Velotric Fold 1 review: Accessible, affordable, and awesome
This is the perfect season for bike riding and the new Velotric Fold 1 makes it easy with a bike priced under $1,000 that can be ridden by just about anyone.
Hyperdrive Hits
4/5 Medals of Yavin: Affordable foldable built for the masses
Accessible design features
Ability to unlock for Class 3 riding
Solid build, lovely color option, and local store support
No handle for easy carry
Bit small for riders over 6 feet tall
Velotric’s e-bikes are known for high quality construction, serious power off the stop line, lovely color options, affordable pricing, and safe battery designs. It’s first foldable model doesn’t have all of the features found in some other models from Velotric, but it is the most affordable model at a $999 price with features and performance that are likely to appeal to the masses.
For the past couple of weeks I have been testing a lovely Electric Blue Velotric Fold 1 on various roads and bike trails. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my previous time with the Discover 1, Nomad 1, and T1 (aka Thunder 1) e-bikes from Velotric and the company is clearly one of my favorite brands in this sector. I actually just ordered my own Summit 1 eMTB so stay tuned for that review in June.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the Velotric Fold 1 four (4) Medals of Yavin. This is a solid rating for Velotric’s first foldable and I hope that a few things can be addressed with the Fold 2. It’s likely a perfect bike for people shorter than 6 feet tall that are looking for an accessible bike with good range. It’s not really a daily commuting bike and it is a bit heavy to haul around, but there are far more excellent elements with a sub-$1000 price point.
The Good and the Bad
It’s pretty rare for me to not find something that can be improved with a product and for things like electric bikes the pros and cons can depend on your riding needs.
Pros
High-powered pedal assist and throttle, up to Class 3 and more
Very affordable price point
Lovely colors, elegant design, solid build quality
Rear rack capable of holding 120 pounds, full cargo capacity of 440 pounds
Highest resolution LCD display I’ve ever used
Brilliant front headlight and rear brake light
UL2849 and UL2271 certified
IPX7 waterproof rating for battery and IPX6 for e-bike
Cons
Bit heavy for a folding e-bike
No handle for easy carry
Seat post is a bit too short for my 6’-1” height
Experiences
One nice feature with most foldable e-bikes is that they ship nearly fully assembled and in smaller boxes. The Velotric Fold 1 simply needed me to unfold the frame, handlebar stem, and pedals then attach the front wheel and it was ready to go. No tools were required to assemble the bike and no tools are provided in the box. Velotric includes the bike, a nice manual, battery keys, and the charger.
Even though there was a partial charge on the battery, I like to make sure I start off with the charge at 100% so I plugged in the charger and topped it off. You may have seen news regarding e-bike fires in NYC. The Velotric bikes are UL certified for both the battery and the electronic components so as long as you use the included charger and follow the charging instructions then you shouldn’t have to worry about fires. Many of those fires in the news were reported to be from people who modified their bikes, used non-compliant chargers, or who were using cheap knock-off replacement batteries. Follow the instructions and don’t risk a fire by modifying your bike.
In addition to UL certification, for the first time on any bike I have tested Velotric also includes a battery with an IPX7 waterproof rating and the bike with an IPX6 rating. While this means you could submerge the battery in water for a period of time, you are not going to ride this in a lake or keep it submerged. Since I live and ride in Washington State most of the time where it is overcast, gray, and drizzly much of the time it is great to know the bike is built for inclement weather. If you do ride in this type of weather, be very careful braking.
The saddle is very comfortable and has some serious cushion. This is good for a bike like this designed for recreation and short trips, but is not really conducive to long rides where you are actively pedaling. The Fold 1 is designed so that you are likely to be in throttle mode or enable a high level of passenger assist the saddle design is perfect for this comfort. The front forks also have hydraulic suspension so it cruises well over bumps.
Velotric has easily manipulated controls on the left side with the clearest resolution I have ever seen on an e-bike display. The monochrome LCD is brilliant and I do not miss color with a display like this that is visible with or without sunglasses.
The handlebars are also comfortably designed and can even be raised higher if you prefer. I particularly love the ergonomic hand grips that have a nice amount of palm rest and rubber material for perfect comfort. I have the seat post more than an inch above the highest recommended setting and the bike is still a bit short for my height and leg length. I am 6’-1” so while Velotric states it is built for people from 4’-10” to 6’-5”, if you are taller than 6’ then your legs may be bent more than best suited for long rides. Then again, you may spend most of your time with the throttle and on short trips so then it is just fine
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The Velotric Fold 1 is a Class 2 bike with a 20 mph default top speed for the throttle and pedal assist, but this can be unlocked to go up to 28 mph. I was surprised to find that the throttle mode also propels you forward at nearly that high speed so be careful when you unlock the Class 3 designation and choose your top speed.
It’s Velopower drive system controls the battery and provided power with a 750W rear hub motor capable of 1050W peak power. I was able to travel up my 15% incline hill into the neighborhood with pedal assist 5 and the lowest gear at 9-10 mph. No e-bike I have ridden has been able to move me up the hill with throttle only mode. The Velotric Fold provides a solid 70 N-m of torque too. The bike also stops quickly with the hydraulic brakes and fat tires.
The large capacity battery is centrally positioned on the bike under the seat and behind the seat post so the center of gravity is perfect and low. You can easily use the key to remove the battery for charging off the bike or for replacing with another battery for longer riding sessions.
Unlike many bikes, the rear rack is not an accessory, but it is part of the integrated frame. This also means that the rear rack is capable of supporting up to 120 pounds with the total bike capacity of a whopping 440 pounds.
There are small square openings on the back frame that I believe are used for the rear wheel cover accessory, but I’m not sure where a rear rider would place their feet to safely sit on the back rack. The back rack is best left to holding pannier bags or possibly an infant bike seat, but I did not test either of these options.
Specifications
Specifications alone don’t mean much, but they are useful for comparing similar devices and checking that you are getting value for your money.
Frame: Aluminum alloy
Motor: 750W rear hub, peak 10500W, 70Nm torque
Bike weight: 63 pounds
Stand over height: 400 mm
Bike capacity: 440 pounds, 120 pounds for rear rack
Suspension: 60mm front fork with lockout
Pedal assist: Five levels with throttle
Max speed: Default is 20 mph, but easily unlockable to 28 mph. This includes throttle speeds beyond 20 mph
Range: Advertised as up to 55 miles with pedal assist, 45 miles with throttle. My experience shows 45 with pedal assist and about 35 with throttle at my 230 pound weight
Transmission: Shimano 7-speed
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes, 180mm rotors
Lights: 60 Lux front LED and rear taillight with brake light
Display: 1.8 inch LCD with high resolution
Durability: IPX7 waterproof rating for the battery and IPX6 for the bike
Tires: 20 x 3 inch puncture resistant street tires
Colors: Electric Blue, Stone Gray, Pearl White
Bottom Line
Velotric continues to impress me with its e-bike models and the Fold 1 is my new number 1 when it comes to recommending an affordable foldable bike. It is a bit heavier than some other bikes, but if you are looking for a powerhouse of a foldable with durability and accessibility to enjoy for years then the Fold 1 is a worthy option. It is also great that there are local bike shops that support Velotric as after sales service is often a question that I am asked about with most all bikes being made and then imported from China.
I enjoyed my time with the Velotric Fold 1 for cruising the neighborhood and running errands. I wouldn’t ride it for my daily commute due to the limited seat post height and weight to carry it up and down flights of stairs, but it was a joy to ride. Many people are looking for a reliable bike to get around the neighborhood, local trails, and outside for some fun with the Velotric Fold 1 serving as a fantastic option.