Ride quality is a summary of a bike’s overall feel. This is a complex blend of sizing, positioning, suspension, motor engagement, the user interface, and more. As you might imagine, the addition of an abundance of features and customization options makes the subject even more granular—though it’s also easy to say that the Tempo is well-rounded.
Sizing
Velotric offers the bike in multiple frame sizes and styles, with both a high-step and mid-step design in both a Regular and Large.
With a lower standover height, the mid-step frame is ideal for short/average riders; the Regular accommodates those from 4’10” to 5’5”, while the Large fits riders between 5’3” and 5’11”. The high-step is intended for taller riders, with the Regular intended for those between 5’1” and 5’9” and the Large for folks between 5’7” and 6’5”.
We tested the Large high-step frame, so my height of 5’11” placed me firmly in the middle of its range. I was able to set the saddle height for full and efficient leg extension. Additionally, I liked the default stem position, which placed me at a mostly upright posture, though riders can raise the bars or bring them closer with angle adjustments.
Ride Comfort
Overall, the Tempo felt remarkably comfortable, which is not something I can say about most city e-bikes that prioritize low weight over plushness. I found its saddle well-shaped and padded and its ergonomic rubber grips soft and supportive.
Like most similar models, the Tempo does not include a suspension, but these contact points, the bike’s frame, and its tires all seemed to help reduce impacts and vibrations. The addition of a suspension seatpost would soften the ride further, but I didn’t find myself missing suspension components when cruising paved roads, sidewalks, and paths.
Handling
As expected for a lightweight urban commuter/exercise bike, the Tempo handled sharply and responsively. Thanks to its rigid aluminum frame and fork, cornering felt crisp and steady, while normal cruising was lively, energetic, and stable. The end result is a bike that is fun, agile, and highly maneuverable.
Equipment
As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, the Velotric Tempo is nowhere near as minimalistic and stripped-down as many other city e-bikes on the market. While serious commuters may want to consider adding fenders and a cargo rack separately, the bike comes well-equipped for daily use with many uncommon features.
For starters, the integrated lighting system includes a bright 500-lumen LED headlight, and seat-stay-mounted tail/brake lights and turn signals—which I always appreciate for safety. The combination color display/control panel has a slight learning curve, but it’s bright, robust, and easy to read.
While many e-bikes in this category carry batteries fully sealed in their down tubes—not removable for charging—the Tempo features a more user-friendly removable battery. Under hard pedaling (the kind you do during fitness-centric rides), the battery/down tube creaked and groaned noticeably, so I encourage Velotric to add vibration damping material to reduce noise.
But finally, the Tempo also features hybrid tires that I’ve mentioned briefly above. These 700x42c Kenda tires feature a central band of smooth tread with small knobby shoulders, allowing for fast and efficient rolling on paved surfaces and the versatility to grip loose dirt or gravel when riding off-road. In my experience, they performed great on smooth dirt/gravel paths.
Integrated Tech
The Tempo’s integrated technology is one of its biggest strengths. As I mentioned previously, riders can switch between torque and cadence-sensing modes to drastically change the feel of the ride. Instead of forcing new riders to choose between e-bikes offering just one style of pedal assist, this ability allows the Tempo to adapt to changing preferences, uses, and environments.
Like nearly all of the brand’s models, the Tempo is compatible with Apple Find My™ technology, which can help owners to track its location and retrieve it in the event of theft. In similar fashion, the bike also supports Android’s Find Hub. I found the setup relatively quick and easy, offering peace of mind with the bike’s safety and security.
Speaking of security, a relatively new feature among Velotric e-bikes is the Tempo’s optional NFC card pairing/unlocking. While this system can’t prevent a thief from riding away with the unpowered bike, it can ensure that they won’t be able to turn the bike on or engage the pedal assist system—another welcome addition to such an investment.
Another new feature is the Tempo’s Pulse Mode, an optional riding mode that references your heart rate while using the included heart rate monitor arm strap. Fitness-minded cyclists can select their target heart rate zone via the control panel, then reference the display for guidance on how to maintain this level of effort. The bike also adapts power output to match.
Velotric App/Display
As I touched on previously, the Velotric app and the Tempo’s display menu both offer robust customization options over the bike’s feel and performance. Riders can use either to adjust the bike’s maximum speed/Class setting, switch sensor modes, and select from three “Experience” settings to adjust its acceleration force.
Those who are comfortable with experimentation and granular adjustments can also explore the Ride Tuning feature, which allows for adjustments to pedal assist power, torque, and responsiveness for each of the Tempo’s four PAS levels.
The Throttle Sync function offers an option that links the throttle’s speed to pre-set limits in each assist level—see the results of my cadence sensor pedal tests in the Speed Test section above for a better understanding of how this works. By default, this is set intuitively to be active in cadence mode, while allowing the throttle to reach 20 mph in all assist levels in torque mode.
There are additional personalization options for the automatic low-light sensors, the auto-off function, and even the brake light behavior. Altogether, these options make the Tempo one of the most customizable e-bikes of its kind that we’ve tested, though the list of things the bike offers continues.
Users of the Velotric app can use the “Start Riding” button to track rides and see a GPS map. Ride data can also be synced with Apple Health and summarized/broken down into various periods of time for fitness tracking.
