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EVELO had great success with their original Delta model, which was setup as a cross country mountain bike, but heard that customers were adding racks and fenders pretty frequently… so they built on that platform to create the Delta X! This is a sturdy, feature rich, urban or even trekking capable platform. I spoke with one of the designers, named John, and he described it as an adventure ebike. High quality Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires deliver comfort, traction, and stability because they’re wider than most at 2.8″ and come tubeless ready. A custom rear rack with standard gauge tubing accommodates panniers, and it has pannier blockers on both sides along with a stand alone LED backlight. Plastic fenders with durable rubber ends protect you and your gear from the elements, and a super-bright Cree LED headlight points the way. I don’t usually gush like this, but the bike has a lot to offer for the price… including a variable speed trigger throttle, adjustable top speed, color LCD display with integrated USB charging port, and large 180mm hydraulic disc brakes with motor inhibiting brake levers! Unlike the mountain model, the Delta X only comes in one color and frame size for now. The motor power and battery capacity are consistent however, basically maxing out the legal stats with a custom integrated BBS02 centerdrive rated nominally at 750 watts and a 48 volt 11.6 amp hour battery. Both components are positioned low and center for optimized balance and handling, and because of the semi-integrated battery concept, there’s even room for bottle cage bosses on the seat tube. Now, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows here… the trade-offs are a “unique” looking battery slot which was chosen to avoid design patents on downward-interfacing batteries, and louder less-smooth cadence activated pedal assist. The bike weighs significantly more than the Delta at ~65lbs vs. 57lbs due to the spring fork, fenders, rack, and lights. And, the bike costs $500 to $100 more depending on which version you’re comparing it to. With a price tag of $3.7k, there’s only one configuration to choose from vs. the premium and fully loaded options on some other EVELO models. For those dollars however, you get some of the best customer service I have seen. EVELO offers a unique four-year 20k mile warranty with a sliding-price battery replacement option depending on how much use the bike has had when it comes time for replacement. This is a company that has been selling electric bikes since before I started EBR in 2012. You can call them and talk to a real person, visit the flagship factory store in Seattle Washington as I did, or connect with one of their local dealers! During this review, we found impressively long and steep hills to test the bikes on and I was blown away by the performance. Yes, I only weigh ~135 lbs, but I have not experienced this level of power on any other Class 2 electric bike to date, aside from the mountain Delta. Alex, a representative from Evelo, went on a test ride with me using the mountain bikes (with the same motors and batteries) and demonstrated that a 240lb rider can also climb effectively, though he did pedal along a bit while I was able to go throttle only. To me, throttle activation is one of the most exciting and useful aspects of the bike. Being able to zip off the line from a stop sign or traffic signal… being able to rest your legs on a long steady climb… or being able to catch up with a friend without having to look down and click up or down to increase assist (or even shift gears) is awesome. That said, Class 2 e-bikes are not allowed on quite as many mountain bike trails as Class 1 at this time because of concern for possible trail damage and adverse rider behavior. That goes doubly for a potentially unclassified product like this, if you adjusted the settings. Please respect our shared trails and ride safe! For those who own some private land, work on a farm, need an electric bike as a pit bike at a racetrack, or enjoy riding off-road on OHV trails, You can unlock the display to allow for ~30 mph riding (depending on terrain, rider weight, etc.)
