Sven
All good!
Ride1Up conveniently arranged to time the delivery of my Portola for when I reached our place in rural Vermont. Happy to receive a beanie and derailleur guard too. Assembly was easy - I would recommend unfolding and locking the bike open before installing the handlebars because this gives a gravity assist in setting the forks in the head tube, and locking in the stem. Riding the dirt back roads, including Class 4 unmaintained roads, has been great. Only the steepest hills slowed forward progress, but just gear down and it climbs the hill just fine. I was unsure how the 20" tires would do, versus 26" or 27", but was pleasantly surprised to find they do well so long as you avoid the bigger potholes. I think the wider tires help a lot. Mind you, I have an OptiBike I bought in 2008 (for 9X this price) to ride challenging mountain biking trails in Angeles National Forest, and the Portola is equally suitable for Vermont dirt back roads, even if the OptiBike is the way to go for fast steep downhill single track scary stuff. I enjoy riding the Portola and have been riding every day, which was the point, i.e., to trick myself into getting exercise while enjoying the scenery. Notably, the gears work really well, smooth and precise, and easy to shift quickly on the fly from top to bottom or vice versa. Good grip from the knobby tires in gravel and mud. I was a bit skeptical that I could like a smaller tires, but I can't find any fault in its performance after several rides, and have encouraged my brother-in-law to buy one for my sister (he already has an e-bike). Decades ago I worked as a bike mechanic at a lightweight bike shop, and I find the fit and finish of the Portola to be excellent. I used to recommend bikes based on components and frame, looking for the sweet spot where spending hundreds more would only yield incremental improvements. This bike hits that sweet spot. Components are great, including excellent brakes and superb frame. The only reason to spend more would be for greater range or if you are looking for a mountain bike to do steep challenging stuff. For dirt back roads or city travel, this is good for purpose at a great price.



