rear hub emtb? how good is it?
For starters
E-bikes are becoming a more prominent part of the biking industry, especially among those that might not otherwise be bike riders. If there’s one major problem, though, with the electric mountain bike industry, it’s the cost. The barrier to entry on an EMTB is super high because they typically all have an expensive mid drive motor. I think Velotric might be proving that doesn’t have to be the case.
design & comfort
The Summit 1 is a hardtail with a 120mm hydraulic fork. It felt good out on the trail, even if I wished it was an air fork, but I am happy that it has 34mm stanchions and a lock out. It does not come stock with a dropper post, but the frame is set up to run an internally routed dropper if you want to add one later.
motor power
The Summit 1 has a 750 watt rear hub motor that is Velotric branded. Typically, rear hub motors are triggered by a cadence sensor. Not so with this bike. It has a torque sensor, and I found it to be pretty responsive. It produces 90 nm and I was super impressed at how hard it pulled.
brakes & tires
The Summit 1 has 27.5 hoops and a Novatec hub on the front wheel. It also has 2.6″ Kenda XC tires but without a specific model. The rims are 30mm internal width to hold some pretty beefy tires. The brakes are Shimano MT200s, which I’ve seen on $3k+ bikes, so you should have no issues stopping.
drivetrain
The Summit 1 comes with an 8-speed Shimano Altus rear derailleur. This derailleur doesn’t have a built in clutch, but it is going to be super reliable (and upgradeable).
battery & options
The Summit 1 has a 14.7 aH Samsung battery and is ipx7 certified, while the whole bike is ipx6 certified. So you don’t have to be worried if you go splashing through a low-water crossing… or just rinsing it off after a great day on the trails. Velotric claim a range up to 70 miles.
accessories
The app on this bike is fantastic. It makes this bike fully customizable with presets to get you riding in a hurry. This bike can also be set up as a class 1, 2, or 3. As a reminder, class 3: 28mph + throttle. Class 2: 28mph no throttle. Class 1: 20mph no throttle. My local trails are class 1 only, and I was pleased with how easy it was to remove the throttle, and set the top speed in the app to 20mph, making me fully compliant. This bike has “Apple Find My” built in, so you can track it whether you let a friend borrow it… or if someone borrows it unannounced you can get it back. This bike has an optional rear rack so you can commute or bike pack, wherever the adventure takes you.
pros
- Love the versatility between the classes
- 27.5 tires make the bike feel super playful
cons
- Weight of the back end
- Coil fork instead of air
conclusion
The Summit 1 is an entry level bike at a really solid price point that is just begging for down-the-line upgrades. I was really impressed with the ride quality and playfulness of this bike because I really didn’t know how an $1,800 EMTB with a rear hub motor was going to perform. If you’re interested in purchasing the Summit 1 from Velotric, I’d really appreciate it if you used my link. It doesn’t cost you any extra, but it really helps out my channel. https://velotricebike.pxf.io/q4d7vg
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