EVELO Galaxy TT Electric Bike Review Part 2: Ride & Range Test [VIDEO]

If you are looking for a high tech yet easy to ride commuter with the comfort of a cruiser then the EVELO Galaxy TT is definitely worth checking out!

After putting the EVELO Galaxy TT Fully Loaded to the ride test it has proven to be a fun eBike that uses some of the latest technology to simplify everyday riding so that you can focus more on your ride. 

Just some of the highlights are the automatic shifting NuVinci Harmony system, new Bafang Max mid drive, Gates Carbon belt, and much more. 

The Galaxy starts at $3,499 for the Premium model and $3,899 for the Fully Loaded model. 

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 US and Canada, 0% financing (if you qualify), 4 year/20,000 mile warranty, and support for service and repairs. Plus they have their “Perfect Seat Guarantee”.

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 Galaxy TT:

The Galaxy TT in this review is the Fully Loaded model. To get acquainted with the EVELO Galaxy TT, checkout this video:

Riding the EVELO Galaxy TT:

Overall there are some characteristics of the EVELO Galaxy TT that really stand out when riding this comfortable commuter. To summarize they are: 

• Comfortable, smooth, and efficient ride feel
• The quiet and smooth Bafang Max mid drive motor
• The automatic NuVinci Harmony shifting with the clean, smooth, and quiet Gates Carbon Belt

The Look & Feel of the EVELO Galaxy TT

The Galaxy TT is one of the many new EVELO eBikes that shows a big step up in their bike design and features.  

The core of the EVELO Galaxy TT is the frame that has been designed to provide a comfortable and cruiser like ride. 

It utilizes hydroformed 6061 aluminium tubes to place enough material in the high stress areas of the frame. 

This is very evident at the headtube connection where the downtube has been enlarged for a very large weld area.  

The integration of the 350 watt Bafang Max mid drive motor has a very clean look and it provides a solid connection point for the other frame tubes. 

Internal cable routing is found at a few locations around the frame and that provides for cable/wiring protection and a clean look.

Overall the frame has been designed with a lot of modern features with attention to detail when optimizing the material at high stress areas. 

The EVELO Galaxy comes in 2 different frame types:

• The triangle frame (TT) and
• A step thru frame (ST) to fit a wide range of riders.

The ride style of the EVELO Galaxy TT is somewhere between a cruiser and an efficient commuter eBike.

Swept back handlebars, the classic and comfortable seat, and wide tires gives the feeling of an easy going cruiser. 

It’s efficient commuter side comes from the smooth tires, performance style ride position, and the high tech automatic shifting drivetrain.

The Galaxy TT is an all purpose town and country electric bike that can handle the daily commute while being a fun weekend explorer. 

Now let’s take a closer look at the ride position of the EVELO Galaxy TT.

The Galaxy TT has a mix of the fun and easy going ride position with a slightly lower performance style.

The wide and swept back handlebars are very comfortable and they make riding the bike very comfortable.

The stem is relatively flat and low which creates that slightly more performance ride style which is good for an efficient ride on the commute around town.  

If you are looking for a more upright position an adjustable stem can help to dial in your preferred handlebar height and fore/aft position. 

The faux leather grips have a nice style that matches the vintage look of the saddle and give a nice highlight to the looks of the EVELO Galaxy TT. The grips have a comfortable feel with some padding to smooth out the ride.

The Selle Royale Ondina saddle has a vintage look to it with 2 springs that provide a bit of suspension for a smoother ride.

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.”

If you want to take more of the edge off, a suspension seatpost is a good option that can be added to the bike.

Now let’s talk about the high tech electric assist and drivetrain system on the Fully Loaded EVELO Galaxy TT! 

At the base of the system is the new Bafang Max 350 watt mid drive motor that is fully integrated into the frame design for a very clean look.

The new Max uses a torque and cadence sensor system to determine how much assist to add based on your pedal power. Systems that use a torque sensor provide an intuitive ride feel that blends the electric assist with your pedal power well. 

In addition to the intuitive ride feel, the Max motor smoothly transitions the electric assist on and off as you start and stop pedaling. 

