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This Urtopia E-bike Is So Light You’ll Forget It’s Electric (Plus, It’s Cheap)

Can a carbon fiber frame in an affordable, lightweight ebike be, er, utopia?

By Matt Jancer | Reviewed by Ysolt Usigan

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“Man, you like it?” What? Who, me? I was at a stoplight in a bike lane in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, straddling an Urtopia Carbon Classic, and as tends to happen in New York wherever there’s a bike lane, bikes bunch up at the starting line before red lights. “Yeah, very stiff. It’s the carbon fiber frame.” I answered back, still adjusting to the attention this matte black bike was demanding. Then, with genuine surprise, I asked him, “You’ve heard of Urtopia?”

“Yeah, I’m considering getting one,” said the cyclist next to me. “Just pricey, man. I’m saving up.” Fair point. It is a $1,999 ride, although that’s on the lower end of mid-priced for an electric bike. And then the light turned green, and we sped away, no time for goodbyes. I’m neck deep in the ebike scene, given that it’s a chunk of my daily job, but I was surprised at how many people on the street had heard of Urtopia. Specialized, Super73, Aventon. Those are household names among ebike riders and the ebike curious.

After giving the Urtopia Carbon Classic a workout on New York’s winter-beaten roads, I’m wondering why even more people don’t know its name.

TL;DR – My Quick Verdict

The Urtopia Carbon Classic, for $1,999, is a wild value for a carbon fiber ebike that tips the scales at a relatively light (for an ebike) 38 pounds. Some genuinely clever engineering went into its design, from its inner-rotor hub motor to its excellent torque sensor that provides for a surprisingly natural pedal feel. Made of brand-name components, such as Toray carbon fiber and a Shimano gearseat, the build quality is spot on. You’ll notice riding on a carbon fiber frame feels different from most bikes, which are almost all aluminum alloy; stiffer and more responsive, yet not prone to transmitting shocks through the frame as harshly.

Carbon Classic (opens in a new window)

There’s no getting around New York City’s gravel-strewn streets of cracked pavement and puddles, and even if I could get around them I wouldn’t. I’d ride straight through because that’s how I test ebikes. While I don’t try to abuse a bike beyond what’s reasonable, I don’t baby them either.

I need to know how well the fenders block road spray from painting a wet stripe of dirty water up my back, so I swerve into puddles rather than around them. I have to see if the tires have enough grip not to get squirrely around turns when there are pellets of busted safety glass from an old car accident in the intersection. I’ve got to know if I can load up the rear rack with a cargo of boxes and pannier bags. So I put these ebikes to work carting me around the city the way you would actually use them.

f1 tech at chevy prices

I’m beginning to find it unfair for a Chinese brand to have to preemptively justify or defend its build quality in a way that other countries’ brands do not, but I know the question is always one of the first ones lobbed.

It’s asked of me often when I’m discussing any........

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