTY Speed at $5,599 and the RUSH/CTY Step-Thru at $4,999; current 2026 listings on serial1.com show the same two models at $3,499 and $2,999 — cuts of $2,100 and $2,000. The MOSH/CTY fell from $3,799 to $2,499, a $1,300 (34%) drop.
- 90Nm of torque on every current model. All five bikes in the lineup use a Brose mid-drive motor rated at 90Nm — the TF Mag on the Class 3 RUSH/CTY Speed, the S Mag on the other four — a rare case of a brand standardizing torque output across its entire range instead of tiering it by price.
- Thin independent reputation data. We found no meaningful Trustpilot or BBB review volume for Serial 1, a gap compared with the established dealer-network brands on this site.
Best Serial 1 electric bikes at a glance
| Model | Best for | Motor | Battery / range | Top speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUSH/CTY Speed | Best overall / fastest | Brose TF Mag mid-drive, 90Nm | 706Wh / 25-115 mi claimed | 28 mph (Class 3) | $3,499 |
| SWITCH/MTN | Best full-suspension off-road | Brose S Mag mid-drive, 90Nm | 529Wh / 30-95 mi claimed | 20 mph (Class 1) | $3,499 |
| BASH/MTN | Best hardtail off-road value | Brose S Mag mid-drive, 90Nm | 529Wh / 30-95 mi claimed | 20 mph (Class 1) | $2,999 |
| RUSH/CTY Step-Thru | Best step-thru commuter | Brose S Mag mid-drive, 90Nm | 529Wh / 30-90 mi claimed | 20 mph (Class 1) | $2,999 |
| MOSH/CTY | Best budget / single-speed | Brose S Mag mid-drive, 90Nm | 529Wh / 35-105 mi claimed | 20 mph (Class 1) | $2,499 |
Prices and specs are current Gen 2 listings on serial1.com — check the live listing for availability and any Gen 3 updates before you buy.
1. Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Speed — Best Overall / Fastest
Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Speed
- Brose TF Mag mid-drive motor, 90Nm of torque — the only motor in the lineup tuned for Class 3 speeds, with four power modes (Eco, Tour, Sport, Boost).
- A 706Wh integrated, removable battery Serial 1 claims is good for 25-115 miles depending on ride mode and terrain, with a roughly 7.5-hour full charge.
- Assist up to 28 mph, paired with an Enviolo Automatiq auto-shifting hub and a Gates Carbon Drive belt — no chain to lube or replace.
Serial 1 forums and Electric Bike Review both note Class 3 speed only helps if your local e-bike laws allow it — check our electric bike laws coverage for your state before buying a 28 mph bike.
2. Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN — Best Full-Suspension Off-Road
Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN
- Full front and rear suspension built around the same Brose S Mag mid-drive motor (90Nm) as the rest of the non-Speed lineup, aimed at riders exploring rougher, unpaved terrain.
- A 529Wh removable battery claimed good for 30-95 miles, with a Class 1, 20 mph top speed — no throttle, pedal-assist only.
- Priced identically to the road-going RUSH/CTY Speed, despite the added suspension hardware and lower top speed — the trade-off is terrain capability, not battery size.
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See how the SWITCH/MTN’s full suspension compares with dedicated trail brands in our best full suspension electric bike guide.
3. Serial 1 BASH/MTN — Best Hardtail Off-Road Value
Serial 1 BASH/MTN
- Rigid front fork, no rear shock — a simpler, $500-cheaper alternative to the SWITCH/MTN that uses the identical Brose S Mag motor and 529Wh battery.
- Claimed 30-95 mile range, the same figure Serial 1 lists for the SWITCH/MTN, since both share a drivetrain and battery.
- Best for riders who want off-road capability without paying for suspension travel they may not need on moderate trails.
4. Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Step-Thru — Best Step-Thru Commuter
Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Step-Thru
- Low step-thru frame on the same Brose S Mag mid-drive (90Nm) and 529Wh battery used across the non-Speed lineup, aimed at easier mounting and dismounting.
- Claimed 30-90 mile range on pedal assist, with a Class 1, 20 mph top speed.
- The most direct commuter alternative to the RUSH/CTY Speed, at $500 less but capped at 20 mph instead of 28 mph.
Compare step-thru frames sitewide in our best step-through electric bike guide.
5. Serial 1 MOSH/CTY — Best Budget / Single-Speed
Serial 1 MOSH/CTY
- Single-speed, stripped-down cruiser build — the simplest and lowest-priced model in the lineup, still running the same Brose S Mag 90Nm mid-drive.
- A 529Wh battery claimed good for 35-105 miles, the highest claimed range figure in the lineup despite carrying the entry-level price.
- Down from a 2022 listing price of $3,799 under Harley-Davidson ownership — a 34% cut to the current $2,499.
At $2,499, the MOSH/CTY undercuts every other Serial 1 model while sharing the same motor torque rating. See how it stacks up against other budget picks in our best budget electric bike guide.
How to choose a Serial 1 electric bike
- Match the motor tune to your commute, not just the torque number. Every current model makes 90Nm, but only the RUSH/CTY Speed’s TF Mag tune supports Class 3, 28 mph speeds — the other four are Class 1-capped at 20 mph regardless of motor output.
- Weigh the ownership history before you buy for the long haul. Serial 1 has changed owners twice since 2021 and is now one of three sibling brands (with Rad Power Bikes and QuietKat) under Life EV’s Rad Life Mobility. That consolidation could mean stronger long-term parts and support — or it could mean more change ahead. We found no way to verify which outcome is more likely from public information alone.
- Treat every range figure as a manufacturer ceiling. We found no independent third-party range test for any current Serial 1 model — the 25-115 mile RUSH/CTY Speed figure in particular spans an unusually wide band that deserves real-world skepticism.
- Suspension is a $500 line item, not a spec upgrade. The BASH/MTN and SWITCH/MTN share a drivetrain and battery; the only real difference is the SWITCH/MTN’s rear shock.
- Check current Gen 3 availability directly with Serial 1. The brand lists a newer BASH generation on its site alongside the Gen 2 lineup we ranked here — confirm which generation you’re buying before you check out.
The bottom line
The Serial 1 RUSH/CTY Speed ($3,499) is the best Serial 1 electric bike for most riders who want the fastest, longest-range option in the lineup. Off-road riders should choose between the full-suspension SWITCH/MTN ($3,499) and the cheaper hardtail BASH/MTN ($2,999), commuters who want a step-thru frame should look at the RUSH/CTY Step-Thru ($2,999), and the lowest-priced way into Serial 1 hardware is the single-speed MOSH/CTY ($2,499). Just go in aware that Serial 1 has changed hands twice since its Harley-Davidson days and is now run alongside Rad Power Bikes and QuietKat under the same ownership group. See how it compares to other mid-drive brands in our best mid-drive electric bike guide, or start from the top with our flagship best electric bike rankings.