Driving the Evelo Delta X is a Bafang BBS02 motor system that has been custom-integrated into a metal bottom bracket casing for improved aesthetic, increased ground clearance, and additional toughness. I have reviewed the stock BBS02, which is designed to bolt onto the spindle tube of a non-ebike, and it hangs forward. It is still one of the most popular aftermarket kits available, but it isn’t winning any beauty contests. Messy cables and bolt-on battery packs are another byproduct of the stock BBS01 and BBS02, but all of that is overcome through EVELO’s custom solution here. Some cables do protrude at the bottom bracket, but they are mostly hidden and the battery pack is not nearly as vulnerable… nor does it get in the way of that bottle cage or a triangular frame bag like these. This is part of what you’re paying for, a nicer look with less vulnerable cables and parts. The motor itself seemed to perform as I had remembered from my first stand-alone BBS02 review in 2014. It relies on an on/off cadence sensor that isn’t especially fluid but does start and stop quickly. This could be a good or bad thing depending on your needs; you don’t have to push hard to make it start (unless the bike isn’t moving, it requires 5-degrees of rotation to activate), but it could feel abrupt if the power is set too high and you’re going from zero. The motor can also be loud when riding in the highest levels of assist, especially in a lower gear. But one of the neat things about the NuVinci continuously variable transmission hub is that you don’t really have gears. Instead, there’s a smooth transition from faster cadence (meant for climbing) or slower cadence (meant for attaining higher speeds). You can shift at standstill and there are no clicks or bangs as you might experience with a traditional derailleur. This is an important point because the Bafang BBS02 motor does not offer shift sensing or torque sensing… easing off of the pedals a bit is not going to slow the motor down if those cranks are still turning, and if you were to shift gears this way, the chain, sprockets, and derailleur would all take a beating. In this configuration with the Delta and Delta X, EVELO is minimizing drivetrain wear, reducing the potential for chain drops, reducing chain bounce and nicks on the right chain stay, and allowing you to shift at standstill. Note that when the motor is engaged and pushing hard, shifting can become physically difficult with the NuVinci N380, but is possible vs. many internally geared hubs like the Shimano Shimano Nexus and Rohloff Speedhub. The NuVinci CVT is not a trivial or inexpensive component, and it’s not lightweight.
The battery pack on this bike is above average in terms of size and below average in terms of weight, exactly what you want. It offers a more efficient 48 volt power flow vs. 36 volts and has an 11.6 amp hour capacity for over 550 total watt hours of energy. Inside, there are Lithium-ion cells, which I assume are higher quality because of the raised energy density and Samsung branding and A & B rating. This type of cell is known for being durable but you can maximize the lifetime of the pack by storing it in cool, dry locations and making sure it is 50% full for long term non-use. The battery clicks in from the side of the bike and has a single charging port on the right side that is high enough to clear the crank arm and pedal! This is a big deal, if you forget that the bike is charging and bump the cranks, it won’t present the same opportunity for snagging and damage that so many other batteries suffer from. The charging port and charging plug are the exact same whether you’re filling the pack on or off the bike, and the battery design has a little indented handle at the top for safe transport. There are so many other battery packs that forego this type of design care, Yamaha and Bosch come to mind as good examples, but their packs have been smaller in capacity and they aren’t offered on bikes with throttles. Honestly, in some ways, I find the Evelo battery slot to be ugly, but I have to admit that it seems well protected and offers all the utility I could ask for except for a USB charging port. You do have that on the display, just not on the battery pack itself… a minor consideration. The pack slides into the frame mounting point smoothly and produced an audible click so I knew it was secure, it didn’t rattle during my test rides either… but the bike was brand new so I welcome your feedback.
Operating the bike has become more enjoyable and engaging because EVELO replaced the older grayscale King Meter with a color model from Bafang called the DPC-18. It’s fairly comfortable to view and interact with when riding, but the control pad is pushed in from the left grip because of the trigger throttle… so there’s a bit of reaching there. The display is large and bright, making it easy to read if it’s not too bright or glaring, and the screen can swivel a bit to reduce glare. Once the battery pack has been charged and mounted to the frame, you can press the power button on the control pad to get it started. It shows all of the standard readouts like battery capacity and speed, but does so in a more precise and fun way than a lot of competing products. I like that the battery infographic shows an actual percentage vs. just five or ten bars, which aren’t as precise. Taking up the center area is a circle gauge that shows current speed and watt output (denoting motor power). Towards the