A customized mid-motor and Shimano's new Cues components are a winning combination.
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The perfect commuter bike? Velotric’s Discover 3 makes its case.
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There's a reason when DUI arrests make the news--they are usually repeat offenders who've been caught before. And not infrequently--they already had their license revoked for DUI. Because in the USA the built environment is, in most places, actively hostile to anyone outside of a car. And bike commuters are a rounding error in the USA because of that, and also most employers won't accommodate bike commuters at all.
The result? Car dependence, and people who have had their license revoked--just continue to drive. They don't buy bikes or ebikes or electric motorcycles--they just keep driving their car, and rely on the statistical odds of there always being too few police to enforce laws coupled with far too many miles of roads to ever effectively police.
I'm lucky, in spite of a red state, my city has a great urban trails system which can double as a commuting route that is grade-separated almost entirely.
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In California some people get dozens of DUIs without losing their licenses. https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/10/california-dui-failure/
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I have such a bike, and would argue yes and no.
Belt DO fail. When they do, it's game over for the day (or weeks if your local bike shop does not stock replacements)
With a chain, it's easier to field repair and keep going.
Also, belt+gear involve more complex IGH. They are nice! but cost more.
Hence, you kind of have a tradeoff to mind:
Belt + IGH: = NO casual maintenance, but expensive infrequent maintenance.
Chain: = Constant casual maintenance, no expense infrequent maintenance.
I would also add the rate of theft and vandalism in your area to the mix: having a "unique" bike stolen/damaged is bad. That's why I only see "crap bikes" being ridden in large urbanscapes. They work, simple, reliable.
Hot take: The perfect commuter bike is a cheap piece of steel with a 3x7 tourney slapped on it. It works, can be abused, can be repaired, can be replaced.
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Yup.
And I'm not even going to get into matters of employment where, expecially for lower-income jobs...employers will not even hire you if you don't have a driver's license and "reliable transportation" (read: a car).
Our Civ chose to make car ownership a near-necessity in most places. Which is why people like senior citizens who physically can no longer safely operate a motoe vehicle--freak out at having their license taken away when their eyes and grip strength and reaction times are taken by age. It is why reckless drivers keep driving. And people without insurance keep driving. And DUI convicts. And so on. It is also why 16 is such an age milestone in the USA--suddenly children are no longer prisoners to their parents suburban house and their parents busy schedules.
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What exactly is the point of E-Bike classes? E-Bikes of all sizes and "classes" as well as electric mopeds that easily weigh 100 lbs., are prolific in my town and are always buzzing around the streets, bike trails and public sidewalks.
No one (i.e. the police) is stopping these riders and checking the class of their bikes to see if they are legal to ride on trails/sidewalks, although it is obvious many are not. I see the same behavior in every town/city I visit.
Simply, there is zero enforcement of bike classes, so why even have them?
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Varies locally, I imagine. Police in coastal California are starting to care.
View: https://bsky.app/profile/warrenjwells.bsky.social/post/3mj3xtippzc2w
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The point of the classes was enforcement and stopping a motor-power arms race. And the reckless driving such an arms-race precipitates. Which--it obviously failed spectacularly. Why? It is rather simple:
- Municipal police departments are understaffed to even enforce car moving violations every day of the week. There's no spare FTEs to bother with ebikes until there's An Incident.
- There's far too many miles of roads for too few police offers to ever patrol making #1 even a worse problem
- How in the hell is a policeman, at the side of a bike trail supposed to verify the power-rating or class of an ebike? They can't. And lawmakers never stopped to think about this. A gas motor you can at least eyeball motor size and guess displacement--an electric motor that is software controlled you can't. Only way to verify motor power is a dyno, which requires asset seizure which you need grounds for.
Which is why the E-Bike class system failed in the USA. It made everything assumed legal first--and clean it up after. Except there never was a clean up because there's no means (read manpower and equipment like a dyno) to enforce the laws. Whereas in the EU they have hard limits on what is and can be sold as an ebike as a Step 1.
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You are suffering from American blindness. Testing vehicles at the roadside is a basic function of policing around the world, and this includes e-bike testing in civilized countries. https://electrek.co/2024/02/13/dutc...to-test-e-bike-power-on-the-side-of-the-road/
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analog bikes have handled this no problem for decades, I imagine electric bikes are no different.
just be mindful of the gearset and chain - quick dry after each use if it's wet outside, chain checker every once in a while, and re-lube it like once a year or so.
