It Ain't Cheap, but this "Mid Drive" Commuter Ebike is Excellent! Vanpowers UrbanGlide ULTRA Review

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The Vanpowers UrbanGlide Ultra is a Mid Drive Commuter electric bike packing a plentiful 14.4ah 48v battery paired up to the well respected and potent Bafang M600 motor. While hub drive ebikes are cheaper, the riding experience of the Vanpowers UrbanGlide Ultra is a first class experience with the built in torque sensor, crisp display, and buttery smooth hydraulic brakes from Tektro. I'm not one to hype up ebikes, but there really wasn't anything I had bad to say about this bike other than the inherent class 2 top speed of 20mph and it's inability to tackle some off road sandy terrain that's simply not possible to do with nimble and reasonable width commuter style tires. If you're looking for the ultimate city commuter riding experience and you've got $2500 to spend on a premium electric bike, the Vanpowers UrbanGlide Ultra is your ticket.
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[@gabrielo8922]

Good to see an e-bike on your channel that does not have FAT tires. I primarily ride on pavement so I don’t want fat tires. I love your reviews and hope to see more standard tire e-bike reviews like this 👍.

[@victorvannatter312]

I mostly ride on road and prefer fat tires still. So much cushier

[@mikec4308]

@@victorvannatter312 more weight and less speed with fat tires. makes no sense for a commuter style bike. better seat post and saddle for cushion

[@victorvannatter312]

@@mikec4308 you are more than welcome to that opinion. But I disagree. Especially with a motor, the extra weight really doesn't matter that much. I love the extra grip and cushion that I get with fat tires. I also have asuspension seat post. Much more than makes up for the slightly slower steering. And I can ride it on the beach if I want. And the snow. And anywhere. I would agree with you if we were talking about a non-electric bike. Those big tires have a lot of resistance. But with a motor, who cares. The difference in range is not going to make much. Same with speed I can go 55 km an hour with my fat tires. I don't need to go faster

[@stephenstetler3324]

For those of us that actually enjoy pedaling, mid drive e-bikes can’t be beat. Great review and I love your thorough explanation of how mid drives power through the gears and work efficiently. The more you pedal with it the more you appreciate.

[@Twobarpsi]

Awesome review Matt 🤘🤙✊🏁!!

[@chrisp.1780]

Just purchased norco comuter similar to what you tested , having spinal cord issues I've found the step thru mid drive pedal assist exactly what I need and your correct about downshift before you stop . Keep up to good work . Cheers from south Australia 🇦🇺

[@llerradiksrokis390]

I watched your channel for months I had my mind made up on either the Aventon or Nomad 1. Finding out they were very expensive to get to Canada I ended up buying a Biktrix mid drive which is Canadian made. I'm in love with the mid drive and hopefully you do more reviews. Even though I have a bike now I still like to watch and keep up to date. Cheers

[@TailHappyTV]

hope you're enjoying the bike! thanks for watching!

[@daveallen63]

Nice review sounds like a winner. Being 60 I would like a throttle though, I got mine to add to my workout routine but there are times when I will need to cruise. I do really like what I see in this bike though I would put it on my "to be considered" list for future purchase.

[@englishclassicsaudiobooksa8391]

The California incline - love it each time!

[@bgunckel]

Great video, just like all your others I wouldn't mind seeing more mid-drive ebike reviews.

[@TailHappyTV]

I'm about to take a $1700 mid drive mountain bike out ride today, and there will be one more unnanounced "prototype" mid drive publishing to this channel this week

[@randomname9758]

I checked out the website to your link and it's actually a really good price because they have different versions of it which have a lower price point as well.

[@paulbry754]

It's the display that's stopping you unlocking it not the controller or motor I had this on my bbshd I paid £30 got another display and unlocked it to its full potential the sw750c is great

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

Doing a range test on the Ariel Rider Kepler... I limited top speed to 20 mph and did 30 miles on flat ground.. Same weight as you. I had 51% left in the battery at 30 miles exactly.. Average speed 19.4mph with top speed 21.4 mph.

[@jeffharper6259]

$3,350.62 plus tax if it could be purchased in Canada, we have our own manufacturer/builders here (they use Chinese motors of course and re-brand some other parts). The point is the frames are made here and the bikes are hand-assembled here in Canada and we have an off-road mode on our controllers to take our bike to its maximum potential for the same price!

[@skateboardingjesus4006]

Excellent mid-drive e-bike. I'm surprised it doesn't have more range. I ride a Veloci Spirit mid-drive, very similar to this and can do an easy 50 miles with my trailer loaded with fishing/camping gear. It has the same 5 assist levels, Bafang motor and a 25km/h limiter and has been a pleasure to ride here around the Dublin metropolitan area and East Coast. It's definitely helped improve my fitness, given how often and far I've been cycling.

