Name: Virtue Cycles Pedalist Review
Item: Virtue Cycles Pedalist
Author: Court Rye

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Virtue Cycles Pedalist Review

Virtue Pedalist 750 Watt E Rad Mid Drive Motor

Virtue Pedalist Battery Box 48 Volt 15 Amp Hour Rpe

Virtue Pedalist Lcd Display Panel Riser Bars Padded Grips

Virtue Pedalist Doors Side Mirror Optional Roll Up Window Cover

Virtue Pedalist Front Cargo Area Tadpole Trike

Virtue Pedalist Passenger Seat Two Adult Capacity Ebike

Virtue Pedalist 8 Speed Shimano Nexus Hub

Virtue Pedalist 20 Cast Magnesium Wheels

Virtue Pedalist Headlights Tinted Windows

Virtue Pedalist Front View Tinted Plastic Windshield

Virtue Pedalist Brake Light Removable Wheel Panels

Virtue Pedalist Wheel Covers For Maintenance And Trailers

An upright tadpole style velomobile with electric assist from E-Rad, powerful 750 watt motor paired with a 48 volt battery offering five levels of pedal assist and throttle on demand with override!
Strong 20" wheels with cast Magnesium rims in front provides amazing strength, you can haul up to 750 lbs, there's comfortable seating for two adult riders (including the driver) with cargo up front
Sleek fiberglass shell provides shade and large visual footprint while open side windows allow sound and fresh air to pass through, LED headlight, rear light, turn signals and an electronic horn improve safety
Heavy and large at 175+ lbs and nearly 6 ft tall, produced one at a time with a 3+ month wait time, shipping outside of California costs extra, custom paint costs extra, can be noisy inside riding over bumpy terrain

Make:

Virtue Cycles

Model:

Pedalist

Price:

$4,999

Body Position:

Upright

Suggested Use:

Neighborhood

Electric Bike Class:

Throttle on Demand (Class 2)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

1 Year Comprehensive

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2016

Total Weight:

175 lbs (79.37 kg)

Battery Weight:

8 lbs (3.62 kg)

Motor Weight:

9.2 lbs (4.17 kg)

Frame Material:

Chromoly Steel, Fiberglass

Geometry Measurements:

35" Wide, 71" Tall, 96" Long

Frame Types:

Cargo, Step-Thru, Trike

Frame Colors:

White, Black, Custom

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Front Rack Bosses

Gearing Details:

8 Speed 1x8 Shimano Nexus Internally Geared Hub

Shifter Details:

Triggers on Right

Pedals:

Aluminum Alloy Platform

Headset:

Neco, Threadless 1 1/8

Stem:

Promax

Handlebar:

Low-Rise

Brake Details:

Linear Pull Brake in Rear, Tektro Mechanical Disc with 160 mm Rotors in Front

Grips:

Padded, Stitched

Saddle:

Comfort

Seat Post:

Aluminum Alloy

Seat Post Length:

300 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

27.2mm, 28.6 mm

Rims:

Solid Cast Magnesium in Front, Double Wall Aluminum in Rear

Spokes:

Stainless Steel

Tire Brand:

Odyssey, 20" x 3" Rear, 20" x 2.3" Front

Wheel Sizes:

20 in (50.8cm)

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Two 7 LED Headlights, Tail Light, Turn Signals (Front and Rear), Electronic Horn, Tinted Plastic Windows (Front, Rear, Sides), Padded Passenger Seat with Foot Rests, Optional Roll-Up Door Covers, Optional Flocking Coat Inside Shell for Soft Touch (Possibly Noise Dampening) $300, Optional Custom Paint Color for $300 ($600 for Double Coat), Optional Side Mirror

Other:

32 Amp Controller, (Battery is Now E-Rad Offering 20 Amps)

Motor Brand:

E-RAD

Motor Type:

Mid-Mounted Geared Motor

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

750 watts

Motor Peak Output:

1300 watts

Battery Brand:

RPE

Battery Voltage:

48 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

15 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

720 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

7 hours

Estimated Min Range:

35 miles (56 km)

Estimated Max Range:

60 miles (97 km)

Display Type:

Fixed Monochrome LCD

Readouts:

Speed, Battery Level (5 Bars), Assist Level (1-5), Watt Output, Trip Meter, Temperature

