The unique frame design is what really makes the Evelo Dash standout as a folding e-bike. This frame was literally designed from scratch on a clean sheet of paper. Every tube is unique to the frame, and the development of the frame was a nearly three year process from prototype to finished product. All of the tubes are unique, unlike other e-bike frames that are produced from standard off the shelf tubes. The Dash’s frame passed the more stringent mountain bike test (ISO 4210) before being introduced to buyers. Even though this was not an industry requirement for this type of e-bike, it shows that Evelo is serious about maximizing this bike’s durability.
When you look at how you can take advantage of this bike’s foldability, you will start to see how valuable the Evelo Dash really is. When I used to ride the train everyday to my job downtown, I could’ve kept this bike with me and used it to take me that last mile-and-a-half to the office, instead of riding the bus. When I drove those long crosscountry trips to visit family, I could’ve fit this in my trunk and used it for transportation when my wife needed the car. When I was living in my apartment, and had no safe place to park and lock my bike overnight, I could’ve made this my e-bike and conveniently stored it inside my dinky apartment.
Do you see what I mean about how this folding e-bike can take care of needs you might not have thought about before?
Compared to cheaper folding e-bikes on the market, Evelo offers a more upscale product with its Dash model. The smooth acceleration of the mid-drive motor to the internal gear hub is an efficient way to get power out of the small motor, even though its output will drop proportionally as you go faster. This bike is meant to get you there, plain and simple, not get you there at the same speed as a regular e-bike. That’s the give-and-take of having the folding convenience, and being able to ride when you previously couldn’t.
The Dash is not for the budget-focused consumer. Evelo mixed in high quality components, like the mid-drive motor, internal gear hub, and torque sensor, which puts this in the $3000 range, not the $1500 range. That’s not a bad price range at all considering what the Dash includes. The cheaper models will likely be heavier and not have the same folding convenienece. My advice is for you to look twice before dismissing this e-bike as too expensive.
Also, remember how clean life will be having a belt drive and internal gear hub – no dirty deposits left in your trunk, closet or clothes because there’s no greasy chain, chainring or cassette. Thank you Gates and Sturmey-Archer!
New Dash owners who are new to internal gear hubs will have a learning curve as they get the hang of shifting on hills. The lack of shiftability might frustrate unaware riders in the beginning, but you’ll get the hang of it with time and conscious approaches to steeper hills.
Evelo touts their responsiveness to site visitors and existing owners, claiming they are on duty seven days a week. While we can’t speak to that, their handful of reviews are good and the company demonstrates an understanding of bikes that goes deeper than just talking to a Chinese factory. This is a company that understands both bikes and mobility. (For those curious about origin stories, the Mordkovich brothers, who started Evelo, have a pretty fascinating path to launching the bike brand.)
Like many of the brands we review, they are direct to consumer, but offer buyers a 21-day at-home trial. Should the occasion to put an e-bike’s warranty to use occurs, it will usually emerge in the first year or two of bike ownership. Evelo offers a four year warranty, which is a substantial improvement over the single year offered by many companies.
The Evelo Dash is an e-bike that presents a strong take on what a folding e-bike can be. Even for those who weren’t sold on the idea of a folding bike, this is one worth looking at for its sheer versatility.
‘Happy Riding, make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Evelo Dash.
