With a streamlined step-through design, a removable battery integrated into the downtube, and a removable rear rack, the Urbanglide Pro has the look of a casual city e-bike. But it can also function as a commuter bike that can carry up to 100 pounds on the installed cargo rack and up to 260 pounds of total payload.
The bike’s drivetrain incorporates a 500-watt brushless rear hub motor, a single chainring up front, and an eight-speed cassette in the rear. Maximum assist speed is a claimed 20 mph, and Vanpowers says the range on the fully charged 720 watt-hour (14.4 amp-hours, 48-volt) battery is 73 miles—though that depends on how much and how often electric assistance is used. We got a range of a little over 22 miles with a combination of hills and flats in testing with full assistance at the highest level. Charge time is between three and four hours, according to the manufacturer. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors are used to slow the bike, and the fork incorporates a hydraulic suspension.
At 69 pounds, this isn’t a particularly lightweight bike, and for some riders it can be a struggle to move the bike around a storage space or on/off a hitch-mounted bike rack. That weight is also very evident when riding without any battery assist; even the slightest inclines taken in the shortest (or easiest) gear can be a struggle. Once one of the five assist modes is chosen, most hills can be conquered with ease when using the proper gear. Most riders could use the tallest (hardest) gear in mode four or five to climb steep grades at 20 mph, the maximum assist speed.
The UrbanGlide-Pro uses a torque sensor for pedal assistance. This means that you can’t just lightly rotate the pedals to get maximum assistance. Rather, the rider has to put in effort to get assistance at each level. But for times when the rider may be tired or just doesn’t want to pedal, there is also a thumb throttle that can accelerate the bike to the top speed for the chosen mode. Unlike some other e-bikes, it’s very noticeable when the assist cuts out when going up an incline, as the weight of the bike quickly becomes noticeable.
The bike is offered in just two frame sizes, Small (5’1”-5’9” height) and Large (5’7”-6’3”); most bikes come in at least three sizes. It comes standard with front and rear fenders, a stem that can be adjusted up to a 90-degree angle, a suspension seatpost, and 2.2-inch wide tires. The front suspension fork has 80 mm of travel to help when riding over rough roads and trains. The fork can be locked out when riding on smooth, flat terrain in order to keep from wasting energy.
A small 3.5-inch color screen is mounted to the handlebars. It displays speed, battery life, power output, and the selected assistance level. The bike’s down tube or seat tube does not have mounting points for water bottles, and there is no mounting point for a pannier (bike bag).