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Cool link. Thanks TIL!
As always the Dutchies invent the Thing. Caveat being--you still need spare police officers to be radar-gunning ebikes. Which, US and Canadian cities, just don't.
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Looks like a great bike for the vast majority of city commuting needs with a good set of compromises for affordability. Yes, $2000 is very affordable for an e-bike.
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American society is completely broken from wall to wall, but the police don't stand out in any particular way. Along the way to becoming a grown-up nation we're going to have to figure out how to establish police forces that work.
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I would be very surprised if it was. Typically IGH shifters are not nearly as standardized as regular derailleur setups.
The focus of CUEs was to merge all the lower end derailleur group sets that shimano had into some cross compatible mega group set.
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Like I said earlier. My city can only afford 300 police officers, for a town of 300,000 people, with 2,700 miles of roads. a couple hundred miles of bike trails IIRC.
Which isn't a policing problem. The USA has an infrastructure problem, the lack of police enforcement is a symptom of that reality. There's simply too much infrastructure to maintain and patrol for the economic productivity of our cities. My Fair City of 300,000 people is twice the geographic land area of Paris France while having <1/10th the population. Is it any wonder there's municipal insolvency and a severe inability to keep the roads plowed of snow in the winter--when the city can only afford 20 snow plow trucks for 2,700 miles of roads?
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As someone with a belt-driven e-bike for commuting, I'd say go one step further and switch to belt driven. I love having zero grease to deal with and not having to regularly tune the gear changes. Of course this probably brings the price up.
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Since around the late 1980s, pedals or no, anything that does more than 30mph OR has more than 3hp of power, is either a moped or a motorcycle in the US. Some also a low-speed (<40mph) "scooter" category.
If it can do >40mph it is always a motorcycle, regardless of horsepower.
Mopeds require some form of driver's license, motorcycles require a specific driver's license+registration+insurance.
The class 3 ebikes were, IMO, too close to moped (28mph, up to 1hp) and we should have stopped at class 1/2, but the micro-mobility crowd screwed it up.
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Honestly, $2,000 isn't much these days. When the average car is $50,000, insurance prices are climbing, and fuel prices are surging, $2,000 to get you to and from work comfortably, with no insurance requirement, and much cheaper maintenance? That's cheap. Plus you get some exercise.
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Well, here in Europe, we have streets with cobble stones and tram rails. I would not want to miss the suspension on my bike, nor the wide tires.
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I own a Velotric Discover 1 Plus and it’s been excellent. It was $1300 when I bought it and I’ve already put about 2,000 miles on it since October, and it performed admirably for its first Minnesota winter. The way they did the Class distinction on this bike is decidedly low tech, the max assist speed can be set in the controller (in km) but only hit 28 mph if the throttle is physically disconnected. I use it primarily for commuting and riding on paved trails and roads, and I have a big basket mounted on the back for grocery runs and saving my back from biking with a backpack on.
I would, however, like to point out that the bike shown is not the Discover 3. It is the Discover M, their new mid-drive model, and it costs $2499, not $1999. The Discover 3 comes with fully black tires (not brown like these) and it doesn’t come in this color way, plus it does have a rear hub motor. It still comes with a lot of the same features, like sensor swapping, Find My, the app, and all that. I just checked their website to be sure, and it’s for sure the Discover M, in the color way that I’m thinking about getting (I’d like to upgrade and give this bike to my husband).
I would, however, like to point out that the bike shown is not the Discover 3. It is the Discover M, their new mid-drive model, and it costs $2499, not $1999. The Discover 3 comes with fully black tires (not brown like these) and it doesn’t come in this color way, plus it does have a rear hub motor. It still comes with a lot of the same features, like sensor swapping, Find My, the app, and all that. I just checked their website to be sure, and it’s for sure the Discover M, in the color way that I’m thinking about getting (I’d like to upgrade and give this bike to my husband).
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Kevin Purdy reviewed Velotric's Thunder 1 (T1) a few years back and he seemed fairly impressed. I was compelled by the simplicity and light weight of that bike, so I bought the T1 ST. I've been pretty happy with it...I got it for around $1,200 with accessories on a sale. My only mods are WTB Raddler 44 x 700 tires for better off-road grip and a larger, cushier Velmia seat.
I live in a hilly region near the Olympic Mountains in WA and ride recreationally on mostly unpaved surfaces. If used for commuting, I'd be faced with a 20-mile ride on highways, which, around here, well...nope. Too many idiots staring down at their phones while driving.
