However, the Summit is not without its own set of limitations. A prospective owner new to mountain biking might look at this bike and think they can “huck it” on any old black rated trail. But, those with some saddle time on more advanced trails know the Summit needs a couple adjustments and potentially some upgrades before they send it downhill.
At a minimum, we recommend removing the throttle and limiting the speed to 20 MPH for any real trail riding for not only safety, but also to adhere to trail rules for e-bikes. Nearly everywhere that does allow e-bikes on MTB trails, does NOT allow throttles or bikes that can propel the rider up to 28 MPH.
For my time with the Summit riding MTB trails, I removed the throttle, limited the speed to 20 MPH, removed the kickstand, bell and reflectors as they are generally a point of rattling on trails and not needed off-road. Fortunately, this took me all of 5 minutes and limiting speed in the Velotric App is a breeze.
While I’m the first to critique e-bike brands’ mobile apps, the Velotric’s app is actually very useful and user-friendly across their bikes we’ve tested, a nice surprise to say the least. This app allows for tuning at each pedal assist mode and supports over-the-air firmware updates. Users can track their rides with GPS mapping and adjust various settings like display brightness, which includes an automatic lighting mode. In-fact, the brake light settings can be adjusted between a glow or a continuously pulsing mode based on rider preference.
Up in the cockpit of the Summit 1, on the left side of the MTB-style handlebar, riders have access to the PAS menu buttons, a thumb throttle, and a bell. At the center, there is a 2.8” color LCD display with readouts of the bike’s current speed, PAS mode and odometer. Over on the right, there’s a Shimano Altus Index Shifter. The grips are made of comfortable black rubber and are lock-on, which is a nice little touch for an e-MTB.
The Summit 1 feels like a true MTB riding posture where riders are in a forward leaning upper body position. Velotric offers the bike in two frame sizes to accommodate a wide range of riders: the regular frame fits individuals from 5’1” to 5’10”, while the large frame is suitable for those from 5’ 8” to 6’ 6”, giving nearly everyone an option that should work. I’m 5’ 11”, and found the large frame size to fit me well with room to in either direction.
While the bike’s weight, absence of a dropper post, and rear hub motor present some challenges as riders advance their MTB skills, the Summit 1 is designed for easy upgrades. The seat tube is dropper post-ready, and the potential for swapping in a lighter air fork or upgrading the drivetrain are all viable options that will improve the bikes handling off-road and reduce weight at the same time.
The Velotric Summit 1 is equipped with Kenda 27.5×2.6” MTB tires, which provide good traction and handling on trails. However, the wheels are not tubeless-ready, a feature that could have been a valuable addition for those who will spend more time off-road than others.
The 750W rear hub motor feels really good and I found it to be nearly silent in my test rides. This motor is activated by a torque sensor that is sensitive at lower speeds but more noticeably powerful as speed increases. This design is likely intentional to offer riders maximum control on trails at lower speeds, a critical factor for navigating technical mountain biking terrains effectively.
