Volt London review: Ditch the car and hop on an electric bike designed around city commuting

Giant range and simple construction make this a superb e-bike for novices and enthusiasts alike

The Volt London is available in one size and one colour only, and uses an on-board computer for controls and info (iStock/The Independent)

Since booming in popularity during lockdown, electric bikes have cemented their rightful place as a serious alternative to getting around by car or public transport. Longer ranges, lighter frames and faster charging times mean more of us than ever feel confident enough to take to the streets.

The Volt London is the British manufacturer’s most commuter-friendly e-bike yet, a full-size bike engineered to withstand everything city roads and train strikes can throw at it. From its industrial-looking polished aluminum frame to its top-tier battery and motor system, the ebike honks of quality and is fun and easy to ride regardless of how experienced you are in the saddle.

Whereas folding bikes are inherently more portable and better suited to anyone whose journey includes a leg by train or car, big bikes like the Volt London are vastly more comfortable to ride over long distances thanks to their larger wheels.

More expensive than traditional bikes, it can be helpful to think of electric bikes as a long-term investment. Interest-free finance plans and cycle to work schemes can bring the monthly cost of an e-bike down to the equivalent of a London travelcard, or your petrol bill, so long as you can commit to the lifestyle change.

How we tested:

We’ve been riding around on the Volt London for a number of weeks, using it to tackle our regular commute across the big smoke itself, as well as on jaunts along our local canal paths and parks.

Our commute includes a pretty horrible hill, and is made up of segregated cycle paths, painted cycle paths and sections where we share the road with vehicles. This gives us a good sense of how suitable the Volt London is on a variety of different commutes.

Volt London: £2,199, Voltbikes.co.uk

(Volt)

• Rating: 8/10
• Range: 30 to 60 miles
• Top speed: 15.5mph
• Charging time: Three to four hors
• Frame size: 19in
• Wheel size: 27.5in
• Weight: 22.1kg (19.5kg without battery)
• Frame materials: Lightweight aluminium
• Drivetrain: Single-speed

Pros: Smoother, comfortable ride. Great range. Easy to maintain.

Cons: We’d have liked a carbon belt drive

A single-speed electric commuter bike, the Volt London feels about as home in the big city as very expensive paninis and pigeons with missing toes. This classically designed e-bike has been built around the particular needs of the urban cyclist, meaning it’s simple to maintain, comfortable to ride, can blast out of cycle boxes like a startled rabbit, and has enough range to cross the capital three or four times between charges.

The Volt London is the first single-speed electric in the British brand’s expanding range of folding and hybrid bikes. Built saddle-to-pedal using top-shelf parts, the spec list is a who’s who of the most hallowed names in cycling tech. There’s a 250W Spintech/Bafang motor and torque sensor, a Shimano single-speed gear system, a removable Panasonic lithium battery, Tektro hydraulic brakes and puncture-resistant Schwalbe tyres with a retro-looking orange-wall finish.

(Volt)

It’s also a joy to ride. Traditional single-speed bikes are known for their easy maintenance and simple construction, but because they don’t have the luxury of gears they can be a challenge to ride on hilly terrain and slow to accelerate away from a standing start. On an electric bike the lack of gears barely matters. The motor does the job instead, particularly in the case of the Volt London which uses a torque sensor to continuously determine how much assistance to provide.

Whereas some e-bikes deliver power based on your cadence – that is, how often the pedals are turning – a torque sensor only cares about how hard you’re pushing. That means the Volt London can deliver a much smoother ride in response to the effort your calves are putting in. You get a more gentle push, rather than the intermitted driving force you sometimes get on cadence-based motors.

(Volt)

For example, when you go from a level road to an incline, you tend to react by pedalling a little harder to maintain your speed – which the torque sensor notices – sending a signal to the motor to deliver more power and take the stress back off your legs. This all happens continuously and automatically as you ride, the intelligent motor working in tandem with your human muscles to propel you around.

The result is hills that feel like they’re not there, and shirts that aren’t stuck to your back with sweat when you arrive at the ambassador’s reception, or wherever it is you plan on riding your bike to.

The same trick happens when you pull away from a standing start. On the highest of the Volt London’s three assistance levels, the bike dumps nearly all of its power into the rear wheel as soon as you begin to move, accelerating you up to the mandated speed limit of 15.5mph with virtually no effort and placing you safely clear of any vehicles behind you. Unless you want to go much faster than that, the pedals barely need turning. You can just settle down and enjoy the ride.

(Volt)

The classic shape of the Volt London places the rider in a more upright position – think Mary Poppins rather than Chris Hoy – which gives a commanding view of the road and everyone on it, but the lack of other frame sizes or a step-through version could make the Volt London cumbersome for some riders.

The thick, puncture-resistant tyres are ideal for city commutes too, nimble enough to dodge potholes and tough enough to handle all of the various bits of jagged detritus that end up in cycle lanes.

The range of the Volt London is ample enough that we never had to think about it. Volt advertises 60 miles, but e-bike ranges are not an exact science. Your mileage will vary depending on your weight, how flat your journey is, the assistance level, the temperature outside, and the phase of the moon (okay, we’re slightly exaggerating on that last part, but still).

(Volt)

Our commute is eight miles each way, and with the assistance level set to high the bike could manage two round trips (around 30 miles) before the battery level indicator began to make us feel anxious. The tube-shaped battery is detachable and locks flush with the frame of the bike, so you can quickly pop it out and charge it at your desk using your employer’s electricity.

The Dutch-style lock – a C-shaped sliding bolt permanently fixed to the frame that disables the rear wheel – is a neat touch, as is the NFC immobiliser that disengages when you tap a plastic keyring card against the on-board computer. In conjunction with a regular bike lock it makes the Volt London a little harder to steal, and makes it that much more likely a thief will target the bike next to yours instead.

You don’t get the space-age GPS tracking of a Cowboy or a VanMoof, but the jury’s out on how useful those advanced security features are versus having a big chain (or simply never leaving your bike somewhere it could be swiped).

(Volt)

Another helpful feature for city riders is the porteur rack above the front wheel, which you can use to carry all of your important city documents around. And there’s an option to add a pannier rack on the back for heavier items.

The verdict: Volt London electric bike

The Volt London is an exceptional electric bike designed with the urban commuter firmly in mind. The single-speed system and torque-sensitive motor are the ideal combo for city cycling – where the constant stopping and starting makes frequent gear changes tiresome – while the bike’s lack of gears means there’s physically less stuff that can go wrong. That’s reassuring if you don’t know your derailleur from your pannier.

There are cheaper alternatives, but for your money you’re getting a superb British-made electric bike with a two year warranty and local on-site support should you need any repairs or help. The Volt London is a strong argument for getting around on two wheels rather than four.

Buy now £2,199, Voltbikes.co.uk

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