[@RunBikeMike]

Nice review. I got to review the budget model they call the Standard.

[@Altema22]

Excellent review, very nice bike, and I don't think the cost is high considering what you get. It's usually better to spend a bit more and have a more satisfying experience. That being said, an expensive mid drive is pretty much always going to be better than a cheap hub drive, but not necessarily a GOOD hub drive. By the way, do you think the efficiency will go up after a few battery cycles? In this video you used 17.9 watt hours per mile, which is actually less efficient than a Phaserunner equipped Bafang G062 hub motor on a folding fat tire bike. Just checked my own ride logs, and the usage was 17.0 watt hours per mile on a ride that included mountain bike trails with throttle. I'm guessing your efficiency will improve, and you'll wind up with 14Wh/m or better. Thanks again for the video, and I really love your review style.

[@donhoe100]

If you find you are in too high of a gear to start off, put the kickstand down then turn on walk assist after leaning bike over to get rear wheel off the ground. You can then shift to lower gear while standing beside your bike. Takes seconds!

[@cadriver2570]

Would love to see you get into some higher end stuff like Specialized Vado, Gazelle C380, Priority Current, Evelo Omega, etc. I'm sure the first two wouldn't send out review units though. Seems like mid drive is really a higher caliber motor style, and much better for climbing.

[@scottrichards3587]

Very nice bike. The first one you've reviewed that is legal to operate in national parks.

[@Mike20216]

Another top review thank you

[@TailHappyTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@soyboy899]

mid drives are less efficient, because there are more contact points and more gears, but it can be more effcient when you are putting in the work with your legs, and just use the motor to assist/help you maintain higher speeds, like 20mph, if you go more than 25mph it's gonna suck the juice like a fat man... i have the bafang m620 mid drive, it's power hungry, in sports mode use it for 1 minute 1500 watts, and you see the 17.5ah battery drops by 10% after 1 minute of full throttle, and after a few minutes you recover 1 or 2% as the battery recovers, if you go all flat out maybe after 30 minutes the battery would be dead, making the range under 20 miles with a 17.5ah battery... mid motors are only efficient if you are at cruising speeds, using the low power setting and just assist your leg muscles... and enjoy the effortless hill climbs

[@russellzauner]

"Expensive" is relative - the bike I have been looking at (Priority Current with the Enviolo CVT IGH) is at least a kbuck more. But it's zero maintenance and super high uptime; which are features I am very much willing to buy up for.

[@mattjulian8153]

This is my first time watching one of your reviews…liked your presentation very much. Excellent coverage of the bike’s features. What I didn’t appreciate was your riding manner at the start of the review, riding on pedestrian areas,(8:46-9:40)….the kind of riding that gives cyclists a bad name. But the review…5 stars.. (btw…I am an active cyclist, Road & mountain, and have been for over fifty years)

[@chechezzzz]

bless from Aruba pell!

[@GixrGuy]

2 - Thumbs Up Review Bro👍👍

[@rupenmarkarian8746]

Hey Matt! I love your KZbin content and have been binge watching your eBike episodes. I'm actively looking to buy one any day now and was wondering if you sell your bikes after you're done testing them. I'm in Torrance and work in El Segundo.

[@TailHappyTV]

Thanks! Yes, I have several for sale currently. Please find my email in my "about section" and drop me an email. See my current inventory: bit.ly/TailHappy-Warehouse

[@EMTBAFV]

2.33 these hub protectors be very careful always double check them before throwing away as the hub cap sometimes pops off with them just make sure it's not stuck to it when it's pulled off! Same thing happens to out ebike mountain bikes and normal mtbs with propper hubs just that wheel hub looked abit wide maybe the caps came off? Bafang motors are really good on the new emtbs just now

[@DavidCharles-wi4qr]

According to the Bafang website, the M600 is: * available as 250w or 500w * Both have a 120 Nm high torque with 1 torque sensor and 2 speed sensors for instant response. * A throttle is optional on both, so wonder if one can be back fit on this bike. * The 500w speed limit is 32 kph/20 mph and 45 kph/28 mph. Seems Vanpowers choose to not include the throttle and not make it a class 3. Big mistake for the US market. It will not sell as is.

[@seth094978]

For someone like me looking for some assistance pulling 2 kids and a few groceries in a bike trailer up hills, this is perfect. Over 20mph with kids in a trailer is not wise anyway, and the lack of a throttle will encourage responsible riding.