My typical rides are gated timber access roads and other trails typically used by dirt bikes and ATVs, though it also works fine on paved roads and sidewalks around this (hostile to bikes) small town.
I've been looking for something with a bit more range and comfort for longer rides...but other e-bikes with fatter tires and front forks are double the weight of the T1 ST (which is already almost 40 lbs.)!
The only issues are the low-quality Shimano Altus fitted to this bike, the clamp holding the handlebars is a bit squeaky, and the FindMy feature has never worked since new. Velotric customer service sent me a free replacement fender attachment gizmo after an incident with a large limb snapped one of mine. Took a few weeks to receive from abroad, but the process was painless.
[Edit: forgot about my replacement seat]
I live in a hilly region near the Olympic Mountains in WA and ride recreationally on mostly unpaved surfaces. If used for commuting, I'd be faced with a 20-mile ride on highways, which, around here, well...nope. Too many idiots staring down at their phones while driving.
My typical rides are gated timber access roads and other trails typically used by dirt bikes and ATVs, though it also works fine on paved roads and sidewalks around this (hostile to bikes) small town.
I've been looking for something with a bit more range and comfort for longer rides...but other e-bikes with fatter tires and front forks are double the weight of the T1 ST (which is already almost 40 lbs.)!
The only issues are the low-quality Shimano Altus fitted to this bike, the clamp holding the handlebars is a bit squeaky, and the FindMy feature has never worked since new. Velotric customer service sent me a free replacement fender attachment gizmo after an incident with a large limb snapped one of mine. Took a few weeks to receive from abroad, but the process was painless.
[Edit: forgot about my replacement seat]
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Cyber/<ender
Smack-Fu Master, in training
Add on top of that, things like my local sheriff having a policy to heavily deprioritize writing tickets because the CHP fears their obsolescence and are insisting dealing with moving violations is their responsibility...
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I actually quite liked the 26x2.5” tires my Velotric shipped with, or at least the size of them. But finding decent replacements available in any physical store is basically impossible, and they weren’t great, and needed to be replaced within 1500 miles.
Right now, I have 26x1.5 tires because that’s what was in stock in the style I needed that day in the store when an emergency replacement came up. It doesn’t make the bike that much easier to pedal without assist, but it’s a 60 lb bike with a usually loaded rear rack, so the tires only help so much. It’s also a bit less comfortable of a ride, and the sidewall on these tires isn’t tall enough so it looks really weird, especially on the back where the fender is not adjustable (the front one still looks bad at its lowest level). I’ve put about 700 miles on them and really tried to like them, but I just don’t.
I ended up special ordering some Specialized Armadillos in 26x1.9 to come in to my local shop. Those were the tires on my previous bike and I loved them. Plenty of grip, and they were just wide enough to be comfy but still narrow enough to be easily maneuverable, and the sidewalls are tall enough that they will look good with the fenders. I put about 6000 miles on them and they still had plenty of life left and even got me through 2 Minnesota winters.
I will say, my husband’s 80lb e-bike had 20x4 tires in a step through frame, that folds… Absolutely miserable if that battery dies, we kept swapping between my bike every mile because it was torture to move that thing. He’s since decided he wants something more conventional lol.
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The process for replacement is the same in either case and IMO just as easy to do in the field as popping a broken a broken chain link. And replacement can be done without a chain breaker that people are less likely to have on them anyway.
The added weight of wider tires and a suspension fork doesn't move the needle at all. At the most it's still less than 5 lbs, which is a very tiny fraction of the overall weight of bike+rider. Your own bodyweight can fluctuate more than that throughout the day.
Also, it's not the width of the tire that changes rolling resistance but internal pressure and material composition. All else held equal, two tires of different widths with the same pressure will have the same area of contact. Many knobbly mountain tires have lower rolling resistance than many road tires.
(side note: the tires on this bike are 27.5x2.4, so they're not >=2.5"+.)
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In the US it also has to meet maximum speed and horsepower limits. For e-bikes that operate on throttle, the limit is 20mph and 1hp (750W) (aka class2). Ebikes that are in pedal-assist can get up to 28mph but with the same 1hp limit.
Over 1hp but less than 3hp is moped territory, unless the speed is much over 30mph (varies by state).
Over 3hp or ~40mph and it is always a motorcycle, pedals or no.
