Is a commuter bike good? Velotric’s Discover 3 makes its case.

Touring bikes don’t come with the same limitations that most other bikes do. Mountain bikes should be able to navigate pretty much any terrain; road bikes need to mix high performance with enough comfort to keep riders in the saddle for hours. All a commuter bike needs to do is get you from A to B on regular roads with minimal fuss.

So it’s been a surprise that most of the touring bikes I’ve tested don’t fare well. At the low end of the price range, as you might expect, the fundamental imbalances affect the trend. The high-end makes up for those shortcomings, but at prices similar to high-end bikes from specialty brands. I have never experienced something between the two: cheap, without compromise.

But I may have just found my perfect bike: Velotric Discover 3. It’s comfortable, has a great combination of features, and comes in under $2,000.

Additional rounds

Velotric’s first entry in this line, Discover 1showed a good start for the company. Although they were indeed among the “necessary compromises”, the deficits were small and carefully chosen. Since then, the company has grown significantly, introduced many new brands, started working with US suppliers, and traveled a bit.

Discover’s third iteration reflects market volatility. It costs almost twice as much as the original Discover, but you get a lot for the price. Gone is the hub motor, replaced by a Velotric collaboration mid-engine.

While it still has a cadence sensor that you can select from the menu, the Discover uses a torque sensor by default, giving you more integration with your ride. Cadence sensors only register when the pedals are spinning; The torque sensor registers the amount of force you are applying to the cranks. The result is that the electric assist feels like this: a support for your legs instead of an effort.