Velotric Thunder 1ST Electric Bike Review
Velotric Thunder 1 ST: The Ultimate Road Bike for Comfort and Power
For those who have followed me for a while, you know that I'm not typically a big fan of road bikes. However, the Velotric Thunder 1 ST has completely changed my perspective. Velotric is changing the way we think of road bikes, combining comfort and performance in their latest e-road bike.
The traditional low posture of road bikes can be uncomfortable and cause pain in the neck and back. But the Thunder has an upright posture, providing a mix between a real bike and a commuter. The saddle is also large and very comfortable, making it the most comfortable road bike saddle I've ever tried. The overall comfort of the bike is fantastic, making me a bigger fan of road bikes than I ever thought possible.
While the Thunder only has a 350W nominal/600W peak motor, this bike is incredibly lightweight, weighing only 36 pounds. This combination of a small motor and a lightweight frame results in a casual pedaling speed of 13 mph in eco mode, 14.3 mph in gear 2, 15 mph in gear 3, 17 mph in gear 4, and 22 mph in gear 5. When I increased my cadence, I was able to hit a top speed of 22 mph.
The torque sensor on the bike allows for a nice and gentle start or a fast and speedy start, depending on how much pressure you put on the pedals. With the more aggressive start, I had to double my effort from what I usually do when I just casually get going. But when you do that, the torque sensor responds and responds quite well. The nice thing about this bike is that it's so light that if you stop on gear 8 from a standstill, you can still get going pretty easily.
In my experience, road bikes are not great for hills, but the Thunder has 45 Newton meters of torque, making it a great climber. It is still going to go slow up steep hills, but it can do it. I tackled a smaller hill about six to eight percent, and at that point, the bike does about 90 percent of the work.
The braking on this bike is fantastic, with plenty of stopping power for the weight of the bike. It has very nice Tektro hydraulic brakes, with the right side controlling the rear and the left side controlling the front. The brakes are curved at the ends, nice and smooth, and don't take a lot of effort to engage.
The Velotric Thunder 1 ST has an interior 36-volt, 9.8 amp hour battery that takes four to six hours to recharge. If you're easy on the bike, Velotric says you can get over 50 miles. However, I topped this thing out and put it in turbo mode, and I was able to record 18.22 miles with 517 feet of elevation gain.
In conclusion, the Velotric Thunder 1 ST is an excellent e-road bike for those who want both comfort and performance. It has a great design, fantastic comfort, and incredible performance. This bike will give you a good workout and a nice burn in your legs, but it is well worth it. If you're in the market for an e-road bike, give the Velotric Thunder 1 ST a try.
