EVELO Quest One Folding Electric Bike Review Part 2: Ride & Range Test [VIDEO]

After putting the EVELO Quest One to the ride test it has proven to be a versatile and portable eBike that has a good ride feel.

The Quest One handles the city well with its compact size and nimble handling.

Its compact size and easy folding capability make it a good eBike for use while you are traveling and storing at home or work. 

The Quest One is priced at $1,999. For current pricing, checkout the EVELO website, or send them an email to [email protected].

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 Quest One: 

To get acquainted with the EVELO Quest One, checkout this video:

Riding the EVELO Quest One:

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

• Versatile and portable folding eBike
• Simple and easy going ride feel
• Smooth and quiet Gates Carbon Belt Drive

The Look & Feel of the EVELO Quest One

The Quest One is one of the new EVELO eBikes that shows their attention to detail in the frame design. 

EVELO uses aluminum for the Quest One frame which creates a stiff and relatively lightweight frame. 

One of the big highlights is that the 36V 10.2ah lithium battery hides inside the front main tube of the frame.

This provides a balanced weight distribution when combined with the rear hub motor.

It also keeps the looks of the Quest One clean while providing additional protection for the battery. 

The main frame tubes are large and shaped well to provide a solid ride feel. There are a number of reinforcement tubes to add strength where it is needed. 

The EVELO Quest One comes in 1 size that is very adjustable to a wide range of riders.

The frame itself has a low step design and the handlebar mast and seat post have a lot of adjustability with the quick release levers.

The quick release levers on the frame, handlebars, and seat post make folding the Quest One quick and easy. 

After getting used to the process you can fold the Quest One down in 30-ish seconds. 

The EVELO Quest One is a pretty easy going electric bike with its approachable get on and go design.

The 20″ wheels and low step frame make this eBike very easy to get on for almost any rider. The small wheels and short wheelbase are also good for riding in crowded areas where having agile handling helps to maneuver. 

An agile ride feel creates a bike that responds quickly and at the higher speeds you do need to be aware of that. At the higher speeds the Quest One did feel fairly stable and comfortable. 

Smaller wheels also require a little more attention to bumps, crack, and potholes in the road because they don’t roll over or through those obstacles as well as larger 26″ or 29″ wheels. 

EVELO did spec fairly wide 20″ x 2.125″ Kenda tires that have a stable ride feel and they also have a puncture resistant belt built in that helps with minimizing punctures from thorn, glass, etc. 

Now let’s take a closer look at the ride position of the EVELO Quest One.

With it’s widely adjustable ride positions the Quest One can be setup to work with your riding preferences. The quick release levers make this a quick and easy way to dial in your positioning on the bike.

For instance you can set the handlebar height to be very upright for a comfortable ride with good visibility all around, or you could set it the handlebars lower for a more performance ride position. 

Comfortable leather style grips provide a bit of cushion and they have a nice ride feel. 

The saddle has a wide  profile that makes it good for all around riding.   

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.”

Now let’s take a closer look at how the EVELO Quest One eBike system and drivetrain performs. 

A 250 watt Bafang geared rear hub motor provides the electric assist up to 20 mph with pedal assist and/or throttle. 

This makes the Quest One a Class 2 electric bike per California law (other states are adopting similar laws).

There are 5 levels of pedal assist that are activated by your pedaling cadence. The pedal assist levels are adjusted with the (+) and (-) buttons on the control pad on the left side of the handlebars. 

Each pedal assist level provides assist up to a certain speed. Below are the approximate speeds that each level provides assist up to:

Pedal Assist Level 1 = 5 mph

Pedal Assist Level 2 = 8 mph

Pedal Assist Level 3 = 13 mph

Pedal Assist Level 4 = 16 mph

Pedal Assist Level 5 = 20 mph

There is also the thumb throttle that can be used for a quick boost to the pedal assist or you can choose to cruise along without pedaling. The thumb throttle has a lot of variability so that you adjust it to provide exactly the amount of assist that you want. 

In addition to the 5 levels of pedal assist there is also the walk mode that helps with moving the bike up stairs or up a steep hill while you are walking. It provides assist up to a few mph and it is activated by holding the down (-) button on the control pad for a few seconds. 

Like almost all geared hub motors the Bafang motor on the Quest One does create a bit of a whirring noise. It is in the mid range when compared to other electric bikes that I have ridden. 

One of the unique features of the EVELO Quest One is that it comes equipped with a Gates Carbon Belt. 

This is a very nice feature for a folding eBike because it eliminates the worry of dealing with an dirty oily chain!

Belts don’t require any regular maintenance and Gates claims that their carbon belts last twice as long as typical bike chain. 

