Written Review
The Velotric Summit 1 is one of the first real mountain bikes on the Freshly Charged channel. We've reviewed many e-bikes on the channel claiming to be mountain bike-ready, but many didn't quite deliver on that promise. When I first saw the Summit 1 from Velotric priced under $1800 and equipped with a hub motor, I seriously doubted their claim that it was eMTB-worthy.
However, after putting the Summit 1 through its paces, we're happy to report that it's hands down the best eMTB you can snag for under $1800. While there's a ton to like about the Summit 1, it's not without its flaws. In this review, I will tell you what I love about the Velotric Summit 1 and who should buy it.
Click here for the current price of the Velotric Summit 1.
Use coupon code: FCS1V1RV60 to save $60
What I love about the Velotric Summit 1
- Torque Sensor
- Apple Find My
- Sleek paint job
- 120mm hydraulic suspension
- IPX6 water resistance rating
- LG of Samsung battery cells
- Bluetooth app
- Color display with easy menu navigation
- 15 levels of pedal assist
- Throttle can go up to 32 mph
- Shimano hydraulic disc brakes
- Shimano Altus derailleur
- Ability to easily upgrade components
- Dropper post ready
- Kenda tires with nice and soft compound
- Rear brake light is bright and light pattern can be changed
- Front light is bright for a budget ebike
- Comes in different color options
- Powerful 750-watt motor that is near silent
- Wide handlebars with soft grips
- UL and ISO 4210 certified
Can the Velotric Summit 1 really handle mountain biking trails?
The Velotric Summit 1 is more than capable of taking you down mountain biking trails and is ISO 4210 certified. The front hydraulic suspension with 120mm of travel and lockout, never bottomed out on me and I weigh 200 lbs. The torque sensor paired with the 750-watt motor has no issues at all when climbing and it is surprisingly quiet. I was worried that a hub motor wouldn't be fit for a eMTB but the Summit 1 performed better to competitors that have Bafang mid drive motors.
The wide handlebars are paired with soft grips so you can maintain good control when going over technical and chunky trails. Normally, I am not a huge fan of Kenda tires but the tire Velotric chose for the Summit 1 has a great tread and really soft compound similar to the Maxxis Rekon Race (Could be also why they made the Kenda tire logo looks eerily similar to the Maxxis logo)
The geometry is correct and surprisingly the weight of the ebike was pretty easy to lift when trying to pop wheelies and rollers. Overall, the Velotric Summit 1 should be able to tackle any trail a quality hardtail mountain bike can handle.
What is the top speed on the Velotric Summit 1?
The stated top speed is 28 mph, but I was able to get the Summit 1 to 32 mph with throttle only and 34 mph when pedaling on flat ground. I love that my throttle isn't capped out at 20 mph but it does run into some legality issues because it isn't really a class 3 ebike.
What type of brakes are on the Velotric Summit 1?
The Summit 1 features two-piston Shimano hydraulic brakes with 180mm brake discs. Most budget ebikes come equipped with Tektro, Zoom, unbranded, or Nutt hydraulic brakes. The Shimano hydraulic brakes are the best that I have tested compared to the other brands.
What is the water resistance rating on the Velotric Summit 1?
The Summit 1 has an IPX6 water resistance rating, and the battery has an IPX7 rating. That means the bike can handle high pressure water jet sprays from any direction so you can use a pressure sprayer to wash it down. The battery can be fully submerged up to 6 meters with no issues of water ingress.
You can ride the Summit 1 out in the rain with zero worries that it is goign to mess up the electronics.
Can I trust Velotric?
Velotric is a relatively new company but their ebikes are designed extremely well and come in at a moderate price. A lot of the ebike manufacturers try to make what they think an ebike should be. Instead, Velotric trys to make a quality bicycle and then make it electric.
Velotric's management consists of the hardware co-founder of Lime, Adam Zhang and members from Lime, Giant, Specialized and Decathlon so they have a history of designing quality bicycles.
Click here for the current price of the Velotric Summit 1.
Use coupon code: FCS1V1RV60 to save $60
What I hate about the Velotric Summit 1
- Pedals don't offer great grip
- No throttle in PAS 0
- App has some limitations
- Android users can't use Apple Find My technology without logging into iCloud
I love the Summit 1 but it does have its downfalls. I found my feet slipping off the pedals when going off of drops because they didn't have grippy spikes. Luckily, new pedals are a cheap upgrade and RaceFace offers a variety on Amazon so you can find ones that fit your budget.
I wish ebike manufacturers would allow riders to use the throttle in pedal assist level 0. There are many times that I want to ride my ebike like a traditional bicycle, and only use the throttle when at a stop or starting at the bottom of a hill due to it's heavier weight. Once the Summit 1 gets moving, the geometry is perfect to ride without any assistance.
The app interface is nice and looks great. However, the app has its limitations because it can't track your rides like other ebike apps like Aventon. The app allows you to adjust settings on the bike but those are easy to adjust from the display menu so it doesn't really add a ton of features.
It is nice to have Apple Find My, but Android users are not able to download the app to their phone. Android users can log onto icloud to use Apple Find My but you aren't able to program it without an iphone so you have to borrow someone else's iPhone, log them out, log yourself in, and pair it to your account.
These issues I have are minor and overall I had a hard time finding things I hated about the Summit 1.
Who should buy the Velotric Summit 1?
If you only have $1800 to spend, and are looking for a eMTB, the Summit 1 is the best one I have tested. We have tested over 100 bikes on the channel, and I can't think of any other eMTB that I would recommend unless you are willing to spend more money. The Summit 1 is more than capable of helping assist you get to the top of mountain bike trails so you can enjoy the ride down.
I'm excited to test the Summit 1 out more and if I run into any other issues, I will update this review.
Velotric Summit 1 Coupon and Discount Code
Click here for the current price of the Velotric Summit 1.
Use coupon code: FCS1V1RV60 to save $60
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