[@EMTBAFV]

On these mid drives the shifter can change up 3 gears at a time amd same down if you push it abit harder and longer it'll shoot up and down gears 3 at time for this type of stopping a d taking off or on the trails etc! I just spent 7 grand on mine full suspension with bosch smart system 12 speed its amazing

[@porterbrass]

Excellent review! I’m 6-5 and am having an extremely difficult time finding an e-bike that fits me and is comfortable to ride. You look like a tall person so this may be on the top of my list. My biggest concern is not trying before I buy and where to get these bikes serviced if there are any issues. I’m in upstate NY and many bike shops stick to servicing only what they sell.

[@NOWitsOKto]

Matt aka @TailHappyTV is also 6'5", around 200lbs

[@ben12583]

I'd love to hear your opinion of another non-fat-tire bike with lots of power, the Fabulous X750 Trail Step. It has 750 watts on a bike with 27.5 x 2.2"" tires. I've been riding a Rad Runner Plus, and like it, but it's a little bit small for for my 6' 1" height, and it's a moped-style with 20 inch wheels. Haven't found any real in-depth reviews for the Fabulous X750 Trail Step yet! Would love to see your review. It seems like most reviewers gravitate to the fat-tire bikes. I stay mostly on paved roads, and would like to know how a slimmer tire works for going farther with less effort. I'd also like to know how it affects my butt! (Less shock absorption from the tires, but the Fabulous X750 comes with a suspension seat post.)

[@EMTBAFV]

First one with proper suspension forks aswell

[@srobeck77]

An upright ebike should have a fat seat with springs and more cruiser style handlebars.

[@EMTBAFV]

Push the gear leaver right up instead of one at a time shifting these are designed now to change up and down 2 and 3 or all the way up n all way down with a long push hold on the shifter! You'll need to figure it out with what shifter you have but they all really have this now on mid drives

[@Idahovandal4ever]

Give the Priority Current a try if you want an awesome mid-drive ebike. Gates belt drive, Nuvinci CVT transmission, 140nm torque; all for similar price of the Vanpowers.

[@TailHappyTV]

looks nice for sure, $3,200 is roughly 50% more cost

[@Shelle200]

I have mid drive and added a throttle, also they make cable you can buy to change the speed up to 30.

[@TailHappyTV]

nice! need to look into this!

[@Shelle200]

@@TailHappyTV it's great bike it came with plus size tires which are 3 vs fat at 4. It's not step through 😭but got in close out at 589.00 so way Worth the price of a few upgrades

[@RosinDaddy5280]

In my letric xp 2.0 step thru i got a 48v battery with 14.4 amp and i catry w extra 48v 10.4amp so total i got 24.8 amp hours total

[@Joerides7]

Nice bike, I'm also a mid-drive fan. Mid-drive motor and torque sensor is a must for me. I wish they had a step-over version and a 28 mph option. I'd buy it. Is there enough clearance for a 2.4" wide tire?

[@Enonymouse_]

That's going to be the Manidae model.

[@SS-ln3dg]

Very informative yet entertaining

[@TailHappyTV]

I have a great editor

[@russwoodward8251]

This is a more bikey ebike. Thanks!

[@seth094978]

This seems perfect for pulling the kids in the burley.

[@EdwardBartel]

I'm a little disappointed this bike can't be bumped to Class 3. Do you think this is something Vanpowers might push out through a firmware update down the line or is it something easily modifiable? I was thinking that I wanted to get the Aventon Level.2 as a commuter based upon its strong reviews, but your joy in this bike makes this bike interesting, but that difference in top speed at a more expensive price just seems too hard to justify.

[@michaelhickey9611]

Totally agree with this comment. There’s a lot to like here, but as a city commuter that sometimes needs to navigate car lanes I’d appreciate the option to get above 20 mph.

[@ActivityPhoto]

Nice bike but two shortcoming are the lack of throttle and limited speed of 20MPH with such a nice drivetrain. I also wonder why they chose to use a 9 speed system as the chains as much narrower and therefore unable to handle as much torque as a 7 speed.

[@TailHappyTV]

to utilize that motor more giving it gearing advantage. and btw you weren't supposed to see this yet 😆 I accidentally put it on a playlist, it's not going live until tomorrow morning 😜

[@neutronpcxt372]

The likely reasons for not including a throttle are driventain lifetime concerns and battery life.

[@orbitserpent]

​@TailHappyTV quick random question: Have you ever heard of the volcon brat from epowersport?

[@TailHappyTV]

@@orbitserpent I have not

[@scottbuehler7511]

I'm considering this bike and the ride1up prodigy v2, which one would you prefer?

