EVELO Aurora Limited Electric Bike Review Part 2: Ride & Range Test [VIDEO]

The EVELO Aurora Limited is a fun and comfortable eBike that steps up the riding experience with automatic shifting so you can focus more on enjoying the ride. 

The auto shifting is just part of the smooth and quiet ride experience that includes a powerful 750 watt mid-drive, a maintenance-free belt, and a high capacity 48V 14.5ah lithium battery. 

All of those impressive features are built into a comfortable eBike with a step-thru frame, upright handlebars, and 3″ wide tires that give the Aurora Limited a very stable ride feel. 

The EVELO Aurora Limited is priced at $3,999 with free shipping & other incentives.

In this second part of the full review you will get an idea of the ride characteristics, range test results, pros, cons, and overall thoughts on this electric bike.

Make sure you check out part 1 of this review with large pictures and specifications to get a detailed look at this e-bike.

What you can expect from the EVELO Aurora Limited:

To get acquainted with the EVELO Aurora Limited, checkout this video:

Riding the EVELO Aurora Limited:

Overall there are some characteristics of the EVELO Aurora Limited that really stand out when riding this eBike. To summarize they are:

• High-tech and easy to use automatic enviolo shifting system with Gates belt
• Performance ride from a 750 watt mid-drive with pedal assist & throttle
• Comfortable upright position and stable ride from 3″ wide tires

The Look & Feel of the EVELO Aurora Limited

The EVELO Aurora Limited is a unique electric bike in many ways including its somewhat futuristic look and ride feel. 

The foundation of this unique eBike is the hydroformed aluminum frame that has been shaped and molded to build in many features like the integrated battery, step-thru design, mid-drive motor with belt, and integrated rear rack.

As a result of all of these design elements the frame itself has a unique style that sets the Aurora Limited apart from a lot of other eBikes on the market. 

The low step-thru area that then blends into the arched chainstays to the rear wheel has a cool look while providing a frame design that makes it easy to get on and off the bike. 

In addition to the molded hydroformed tubing there are a number of reinforcing gussets that provide extra strength at the headtube, motor area, and rear rack attachment. 

These provide additional strength at high stress areas and they also add some additional style to the frame, especially at the rear rack area. 

Another very noticeable feature is the large 26″ x 3″ wide Innova tires that have a bold and stable look to them. 

These tires have a balloon style high air volume design that provides a comfortable ride when run at the lower tire pressure and their large tread patch on the ground makes the bike feel very stable. 

EVELO has recommendations on tire pressure ranges based on rider weight. 

Speaking of smoothing out the ride, the Suntour XCM suspension fork with 4″ of travel does a good job of taking the edge off of rough roads. 

There is a spring rate adjustment dial for setting the fork for your weight and riding style.

Additionally, there is a lockout dial for a more efficient ride on smooth roads. It prevents the fork from moving up and down when you are standing out of the saddle and pedaling hard. 

The ride position of the EVELO Aurora Limited is upright and very comfortable, reminiscent of a beach cruiser. 

Upright and swept back handlebars provide a very comfortable hand position and it is very easy to see everything around you. 

There are ergonomic grips with wings on the ends for wrist support and they add to the stable ride feel of the Aurora Limited.

The grips did rotate slightly during rides which could be fixed by possibly glueing the grips to the handlebar or by upgrading to grips that have lock on collars.

The EVELO saddle has a comfortable mid width profile while still being narrow enough for efficient pedaling. 

EVELO also offers their “Perfect Seat” Guarantee which is very unique! “If you find another seat that you prefer at a local shop, purchase it, and we will reimburse you up to $40! This is just one of the ways we strive to ensure that you are 100% comfortable and satisfied with your bike.”

And now its time to look at the high-tech and sophisticated drive system; definitely a highlight of the EVELO Aurora Limited!

At the core of the drive system is the 750 watt Dapu mid-drive motor that has peak power of 1,000 watts and up to 105 Nm of torque. 

There are 5 different levels of pedal assist in addition to the thumb throttle option, making the EVELO Aurora Limited a Class 2 electric bike. 

With up to 1,000 watts and 105 Nm of torque this motor definitely has some kick! It can get you up to speed quickly and it also maintains a good clip on the steeper hills. 

One of the highlights of this motor is how quiet and smooth it is which is also a general theme for the EVELO Aurora Limited overall. 

The whole drive system is quiet and smooth and in many cases I found that I was up to around 20 mph before I was expecting to be.  

For the faster acceleration and strong hill climbing capabilities pedal assist levels 4 and 5 are the way to go.

Level 3 has some kick but is not as sporty as 4 & 5 which helps to extend the range. 

