2022 Velotric Discover1 Review

Video Review

Written Review

The Velotric Discover1 is a fun, lightweight, approachable cruiser electric bike that looks as good as it rides. With the step-thru and step-over frame options, hopping up on the saddle is a piece of cake. This Ebike has a starting price of $1,199 USD and comes in six different colors — Mango, Cyan, Indigo Grey, Silver, Sky Blue, and Spring. The model we’re reviewing today is the Cyan color, and let me tell you, this thing just screams refined and classy. 

Velotric offers a 1-year limited warranty not only on the Discover1 but on all their bikes, as well as free shipping to the contiguous United States. They also offer a 14-day trial period to ride the bike around and see if it’s the right fit for you. 

Ok, let’s take a look under the hood.

The Velotric Discover1 is equipped with a 500-watt hub motor mounted in the rear wheel. And while this motor isn’t as powerful as the larger 750-watt motor in the Nomad1, it’s certainly more energy efficient. At 500 watts, the Discover1 can still climb some pretty steep hills, and it flies over the flats with ease. 

This 500-watt motor gives the Discover1 a top speed of 20 mph, which can be reached using the thumb throttle or cadence-sensing pedal assist. This makes the Discover1 a class 2 electric bike, so it’s legal to ride in most areas. Velotric also says that their bikes are capable of 28+ MPH, and you just need to email Velotric to get the instructions on how to remove the speed cutoff of 20MPH. 

The 48 volts, 14.4 amp hour, locking, removable battery sits nicely in the downtube and all but disappears into the frame. They really nailed the battery integration here! 

This battery gives the Discover1 a max estimated range of 65 miles according to the Velotric website, and honestly, that’s probably a bit on the higher side. I think the real-world range will be closer to around 50 miles, but that is still longer than most people will be riding in a single session. Overall, I think Velotric has done a good job of alleviating some of the range anxiety on the Discover1. 

With a curb weight of just 65 pounds, the Discover1 is a bit lighter than most of the Ebikes that come through our doors, and I think this really adds to the overall approachability of this electric bike. And that lightness is felt when you’re riding the Discover1. It’s nimble and easy to control, and it’s also fairly easy to pick up and move around. 

The Discover1 is also very well-balanced, with the battery located right in the middle of the downtube. This is great for keeping a low center of gravity, and with the motor in the rear wheel, this Ebike feels like you could ride no-hands pretty much forever. 

One of my favorite things about Discover1’s frame is its geometry. The handlebars are swept back and are an ergonomic design that adds tons of comfort to the wrists. This results in an upright, relaxed riding posture, which is perfect for cruising around the neighborhood or commuting to the grocery store. I mean why not, right? We’ve got that rear rack to load up a couple of grocery bags, and front and rear fenders to keep you nice and dry on those dreary days. If the 30.5” standover height of the step-over is a bit too high, the step-thru version comes in at just 15”, which is super approachable! 

At the back of the Velotric Discover1 we’ve got a Shimano Tourney derailleur with a 7-speed cassette, paired with a Shimano SIS Index thumb shifter, which, if you’ve been with us for a while here at Electrified Reviews, you’ll know this is not our favorite shifter. The funny thing about our controversial opinion is that I know some of you actually prefer the SIS Index thumb shifter over a trigger shifter. We’re curious, which would you choose? Let us know in the comments.

To bring the Discover1 to a stop we’ve got hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels. Combined with the oversized CST 26” x 2.5” road tires, there’s a good deal of stopping power here. 

When it comes to lighting, the Discover1 is the complete package. It’s equipped with an integrated tail light that illuminates whenever the brake levers are depressed. And that’s great for letting anyone behind you know when you’re coming to a stop. And since they’re integrated directly into the electrical system, you’ll never have to change the batteries. The front light is also integrated and is a wonderful safety feature to see here. The front light is not going to be a beacon for off-world visitors, but it gets the job done in an urban environment with ambient lighting. 

Wire management on the Discover1 is good with everything being completely internally routed. This really adds to the streamlined look of the Discover1. Honestly, you could almost call the Discover1 a stealth Ebike. I said “almost”, for you commenters down there. I see you starting to type things. 

The LED display is simple, easy to operate, and was visible in the harsh, California sunlight. The control pad on the left-hand side is very streamlined and adds to the overall sleek look of the Discover1. The single-locking Ergonomic grips feel right at home here, and are the perfect grips for this Ebike, in our opinion. Ergonomic handlebars, ergonomic grips and ergonomic geometry abounds! 

Oh and the Discover1 can also support up to 440 pounds, which is pretty wild! Just think of all the fun things you could carry! 

Overall, the Velotric Discover1 is an efficient, clean, easy-to-use, and easy-to-ride electric bike. If approachability is your priority, the Velotric Discover1 is worth a look. What do you guys think of the Velotric lineup so far? I’m pretty excited and think they’ll be putting out cool Ebikes for the foreseeable future. Let us know what type of Ebike you’d like to see from them next!