Ridstar Left Canada — It's YVY Now: How to Buy the Real Bike

If you have been searching whether Ridstar is still sold in Canada, here is the direct answer: it is not, and it will not be again. Ridstar has told Zeus that it has stopped shipping product to Canada permanently. The brand you knew as Ridstar now sells its bikes under a new name — YVY — and those genuine bikes are stocked and supported here in Canada through Zeus.

This matters for one practical reason. With no genuine Ridstar product entering the country, a brand-new "Ridstar" you see advertised for sale in Canada is not coming from the brand's own distribution — and the brand itself pointed to a flood of counterfeits as part of why it made this move. This guide explains exactly what happened, how to avoid buying a fake, and the five real YVY e-bikes you can buy today.

What happened: Ridstar has left Canada

Ridstar has permanently stopped shipping its e-bikes to Canada, and it will not return. Ridstar told Zeus this directly, and confirmed it is now selling under a new brand name, YVY. This is the single fact behind every question below.

The trigger is a decision the brand made and communicated to us this year. The stakes for buyers are real: a "Ridstar" bought new in Canada now sits outside the brand's own supply chain, which puts your money, your warranty and your safety coverage in question. The calculation this guide walks you through is simple — how to tell the genuine bike from a fake, and what the real one is now called.

According to Ridstar, part of the reason for the change was the volume of counterfeit bikes being sold under its name. Rather than keep fighting knock-offs riding on the Ridstar label, the brand consolidated under the YVY name — a cleaner mark that the counterfeit market has not saturated. We are reporting that reasoning as Ridstar's own statement to Zeus; the important takeaway for a buyer is the outcome, not the motive.

So is a "Ridstar" still being sold in Canada?

If you find a brand-new "Ridstar" for sale in Canada today, treat it as unverifiable at best. The brand has stopped supplying this market, so a new retail "Ridstar" is not coming through Ridstar's own Canadian distribution — and Ridstar itself has flagged counterfeits sold under its name as a serious problem.

Put those two facts together and the buyer's position is clear. With no genuine channel, there is no way to confirm that a new "Ridstar" listing is authentic hardware, that its battery and charger meet the safety spec they claim, or that anyone will honour a warranty when something goes wrong. That is not a small risk on a $1,500–$3,000 purchase with a large lithium battery inside it.

To be fair and precise: a fellow Canadian honestly reselling their own used, authentic Ridstar is not selling a fake — that bike was genuine when it was bought. The caution here is specifically about new "Ridstar" product being sold into Canada now, after the brand has withdrawn. For a deeper look at how these knock-offs show up in the wild, see our field guide on Ridstar e-bike listings on Amazon Canada and how to protect yourself.

Meet YVY: the same bikes, a name that isn't being copied

YVY is not a new company you have never heard of — per Ridstar's own communication to Zeus, it is how the brand now sells its bikes. The platforms are the ones Canadians already knew: the same 20-inch fat-tire builds, the same removable-battery layout, the same familiar formats, now wearing a YVY badge instead of a Ridstar one.

Is there anything that actually ties the two names together beyond a statement? Yes. Zeus stocks a replacement controller listed openly as a Ridstar/YVY controller — a single service part that fits both. Shared core electronics are exactly what you would expect when a brand renames rather than re-engineers. It is the clearest physical evidence that YVY is the continuation of the bikes, not a copy of them.

The difference that matters to you is where the bike comes from and who stands behind it. Bought through Zeus, a YVY e-bike ships from within Canada, carries Canadian-based support and returns, and has a phone number that a person answers. That is the part the counterfeit "Ridstar" listings can never replicate.

The 5 genuine YVY e-bikes you can buy in Canada

Here are the five YVY models stocked in Canada right now, from the folding entry model to the long-range flagship. Specs below are drawn from each bike's live product page; where YVY does not publish a figure, we say so rather than guess.

YVY lineup at a glance

A word on power and road rules

Most of these YVY models are high-powered by Canadian standards. Ratings of 1,000W and up, and speeds above 40 km/h, exceed the pedal-assist thresholds used across most of the country for riding on public roads and paths. This is a fact worth planning around before you buy, not a surprise to discover after.

The C20 Mini includes a 25 km/h limited mode for stricter local settings. The bigger machines — the C20 Pro and especially the 3,000W Q8 — are best treated as private-property or off-road vehicles unless your province and municipality specifically allow more. Rules vary by jurisdiction and they change, so confirm your local regulations before you ride on the road. When in doubt, call us and we will walk you through what applies where you live.