Levels 1 & 2 offer a more mellow easy going assist style for casually cruising the neighborhood or riding in crowded areas. 

The thumb throttle is also available as a way to add a boost of power to the lower pedal assist levels or to use as pure throttle without pedaling. 

There is a lot of variability with the throttle so that you can easily adjust it to provide exactly the amount of assist that you want. 

Another assist feature is the walk mode that helps with moving the bike up stairs or up a steep hill while you are walking.

It moves the bike at a few mph and it is activated by holding the “-” arrow on the control pad for a few seconds.

Transmitting the power from the Dapu mid-drive motor to the enviolo automatic shifting system is handled by the Gates Carbon Drive belt.

The Gates Carbon Drive belt’s are very quiet, clean, require no maintenance, and they are stated to last twice as long as a traditional chain.

The biggest highlight in everyday riding is how quiet and smooth the belt is compared to a chain. There isn’t any sound from gear changes or from a chain bouncing around on rough roads. 

Over the long term it is also nice not to worry about maintenance and keeping your pant legs clean when compared to a chain.

Next up is a look at the enviolo automatic shifting system! 

At the core of this system is the continuously variable rear hub that provides a 380% gear ratio range from the low to high end. 

Adding to that is the automatic shifting system that will shift through the gear ratio range to keep you in the preferred pedaling cadence that you select. 

Once you select the pedaling cadence on the grip shifter the system will automatically shift through the gear ratio range for riding on all types of terrain from flat, to uphill, downhill, and everything in between. 

It is interesting to “set it and forget it”!

One of the more noticeable characteristics of this is when going from around 20 mph to a stop and then accelerating again. The system takes care of shifting into the correct gear range to accelerate from the stop without you needing to do anything. 

There is still the option for manual shifting for the times where you may want to have more control over your pedaling cadence. The silver button on the grip shifter cycles between the manual and auto shifting systems. 

Shifting the gear ratios in the manual mode is like adjusting the volume of a radio with a dial; you dial in the best gear ratio for the terrain you are riding on and your pedal cadence preference.

In auto shifting mode (blue color) you dial in your preferred pedaling cadence and then let the system take care of the shifting. 

Visually the enviolo CVT hubs look very clean when compared to traditional cogs and derailleur drivetrains because everything is housed within the rear hub. 

Another advantage compared to a traditional drivetrain is that enviolo claims that the hub doesn’t need any maintenance. 

The battery that came on this test bike was a 48V 11.6ah lithium battery but the stock battery is actually a 48V 14.5ah with Panasonic cells. 

The 48V 14.5ah lithium battery consists of an impressive 696 watt hours of capacity. You will see the extrapolated range later in this review based on the 48V 11.6ah battery tested. 

This high capacity battery powers the motor in addition to the enviolo automatic shifting system and the front and rear lights.

Plus it has a USB port for charging phones and other USB chargeable devices. 

The low and centered location of the battery is ideal for the balance and handling of the bike. 

EVELO has also done a nice job of blending in the looks of the battery into the frame design with a nice attachment platform on the downtube. 

Once the battery is unlocked with one of the supplied keys (3 supplied), it is removed by rotating it to the left side of the bike. The battery can be charged on or off the bike.

Now let’s take a look at the color display on the EVELO Aurora Limited.

The center mounted color LCD display provides information on:

• Battery level
• Speed
• Odometer
• Trip distance
• Pedal assist level

The display has a dark mode that is activated when the lights are turned on and it makes it easier to see in low light conditions. 

The color display is pretty simple with the basic info that easy to see at a quick glance. 

Slowing the Aurora Limited down is handled by the Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotor on the front and 160mm rotor on the rear. 

These hydraulic disc brakes have a very solid feel with impressive power that is easily controlled with progressive modulation.

There are sensors in each brake lever that will stop the motor assist when either brake is engaged.

Each brake lever can can be adjusted to fit your hand size with a small set screw on the back side of the brake lever.

In addition to all the high-tech features, the EVELO Aurora Limited comes stock with an impressive accessory package. 

The front LED light casts a good beam of light for seeing the road and for being seen on the road. 

The taillight has a solid light mode in addition to a brake light feature that lights up when either brake is engaged, much like a car. 

Both the front and rear LED lights are powered by the eBike battery so that you don’t have to worry about charging separate batteries for the lights. 

There are also full coverage plastic fenders with mud guards front and rear. These are large fenders that cover the 3″ wide tires well. 

Last but not least, there is a kickstand mounted to the back of the frame and the length is adjustable so that you can set it to your preferred tilt. 

Okay, let’s see how the EVELO Aurora Limited did out on the open road!