There are 5 different levels of pedal assist to choose from using the up or down arrows on the control pad on the handlebars. 

Pedal assist levels 1 and 2 provide a moderate amount of assist for an easy going ride around the neighborhood or if you want to get more of a workout. 

Levels 3, 4, and 5 offer a much more noticeable amount of “kick” and they have a fun and sporty ride feel. These levels are good for getting to work quickly with minimal sweat.

It is interesting to watch how many watts are generated from the motor in each pedal assist level on the display. 

In addition to the 5 levels of pedal assist there is also the throttle option that can be used once the bike reaches 6+ mph (10 kmh).

The thumb throttle is located on the left side of the handlebar and it has a wide amount of variability so that you adjust it to provide exactly the extra  assist that you want. 

Like most mid-drives the Bafang Max motor does create some noise but it is surprisingly quiet. It is a whirring noise that is not very noticeable once you are up to speed. 

From the mid drive motor the power is delivered to the rear wheel with a Gates Carbon Belt.  

A Gates belt is a nice upgrade from a traditional chain because it is smooth, quiet, and clean. 

The belt doesn’t require any lubrication and therefore stays clean so you don’t have to worry about dirty pant legs. 

In addition, Gates states that their Carbon Belts last twice as long as a typical bike chain.  

Here is a video from Gates with a closer look at their Carbon Belt.

https://youtu.be/6kqaMgUUWLc

Once the power has been delivered to the rear wheel with the Gates belt it is then fed through the NuVinci Harmony automatic transmission system!

The Harmony system is one of the upgrades that you get with the Fully Loaded model. The Premium model use the NuVinci N380 with manual shifting. 

At the core of the NuVinci system is the continuously variable rear hub that is found on all of their product range.

Instead of specific gears, this continuously variable transmission (CVT) hub can be fine tuned from the low end to the high end to fit your exact riding cadence preferences. It has a 380% gear ratio range from low to high.

Harmony is the NuVinci high end automatic shifting system that allows you to set your preferred pedaling cadence and the system will take care of shifting the CVT so you stay in that cadence.

Set it and forget about shifting!

Your pedaling cadence is selected using the grip shifter on the right side of handlebar. You can choose a wide range of pedaling cadences from slow to fast and you can adjust that while riding to dial in just the right cadence. 

This is a very impressive system because it varies the CVT so that you are pedaling comfortably in all sorts of terrain. For instance; when starting from a stop, climbing a steep hill, cruising along a flat road, transitioning from a decent to a climb, etc.

One of the reasons this Harmony systems can handle automatic shifting is because the CVT can be adjusted while you are pedaling or not pedaling. You don’t need to be pedaling to “shift” like traditional bike drivetrains. 

Being able to forget about shifting the gears is a very interesting and liberating experience. It really does simplify the ride experience and allows you to focus more on other aspects of the ride, like having fun!

Overall the system responds well to gradual changes. One area where it took the system a little while to adjust is when accelerating quickly from a stop. “Punching it” or pedaling hard from a stop resulted in quick cadence until the system could adjust to the speed. 

The Harmony system also allows you to manually shift the CVT using the mode button on the grip shifter. It uses the same electronic shifting that the automatic system uses but you are in control of shifting it with the grip shifter.

Here is a video from NuVinci with more info on their Harmony system:

https://youtu.be/3irZN8juGEo

According to NuVinci, the Harmony system doesn’t require any maintenance and it is a self-contained system.

The combination of the Bafang Max mid drive, Gates Carbon Belt, and NuVinci Harmony creates a smooth and quiet ride feel that also makes riding the bike an easy going and fun experience. The whole system definitely adds to the price tag of the bike but it is a significantly different ride feel and experience that is worth consideration if you are looking for a clean and simple ride style. 

Powering the whole system comes from a 36V 13ah lithium battery that is housed in the rear rack. The battery weighs 7.5 pounds and it is removed by unlocking it with the supplied key and pulling it off of the back of the rack. 

Removing the battery brings the bike weight down to 51.5 pounds which makes it a little easier to load onto a car rack. The battery can be fully charged from empty in 4-6 hours.