I lived through the 80s with 125cc "mopeds" and 3-wheel ATVs. I know people the brain damage as a result. I also remember kids who were "the wrong sort" who got prosecuted when the laws changed.
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Oh - sure - no problem - the UK has very detailed statistics on pedestrian KSI (killed or seriously injured) and the vehicles causing it. We can eliminate highway driving by looking at just London (London has basically no urban highways, not none, but almost).
BTW there are some pedestrian KSIs that are not included in those statistics. Pedestrians hit in parks, or on canal paths don't get included in the road data. So the Bicycle figure is a slight underestimate.
https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-ar...r/find-an-answer/vehicle-ksi-risk-pedestrians
The figures for the full UK also include numbers of just fatalities, there's a PDF and you can if you want to track down the raw data, though it's a bit of a pain in the ass.
https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...es-in-great-britain-pedestrian-factsheet-2024
They're not normalised by vehicle mile but you can track down figures for those too if you want.
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Yes, but that's money that could be spent on tanks and tear gas to protect prop... I mean, people from protes... I mean, rioters. I don't understand the priorities of other countries. </s>
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Eh, I only ever use three gears on my bike (six year old Rad Power) - 5, 6 and 7 - but I do use them. Standing starts without throttle are very hard in 7, and getting up a really steep hill even with throttle sometimes needs 5...but going 30km/h in 5 is not comfortable unless you use a lot of assist (which I try to avoid so I can get some exercise).
A single speed is fine for a rental bike you're probably going to ride around a busy tourist bike path and so shouldn't be riding too fast anyway, but if you ride on quiet routes where it's safe to get up to 30km/h / 20mph, you kinda need the headroom. I'm not sure there's a Single Magic Gear that's comfy at 20mph but can also get you up steep hills comfortably, at least not without a motor that'd be illegal in some places.
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I can see a lot of benefits of this bike. Being a step through it is appealing to women. They say you can never be too rich nor too thin (I don’t agree but that’s beside the point), to that you can add nor too comfortable. The fat tires, effective suspension (not a lousy seat post spring), thick seat, highly extendable seat post, adjustable headset, swept back handlebars makes for a good comfortable upright position.
I knew a woman who was killed by getting her narrow front tire stuck in a grate, so fat tires in an urban environment are not unnecessary.
The rack in back looks like it is welded on with panier rails, both a plus. Looks like it has mounts to add a basket in front. The wide range of gears is really great, since cities can have steep hills, I’ve run into that in the Paris suburbs, San Francisco and Luxembourg. Highly visible tires are a plus.
A chain guard would be nice to protect clothes, but then again it is a real pain if the chain comes off. It looks like the pedals have dimples on them which should help keep your feet from sliding off in wet weather. Rear turning signals w/o fronts, I can understand that since that is where you really need them.
On the down side, it is heavy and the software looks complicated. The weight is low though, and IMHO the light to recommend shifting helps. Rather be annoyed and in the right gear than the contrary.
Edit: having a wide set of gears is also really helpful if you are puling a trailer with kids in tow.
I knew a woman who was killed by getting her narrow front tire stuck in a grate, so fat tires in an urban environment are not unnecessary.
The rack in back looks like it is welded on with panier rails, both a plus. Looks like it has mounts to add a basket in front. The wide range of gears is really great, since cities can have steep hills, I’ve run into that in the Paris suburbs, San Francisco and Luxembourg. Highly visible tires are a plus.
A chain guard would be nice to protect clothes, but then again it is a real pain if the chain comes off. It looks like the pedals have dimples on them which should help keep your feet from sliding off in wet weather. Rear turning signals w/o fronts, I can understand that since that is where you really need them.
On the down side, it is heavy and the software looks complicated. The weight is low though, and IMHO the light to recommend shifting helps. Rather be annoyed and in the right gear than the contrary.
Edit: having a wide set of gears is also really helpful if you are puling a trailer with kids in tow.
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Same.
Purchasing a $2,500 daily use bike creates a theft hazard. Most places I visit do not have dedicated bike lock ups. So I have a throw away bike purchased used and a bike I ride but never leave anywhere.
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What you want is a mid-drive e-bike, ideally one with a Bosch, Shimano, Yamaha, or Brose motor. The mid-drive works in conjunction with hub or derailleur gearing to give you much more climbing ability that a typical hub motor. And I'd stick to models sold by manufacturers with a dealer network so you can take a test ride, see what loading it onto or into your car is like, get assistance with service and/or repairs, etc.