EVELO Aurora Limited Range Test Results:

Here is the real world information on how the EVELO Aurora Limited electric bike performed on a riding circuit that includes hills, flats, traffic, wind (when available) etc.

While testing these bikes I like to put them through the toughest conditions to see where their bottom line is in regards to range and speed. I tested the EVELO Aurora Limited in the highest pedal assist level (Level 5) with average pedaling on paved roads.

This EVELO Aurora Limited that was tested came with a non-stock battery of 48V 11.6ah. The stock battery that comes with the Limited is a 48V 14.5ah so the results below show the extrapolated results. 

Range: As you can see from the GPS info that I recorded, the EVELO Aurora Limited traveled 25.9 miles and did a total elevation gain of around 2,100 ft. Considering that I weigh 190 lbs and I pedaled at an average pace this is pretty good range for a 48 Volt 11.6 ah battery pack (557 Watt Hours) with a 750 watt motor assisting up to 20 mph. The extrapolated range and elevation for the stock 48V 14.5ah is 32.4 miles with around 2,600 ft of climbing. 

Watt hours are the total energy in a battery pack and it is based on the volts x amp hours of a pack. This is a way to compare the size of the “gas tank” of electric bikes.

Please keep in mind that if you pedal more, weigh less than me, ride slower and/or you use the bike in terrain that is not as hilly you will get more range. These results are from tough testing.

Speed: The EVELO Aurora Limited will assist up to 20 mph with pedal assist and/or throttle which makes this a Class 2 electric bike. 

Weight: The EVELO Aurora Limited tips the scales at 70.5 pounds which is on the heavier side for an electric bike. Removing the battery brings it down to 63.2 pounds which makes it a little easier to load onto a car rack.

The weight distribution of the EVELO Aurora Limited is very good because the battery and motor are low and centered on the bike.

Pros:

Mid-Drive, Belt, & Auto Shifting: This high-tech and sophisticated drive system is a big highlight of the EVELO Aurora Limited. It is a quiet and smooth system that has power and you don’t have to worry about shifting! It is nice that there is a manual shifting option if you want it. In addition to all of that is a system that doesn’t need any maintenance and it should stay relatively clean. 

Comfortable & Stable Ride: The upright and easy going ride position combined with the large tires makes the EVELO Aurora Limited a very comfortable ride, similar to a beach cruiser. The wide tires and front suspension fork give the bike a stable ride feel.

Step-Thru Frame: It is nice to have the low step-thru frame design for easily getting on and off this bike. EVELO did a nice job of also blending in the battery into the frame design for a centered and low weight distribution. 

Cons:

Heavier: At 70.5 pounds this is on the heavier side of electric bikes. Removing the battery helps a little by bringing the weight down to 63.2 pounds. 

Grips: The grips did rotate slightly during rides which could be fixed by possibly glueing the grips to the handlebar or by upgrading to grips that have lock on collars.

Conclusion:

Overall the EVELO Aurora Limited is a fun and comfortable eBike with a high-tech drive system that lets you focus more on enjoying the ride.

It is a smooth and quiet ride style that gives the Aurora Limited a quality ride feel. 

The automatic shifting system is definitely a highlight but it is also nice not to worry about the maintenance of the drivetrain and it also looks very clean. 

With its upright and easy going ride position and 3″ wide tires the EVELO Aurora Limited is a comfortable and stable eBike built well for many miles of fun. 

The EVELO Aurora Limited  is priced at $3,999.

EVELO also focuses a lot on taking the worry out of buying an eBike online. They offer a 10 day at home trial period, free shipping in the continental US, 0% financing (if you qualify), 4 year/20,000 mile warranty, and support for service and repairs. Plus they have their “Perfect Seat Guarantee”.

Please keep in mind that this is a relatively short term test. This testing can’t really give you the long term review of durability and reliability. My thoughts on the quality of this bike are from previous experiences with similar bikes. If you own this bike and have some input on the long term durability, please share your comments with the Electric Bike Report community below.

Where to buy a EVELO Aurora Limited? Check with the EVELO website.

Do you have any questions about the EVELO Aurora Limited? Do you own a EVELO Aurora Limited? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Thanks!

-Pete

Review Note: Each company pays a fee for a review on Electric Bike Report because of the considerable amount of time that it takes to provide an in-depth review of each eBike. A lot of time is spent on the full range test with distance & elevation profile, the wide variety of detailed pictures, in-depth video, and the write up with the specifications, ride characteristics, pros, cons, and overall thoughts. The reviews on Electric Bike Report are focused on providing you with a detailed “virtual” look at each eBike to help you determine if it is the eBike for you.

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