Electric mountain bikes are as great in practice as they are in theory, but there’s one thing holding people back from submitting to the E-revolution and buying one, and that is, of course, the price tag.
However, once in a while, a bike comes along that deviates from market standards, providing previously unwilling participants a portal into the realm of high-end e-vehicles, and this time around, that bike is the 750-watt Velowave!
Arriving at such an astounding price point, the Velowave has triggered a sea of e-bike enthusiasts waving their wallets in the air, screaming “take my money”, me included, and having now spent a few months with it, I’m ready to pass on what I’ve learned to you here today.
Velowave E-Bike Review
Velowave E-Bike: Pros And Cons
Pros
- Fat tires get great traction and provide a super cozy ride.
- 21-speed Shimano drivetrain is as smooth as it gets.
- Awesome value for money.
- Hydraulic disc brakes have excellent stopping power.
- Nuanced 5-tier pedal assist mode.
- Throttle mode performs above spec.
- 28 mph+ top speed.
- Beefy battery.
- 300 lbs weight capacity
- Great assembly instructions.
- Simple, effective controller.
- Integrated battery.
Cons
- No rear suspension (but you won’t miss it).
- You may want to switch out the saddle.
Where Can You Purchase The Velowave E-Bike?
Shop the Velowave 750-Watt E-Bike here.
Assembly
The Velowave isn’t by any percentage pre-assembled, so you have to be ready for some tinkering when it arrives at your doorstep; however, the good news is that it’s an incredibly easy process.
If you don’t have much experience with bike maintenance, it might pose a small challenge, but the included assembly manual is well mapped out and couldn’t be easier to follow whether you’ve only just been bitten by the cycling bug or you’ve been riding your whole life.
How long it takes depends on your experience, but I doubt it’d take anyone much longer than an hour and a half. I managed to get into a rideable condition in about 40 minutes.
Motor & Top Speed
Designed by Bafang, who’s considered by most to be the leading e-bike motor manufacturer in the world, this 750-watt monster is an absolute marvel.
The idea of a 750-watt motor is attention-grabbing itself, but one crafted by the experts over at Bafang… well, let’s just say I was excited to give it a go, and boy, it did not disappoint.
This e-bike has a top speed exceeding 28 miles per hour, and although the throttle function is supposed to top out at 20 mph, I managed to get it to 25 mph before cutting out. Using the pedal assist function on the highest level, you can hit that max speed within 15–20 seconds.
Tires & Terrain
4 inches across, spotted with mean-looking lugs, the fat tires are one of the standout features of this bike, and I absolutely love them! They’re amazing for street riding in wet weather, they can handle rough terrain like it’s nothing, sand isn’t a problem if you’re partial to the beach, and with a bit of rider caution, they’re awesome on snow and ice as well.
They absolutely devour potholes and divots, so taking those old, neglected shortcuts through town will no longer leave your teeth rattling in your skull for hours.
Granted, they are quite heavy, which would normally slow a bike down on flat areas and inclines, but that’s not a concern with the Velowave, as the insanely large battery does all the heavy lifting.
Battery & Range
The battery is fully integrated, by which I mean it’s completely enclosed in the down tube of the frame, giving it tons of protection, something that you’ll be thankful for when you’re riding a gnarly trail.
It’s a 48V, 15 Ah lithium-ion cell, so you don’t have to worry about it adding too much extra weight à la the SLAs of bygone days, and I clocked it in a full recharge from 25% at about six hours.
During my tests, I wanted to see how far it would take me at a stable 20 mph using the throttle function, and I made it a solid 25 miles before it became a bit sluggish and would no longer “pedal on its own”.
Obviously, you can extend that run time significantly by using your gears economically and a lower assist level — we’re talking about 50 miles, which is nothing to scoff at.
Assist Modes
The throttle mode of the Velowave electric bike is insane. It’s amazingly responsive, and, as I just mentioned earlier, cracks the 25 mph mark, which is actually above spec.
You also get a tiered pedal assist mode with 5 levels of power pedaling, and it’s just as fantastic! It kicks in almost instantaneously, and as there are so many tiers, you can fine-tune every single ride to suit the terrain, your schedule, and your fitness.
Controls
The control is incredible on this bike. It’s a high-quality LCD paired with a tri-button array, and it couldn’t be easier to use. The top button increases the pedal assist level, the bottom button decreases the level of assist, and the middle button switches the display on and off.
It’s on the small side, but the folks over at Velowave manage to squeeze all the essentials in there with clarity, including battery reserve, pedal assist level, miles per hour, and miles ridden.
Even when you’re traversing some incredibly bumpy terrain, and your eyes feel like they might vibrate out their sockets, if you look down, you can still make out all the info clearly, which I was very happy about.
When you don’t have to focus too hard on the control to catch your key details, you can focus on the ride itself, making it a safer and more immersive experience.
Brakes, Suspension, & Handling
The Velowave comes with front and rear hydraulic brakes, which is about as good as it gets in the world of e-bikes. They have immense stopping power, so if you’re hoping to do some extreme off-road riding and conquer some tricky trails with this bike, you’re in luck.
I took mine to one of my favorite trails, and I don’t like to toot my own horn, but I absolutely tore it up.
This bike handles extremely well, and not just because of the hydraulic discs, but the head-tube angle, too. Even though it’s quite a heavy bike (compared to traditionals anyway), the front wheel turns nice and easy.
It only has a front hydraulic suspension fork, but I really didn’t miss a rear suspension like I thought I would.
In fact, that was probably my biggest concern going into this purchase, but I’ve been having so much fun on this thing that it doesn’t even come to mind.
Frame, Drivetrain, & Weight Capacity
The frame is quite large when compared to other bikes at similar or higher price points. The down tube, in particular, is beefy, but, as mentioned earlier, this is because it contains a fully integrated battery, protecting it from all the dings, scratches, and weather associated with mountain biking.
Capable of supporting riders between 5’4” and 6’2” up to 300lbs, the aluminum alloy frame is also ridiculously strong.
Legends of the cycling industry, Shimano, take care of drivetrain responsibilities with a classic, silky smooth, 21-speed system that facilitates efficient shifting, which, in turn, increases battery reserve by minimizing strain on the motor.
Comfort
The Velowave 750 is an insanely smooth ride, which is why I love it so much for street use as well as off-road use. Any time I have any errands to run in town, you better believe I’m hopping on the 750 rather than getting in my car.
There’s just something about the hydraulic suspension and fat tires combo that really irons out the kinks in the ride I’m used to feeling on most e-bikes.
The saddle is also pretty comfortable, but I have seen that a number of people are switching theirs out. I’m not sure why this is, as I haven’t found anything wrong with mine.
Value For Money
I know that I mentioned earlier about this being a well-priced e-bike, and I stand by that, but it’s by no means a cheap product. That said, considering the quality of the components and the amazing performance, it would be disingenuous to say it’s not excellent value for money.
The long and short of it is that the Velowave 750 is probably the highest spec, highest performing, highest quality bike at this price point. I’d even say it stands shoulder to shoulder with some premium options on the market right now.
The Final Verdict
The Velowave 750 e-bike is a pretty simple design, but it at no point feels stripped back to cut costs. It all feels like part of a master plan, that the absent features such as a rear suspension and feature-rich controller aren’t there because they’d take away from something that is wholly complete exactly the way it is.
That’s not to say that you won’t want to make a few little adjustments here and there. As I said, a few people have been switching out the saddle, but other than a few preferential customizations, it’s great out the box!
If you’re looking for a bike that punches well above its weight in the price department, then the Velowave 750 is the one for you.
I give the Velowave 750 W E-Bike 4.9/5
