Vanpowers sent me another ebike to review, this time a new model called the UrbanGlide. It comes in three flavors: Standard, Pro and Ultra editions. My review model is the PRO which features hydraulic brakes and a torque sensor. It sells for $1,899 and you get a premium ride for your money.
Vanpowers focuses mainly on commuter style ebikes but does have one fat tire offering called the Manidae. I previously reviewed the stealthy City Vanture.
Right off the bat I was impress with the solid ride the UrbanGlide gives the rider. There no squeaks or rattles and the ebike glides nicely along a freshly paved road. I would compare it to the commuter ebikes produced by Denago if you’re looking for a similar style offering.
UrbanGlide Specs
Here’s what the ebike has to offer;
- 500 Watt Rear Hub Motor
- Torque Sensor
- 5 Levels of Pedal Assist
- Thumb Throttle
- Microshift 8 Speed Paddle Shifter
- Zoom Adjustable Stem
- Suspension Seatpost
- 48 Volt 14 AH Battery
- Front Suspension (80mm travel)
- Rear Rack
- Front/rear lighting
- Sweptback handlebars
- Locking grips
They sell the UrbanGlide in two frame styles Large and Small. I got the large considering I am six feet tall. It fits me well. The downtube that contains the integrated battery is very long. One issue I did have is pedal scraping when cornering. They are low to the ground so be sure to rotate pedals up when turning.
There isn’t much to complain about this sleek step-thru. I prefer step overs so wish it came in that style too. The front cabling is a bit of a mess. They require you to install the display when you get the ebike and you have to connect about 6 wires to make it work. I’ve never had to connect so many wires before during an unboxing.
Likes/Dislikes of the UrbanGlide
But once its ready to roll the UrbanGlide gives off great vibes. The ride is smooth and quiet. The motor just purrs along and the front/seatpost suspension makes it even smoother.
The torque senor allows you to ride with plenty of feel in the pedals. As a class 2 ebike top speed is 20MPH and the ebike cannot be unlocked to go any faster. The torque sensor gives you a natural biking experience, the more effort you put into pedaling the more power that rear hub motor delivers.
The Standard version version ($1299) of the UrbanGlide has a cadence sensor and no rack while the Ultra ($2499) features a mid-diver motor.
Learn more about the UrbanGlide here.