bottom are trip stats including trip meter, odometer, max speed, and average speed. I was a bit confused for a moment when conducting this review, because I noticed that when cycling through the trip stats, by pressing i on the button pad, there were a few readouts that didn’t always show up. Those include range estimate, calories, and ride time. What I discovered, after some experimentation, was that these readouts become inaccessible once you’ve used the up and down buttons to change assist level. They are only available initially, and I suspect that this is a software bug from Bafang. You basically have to turn the bike off, by holding the power button for a few seconds, and then turn it back on gain to gain access to these readouts… and this resets both calories and ride time. So, you basically have to stay in the default assist level 0 (where only the throttle is active) to be able to reach these menus, or navigate to them before changing assist. Considering that most ebikes don’t even offer these three readouts, I don’t want to complain too much… but I am disappointed that Bafang didn’t catch this at the factory because it probably affects hundreds of other ebike models and kits that rely on the same display. Bafang is a leading electric bike motor manufacturer but they can be rigid to work with from what I’ve observed. The 6mph throttle start is something that really frustrates me with the Max Drive used on the Galaxy models… why have they forced that annoying setting for the Max Drive motor but not for the BBS02? Anyway, the display menu limitation bug is not just limited to the Delta X model, but all other EVELO ebikes with the color DPC-18 display as well, such as the Aurora. I like that the display can be swiveled to reduce glare and that button pad has a dedicated light button so it’s simpler to understand and use than some other products I’ve seen. This light button only activates the headlight and not the backlight, because it is independent. It would be nice if the display was fully removable, so it could be kept out of the weather and away from scratches and bumps at bike racks. I’m not sure that the color screen was necessary vs. backlit grayscale, but it does look nice. I also appreciate how open the display settings are. You can double tap the i button to adjust things like units units (mph or km/h), display brightness, automatic power off time setting, levels of pedal assist (3, 5, or 9), different readout styles or views, trip reset, wheel size, speed limit, ambient light sensitivity (for automatic lights turning on), password, and clock. You can also check on the battery status (number of cycles and health) as well as any error codes and self diagnostics. The bike ships with a 20mph cutoff to comply with Class 2 laws in the US, but that can be lowered for people who might not be comfortable going so fast… not just raised :) Given the slightly larger tires, thicker spokes, reinforced frame, and excellent battery position on this model, I did feel comfortable coasting faster down some of the large hills we checked out near the shop in Seattle. I did not experience speed wobble or much frame flex.
The Delta X feels balanced and solid, it accelerates and climbs well despite the extra weight because the motor is so powerful. I have become a fan of the Plus Sized tires that in this case, are 27.5″ x 2.8″ because they improve stability and comfort… The little bit of drag that is introduced is more than offset by electric support here. Even though the suspension fork is a spring design vs. air, it’s nice to see lockout for people who experience bob or just don’t need the extra shock absorption because they’re on pavement most of the time. I do appreciate the sturdy thru-axle and tapered head tube setup, because that allows the fork to be upgraded easily, if you want to forego the front fender bosses and maybe ride fenderless. You could easily swap out the tires for different terrain use and bring the bike back towards a mountain model like the original Delta. It’s an incredibly versatile platform that I thoroughly enjoyed testing and could see myself “adventure touring” with, especially with an additional battery pack or access to charging spots along the way. Again, it’s not perfect, but it is fun and capable. Another little area of improvement would be a faster battery charger vs. the default 2 amp charger that it comes with now. It’s neat to be able to shift at standstill and I see why they opted for a serviceable chain here vs. a belt on some of the other models. Perhaps they skipped the belt in part because it requires a frame modification, a cutout that could reduce structural integrity. I noticed that I was not striking my shoes while pedaling this ebike, even though it has fatter tires, because the rear dropout does not use Boost hub spacing. Big thanks to Evelo for partnering with me on this review, and their employees Alex and John who met me in Seattle and rode up a few super steep hills while I filmed. This company has always been a leader in terms of support, but their latest generation of products have raised the bar and truly impressed me. If you like how it looks, appreciate power and a throttle mode, and can justify the slightly higher price… which is very reasonable given the drivetrain and custom frame, it could be a great choice. As always, I welcome your feedback and experiences with the product and company in the comments below or in the EVELO forums here.
