Claud Butler Ridge 1.0 Review: The Best Budget Electric Mountain Bike?
The Claud Butler Ridge 1.0 is the cheapest way into a proper branded electric mountain bike that we sell — and right now, at £1,049.99 (down from £1,399.99) in the Summer Sale, it's the biggest e-bike saving on the site. We build and safety-check every one in our workshop, so here's the honest review: what you get, what you don't, and how it stacks up against its bigger brothers.
The Ridge 1.0 in its natural habitat — hilltop bridleways it flattens with ease.
⚡ Verdict at a glance — 4/5
A genuinely capable trail-and-towpath e-MTB at a price that's usually reserved for unbranded internet bikes. Quality Shimano gearing, a removable Panasonic-cell battery and a 120mm lockout fork. The compromises — mechanical (not hydraulic) brakes and a modest 32Nm motor — are exactly the right corners to cut at this money.
Good for: bridleways, forest tracks, canal paths, hilly commutes · Not for: serious downhill or technical singletrack
The key specs
| Claud Butler Ridge 1.0 — £1,049.99 | |
|---|---|
| Motor | Bafang rear hub, 32Nm, assist to 15.5mph |
| Battery | 375Wh integrated, Panasonic cells, removable — charge on or off the bike |
| Range | Up to 40 miles · ~5hr recharge |
| Fork | 120mm travel suspension with hydraulic lockout |
| Gears | Shimano Altus/Acera 8-speed, 11–40T cassette |
| Brakes | JAK7 mechanical discs, 160mm rotors |
| Wheels / tyres | 27.5" double-wall alloy · Ralson Vector 2.35" tyres |
| Weight | 21kg — light for a budget e-MTB |
| Sizes | Medium (5'4"–5'10") · Large (5'10"+) — Primer Grey |
Motor & battery: the sensible stuff done right
The bar-mounted LCD — assist mode, battery level and speed at a glance.
The Ridge 1.0 uses the same proven Bafang rear-hub motor you'll find across the Claud Butler, Dawes and Falcon e-bike ranges — 32Nm of assistance up to the UK legal 15.5mph. It won't yank your arms off, but that's not the job: it takes the sting out of climbs and headwinds and flattens Shropshire's lumpier bridleways nicely.
The battery is the quiet highlight. It's fully integrated into the frame (no bolted-on brick), uses Panasonic cells, and pops out so you can charge it in the kitchen. A 375Wh capacity gives up to 40 miles of assisted riding — realistically 25–30 miles if you lean on the higher assist levels off-road, which still covers most people's biggest weekend loop. The bar-mounted LCD shows speed, battery and assist mode.
The ride
Shimano Altus/Acera 8-speed with a wide 11–40T cassette — proper climbing gears, motor or not.
At 21kg the Ridge 1.0 is light by budget e-MTB standards (its own big brothers weigh 26–27kg), and you feel that when you lift it over a gate or ride above the assist cut-off. The 120mm fork with hydraulic lockout is more than this price usually buys — lock it out for tarmac, open it up for the rough stuff. The 8-speed Shimano drivetrain with a wide 11–40T cassette means there's always a climbing gear even with the motor off.
The honest compromise is the brakes: JAK7 mechanical discs rather than hydraulic. They stop the bike fine and are dead easy to maintain at home, but if you're planning fast, steep descents you'll want the hydraulic setup on the Ridge 2.0 — which brings us to…
Ridge 1.0 vs Ridge 2.0 vs Wrath: which Claud Butler e-MTB?
| Ridge 1.0 | Ridge 2.0 | Wrath 1.0 Cues | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,049.99 |
£1,299.99 | £1,317.99 |
| Motor torque | 32Nm | 45Nm | 32Nm |
| Battery | 375Wh · 40mi | 375Wh · 40mi | 360Wh · 40mi |
| Brakes | Mechanical disc | Shimano hydraulic | Shimano hydraulic |
| Gears | 8-speed | 9-speed | 9-speed Cues |
| Weight | 21kg | 21kg | 26kg |
| Availability | ✔ In stock | Sold out | Sold out |
On paper the Ridge 2.0 is the sweet spot — 45Nm and hydraulic brakes for £250 more. But here's the thing: both the Ridge 2.0 and the Wrath range are currently sold out, and the Ridge 1.0 is sitting there £350 under RRP. Unless your riding genuinely demands hydraulic brakes, the 1.0 at £1,049 is better value than the 2.0 was at full price.
Who is it for?
✔ Riders who want one e-bike for trails, towpaths and commutes
✔ Anyone put off hilly rides — the motor genuinely fixes that
✔ First-time e-MTB buyers who want a known brand under £1,100
✘ Downhill or technical singletrack riders — look at hydraulic-braked options
Alternatives
Prefer the upright, on-road life? The Falcon Horizon (£1,014.99) shares the same motor and battery cells in a commuter-friendly hybrid frame. We compared it — along with the Dawes Elegance and Falcon Zone — in our Best Electric Bikes Under £1,100 guide.
Final verdict
The Ridge 1.0's spec sheet reads like a lesson in cutting the right corners: money went on the frame, fork, battery cells and Shimano drivetrain; savings came from brakes you can upgrade later for under £100 if you ever feel the need. At £1,399.99 it was decent. At £1,049.99 with its siblings sold out, it's the obvious buy in branded budget e-MTBs right now.
Every one leaves our Shrewsbury workshop built and safety-checked, with free UK delivery, a 12-month warranty and 90-day no-quibble returns. Spread the cost with 0% finance (about £44/month over 24 months) or save up to another 42% via Cycle to Work. Want it arriving fully assembled? Add Delivered Ready to Ride on the product page.
Prices and stock correct at time of writing. We sell this bike — but the compromises above are real, and we'd rather you buy the right bike than any bike.
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