In the midst of all the eccentric electric bicycles in the market, either equipped with frighteningly powerful motors, or capable of hauling a dizzying amount of cargo, it's always nice to see simplistic e-bikes that focus on no-frills mobility.
We've seen quite a few hit the market recently, with the likes of the Ponomarets Series 1, an ultra sleek and streamlined e-bike designed to offer an exclusive and bespoke look and feel. Coboc's Vesterbro also comes to mind as a dapper commuter e-bike with a retro-inspired design. This time around, French brand Le Vélo Mad has unveiled two new e-bikes in time for its fifth anniversary. Along with the two new e-bikes, the Normandy-based company has also changed its name to simply Velomad – much easier to read and pronounce, especially for folks who don't speak French.
As for the bikes themselves, Velomad has presented Elite versions of its Urban and Sport Electric bicycles. Let's kick things off with the Urban Elite. Rocking a Shimano Steps E6100 motor providing 60 Nm of torque, the Urban Elite has a 504-watt-hour battery, offering a range of up to 112 miles in Eco mode. Three assistance levels are available, and the bike features a Shimano Nexus 8 eight-speed gearbox integrated into the rear hub. Braking is handled by Shimano MT200 hydraulic discs. It comes with mudguards, a luggage rack, lighting, and a kickstand. It rolls on 28-inch wheels fitted with Continental Contact Plus E-Bike tires.
Moving on to the Sport Elite, this bike is a sportier model, and incorporates a step-over frame as against the Urban Elite's step-through frame. It shares the same performance components as the Urban Elite, a Shimano Steps E6100 motor and a 504-watt-hour battery pack. Information is accessible via a Shimano SC-E6100 control unit, where riders can easily toggle and access settings. Unlike the Urban Elite, the Sport Elite gets a SRAM 10-speed rear derailleur, giving riders more gear ratios to choose from while pedaling.
As mentioned earlier, Velomad is a French company headquartered in Normandy. All of its bikes are developed and designed in France, and manufactured and assembled in Portugal. The frames are sized in S/M and L/XL, and are offered only in one sleek black colorway. Both the Urban Elite and Sport Elite retail for 3,190 Euros, or the equivalent of $3,419 USD.
