EVELO Galaxy 500 Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I regularly charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by EVELO, who sent me the bike to keep. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of EVELO products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the EVELO electric bike forums.

Observations:

• EVELO launched the Galaxy series with the Galaxy ST in 2017 and then followed it up with the Galaxy 24″ in 2019/2019. That model came in two different versions, including a “fully loaded” setup with premium touch points and brakes. EVELO has simplified with their latest Galaxy 500, which resembles the “fully loaded” Galaxy 24″ except it now uses a Dapu mid-drive motor vs. Bafang. They said that the reliability of the motor and display has been improved, and my experience riding the bike has been great.
• EVELO is one of the few ebike companies that I’ve seen using belt drives, continuously variable transmission systems, and electronic shifting. When you consider their mid-level price points, these components really stand out and set them apart. The company is also widely recognized as offering some of the best customer service, including a trial period where individuals can buy and test a bike and then receive a full refund if the product is not a perfect fit. They offer an outstanding four year warranty, and they have been in business since 2011. This makes them one of the oldest dedicated electric bike companies in North America.

Pros:

• The EVELO Galaxy 500 is a premium build with smooth welds on the frame, internally routed cables, two-tone metallic paint job, and expertly chosen accessories (fenders, rear rack, lights).
• I love how they setup the throttle, it activates from standstill in any of the five assist levels and offers full power based on how far you press the trigger. It’s a great setup that is very empowering, and is an improvement over their older designs.
• EVELO switched to Dapu from Bafang in recent years, because it allowed them to offer throttle on demand and has been more reliable (including the display). Pedego is another company that I trust who has used this drive system, and the feedback seems to be very positive. I believe that Dapu is a Japanese brand.
• The motor controller is fairly advanced, measuring rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque. This makes the bike feel natural and smooth when starting and accelerating. Both brake levers have motor inhibitors, so stopping is also nearly instant and adds an extra level of control. Many similar products that use mid-drive motors with advanced sensors like this do not have motor inhibiting brake levers or offer throttle mode. That really makes the bike unique.
• The main tube is extra wide and flared at the end to add strength, which reduces frame flex. The welding job here is excellent, very smooth and beautiful. Internally routed cables are protected and hidden for a nice aesthetic, once they enter at the top of the downtube and before exiting at the top of the seat tube.
• High volume puncture resistant tires give this bike a smoother feel and increased durability. They lower the attack angle, performing and handling more like a 26″ wheel while still keeping the bike frame low to the ground for approachability and stabilizing at standstill.
• The combination of high volume tires, 45+mm of spacers and a 45-degree 120mm riser stem, swept back handlebars, ergonomic grips, and sprung gel saddle all make this a very comfortable ebike. This is important, because the Galaxy 500 does not have a suspension fork or suspension seat post. Overall, it works great, and you could add a 27.2mm suspension post aftermarket if you wanted to.
• The battery pack is removable for reduced weight when lifting/servicing, and it makes charging and storing more convenient! Avoid extreme heat and cold to help extend battery pack life. Consider using the hidden red toggle switch to disable the battery pack when the bike is locked in public places to deter tampering.
• The LCD display panel is large, easy to read, very intuitive to use, and has lots of advanced options such as brightness adjust, max speed adjust (so you could lower it from 20mph or go up to 25mph for “off road” use) and there’s even a password option to further secure the bike when locked outside.
• The frame has bottle cage bosses on the downtube, in an easy to reach location! Whether you use them for a bottle, folding lock, mini pump, or other accessory (or none at all), it’s nice to have the option. The frame also has a mounting point for adding a cafe lock to the rear wheel. This is a popular European accessory that is rarely available for North America ebikes. Great job EVELO!
• The hydraulic disc brakes are great, notice the larger 180mm front rotor that adds mechanical leverage and cooling ability as weight shifts forward. The hydraulic disc brake levers both have motor inhibitors and offer adjustable reach to better fit different hand sizes!
• The Enviolo Automatic is a very cool drivetrain because it allows for shifting at standstill, and provides two shifting modes. The first is blue, which lets you pick a cadence speed that will stay the same even as the bike goes faster or slower (automatically adjusting based on terrain and workload). The second is orange, which lets you choose a gearing ratio that remains constant, this is more like a gear on a traditional bicycle… a low gear will feel comfortable when climbing but may have you spinning fast and feeling slow on flat or downhill sections.
• Gates Carbon belt drive is super quiet, lightweight, and durable. I’m told that they tend to last longer than traditional chains, and they don’t bounce around or fall off as easily. Gates has a special CDX center-track design that keeps their belt on track, and it has worked well during the hundreds of test rides and reviews I’ve conducted using it over the years.
• The button pad that controls the display is very intuitive. The + and – buttons raise or lower assist and the power button activates lights when pressed after the bike is already on. In doing so, it also changes the display color scheme to be darker, so as not to ruin night vision. Holding the Set button will allow you to change the units, adjust the top speed, and even adjust the brightness.
• The battery pack and cells come from a company called Greenway that is said to be very reliable. I believe that many of the production bikes actually come with Panasonic cells inside, which are also known for being some of the highest quality and most reliable. Given the four year warranty from EVELO, I get the sense that they just go for quality all around.
• It’s really expensive to develop a frame that can work with belt drives, so that’s a big deal and something that really sets the Evelo Galaxy models apart, they had to engineer a break in the frame (a cutout on the rear right seat stay) for the belt to go through since it cannot be unlinked like a chain. Even with this cut out, it’s impressive that the bike is rated up to 300lbs!
• Moving the weight of the bike and riders takes a lot of power, mid-drives tend to be some of the most powerful when combined with a gearing system (the Enviolo CVT in this case), and since the motor is rated up to 90 newton meters, this is actually one of the most powerful ebikes around right now. The larger EVELO Aurora is going to be similar in terms of torque, but has a higher watt rating for the motor.
• Interestingly, even though the battery and heavier NuVinci CVP hub are towards the rear of the bike, it balanced out well when we lifted just in front of the saddle. I think this has to do with motor weight being low and center.
• I was delighted to learn that the electronic shifting for the Enviolo Automatic runs off of the main ebike battery! If it senses the battery getting low, it will automatically shift to the lowest gear so you can pedal home without struggling if the battery completely runs out.
• I love how easy the battery charging port is to reach (at the back left corner of the battery pack). This means you won’t have to bend down to plug it in, and you won’t be running wires near the cranks and other moving parts of the bike.
• The rear light turns on and goes bright whenever you pull the brake lever. So, even if the lights are already on, it gets even brighter to help keep you visible! This is due to the motor inhibitors that also send a signal to cut power when braking. It’s a nice setup.