Pros:
- The Delta X offers a very unique and exciting combination of light off-road capability with the larger tires and suspension, urban utility with the rear rack, fenders, and lights, and efficiency with the mid-drive motor and NuVinci continuously variable transmission
- The headlight is super bright with one Cree LED putting out 400 lumens! I like that the housing has slits in the sides to keep you visible from more angles
- The Bafang BBS02 motor is powerful but relies more on cadence signals than torque and can be harder on the chain and sprockets when using a derailleur… but that is completely alleviated with the NuVinci CVT hub, you can even shift at standstill, EVELO chose a chain vs. belt to make the drivetrain easier to service on the go if you’re trekking or touring with the bike
- Most of the Bafang BBS02 mid-motors I see are bolted to the bottom bracket of traditional bikes but this one is integrated into a custom bottom bracket with alloy shielding, as a result, it has a much higher ground clearance, is more protected, and looks nicer
- For such a heavy, powerful electric bike, I love that they stocked large 180mm hydraulic disc brakes with motor inhibitors and opted for a 15mm thru-axle with Boost (wider front hub for improved spoke bracing angle) and the head tube is tapered for strength and the potential for nicer fork upgrades vs. straight
- The rear hub spacing is 100mm which keeps the chain stays tucked in more, reducing the potential for heel strikes when pedaling, they had to custom fit the rack to work with larger tires and fenders here… you can swap the Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires for knobby tires up to 2.6″ wide or remove the fenders and rack to fit 3.0″ tires
- I love that EVELO was able to squeeze in bottle cage bosses on the seat tube so you can mount a holder, folding lock, mini pump or other accessory along the seat tube
- Very few mid-drive electric bikes offer throttle on demand, this is a useful feature for those rides when you have to start and stop a lot or maybe you need extra power briefly but don’t want to fidget with the up/down assist buttons, it’s neat that this feature is active from standstill and overrides all levels of assist 0-5
- The brake levers have motor inhibitor switches built in so anytime you pull the brakes, the drive system will shut down immediately for safety
- One of the benefits to using an internally geared or CVT hub is that there is only one chainring and one sprocket, the chain stays tight and probably won’t drop or bounce down and nick the right chain stay, the shifting mechanism is also smaller and better protected than a traditional derailleur that would hang down on the right and possibly get bent if the bike tipped, the drivetrain is just very sturdy and reliable here but EVELO even included a clear plastic slap guard as an additional level of protection, which impressed me
- The plus sized Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires provide excellent comfort and stability because they’re wider at 2.8″ and that means increased air volume and surface area… this allows you to ride over grass, packed Earth, small rocks, and even some gravel and light cross country trails without losing traction, you can reduce weight and make them more durable by converting to tubeless (as I am told that they come tubeless ready)
- 48 volt 11.6 amp hour battery is much higher capacity than what I would consider average but it doesn’t weigh a lot, at ~6.5 lbs this thing is using nicer energy dense cells from Samsung, you can remove it to reduce bike weight for transport or charging off the bike and the battery casing has a nice integrated handle to make it easier to carry
- The thick 31.6 mm seat post is stronger and sturdier than average for an urban electric bike, you could swap the rigid seat post out for a suspension post to improve comfort but might need a shim adapter for thinner suspension posts, here’s a perfect fit and relatively affordable one from SR Suntour
- Nice touch points, the Selle Royal Astro saddle is active but more comfortable than a no-name cheap seat, the VP pedals are large and grippy, they feel solid and won’t bend the way cheaper cage style pedals might
- I was told that this bike is rated up to 300 lbs, and I believe it! The frame felt very sturdy and the spokes are thicker 13 gauge vs. the stock 14g or 15g on a lot of other e-bikes, it’s interesting that the standard EVELO Delta mountain model is rated to 350lbs and that makes me thing that this one is probably also more capable
- The frame and systems are purpose built, this means that cables are internally routed, vulnerable parts are reinforced, and the weight of the motor and battery are kept as low and centered on the frame as possible for stability
- Interesting point with the EVELO Delta, I was told that there is a way to increase the top speed of the bike and make it more of an “off road” product if you live on a farm or private property and want to use it more like a moped, it would not be street legal in this configuration but it can be raised all the way up to 30mph
- EVELO offers three accessory packages to help you optimize the bike for comfort, safety, or commuting and in my experience with this sort of thing, the parts tend to look nicer and work better than if you try to guess on your own (and it costs a lot less this way)
- I really like that this ebike comes with a kickstand and feel that EVELO chose the stand well because it offers adjustable length, is positioned under the rack to support gear, and stays out of the way when you pedal or back the bike up (avoiding pedal lock)
Cons:
- If you unlock this ebike completely, it may be treated as an unlicensed vehicle and could introduce some legal complexity in the event of an accident or damaged property… by default, they ship at 20mph max speed with the trigger throttle active which makes it a Class 2, if you remove the throttle it matches Class 1, and if you raise the top speed to 28mph without the throttle it matches Class 3, but if you go above that or keep the throttle on above 20mph it should only be ridden on private property or in locations without restriction like OHV trails
- With the trigger throttle added near the left grip, it creates a further reach to interact with the button pad, some riders may prefer a twist throttle vs. trigger so they can hold on to the bars more securely but that’s not possible here because of the half-grip NuVinci shifter
- Weighing in at ~65 lbs, this is not an especially lightweight electric bike, it’s even heavier than the original EVELO Delta because of the fenders, rear rack… both use the NuVinci CVT hub which weight and I am guessing that the unique mid-mount battery punch out had to be reinforced for strength and also adds some weight
- The cadence sensing pedal assist can feel a bit abrupt at times, it doesn’t matter whether you’re pushing hard on the pedals or not, if you move the cranks more than 5-degrees the bike will take off… and it could take off hard if you’re in a higher assist level and have unlocked the 30mph speed
- The display panel looks beautiful, I love how large it is and appreciate that it can be swiveled forward and back to reduce glare… but it is not removable and could take more weather damage or scratches at bike racks, some people put their helmets over the display to help protect them when parking outside
- The BBS02 is not as quiet as some of the other mid-drive geared motors I have tested like Brose or Shimano, it does seem to offer more power (and is rated higher in this configuration) but you may notice the whirring sound in the video review above, especially when I was in a higher gear and the highest level-5 assist setting
- The 60mm wide fenders with rubber mud flaps provide a lot of water and mud protection and are mounted securely to the frame, but they do rattle a bit on rough terrain and in order to get them to mount properly, EVELO had to source a spring suspension vs. air which added to the weight of the bike and isn’t as adjustable
- Because this ebike has motor inhibiting brake levers, a display, a control pad, and a throttle, there are more wires up front and that creates some clutter (though EVELO wrapped them pretty well with a plastic spiral tube)
- Minor gripe, the rear light does not run off of the main rechargeable battery pack and requires two AA’s to run, it also requires a physical on/off switch and that takes extra time each time you ride and stop, be sure to turn it off to avoid running the batteries out accidentally, it would be nice if the tires on this ebike had reflective stripes to further increase visibility
- One more minor consideration here, the rear rack is only rated to 18kg vs. 25kg like many other racks, so that’s 40lbs vs. 55lbs which limits what you can bring on a long distance adventure ride
- This ebike boots up in assist level zero but the throttle is always active, so be careful not to bump it when mounting! I was told that EVELO sells an aftermarket dongle to use with Windows computers to adjust this and other settings if you want, or you could visit their headquarters store in Seattle for help
- I believe that the Delta X is only available in one frame size vs. the Delta which comes in two, you can optimize body position here by adjusting seat height and stem position, note the additional riser stacks and angled stem which can be flipped if you want to get super aggressive and forward
- I believe that I discovered a bug with the Bafang DPC-18 display panel, if you change the level of assist by arrowing up or down… the range, calories, and ride time readouts are not available, but if you first cycle through to range using the i button, you can then arrow up or down to see more details
Resources:
Dan
6 years agoVery nice review. I like the display and features. Fairly advanced and user flexible. The mix of a 750-1000W mid drive and nuvinci in unique.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoAgree, this is a special product, neat to see how custom EVELO has been able to go, and that they listen to the needs and interests of customers :)
ReplyBrian
6 years agoI’m pretty sure that the display does not have range estimate nor calories readouts (at least I can’t find them on mine).
ReplyCourt
6 years agoHi Brian, yeah… I believe that there’s a bug with the display where you can only navigate to calories and range before adjusting assist level. Once you click buttons to raise or lower assist, the calories and range are not accessible. I mention this in the written review above. Might be worth asking EVELO about, perhaps they will offer a firmware update someday, but I doubt it because this is more of a Bafang bug :/
ReplyEric
6 years agoFor a 6′ 2″ rider, how much would I notice what I assume is this smaller frame for the Delta X compared to other bikes that have frame sizes that may technically be a better fit?
ReplyCourt
6 years agoHi Eric! My experience has been that you can usually change the stem, handlebar, and raise the seat (or even get a longer seat post) to make bikes fit taller people. Your body position will probably be more upright than if the frame was taller/longer but as long as you aren’t hitting your knees on the handlebars, it should be okay. The difference between frames is usually just an inch or two, and that is spread through the main triangle… so the seat post is longer and the reach is probably longer on a Large or XL frame, and that’s how you get the leg space. So yeah, with a longer and taller stem, maybe even a stem riser, the Delta X would probably be alright for you.
ReplyEric
6 years agoThanks! I really appreciate the feedback – and the comprehensive reviews you have provided on so many bicycles.