The weight of the battery is noticeable when maneuvering the bike because it is located relatively high on the rear rack and the front end of the bike is pretty light. 

Okay, now let’s take a look at the control center on the EVELO Galaxy TT.

An LCD display is located in the center of the handlebars and it provides information on the battery level, odometer and trip distance, speed, assist mode, and watts.

As mentioned earlier it is interesting to watch how many watts the motor is providing in the different assist levels. 

There is a backlight option for riding in low light and it can be turned on by holding the up arrow on the control pad for a few seconds. 

Another upgrade on the Fully Loaded EVELO Galaxy TT is the Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors. 

The Premium model comes equipped with Shimano mechanical disc brakes. 

The Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes brakes have a very solid feel and their stopping power is impressive with predictable progressive modulation. 

The brake levers have sensors that will stop the motor assist when the brakes are engaged and the lever reach can be adjusted to fit your hand size with a small allen wrench on the back side of the brake lever. 

Where the rubber meets the road. The CST Caldera 27.5″ x 2.0″ tires are very smooth for an efficient ride.

They have a distinct gliding feeling and the volume of these tires provide a bit of suspension to take the edge off of rougher roads. 

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

EVELO Galaxy TT Range Test Results:

Here is the real world information on how the EVELO Galaxy TT 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 Galaxy TT in the highest pedal assist level (Level 5) with average pedaling on paved roads.

Range: As you can see from the GPS info that I recorded, the EVELO Galaxy TT traveled 30.3 miles and did a total elevation gain of around 2,300 ft. Considering that I weigh 190 lbs and I pedaled very lightly this is good range for a 36 Volt 13 ah battery pack (468 Watt Hours) with a 350 watt motor assisting up to 20 mph. 

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 Galaxy will assist up to 20 mph with pedal assist and/or throttle.

Weight: The EVELO Galaxy tips the scales at 59 lbs which is on the heavier side for an electric bike. Removing the battery brings it down to around 51.5 pounds which makes it a little easier to load onto a car rack.

The weight distribution of the EVELO Galaxy TT is a bit back heavy because of the battery mounted in the rear rack and a light front end.

Pros:

Comfortable & Efficient: The EVELO Galaxy TT combines the attributes of an easy going cruiser with an efficient commuter to create a comfortable and fun eBike. It is a good fit for everyday commuting and weekend exploring. 

Max Mid Drive: The new Bafang Max is an impressive 350 watt torque sensing mid drive motor. It is a quiet mid drive with smooth power transitions and the 5 levels of pedal assist give you a lot of distinct ride options.  The thumb throttle is also a nice option for adding a quick boost of power in the lower pedal assist levels. 

Automatic Shifting: The NuVinci Harmony is definitely the highlight of the Fully Loaded model because it allows you to forget about shifting. Just set your pedal cadence and ride! Also, its maintenance free design is a major advantage over traditional cog and derailleur drivetrains. 

Gates Belt: The belt really does a nice job of tying the whole drivetrain system together with its quiet and smooth operation in addition to being clean with no maintenance required. 

Cons:

Back Heavy: The relatively high battery location in the rear rack makes the bike a bit back heavy and that is more noticeable because the front of the bike is pretty light. You can feel the weight of the battery when maneuvering in tight turns. 

Harmony Not Perfect: The Harmony automatic shifting system does a good job making the shifting adjustments to gradual changes. When pedaling hard from a stop it takes some time for the system to catch up and adjust to the cadence properly.  

Conclusion:

Overall the EVELO Galaxy TT Fully Loaded is a fun and comfortable eBike that uses some high tech components to make riding even easier and more enjoyable. 

The Galaxy TT offers a lot of unique features and quality components that make it stand out from the crowd of other eBikes in this category. 

The Galaxy starts at $3,499 for the Premium model and $3,899 for the Fully Loaded model. Please check the EVELO website for the latest pricing.

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 US and Canada, 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 Galaxy? Here is a link to the Galaxy TT. 

Do you have any questions about the EVELO Galaxy TT?  Do you own a EVELO Galaxy TT?  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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