Profitec RIDE Espresso Machine: Setup Guide

Congratulations on your new Profitec RIDE Espresso Machine! This guide contains everything you need to set up and operate your dual-boiler espresso machine.

Please read through the entirety of the setup guide before following along. If you have any questions, contact our team at Clive Coffee. Additional information can be found in the Profitec RIDE User Manual

Remove the machine from the box and place it on a stable, level surface.
Before adding water and turning on the machine, inspect for damage that may have occurred during shipping. If you notice any damage, contact us immediately.
Save all packaging in case of returns and repairs.

Before introducing water to your machine, it's essential to test it to ensure it's adequately soft, around 50 ppm (parts per million). To learn more about our recommendations for water quality, check out our blog post, The Importance of Water and Your Espresso Machine. Do not use distilled or Zero water in your espresso machine, as the machine will not register that the reservoir has been filled.
Lift the cup railing to remove the cup warming tray. Then, use both hands to remove the reservoir or fill it with water from the top. Fill the water tank with filtered, softened water and place the cup warming tray back on top of the machine.
Please note that you may have to fill the reservoir again after the initial boiler fill phase.
The Profitec RIDE is only operational off of its internal water reservoir and does not have the option to be plumbed into a water source.

Your machine is set for use on a 110V outlet. Prior to starting the machine, check if the steam valve is closed. Check to ensure the machine is off (the power button is not pressed inward) and the drip tray is inserted accurately.
Plug your machine directly into a grounded socket (do not use an extension cord) and turn it on by pressing the power button on the front panel. The power button will illuminate green when on.
Fill mode will now commence. Lift the brew lever (you will hear pump noise) and allow water to run from the group head for at least 30 seconds, then lower the brew lever to the fully closed position. Your machine will now begin heating.
Note: You may need to refill your water reservoir during or immediately after this process.
When you move the brew lever down, the fill icon will disappear from the PID display. After the brew boiler has been filled, the steam boiler is automatically filled with fresh water. When the steam boiler filling is finished, you no longer hear any pump noise. After the boilers are filled, the machine will heat both boilers simultaneously, and the "heating up" icon will be displayed on the PID.
Place the portafilter into the group head to ensure maximum temperature stability.

The brew boiler will overheat to 120 °C (248°F) for about 4.5 to 5 minutes to stabilize the grouphead temperature more quickly.
Once at temperature, the flush icon will appear on the PID display. Lift the brew lever to flush water through the group for 20 seconds to remove the overheated water.
When flushing is complete, the PID will display your set brew temperature. You are ready to make espresso within 6.5 minutes, and the steam boiler will be ready to use within 12-13 minutes.
Note that if you do not initially flush the machine during fast heat-up, after 60 seconds, the machine will automatically heat down and come to your original set brew temperature.
If you want to disable fast heat-up mode, it can be turned off in the advanced PID settings.
At this point, your machine is ready to pull your first shots.

It's essential that you use a coffee that has a roast date on the coffee bag and not a best-by date. Optimal espresso consumption is within a month of the roast date.
It's essential that you use a scale to measure your ground coffee dose & your liquid espresso yield.
It's important to have a starting espresso recipe to help guide you. A good starting point is 18g of ground coffee, 25-30 seconds of extraction, and 25-35g liquid espresso yield.
With coffee in your portafilter, lock it into the group head and simply lift the brew lever all the way up to begin pulling espresso, and flip it all the way down to stop. If you are using a scale, you can monitor your shot time and shot weight simultaneously.
If your shot pulls too fast or gushes, you need to make an adjustment on your grinder in the fine direction (usually clockwise on stepless adjustment grinders and lower numbers on stepped grinders). NOTE: When making a grind adjustment in the fine direction, you are pulling the burrs closer together. It's crucial to grind a little coffee while making adjustments in the fine direction to avoid jamming your grinder. Make incremental adjustments.
If your shots pull too slowly or no liquid comes out after a long time lapse, you will need to make an adjustment to make your grinder coarser. Make incremental adjustments. If your shot is still pulling too slowly, make another adjustment. Repeat.
Taste & enjoy!

After about 12-13 minutes, the RIDE’s steam boiler is pressurized and ready to steam milk and purge hot water.
To activate the steam wand, move the joystick down until it clicks into place.
You’re now ready to steam milk!
To dispense hot water, move the hot water joystick down until it clicks into place. NOTE: The water from the hot water tap is a mix of hot water and steam. This is because hot water is drawn from the steam boiler.

Backflushing your machine with detergent and cleaning your steam wand should be done every 1-3 months, depending on how often you make espresso.
Get the Espresso Cleaning Kit.
Learn how to backflush E61 machines.

For help dialing in your equipment or pulling shots, check out the articles below or reach out to our team of coffee experts and technicians.