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Velowave Ranger Review

Velowave Ranger
By
Robb Dorr,
Co-founder
Velowave Ranger
By
Kristy Snyder,
Professional Editor
Images from manufacturer's website

30 mi

RANGE

15 mph

TOP SPEED

7.5 hrs

CHARGE TIME

74.6 lbs

WEIGHT

Rear Hub

MOTOR TYPE

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Velowave Ranger Review: Takeaway

A fat tire electric bike more suited to street use than off-road use, the Velowave Ranger looks the part but won’t necessarily handle the big backcountry. Coming with a 720 Wh battery and a quality 750W Bafang motor, it won’t let you down for many miles of riding if you’re in the right environment.

Ideal for...

Cruising to a friend’s house
Getting to college
Commuting to work
Occasional off-road use

E-Bike Overview

As affordable fat-tire electric bikes go, the Velowave Ranger has a price point starting at $1,800 or so. We highly recommend you shell out the $330 extra for the optional rack and fenders.

The 750W Bafang rear hub motor delivers a good kick when you use the thumb throttle or pedals, and thanks to the 720 Watt-hour battery, it’ll go a good 30 or so miles per charge on typical terrain.

We can see a hint of big bike manufacturers Giant’s style in the downtube housing the battery with its slight indent at the top. You won’t get as good an e-bike for that price from Giant, however.

This is a fat tire electric bike that’ll be used mostly on-road. For an extra $175, you can buy a special off-road controller to handle the tougher terrain and torque from the motor. In its home environment — the urban jungle — it’ll be fine with the standard controller.

Reasons to Buy

If you’re planning to use this e-bike for commuting or utility work, the Ranger can have accessories like fenders and a rack added. Both adding to its overall look and making it a machine for carrying cargo, these accessories can make it a very practical and powerful e-bike even for street use.

Things to Consider

At this price point, there are better electric fat tires for riding on off-road adventures. This e-bike will handle a commute to work after a snowstorm but not necessarily a ride into the Sierra Nevada. If used for the right environment, this is a fat tire electric bike that’ll do many miles without troubling you.

Specs & Components

Motor
Bafang 750W rear hub motor
Battery
Samsung 720 Wh in-tube
Cockpit
Thumb throttle, LCD display, PAS
Drivetrain
7-speed Shimano
Brakes
Front and rear hydraulic disc
Wheels
26” x 4” Kenda fat tires
Accessories
Lights
Optional extras
Off-road controller, rack, fenders, suspension seatpost, trunk bag

The specs above come from the manufacturer and may vary from what you’ve experienced. Notice something that needs correcting? Let us know.

Ratings

Power
3.5/5
3.5

The 750W rear hub Bafang motor offers a nice acceleration, and even on hilly streets, you’ll be able to get around with minimal effort. Topping out at just 15.5 mph on throttle or pedal assist, this electric bike might be considered a little slow for some, however.

Range
4/5
4

The average distance people travel by bike is just six miles. As such, the 30-mile range offered by the battery is perfectly usable for most people. The bike as a whole is a heavyweight 74.6 lbs.

Hills, headwinds, and payload weight all impact range. If you’re heavier and riding a more hilly route, you’ll get fewer miles than a lighter rider on a flatter route.

Comfort
4/5
4

Designed for street use, the Velowave Ranger won’t forgive you much if taken into the mountains for a thrashing. On the street, it has a 75mm travel suspension fork that’s ample for softening the pressure on your arms when you brake hard.

You’ll be sat in a forward, trekking position (unless you lower the seat to look more in tune with the urban environment) and can use your body weight to help in turns. Fat tire e-bikes are designed to be inflated to a lower pressure than other electric bike tires, so the softness will add to the comfort.

Durability
3/5
3

Even though it looks like a fat tire overlanding e-bike, the Velowave Ranger is best suited to street use. The suspension fork won’t handle lots of use off-road, though the Bafang motor and Samsung batteries will go on for miles and miles.

As with all e-bikes, if you use the pedal assist modes a lot, you’ll have to change the chain and brake pads every 1,000 miles or so. Using the throttle primarily, you’ll only need to change the brake pads.

Velowave offers a two-year warranty on its frames and a one-year warranty on all components, subject to fair wear and tear.

Style
4.5/5
4.5

Though it isn’t quite up to the job of mastering mountains, this is a good-looking e-bike that those who don’t know electric bikes will say looks pretty cool. We like its Giant-inspired downtube and battery compartment, and its tough looks.

Our Research Methodology

We personally research and test every e-bike featured in our reviews and guides to provide accurate, data-driven recommendations. Learn how we review.

About Our Editorial Team

robb dorr
Written by Robb Dorr
Co-founder
Robb is a massive cycling enthusiast who has more than 20 years of non-motorized cycling experience. He started eBikes.org to lower the barrier of entry to cycling and reduce the intimidation people can experience when getting into the cycling world.
Kristy Snyder
Edited by Kristy Snyder
Professional Editor
Kristy Snyder is a professional writer and editor living in Pittsburgh with over 10 years of content creation experience. When she's not contributing to eBikes.org, Kristy enjoys reading, practicing yoga, drinking beer, and hitting up rail trails.
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