Gazelle is a Dutch brand with an excellent reputation, and does a number of bikes that are step through and belt drive. They also have a wide dealer network so you can go check out and ride the bikes before buying. Trek is another well known and highly regarded brand, and again has a wide dealer network.
Here are a couple of options that meet most of your criteria. The Gazelle's are around 50lbs, and the Trek is just over 60.
Gazelle Ultimate C380
Gazelle Ultimate C8
Trek Charter+
I wouldn't get too hung up on the belt drive; inside the US, that limits your options tremendously. Belt drives remain fairly niche here. Maintaining a chain is pretty trivial, and they're inexpensive to replace. A Gates carbon belt drive requires some frame compromises (the belt can't be separated, so the rear triangle must be split to allow the belt to pass through, and they're more of a hassle to deal with if you get a flat on your ride.
If you're willing to consider non-belt drive bikes, I'd put the Specialized Turbo Vado SL high up on your list of bikes to check out; very lightweight for an e-bike, upright and step through frames, looks like a regular bike, and has a powerful motor.
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As somehow who is still pumping a Juiced CrossCurrent to/from work, I can vouch for the decision for thicker tires and (to a lesser extent) the suspension fork. Due to the extra mass of the motor and battery and the potential for higher speeds (up to 28MPH), you will need that extra rubber for stopping power. Also, thinner tires are more prone to blowout on a shallow pothole or crack in the asphalt. Life improved considerably when I updated to the thicker tires that are now the default on the CrossCurrent. More weight requires more rubber.
The suspension fork is a reasonable call, but I get your point. My guess is to provide comfort to your wrists when hitting potholes, cracks, and the occasional branch while moving at 28MPH (versus the usual 18MPH for a casual pedal-bike). I have a Novara with regular carbon forks, but that is mainly used for dedicated bike trails and good roads. In contrast, my commute to work involves under-maintained roads with potholes and across a couple light-rail crossings. It was hellish on my Novara and my wrists, so I appreciated the suspension on the CrossCurrent. Heavier? Sure, but I had a motor/battery to compensate for that.
You're not wrong, though. I had the torque sensor fail on me once, and that was a rough pedal back home. In that moment, I was ready to knock out a few teeth to save some weight.
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My ~$2000 e-cargo bike I bought (with accessories like rack, back seat, etc.) is this exact use case. It prevented me from needing to buy a second car and is easy daily exercise (though not fun in 90°F heat in Southern California). If you are for sure going to keep your car(s) but try to use them less by using the bike, then the value proposition might not be as high. But not needing to buy a car or being able to sell your car, you could throw away a $2000 ebike on a near monthly basis and still come out ahead unless you're driving the oldest beater you can find and do all the maintenance yourself.
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Too bad it doesn't have a gates carbon (belt) drive. My $1500 Luna has one and it's so nice.
• Easy to maintain
• Easy to clean
• No grease
• Less rust
• Less pinching
• Slow to wear
I'll never go back to a chain if I can avoid it.
No, I don't work for the bike industry. I just like my bike
• Easy to maintain
• Easy to clean
• No grease
• Less rust
• Less pinching
• Slow to wear
I'll never go back to a chain if I can avoid it.
No, I don't work for the bike industry. I just like my bike
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Many, many places have poor quality roads, gravel, and a lack of bike infrastructure. Commuting in snow and ice is very difficult with < 2.5 tires. I moved to Minneapolis and got 4" for wintertime, but wish I'd had them when I lived in Houston where the infrastructure is hell. Commuting next to megahighways is a nightmare without at least a gravel bike, especially when the city is wet most of the year. (Houston gets 25% more rain than Seattle.)
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My roads infra is hell too. I don't need 2" tires. And I get snow and ice too in Nebraska. Which here's my rub--if you need it and use it, that is one thing. Cool. Odd to me that tires as big or bigger than what MTB racers use are needed in an urban environment-but okay. More people riding is great.
I year around commute. My observed reality for many years is that as soon as: the mercury goes below 60 or above 85, or rain or snow falls, all those fatter-tire ebikes are hung up in a garage. They disapprear from public view and use in this part of the world. Their users are overwhelmingly fair weather and fair road fiends. Our mayor just issued a statement about people on fat-tire mopeds and ebikes twist-throttling the well-groomed well-maintained fitness trails network in My Fair City...because that is where their users overwhelmingly are. They aren't riding the roads or highways.
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