Cons:

• The kickstand performs well, doesn’t rattle a lot, and didn’t feel loose at all, but it can create pedal lock if left deployed while backing the bike up (or if the pedals are rotated backwards). This is because it’s mounted behind the bottom bracket vs. further back on the left chainstay. Keep this in mind if you’re baking the bike out of a tight space like a garage or other storage area, because once it’s locked, you’ll need to move the bike forward and push the pedals simultaneously to stow the stand… and that can be tricky.
• EVELO chose a rear rack battery mount for the Galaxy 500 because it frees up the center of the frame and allows the length to be shorter (creating a shorter reach for upright body position). I’m not a huge fan of this battery position because it can increase frame flex and lead to speed wobble, it also changes handling. Ideally, battery weight and motor weight would be low and center. Overall, they did a good job with the rack and overbuilt the frame to address performance, so this is only a minor issue and a reasonable compromise to improve approachability.
• I like how the tires are just black; there’s no big flashy busy branding going on. However, they do not have reflective sidewall stripes, which could enhance your visual footprint and overall safety. Considering the silver frame and integrated lights, this is still a very visible product compared to most.
• There are LOTS of wires at the front of the bike because this ebike has so many systems and sensors going on. Additional wires include brake motor inhibitors, throttle, and independent button pad (along with standard brake lines, display panel, and shifter cable). These extra wires join together in one big bundle which passes very close to the headlight, and sometimes bumps it. This could impact the positioning of the light, so keep an eye on the bolt that secures it.
• Since EVELO mostly sells direct (aside from a few dealers and their flagship Seattle warehouse, where you can test ride and buy in person), most customers will perform some assembly. The bike is fairly heavy and that requires extra time and strength to deal with… there’s also some foam and cardboard to deal with. It’s less convenient than going to an ebike shop, and that goes for maintenance service as well. Thankfully, this mid-drive motor, belt drive, and CVT hub should be extremely reliable.
• It would be nice if the display had more readouts like average speed, max speed, estimated range, and showed battery percentage vs. five bars (representing 20% increments). I would also love to have a USB charging port to fill my phone from the ebike battery if it was being used for GPS or other apps. The button pad + and – buttons required a more intentional press during my reviews, and occasionally didn’t respond; requiring additional presses.
• The Enviolo NuVinci continuously variable transmission hub is intuitive to shift with, but it’s not as efficient as a standard cassette. It also weighs more because it’s full of traction fluid, and it costs more. For an application like this, I think it’s a great fit, but these are all still considerations to make.
• The rear rack is positioned well, and it protects the battery pack and rear light, but some of its weight capacity is used up by the 7.4lb battery pack. There’s room on top for a trunk bag and possibly panniers (especially the kind that hang over the top), but the rack tubing doesn’t offer a lot of space for clip-on panniers due to the battery pack. There is a bungee loop at the bottom of the rack, which could be used to secure lightweight items. I suspect that some chid seats would work, such as the THULE Yepp! Nexxt.
• Since the bike only comes in one frame size, it might not fit larger riders. I’m 5’9″ and had to raise the seat as far as it would go to get full leg extension while pedaling. They recommend the Galaxy 500 for riders 4’10” to 5’10” tall and have the EVELO Aurora for larger riders.
• This is a minor gripe, but the bike does not have a suspension fork or suspension seat post. Most of the comfort is addressed by higher volume tires, the swept back handlebar with ergonomic grips, and the sprung gel saddle… and it feels pretty good. You could always add a 27.2mm suspension seatpost aftermarket if you wanted to. By skipping the suspension fork, they matched the fork better to the frame color, saved money, reduced weight, and reduced frame flex.
• Considering that EVELO is smaller and less well known than Trek, Specialized, or Giant, this ebike is priced fairly high. I think the components, quality of the build, and excellent customer service justify this price, but it is still on the expensive side, and that’s a consideration.
• The Galaxy models are definitely on the heavy side, this one weighs about 59.3 pounds, and some of that is due to the reinforced frame, fenders, and rack, as well as the continuously variable transmission hub. For this reason, it’s nice that the battery can be removed to reduce weight by 7.4 pounds
• Make sure that the battery is actually locked into position before you ride away, it doesn’t automatically lock in without you turning the key so I’d probably double check it before riding

Useful Resources:

• Official EVELO website