Display Accessories:

Independent Button Pad, Turn Signal Switch, Lights On/Off, Horn Button

Drive Mode:

Cadence Sensing Pedal Assist, Trigger Throttle

Top Speed:

20 mph (32 kph)

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Make or Model

Model Year

Body Position

Suggested Use

Frame Type

Drive Mode

Availability

Price Range

$0 (0 €)$18,000 (16,920 €)

Total Weight

0 lbs (0 kg)227 lbs (103 kg)

Top Speed

0 mph (0.0 km/hr)50 mph (80.5 km/hr)

Battery Watt Hrs

0 watt3,456 watt

Frame Size

0 in (0.00 cm)432 in (1,097.28 cm)

Motor Power

0 Newton meters250 Nm

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Virtue Cycles produces a range of affordable bicycles with two electrified variants called the Gondoliere Plus and Schoolbus Plus. The Pedalist by contrast, only comes with electric power because it’s significantly larger and heavier than the two cargo bikes. This thing weighs in at ~175 lbs without the battery (which adds another 10 lbs or so depending on size). It’s a partially-enclosed velomobile that will keep you shaded and cool in summer months and relatively dry and wind-free in winter months. I say partially enclosed because the side windows are open-air on the stock unit. Apparently Virtue Bike can add flexible fold-up roll-up windows for those who’d like additional protection but otherwise these openings improve the flow of sound.

Sound is one of the question mark areas with this and other velomobiles I’ve tested out. The fiberglass plastic canopy looks great and sounds decent when you’re not riding inside the unit but once you sit down, pedal along and begin riding over bumpy terrain, even large cracks, a booming rattly sound echoes around. You can hear this in the video review above and with comparable products from Organic Transit. What I love about the Pedalist is really just how affordable it is. The looks are good, the platform is sturdy (capable of hauling up to 750 lbs including two adult passengers with room up front for cargo or a child seat). It’s surprisingly powerful, relying on a 750 watt mid-drive motor kit from E-Rad that can peak out around 1,300. You get pedal assist, throttle mode (that overrides assist) and can setup multiple 48 volt battery packs for extreme long distance riding. The stock pack now offers 20 amp hours of capacity which is more than double what I would call average on traditional non-enclosed electric bikes.

What you don’t get here is suspension… the 20″ wheels are small and sturdy but not as forgiving as something with more “spanning” potential like a 24″ or 26″ wheel. They do keep the overall height of the bike down, making it more stable, and I was impressed with how easy it is to step into and mount. The custom Steel frame is setup as a low-step so you don’t have to lift your leg very high. Note that there isn’t a floorboard or any protection where your feet go (as with most recumbent trikes and other velomobiles) so do be careful not to drag your feet or the weight of the bike could injure them. The passenger seat is just behind the driver and the front box area has lots of vertical space to build up a basket or mount accessories. The driver has a nice upright seat with bars that are close and use a mid-rise bar. This isn’t a recumbent bike and it doesn’t force you to lean forward, I’d describe the seating position as up, alert and comfortable. The steel is sturdy but does cut out some of the vibrations and if you really wanted to smooth out the ride you could swap out the standard seat post for a 27.2 mm Thudbuster (some newer models may have 28.4 mm or 28.6 mm).

In conclusion, this bike seems incredibly affordable to me. You get a premium drive system from a company I recognize and trust, an quality internally geared hub with eight speeds from Shimano (that let you shift at standtill), a full set of lights including turn signals and the option to coat the inside with a softer noise-absorbing flocking material and choose a custom color. Virtue Cycles is backed up about three months for the Pedalist and each one is a custom build. If you live near Southern California they will deliver it but otherwise you’ll have to pay for a shipping company. This thing is stable enough to load and mount easily but narrow enough to fit through standard sized doors. It’s intuitive to pedal and steer, just like a regular city bike, but unique and fun in the way it looks and very capable in how it transports passengers. The rattly noise does bother me a bit but I can’t see a way around that for now? Maybe in the future the body panels will be mounted on rubber bumpers to help dampen it or some thicker coating will be applied inside? I want to close by calling out the removable rear panels on the outer shell that make changing tires or adjusting the gearing much easier. You can even leave one off and use the Pedalist Cycle with a trailer for even more cargo capacity! I love the concept and had a blast riding around with the founder William Mulyadi in San Diego near where the company is based.