[@HenriZwols]

Great bike. Actually not expensive for the specs.

[@honestnewsnet]

What do you do with all the e-bikes they send you?

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

I couldn't deal with shifting. Not after a hub drive. Maybe I could be convinced if it was the 620 mid drive or whatever has the peak 1,500 with 160 Nm of torque 🤔

[@BRZZ-xw4hd]

nice!...peace out

[@seragram]

Now I know wht some mid drives bikes come with an internal derailiur.

[@luigiprovencher8888]

Can you see the screen with polarized sun glasses?

[@clayhull4239]

Another good video! The Vanpowers Ultra is a nice e bike but I see a lot of companies going the rout of a single speed belt drive. Companies like Tenways, Vamoof, Honbike, FLX babymaker ll and Bird Bike are all making these lighter weight bikes that look more like regular bikes, but with a single speed and motor that gives assist. These lighter bikes can probably handle the inclines and then you don’t have to worry about a chain or derailleur.

[@TailHappyTV]

actually they can't tenways review coming soon, it couldn't

[@russellzauner]

@@TailHappyTV They need an IGH to go with the belt drive. Put the gears inside.

[@TailHappyTV]

@@russellzauner exactly, yes, integrated gears on a hub fit anyone reading this. Adds to cost usually

[@StarEssences]

If you had an electronic IGH on the rear wheel; some automatically shift you down to the low gears when you come to a stop. Lots of good High End e-bikes out there...hope you show a lot of them. Sounds like it also needs a Gear Sensor installed onto it.

[@jkarimkhani]

What is the best midrive bike with a torque sensor, great brakes, and a throttle?

[@EMTBAFV]

You need the speedi mounted to rear wheel do de restrict it for 50mph it'll be legal where you are just now but it's not here

[@user-ub8sr7rd5n]

Husband is 6’4”, specs on their website suggest max height 6’3”. Your thoughts?

[@richardharker2775]

Nicely balance review. Just curious abouut the driveway grade. Is it 20 degrees or 20 percent?

[@TailHappyTV]

20% grade, which is like 11 degree angle

[@richardharker2775]

@@TailHappyTV All good. I've been liking the way you balance your reviews. Good work.

[@rufusirvin5279]

Not good changing gears with a mid drive while under power. It will destroy rear cassette very quickly and stretch chain. Does the bike have a cutout switch for changing gears?

[@TailHappyTV]

my mistake, I'm so used to hub motors, by the end of the ride I think I got the hang of it, the torque sensor makes it easy to reduce power to your legs are you shift gears to make it easy on gear changes. no cut out switch for gear changes I don't think, we could hear that in the video haha

[@horsepastedelish]

After experiencing torque sensing mid drive you can't go back to hub motors (unless its something ridiculously powerful).

[@stevenleslie8557]

You should be able to get a throttle for it. It's a Bafang.

[@Growler_Guy]

Compare with Biktrix juggernaut ultra duo 2

[@MerlinspopTBH]

If there’s no throttle and speed capped at 20mph, shouldn’t it be labeled as Class 1?

[@TailHappyTV]

great point, I believe you are correct

[@georgecypher4568]

When i first caught site of the bike i liked it but with the cap of just 20 MPH is steering me in the opposite direction.... An i know this is prolly a weird thing but I would really want a throttle in case i get tired of pedaling ....lol No really i would want just chill a nd let the road take me where it wants to go...... There has got to be a lil left in the tank they are not telling everyone about , but i could be wrong ! Good review otherwise .......

[@TailHappyTV]

if there was a work around on the electronic speed limit this bike could certainly be in the 30's, I wonder if a thumb throttle could be added

[@JudeTheYoutubePoopersubscribe]

Huge missed opportunity by not atleast making this a class 3. I know this motor could easily do that 28mph. Or just do what every manufacturer does and have throttle limited to 20 with an option to unlock it

[@mrgregw]

The bike has an app that it connects with. I wonder if it's possible to unlock speed that way?

[@Shaiy007]

Good luck finding out. I have already scoured the internet for answers and... NOTHING 😢 I have also contacted Vanpowers and they just ran around in circles on the subject avoiding the answer! Back and forth we went and all I was able to get was not IF or HOW I could change the top speed and add a thumb throttle, but vague answer like "it would void the warranty to change the top speed" and adding a thumb throttle would make it "run badly". So, I am pretty disappointed in Vanpowers! They have a Seine model that goes 26 mph, but the battery is 11amp battery - even smaller than the Urban Glide! Only other Urban style I can find with the M600 is the Himiway Rambler. It's not as pretty as the Urban Glide, but that's about all the market has with this mid drive that's not mountain bike style! 😒

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

I like except for no 28mph, no throttle, and I prefer a cadence sensor.