The Gates Carbon Belt is also very quite and smooth and it is surprising how much of a difference this makes in the ride feel. 

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

https://youtu.be/6kqaMgUUWLc

The Quest One is a single speed bike to keep things simple and economical. The single speed gear ratio is good for overall riding but it would be nice to have a few more gears for climbing steeper hills.

EVELO has a solution for that and it is their new Quest Max that features the Bafang Max mid drive, Gates belt, and NuVinci continuously variable transmission. 

As mentioned before the 36V 10.2ah lithium battery is housed in the front tube of the aluminum frame for good weight distribution which helps with overall bike handling. 

The battery weighs 4.25 pounds and it is removed by opening the frame hinge, unlocking the battery with the supplied key, and pulling the battery out of the frame. 

Removing the battery brings the bike weight down to 37.25 pounds which makes it a little easier to load into a car, RV or boat. 

The battery can be fully charged from empty in 4-6 hours. 

Okay, now let’s take a look at the display on the EVELO Quest One.

First of all, it is a color display which is fairly unique and it is a nice feature. 

The color display provides information on:

• Battery level
• Pedal assist level (there are 5 levels)
• Current speed
• Average speed
• Max speed
• Odometer
• Trip distance
• Motor power output

The display is located in the center of the handlebars for easy visibility during a ride. 

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

That also turns on the front and rear lights that run off the eBike battery. The lights will continue to work even if the battery cannot provide enough “juice” to the motor. It is nice not to have to worry about separate batteries for the lights. 

Slowing the EVELO Quest One down is handled by the Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes with 160mm rotors. 

These brakes have pretty good stopping power and it is nice to have disc brakes on a folding eBike. 

The brake levers have sensors that will stop the motor assist when the brakes are engaged.

The Quest One comes with a full assortment of accessories that make commuting and errand running more convenient. 

As mentioned earlier there are the front and rear lights that are powered by the eBike battery. In addition there are the full coverage front and rear fenders, rear cargo rack, bell, and kickstand.

Those are all the stock accessories that come with the EVELO Quest One for the price of $1,999. EVELO also offers a lot of other accessories to make your ride more fun and convenient. 

For instance I was able to use the Rack Top Pannier Bag and QuickLock that came in handy while out testing the Quest One. 

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

EVELO Quest One Range Test Results:

Here is the real world information on how the EVELO Quest One 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 Quest One 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 Quest One traveled 27.4 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 very good range for a 36 Volt 10.2 ah battery pack (367 Watt Hours) with a 250 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 Quest One will assist up to 20 mph with pedal assist only and/or throttle.

Weight: The EVELO Quest One tips the scales at 41.5 lbs which is a light weight for an electric bike and fairly average for a folding eBike. Removing the battery brings it down to around 37.25 pounds which makes it a little easier to carry or load into a vehicle.

The weight distribution of the EVELO Quest One is good because the battery is in the front part of the frame and that balances the rear hub motor. All of that weight is low which is good for overall bike handling.

Pros:

Gates Carbon Belt: This a big highlight of the Quest One because it is smooth, quiet, and it requires no maintenance. Also, it is a very clean system that is nice to have on a folding bike where the chances of getting dirty when folding and moving the bike are higher than a traditional bike. 

Easy to Fold: Folding the EVELO Quest One is quick and easy thanks to their straight forward design. Once you get used to the process the Quest One can be folded in 30ish seconds. 

Impressive Range: It is impressive that the 36V 10.2ah lithium battery that is cleanly housed in the frame provided 27.4 miles of range in the tough range test. At lower assist levels the Quest One can be expected to go even farther. 

Cons:

Motor Noise: The Bafang geared rear hub motor does make some noise. It is in the mid range of noise when compared to other electric bikes. 

Single Speed: The single speed gear ratio that EVELO picked is good for overall riding but it would be nice to have a few more gears for climbing steeper hills. EVELO has a solution for that and it is their new Quest Max that features the Bafang Max mid drive, Gates belt, and NuVinci continuously variable transmission. 

Conclusion:

Overall the EVELO Quest One is a versatile and portable eBike that has a good ride feel. It’s very easy to get on and ride and folding it for transport or storage is very straight forward. 

The EVELO Quest One is a good eBike for around town commuting and errand running with its compact size and nimble handling. It is also a good eBike for use while you are traveling.

The ability to easily transport it in your car, RV, or boat makes this a good all around traveler and that compact size is also a benefit for storing at home or work. 

The Quest One is priced at $1,999. For current pricing, checkout the EVELO website, or send them an email to [email protected].

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 Quest One? Check with the EVELO website.

Do you have any questions about the EVELO Quest One?  Do you own a EVELO Quest One?  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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