I Review Ebikes for a Living. Here’s My Favorite One So Far

Electric bikes are everywhere these days, available in a slew of different sizes or styles, and most of them certainly don’t come cheap. But if you’re looking for a quality bike that can do a little of everything, here’s why the Velotric Nomad 1 is my favorite all-around choice so far.

Considering all the benefits of an ebike, it’s no surprise that they’re quickly rising in popularity. Of course, the type of bike you buy will depend on your wants or riding style. Road bikes and full-suspension eMTBs are more of a niche product and certainly have their place, but many people simply want a good ebike to enjoy on various rides.

A Bit of Backstory

I’ve been riding since childhood, meaning I have 30+ years of quality experience. Everything from training wheels, Walmart specials with playing cards in the spokes making noise, and Huffy bikes when I was younger, not to mention several high-end bikes as an adult to rip down the mountains throughout Utah.

Some of those include a Trek Fuel EX8 and EX9, Specialized, and a YT Jeffsy, plus I’ve hit trails on Giant and Cannondale, to name a few. I’ve owned or reviewed countless electric bikes of all styles, including the Rad Power Bikes RadRunner, the Super 73-RX Mojave, Velotric’s Thunder 1 ST road bike, Lectric Bikes XP, Ride1Up, Superstrata, and more. It’s safe to say I have some experience across several formats.

Every bike has pros and cons, but most models are geared toward a specific rider or style. Do you want to ride on the street or paved trails, prefer gravel, haul cargo and kids, or want to shred some single track in the mountains? Whatever you want, there’s a bike for it.

For example, I absolutely love my Super 73-RX and plan on riding it until the wheels fall off, and I don’t remember having more fun on a bike ride around town. It’s also rugged, short, and cramped, not to mention a wildly expensive $4,000 bike. It has a time and place.

With six different bikes currently sitting in my garage, ready and waiting, I constantly jump on the Nomad 1 for a ride, and here’s why.

A Well-Rounded Electric Bike

As mentioned, there is a wide variety of electric bikes to choose from, but be sure you know what you’re looking for. For example, folding ebikes are super popular, but that’s mainly out of convenience due to people living in the city in an RV. Those that have the space should spring for something a bit more adventurous.

Whether you’re looking for your first ebike or want something new, unless you’re in a niche category, you probably want a well-rounded bike that’s an absolute blast. That’s where the Velotric Nomad 1 comes in.

This bike is certainly bigger than your average ride in terms of the overall size and its tires. It’s tall, beefy, well built, and packs 4-inch wide (and puncture resistant) fat tires with front suspension ready to handle any terrain.

Velotric outfit this model with a powerful 750W motor with plenty of torque for hills, meaning you can throttle it out. However, you’re also getting quality Shimano gears and components if you’d rather pedal, hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, and a big LCD screen showing the speed, range, calories, and more. It has a little of everything and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

You can cruise down the street or shred some trails on this bike. The larger size and fat tires give you confidence, and the torquey motor helps too. In fact, it has more off-the-line and uphill torque than my Super 73, a bike that’s almost 3x more expensive.

Combine all that with nearly 50 miles of range per charge, and you can use it for a commute, down a beach boardwalk, up a winding mountain road, and everything in between.

Don’t get me wrong, there are absolutely bikes that are better, faster, lighter, or pack in more features, full suspension, etc., but if you’re looking for a well-rounded bike you can enjoy in a wide array of situations, the Nomad is an excellent place to start.

The Price Matters

Launched late last year, the Velotric Nomad 1 is a fun fat-tire electric bike that delivers all the basics at an affordable price. Adam Zhang, a co-founder of Lime Scooters, leads Velotric Bikes. He knows a thing or two about what users want, and this bike delivers.

The Velotric Nomad 1 is only $1,449, and it even comes in a step-thru style for women or shorter riders. Sure, you can find more affordable bikes, but you can also easily spend over $4,000, or even $9,000, on a fancy ebike.

That’s obviously a lot of money, and regular consumers are likely looking for the best bang for their buck. Something not too expensive, but not overly cheap. You get what you pay for, so while there are cheaper options, don’t expect the same performance, power, or range.

And again, the style of the Velotric Nomad 1 certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s big, fast, and heavy, but in terms of what I look for in a bike that’ll let me enjoy the great outdoors, this checks more than enough boxes without breaking the bank.