How to buy safely and spot a fake

The safest path is also the simplest: buy the bike under its real name, from a seller inside Canada who answers the phone. With genuine Ridstar product gone from the market, the name on the frame is now your first authenticity check.

• Look for the YVY name, not Ridstar. A new bike sold in Canada as the genuine article is a YVY. A new "Ridstar" here is outside the brand's own channel.
• Buy from a Canadian retailer with real support. A phone number that a person answers, a returns policy, and a physical presence are things a counterfeit listing cannot fake.
• Be wary of a "too-cheap" new Ridstar. Counterfeits compete on price because they cut the parts you can't see — the battery cells, the charger, the brakes.
• Confirm the battery and charger. On any big-battery e-bike, the cells and charger are the safety-critical parts. If a seller can't or won't tell you what's inside, that is your answer.
• When unsure, ask us. Call 1-866-938-7580 and we will tell you honestly whether a bike is genuine YVY hardware — even when it isn't one of ours.

If you want more background on the brand's Canadian history and the counterfeit issue specifically, our verified Ridstar brand profile and where-to-buy Ridstar in Canada guide both cover the record in detail, and our Ridstar recall and safety tracker collects any safety notices as they appear.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ridstar still sold in Canada in 2026?

No. Ridstar informed Zeus directly that it has stopped shipping product to Canada and will not resume. Going forward, the brand sells its bikes under the name YVY. The genuine bikes Canadians knew as Ridstar are now badged YVY and supported here through Zeus.

Is YVY the same as Ridstar?

According to Ridstar's communication to Zeus, YVY is how the brand now sells its e-bikes. The bikes are the same platforms buyers knew as Ridstar, now under the YVY name. Zeus even stocks a shared replacement controller listed as a Ridstar/YVY part, which reflects the same underlying hardware.

I found a brand-new "Ridstar" for sale in Canada — is it genuine?

Treat it with caution. Ridstar has told Zeus it no longer supplies the Canadian market, so a brand-new "Ridstar" advertised for retail sale here is not coming through the brand's own Canadian distribution. Ridstar also cited a large volume of counterfeit bikes sold under its name. Without the brand supplying Canada, there is no way to verify a new retail "Ridstar" is authentic or that it carries any real warranty. The genuine article now wears a YVY badge. A fellow rider honestly reselling their own used, authentic Ridstar is a different case — that bike was genuine when it was bought.

Does YVY have Canadian warranty and support?

YVY bikes bought through Zeus ship from within Canada with Canadian-based support and returns, and a real phone line at 1-866-938-7580. The YVY Q8 Long Range lists a 2-year manufacturer warranty on its product page. For exact coverage on any given model, call before you buy and we will confirm it.

What happens to my existing Ridstar e-bike?

Your bike still works. Because YVY uses the same platforms, shared service parts such as the Ridstar/YVY controller remain available through Zeus. If you need help sourcing a part, call 1-866-938-7580 and confirm the exact component for your model.

Are YVY e-bikes road-legal in Canada?

Several YVY models are high-powered — 1,000W and up, with speeds above 40 km/h — which exceeds the pedal-assist limits used across most of Canada. The C20 Mini includes a 25 km/h limited mode. Higher-power models like the C20 Pro and Q8 are best treated as private-property or off-road machines unless your local rules allow more. Always confirm your provincial and municipal rules before riding on public roads.

The bottom line

Ridstar has left the Canadian market for good and now sells as YVY. The practical consequence is clear: a genuine bike carries the YVY name and comes from a Canadian seller who stands behind it, while a new "Ridstar" sold here in 2026 sits outside the brand's own supply and can't be verified. The good news is that the bikes themselves didn't go anywhere — the real ones are stocked, supported, and named YVY.

If you want to see the genuine lineup, start with the YVY collection at Zeus or the classic Upgraded C20. And because this is a decision worth getting right, here is a low-pressure way to do it: talk to a real person at 1-866-938-7580, use the financing calculator to see the monthly number, and know that every Zeus purchase ships from Canada with a return window — so you can buy the real thing with your eyes open, not gamble on a listing that can't tell you what's inside.

Ridstar / YVY: if you represent the brand and would like to add to or correct anything on this page, we welcome your response — reach us at milad@zeusebikes.ca.

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