Pros:

In my experience it’s more comfortable to ride than a recumbent trike, your body is upright like a regular bicycle which provides better viewing and the reach isn’t super far thanks to riser bars so you don’t have to lean forward and get a sore neck or back, the padded grips and saddle are nice considering the smaller 20″ wheels and lack of suspension
At 35″ wide, the Virtue Pedalist was designed to be narrow enough to fit in bicycle lanes, slip between congested automobile traffic and go through standard sized doors so you can ride it in more locations and store it inside if you’d like
There’s a passenger seat with foot rests behind the main rider so you can easily transport two adults, there’s a cargo platform in the front so you can haul gear, groceries, a small pet or even mount a child seat
In my opinion, the Virtue Pedalist is priced very well, you get a high quality mid-drive motor system from one of my favorite producers, E-Rad / Lectric Cycles, along with a large 48 volt Lithium-ion battery and a custom made platform and sleek body, I feel like it would cost just as much if not more to try to make this yourself considering the tools and moulds required
As a Class 2 electric bike with a top speed of 20 mph, you don’t need a license, registration or insurance to drive this thing on many public bike lanes, parking is relatively easy considering the compact size and charging is extremely affordable at less than $0.10 per charge at current rates at the time of this review
Optional roll-up door covers can seal the cabin keeping wind, rain and snow out for those who plan to ride in varied conditions
Excellent climbing ability thanks to its powerful 750 watt centerdrive motor and internally geared eight speed Shimano Nexus hub (which can be shifted at standstill), apparently they climbed Hyde Street in San Francisco with a 21% grade transporting 180 lbs of payload successfully
They tested the bike with 350 lbs of cargo up front, a 200 lb rider and 200 lb passenger for an amazing total carrying weight of 750 lbs! that’s pretty incredible to me
The body was designed with special detachable panels on both sides of the rear wheel to make maintenance easier or for use with a trailer so you can haul even more cargo and keep the cabin clear
The smaller 20″ wheels lower the center of gravity on the bike and also provide more strength (especially since the front two are cast Magnesium vs. spokes) which is important given the weight of the bike and potential for hauling multiple adult passengers
For extended range you can order multiple battery packs and stack them in the front cargo area, this allows you to use one after another without charging immediately
Integrated headlights, tail lights, turn signals and a horn help keep you visible, the white color option is going to have the largest visual footprint but due to the taller design all units should be easier to see by cars that are higher up than most recumbent velomobile trikes
I like that the system offers throttle override so if you’re in a low level of assist but need to zip out of the way or start from a stop sign you can instantly get full power, it builds confidence
The right brake lever has a locking pin which holds the brake constant, you can use it as a parking brake so the bike won’t roll away if you park on uneven terrain
It sounds like William will deliver the Pedalist all over Southern California, up to San Francisco and even parts of Arizona or you can use a fulfillment company
They have had nine iterations of this bike! Constantly improving it and adding new features but also trying to stay as light weight as possible, the gray one from the video was very impressive and sleek
Because the Virtue Pedalist has three wheels, it’s much more stable when mounting and loading the cargo box at the front
Newer models have a wall that separates the wheels from the front cargo area keeping it cleaner and providing more space for gear

Cons:

Each Pedalist velomobile is produced in a “made-to-order” way that allows for some customization but this requires more time, currently they say it’s a three month wait
In addition to a wait time, you will need to pay extra and make special arrangements with a fulfillment company for delivery if you don’t live within the delivery range
While the plastic fiberglass shell looks great and protects you from the wind and some elements, it does create some rattling and booming noise at higher speeds and especially when riding over cracks and bumps
The locks for the doors are little slider parts like you’d find in a bathroom stall, they didn’t seem super strong to me and I feel like the door could be easily broken if pushed down on while open, it works… just a little fragile and possibly vulnerable
The bottom area of the bike is completely open for the rider like a normal bicycle but since there’s a metal cage surrounding you there’s more risk of pinching your legs under the bike if you stood up, just ride carefully and keep in mind that the bike weighs 175+ lbs whereas traditional bicycles are closer to 25 lbs and most electric bikes are ~50 lbs
Riding at night could be uncomfortable even with the lights, I saw some glare on the plastic windows because the back side of the tail lights weren’t covered up completely and the windows themselves are tinted so it could feel extra dark inside
The electric drive system is bolt-on and the wires aren’t run through the frame, it’s not as nice looking as a fully purpose built ebike on the inside but the price is low and this is a unique build
Changing a flat tire on this bike could be difficult… there are no quick release systems and the bike itself is heavy, you might have to set it on some bricks or prop it up somehow, maybe tip it to one side? Be careful!
I’m not sure how tamper resistant the bike is… there’s no keyed ignition to lock the battery down or keep people from switching it on and using the throttle if it was just parked outside

