We recently got a chance to ride and review the Velotric Nomad 1 Fat Tire ebike and found that it really holds up in the crowded field of fat tire ebikes. This is an affordable ebike currently priced at $1,499 with a full price of $1,599. We’ve seen it priced as low as $1,399. Considering the price, we were really impressed with some of the upgraded components and comfortable riding style. This bike ships for free in the 48 contiguous states and is from the same company that brought us the Discover 1 which we reviewed in 2021.
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Velotric Nomad 1 Video Review
Velotric Nomad 1 Frame Options
The Velotric Nomad 1 Fat Tire ebike comes in both step-through and high-step frame options. The step-through fits riders from 5’1″ to 6’4″ while the high-step fits riders from 5’6″ to 6’9″. There are some really fun color options. My favorite, and the color we chose to review, was mango – a bold yellow. Both frame options are available in mango. For the step-through, you also have the options of cyan, sky blue, and spring green. If you go with the high step you have the additional options of indigo grey and sand.
Both frame options come with a front fork suspension with 80mm of travel. The Nomad weighs in at 72-73 lbs with a max capacity of 440 lbs. The rear rack is an optional add-on for $69 and has a capacity of 55 lbs. A front rack is also available and can hold 33lbs. The stand-over height for the step-through is 16.5″ (420mm) and for the high step, it is 30.5″ (775mm).
For comfort, the Nomad 1 offers a slightly pedal-forward design compared to other fat tire ebikes and it also has swept-back handlebars. This allows for a more upright riding position.
Velotric Nomad Motor and Battery
The Velotric Nomad 1 has a powerful motor 750 watt-sustained motor. It is advertised as a 1,200-watt peak though we saw it go even higher on the riding review! The battery is 48V and 14.4 Ah for a total of 691.2 watt-hours. This is not the largest battery available out there but the smaller battery helps keep this ebike affordable and will be enough for most riders. You can buy a spare battery to increase your range if you need more. The advertised range with the included battery is 55 miles max. Range estimates are done in ideal conditions and most people will not get the full range.
Pedal Assist levels on the Nomad 1 Fat Tire
There is a left-hand throttle as well as 5 pedal assist levels engaged with a cadence sensor. The Nomad 1 is advertised and shipped as a Class 2 ebike. It does have the capabilities to be a Class 3 ebike with speeds up to 24 mph. If you have a Nomad 1 you can message Velotric and they can send instructions on how to adjust settings to override the top speed. Once we adjusted our bike to a Class 3 we were able to go over 20 mph without ghost pedaling. For further information and riding footage, check out our video review above.
The display is a 3.5-inch backlit LCD screen. It shows speed, trip, battery charge, assist level, watts, calories, and more. Even with bright sun, the screen is easy to read.
Components
The Velotric Nomad 1 Fat Tire Ebike features a Shimano 8-speed trigger shifter. This is a higher-end component than we would expect on such an affordable bike. The shifter is paired with a Shimano Altus derailleur, a component we see on many electric bikes.
It features a 46T front chainring with a 13-34T cassette in the rear. There are unbranded hydraulic disc brakes which is one of the highlights of this electric bike. Normally hydraulic disc brakes aren’t found on ebikes until you approach the $2,000 price-point. The rotors are 180 mm.
Plastic fenders are included for both the front and rear wheels. A high-output integrated LED adjustable angle headlight is also included. Unfortunately, there is no integrated rear light. Velotric has told us they plan to upgrade that in future models and have it integrated into the fender. View the full components list.
Optional Accessories
If you are planning to haul any kind of cargo both front and rear racks are available for purchase. Other optional add-ons include a phone mount and an additional battery pack. Check out our Ebike Escape Accessories Page for more of our recommendations to customize your ride.
Concluding thoughts about the Velotric Nomad 1 Fat Tire Ebike
Our Take
Overall during our review, we were impressed with how much was offered on the Velotric Nomad 1, a value-priced fat tire ebike. The motor packed a real punch and did well on our hill test. This bike has a nice laid-back riding position making it a comfortable ride. We also appreciated the unique color options. For a value-priced fat tire ebike, this is a great find and while Velotric is a newer company, we’ve been impressed thus far. Learn more about the Velotric Nomad 1.
Other Fat Tire Ebike Options
Interested in doing some comparison shopping? Check out our list of the best fat tire ebikes or check out our list of best folding ebikes for some smaller folding fat ebike options. There are a lot of choices out there!