Velotric Go 1 review: Powerful, capable, and compact utility e-bike
2023 is the year of cargo ebikes and Velotric released two models to choose from. We tested the smaller utility bike and had a blast scooting around the neighborhood.
Hyperdrive Hits
4/5 Medals of Yavin: Solid cargo e-bike for those who don’t have huge cargo load requirements
Included safety features
Accessories available for optimal cargo carrying
Bit small for larger riders
Affordable price, high quality, and hydraulic brakes
2023 continues to be the year of the cargo e-bike and recently one of my absolute favorite e-bike brands released two variations for consumers. The Velotric Packer 1 is a large, heavy duty cargo e-bike while the Go 1 is a shorter and more compact version that could easily end up being your daily driver.
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. The company also minimizes cables, provides comfort, and integrates Apple Find My for some added security.
For the past month I have been testing a Forest color Go 1 with the rear basket and rear passenger kit (seat pad, handrail, and rear pegs). 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. FYI, I’m working on a long term review of the T1 since it has become my daily driver.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the Velotric Go 1 four (4) Medals of Yavin. Many cargo e-bikes today are large and heavy, making them a bit challenging for many people to use. The Go 1 is easy to handle and still has solid carrying capacity, but it’s really too small for me to use as a daily driver. Smaller riders might easily award it a 5/5 so I’ll leave it up to you to test and judge for yourself.
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
Affordable for a cargo variant
Lovely colors, elegant design, solid build quality
Rear rack capable of holding 120 pounds, full cargo capacity of 440 pounds
Stable dual-leg kickstand
Rear mesh wheel guards
Hydraulic disc brakes
Not too heavy, 65 pounds, for a cargo bike
Cons
Some assembly required
Too small for my 6’-1” height
Experiences
There are many options available when it comes to buying an e-bike and one of the first steps is to define why and where you intend to ride the bike. If you are looking to replace a car or ride your bike with cargo, the Velotric Go 1 is a perfect e-bike to get started with cargo carriage.
The Go 1 (currently $1,699) arrived in a very large cardboard box and Velotric went so far as to design the box to help you unpack and set it up, including having the desired standing location noted on the inside of the box. Since I am returning the review unit after testing, I did not fully open the box in this manner.
Velotric is one of the best at providing crystal clear directions and all of the tools you need to set up the bike for your first ride. The directions are written in perfect English, have steps clearly defined, and include images/graphics to explain details. There are several steps for you to complete to assemble the bike, including attaching the handle bars, mounting the front wheel, mounting the display and front light, and securing the pedals.
There are also clear directions, tools, and bolts for each of the accessories. I tested the rear basket ($89.99), rear seat pad ($66.99), rear foot pegs ($29.99), and passenger handrail ($56.99). For my usage, the rear basket is an essential accessory with many uses and it even has zippered pockets to secure some items. If you are going to carry a rear passenger, the other three accessories are important for providing a safe riding experience.
After assembling the bike, installed and charged the battery. You may have seen some news recently regarding e-bike fires in NYC. The Velotric bikes are UL certified and ISO compliant 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.
I paired my iPhone to the bike following the specific Apple My Find instructions provided in the retail package. This capability will have the bike appear like your Apple AirTags when connected via an Apple device. While it will help you find your bike, don’t risk trying to get it back from a thief without first talking to the local police department.
The seat is very comfortable and has some serious cushion. This is good for a cargo bike like this, but is not really conducive to long rides where you are actively pedaling. The Go 1 is designed for packing gear though and it is likely you will cruise with it in throttle or a high level of passenger assist so I actually enjoyed the comfort of the seat. The front forks also have hydraulic suspension so it cruises well over bumps.
Velotric has easily manipulated controls on the left side with large rubber buttons while a large 3.5-inch display shows you all of the data you need to enjoy your riding experience. The handlebars are comfortably designed for the right height of person, but seemed a bit low for me and my knees felt like they were too close to the hand grips when I rode the bike.
I love that Velotric has mesh covering both sides of the rear wheel in way of the rear cargo rack as that helps keep feet and cargo objects out of the spokes while riding. We’ve seen plastic used her on other bikes, but the black mesh looks more refined and professional. Velotric also has a lovely wood panel along most of the top of the cargo rack.
The Velotric Go 1 is a Class 2 bike with a 20 mph default top speed that can be unlocked to go up to 25 mph. It’s Velopower H50 drive system controls the battery and provided power with a 500W rear hub motor capable of 900W peak power. It is awesome to fly off the standing stop with the throttle and it’s a sheer joy to ride a bike with such response and power. The bike also stops quickly with the hydraulic brakes and fat tires.
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: 6061 series aluminum alloy
Motor: 500W rear hub, peak 900W, 65Nm torque
Bike weight: 65 pounds
Bike capacity: 440 pounds, 120 pounds for rear rack
Pedal assist: Five levels with throttle
Max speed and range: 20 mph and up to 55 miles (can be unlocked with 25 mph limit)
Transmission: Shimano 7-speed
Brakes: Hydraulic disk brakes, 180mm rotors
Tires: 20 x 3 inch puncture resistant street tires
Colors: Forest (green)
Bottom Line
The e-bike market continues to grow and finding trustworthy brands can be a daunting effort. When friends and family ask me about e-bikes, there are a couple of brands I highly recommend for quality, safety, and reliability. Velotric is one of those brands, especially if you are looking for an e-bike to get you off the stop line and one that has an easy to operate control system.
The Velotric Go 1 is a fun bike to ride that is also very comfortable with the cushion seat and front hydraulic suspension system. Find an accessory or two for the back cargo rack and use the Go 1 to run errands while leaving the car at home.