Resources:

Official Site: http://www.virtuebike.com/product/virtue-pedalist
Official Microsite: http://www.pedalistcycles.com/
More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/5MR25AC5k2hUvjrA8

January 29, 2024 (10 months ago)

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Nirmala

8 years ago

Just curious how resistant to tipping is this bike? The two front wheels would help a lot, but it is relatively tall and narrow, and also might be adversely affected by sidewinds. Did you get a sense that it would be stable enough at higher speeds? I would probably not want to push the envelope on a steep winding downhill stretch on such a bike :)

Court Rye

Hi Nirmala! Great to hear from you again, hope you’re well :) yeah, if you were going fast and turned hard I feel like it could indeed tip but it’s not as tippy feeling as it looks. The canopy is relatively light weight and air can indeed pass through. Hopping inside and loading it up with gear feels very solid as does riding around regular streets, even going up some angled driveways in a parallel fashion feels comfortable for me, not quite as much as a recumbent bike like the Organic Transit ELF but being upright feels way more comfortable for me personally, I can lean my body sideways if needed.

Mark

Would like to see someone take this through a doorway. Looks like the door would need to be taken off of its hinges first. Given the weight and payload capacity, seems that hydraulic brakes would be more prudent. And if I had one, I’d want the rear turn signals flanking the rear window. Intriguing design.

Good points Mark, I’ve included the dimensions for a stock unit in the bike details near the top but was relying on feedback from the owner of the company to get some of them (like weight). I believe the side mirror is not stock so this could help with the width and going through doors. it is indeed a neat design, would be cool if these little transporters caught on and became even more refined over time and common to see in real life :)

Larry

The video says ‘extra batteries can be wired in series’ – that is incorrect. Wiring batteries in series increases the voltage (voltage is additive). What should be done is wire them in parallel such that the voltage is constant and the amp-hr is additive; however, that is still a bad plan for lithium batteries as the packs would not be balanced and could cause cross charging and in the worst case a fire (say one near depleted battery is wired to a full battery). The best is to just have spare batteries and swap when needed.

Thanks Larry! I must have gotten that wrong in conversation and just got mixed up. Appreciate the tip and I’ll make a fix ;)

Spencer young

I live in Uk and interested in the virtue cycle, can you purchase this in the Uk? How would we adapt the charging point? Londoners would love this, would be happy to ride around and sell on your behalf. Great for advertising uk companies on the side. Pease advise, Looks fantastic, Regards, Spencer young

Hi Spencer, great question! I suggest asking Virtue Cycles directly. Maybe they would be willing to ship overseas or work directly with you to become a reseller? Here’s their official website: http://pedalistcycles.com/

Don B

I was checking UPS & got a $2070 shipping quote to London

Patrick Mckowen

Great review – they obviously have a good design with a 3 month back log…unless it takes 3 months to build one! :)

I am more of a recumbent person myself but I do like this. Just wondering where all the weight is coming from, all steel frame… maybe time to go to aluminum? Best wishes to them and any other ebike builders out there that lessons our demand of oil burners on the roads. Cheers, Patrick

Hi Patrick! I think their thru-put is slow and they do build to order for most orders so it’s a combination of demand and the custom work being performed. Even though the body is a fiberglass/plastic material that still weighs a lot, especially with the windows… and then the large sturdy steel frame and longer axles and the battery rack up front and passenger seat in the rear! It all adds up to something that’s very capable but also heavier ;) Aluminum might help but I don’t think it’s as strong or cheap as steel so they’d have to reinforce it and lose some of the weight savings while driving up cost.

Earl Grogan

5 years ago

I am looking into E-bikes for my daily commute in the US there seems to be this one and the ELF SOLAR. Could you do a compare and contrast of the two?