Bicycles

Lime co-founder rides out Nomad 1 fat-tire adventure ebike

Lime co-founder rides out Nomad 1 fat-tire adventure ebike
Lime co-founder Adam Zhang's startup Velotric has launched its second ebike, a fat-tire adventure model called the Nomad 1
Lime co-founder Adam Zhang's startup Velotric has launched its second ebike, a fat-tire adventure model called the Nomad 1
View 6 Images
Lime co-founder Adam Zhang's startup Velotric has launched its second ebike, a fat-tire adventure model called the Nomad 1
1/6
Lime co-founder Adam Zhang's startup Velotric has launched its second ebike, a fat-tire adventure model called the Nomad 1
The Nomad 1 features a downtube-integrated 48-V/14.4-Ah Li-ion battery made up of 21700 cells for up to 55 miles of per-charge range
2/6
The Nomad 1 features a downtube-integrated 48-V/14.4-Ah Li-ion battery made up of 21700 cells for up to 55 miles of per-charge range
The Nomad 1 comes with a lockout suspension fork, ergo handlebar grips and hydraulic disc braking
3/6
The Nomad 1 comes with a lockout suspension fork, ergo handlebar grips and hydraulic disc braking
The Nomad 1's 750-W rear-hub motor looks to be a proprietary design
4/6
The Nomad 1's 750-W rear-hub motor looks to be a proprietary design
The Nomad 1 rolls on chunky 4-inch-wide fat tires
5/6
The Nomad 1 rolls on chunky 4-inch-wide fat tires
The Nomad 1 can be had in step-through or step-over frame options, and is offered in a choice of eight colors
6/6
The Nomad 1 can be had in step-through or step-over frame options, and is offered in a choice of eight colors
View gallery - 6 images

About a year ago, Velotric launched a successful Indiegogo campaign to fund an urban step-through ebike capable of rolling for up to 80 miles. Now the startup is back with a fat-tire adventure model called the Nomad 1.

Velotric was launched in July 2021 by the co-founder of Lime, Adam Zhang, and has folks from Lime, Giant, Specialized and Decathlon in its employee ranks. Following Indiegogo success, the company's first ride – the Discover 1 – had its retail launch in March.

Where that urban/city roller is a step-through-only model, the Nomad 1 comes with the option of a step-through or step-over aluminum alloy frame to accommodate riders ranging from 5.08 to 6.75 ft (1.55 - 2.05 m). Cabling is routed internally to keep the look clean, front and rear fenders are included, and optional front/rear racks can be had for hauling up to 88 lb (40 kg) of gear or shopping – with the ebike rated for a total load of 440 lb (200 kg).

The Nomad 1's 750-W rear-hub motor looks to be a proprietary design
The Nomad 1's 750-W rear-hub motor looks to be a proprietary design

Velotric has bumped up the power for this one too, with the Nomad 1 sporting a 750-W (1,200-W peak) rear-hub motor for 55.3 lb.ft (75 Nm) of torque and five levels of pedal assist up to 20 mph (32 km/h), plus a thumb throttle for an even easier hill climb. And there's an 8-speed Shimano gearset for more flexibility during a ride, particularly on inclines.

Matched to the motor is a removable (and lockable) 692-Wh downtube Li-ion battery tested for cold weather performance and offering a per-charge range of up to 55 miles (88 km).

The adventure ebike rides on 26-inch chunky rims wrapped in 4-inch-wide puncture-resistant CST tires, there's a terrain-smoothing hydraulic lockout suspension fork with 80 mm of travel, and stopping power is provided by hydraulic disc brakes with 180-mm rotors.

The Nomad 1 can be had in step-through or step-over frame options, and is offered in a choice of eight colors
The Nomad 1 can be had in step-through or step-over frame options, and is offered in a choice of eight colors

Elsewhere, Velotric has mounted a 3.5-inch backlit LCD display mid-handlebar for checking speed, battery status and assist level while riding, there's a USB port for topping up gadgets while out and about, and an integrated LED headlight for day/night visibility.

The Nomad 1 is up for pre-order now in a choice of eight frame colors in step-through or step-over for US$1,599, with the retail launch planned for November 1.

Product page: Nomad 1

View gallery - 6 images
1 comment
1 comment
Chunk Applegrabber
Anyone getting even CLOSE to the 440-pound weight limit and heading down a hill is going to be very, very unhappy to find out how underpowered 180mm rotors are.

I'm 270 in gear and ride a 32-pound mountain bike; I have turned the rotors blue and my shorts brown more than a few times. That rig REALLY needs at least 203mm on both ends.