[@rossim1918]

Sorry if I missed you saying how heavy the bike is but can’t find even on the website. How heavy is it if you know?

[@TailHappyTV]

the spec sheet is was given lists it at 32kg which is 70lbs

[@grouchydude3448]

Does this bike have a shift sensor?

[@TailHappyTV]

I don't think so

[@user-gd6rp5cqp]

Good reviews and well done but could you please not ride on sidewalks.

[@kyleweakland5937]

How is it like a class 2 rated ebike if it has no throttle?

[@TailHappyTV]

should be 1

[@TreDeuce-qw3kv]

Imposed 20-mph limit on the Vanpower UrbanGlide ULTRA_ Vanpower is probably the Tea Leaves. It is likely that many governing jurisdictions and the Feds will impose a 20-mph limit on E-bikes. Anything faster will probably require a license and have to adhere to other rules applied to Mo-peds, and scooters.

[@TreDeuce-qw3kv]

Correction: Vanpower is probably reading the Tea Leaves

[@dennisluz6453]

Yes, Class 3 will likely require licensing.

[@Steviewonderwhy]

Is this the best mid drive motor you tested?

[@TailHappyTV]

Yes

[@philrc1]

Are mid-drive any more or less robust/durable compared to hub-drive?

[@TailHappyTV]

No, but you’ll have more chain and gear maintenance on a mid drive, also more torque to the ground if you use the gears correctly

[@KBosch-xp2ut]

The more advanced mid-drive motors kill the motor when you change gears. Much easier on the drivetrain.

[@Jrocc949]

Wouldn’t it be a class1 with 20mph limit and no throttle?

[@TailHappyTV]

correct, not sure why it says 2, maybe it is 2 in other countries or maybe they had a throttle at one time

[@shadowdance4666]

I’m used to a throttle. I believe that they are safer too because sometimes you don’t want to pedal. I often also throttle only and crouch head first into the wind because it’s really more efficient. Major con if you can’t unlock the speed a little even to 25 I would not buy it at any price point just because it would be a downgrade for me

[@CoryRamirez000]

lol 9:29

[@scb2scb2]

all comes at a cost but try a fully loaded riese and muller bicycle to set your expectations what a bicycle can be. add a variable cvt gear system and automatic controller. a power controller that auto pick mode and powerful breaks with abs. 6000miles i have not switched gears i just peddle at the speed i want never in the wrong gear, auto switch to lowest when slowing down auto shifts up when it notices my peddle speed goes down. be quick enough at any traffic light to beat most cars. yes it costs but a top end mid-drive with modern parts resets what a bicycle can be about... and as a dutch bicycle rider i know my bicycles it just resets your viewpoint. also have a cheap and leg powered bicycle the range of bicycles we can get these days is amazing.... had many people on my highend bike going.. o this is different sh***

[@steedu46gt]

Really hard to trust your opinion when the company has your review posted to their product page...

[@TravisMcGee151]

No throttle? No buy.

[@sunshowerpainting1]

$2,199.00 for a mid-drive 500 watt, 48 volt hardtail E-bike with a 20 mph max. Hmmmmm. Think a Wired Freedom is a much better choice for the money.

[@gabrielhu-tu7nv]

Can you sell me this bike

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

Kind of a bummer top speed is limited. No throttle or brake light. I don't think I would like to keep shifting always. But sounds real nice otherwise. They don't want people to whine about blowing through battery and busting up the gears and chain going 35 mph. Kind of like a zoom seat post . Not the best but better than nothing. I wonder how fast it is with the battery turned off? Oh. You did turn it off. Little harder to pedal than I thought.

[@alanbrown2135]

20mph is a rip off.30+MPH is a good price.

[@joshpointoh]

Where does the price come from?? Uses Chinese parts, so it's not a made in USA thing, which is disappointing. It's missing way too many features to charge this much.

[@marksprouse8409]

Please enter me for a bike. My channel will grow and I will as well. Im a veteran who has a TBI, seizures and PTSD from several experiences.

[@marksprouse8409]

I have tools, a shop, and 2 go pros. My bike started a Haoqi snow leopard h1000 fat tire. I highly modded the bike and am waiting for the torque arms.

[@marksprouse8409]

BeAST bikes is the tube channel.

[@VEGITAS4]

Mid drive bikes are way too expensive and way too labor intensive. I'll pass

[@rayvarnson8976]

Raer ikes ror fafr