Velotric T1 MSRP $1,800.00 Score Details DT Editors' Choice “Velotric's T1 doesn't look, sound, or feel like a typical e-bike. It's better.” Pros Cons If you are a cyclist who has resisted the impulse to buy an e-bike, the Velotric T1 e-bike may shift your thinking. Perhaps you haven’t seen the need for an e-bike, you’re not a fan of the fat tire look of many e-bikes, or you consider yourself a cycling purist.
The Velotric T1 is available in two sizes: medium and large. My medium-size test bike weighed a mere 38 pounds, making it a lightweight compared to the typical e-bikes that tip scales at closer to 60 or 80 pounds. Hoisting it into a midsized SUV was significantly easier than with the 68-pound Engwe EP2-Pro folding e-bike. Sure, the non-folding T1 could be a bit tight in an elevator, but at this weight, slinging it over your shoulder and carrying it up stairs is an option.
High-quality components and a smart app Velotric equips the T1 with high-quality components for everything from performance to safety. Beyond the whisper-quiet hub motor, you get torque sensors at the pedals, rather than less expensive cadence sensors. These respond to rider pedal pressure instead of speed, so can apply full power even from a dead stop.
I’ll freely confess I’m not an avid bicycle rider, but I was surprised how easily the Velotric T1 won me over. My only real quibbles with the Velotric T1’s components are with rear lighting. A red light to mount on the seat post comes with the bike, but it’s powered by a separate battery, not wired to the main battery, and must be turned each time you use the bike. And there is no brake light, which seems like a major omission for an urban bike. Also, fenders are optional, not standard, which limits commuting potential in stock form.