Vintage Electric Tracker Classic Review

This review was provided for free using a demo bike from Vintage Iron in Vancouver Canada. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Vintage Electric products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Vintage electric bike forums.

Observations:

• The Tracker Classic comes in two colors, includes paint-matched metal fenders, and uses a long swept-back handlebar, making it more of a cruiser than the 72 volt models. It’s still very powerful, but has a lower torque rating (160nm vs. 180nm) and lower unlocked top speed rating (26mph vs. 40mph) than the Roadster, Shelby, and Scrambler. It’s a bit less expensive, and does not include an inverted suspension fork.
• I was told that the Tracker Classic can be upgraded to match the power and speed stats of the high performance 72 volt series models for customers who are willing to pay a bit extra (the same $7k price) or you can just do the battery and controller or just the inverted suspension fork for $1,000 individually. I believe Vintage Electric will even do custom colors for their bikes if a customer wants something truly unique and are willing to pay extra.
• The bike has lots of low-end torque to help accelerate and climb hills, it also has a high weight capacity of 300lbs vs. 250lbs on many other products I’ve tested and reviewed.

Pros:

• Incredible aesthetic, these are some of the coolest looking electric bikes I’ve had the opportunity to ride. The hydroformed frame tubing, custom paint and designs, custom battery box, and motorcycle inspired headlight match perfectly and really set Vintage apart from others.
• The bike feels solid, and none of the parts rattled during my ride tests. There’s no vibration or jarring feeling on this bike like many others I’ve tested. I think the increased weight is part of what makes it comfortable. Note that you can lower the tire pressure and upgrade the rigid seat post to a suspension post to further improve comfort.
• It’s extremely quiet, because the gearless direct drive motor does not have any gears rubbing inside. It’s larger and heavier than a planetary geared motor, but I believe these are more reliable, and you get regenerative braking as well. Note that only the right brake lever activates regen.
• Unlike most of the other moped and motorcycle inspired electric bicycles I see, this one has a traditional bicycle saddle with adjustable height seat post. That means you can pedal more comfortably, getting full leg extension. I love the long swept back handlebar they chose because it can be swiveled to change body position, and is made of steel so it dampens vibration. You can swap this handlebar for a more aggressive bar like the Scrambler, Roadster, and Shelby have if you wish..
• Excellent touch points. The saddle is very comfortable, the grips are thick and feel solid (since they are locking), and even the pedals worked well… though they are not as wide as something like the Wellgo BMX pedal. Consider switching to these if you have large feet and want a bigger surface area. They do come in a range of colors, and Magnesium build if you prefer to save weight.
• The company is very approachable and supportive. They will help you upgrade older models to the newest software and equipment and change out components to suit your needs. The company is founder owned and operated, and he started it when he was 21 years old! Check out this episode with him and Jay Lenno from 2015.
• Depending on your location, the bike will ship as a Class 2 product with different nominal motor power rating. It’s 750 watts in the United States, 500 watts in Canada, and 250 watts in the United Kingdom. They also sell a lot in Indonesia apparently! Regardless of geography, I believe it still offers an incredible 160nm of torque, which is 3x their older bikes and is very noticeable when starting from standstill. Lots of fun, very good hill climber, can support up to 300lb riders.
• For those who want extra power and speed, to use off-road or on private property, the company sells a “High Speed Key” for $150 that allows any it to reach 26 miles per hour (64km/h). This might be useable as a Class 3 product if you got the Race Mode Chip. It seems like the company is dedicated to offering good support, and they actually offer a two year comprehensive warranty which is great!
• Compared to some of the other motorcycle inspired ebikes, this one is quite a bit lighter. I’ve seen products from ONYX, Sur Ron, Segway, and Super 73 that can weigh quite a bit more (sometimes 100lbs) and are setup more like dirt bikes than street motorcycles.
• The pedal assist performance is very good. The Thun bottom bracket sensor measures cadence and torque, so it’s more natural feeling than just cadence. That’s a big deal given the single speed drivetrain. I never felt overwhelmed by pedal assist, but was always impressed by the instant power of the trigger throttle. The trigger throttle is limited by the assist level, which is probably a safety choice. In order to get full power you need to be in assist level 5.
• The hub motor still looks like it did on previous models, it’s still made with Crystalyte, but has upgraded aluminum alloy staters and torque-optimized copper winding design. For context, most other hub motor powered electric bikes I try are in the 50nm to 70nm range and this one is 160nm! It’s still silent, offers regenerative braking, and should be very durable and long lasting.
• I was amazed that the price of the 72 Volt series, including the Scrambler, is the same as it was in 2019 when I last covered it. That starts to seem like a good value with so many less powerful and less beautiful products being sold in the $4k to $5k range these days.
• In addition to the motor, the battery has also been upgraded with higher energy density cells. you get well over 1kwh of capacity for long range or high power use. The included charger is faster than most, offering 5 amp output, but it’s also a bit larger and heavier as shown in the photos and video above.
• The bike is about three pounds lighter than the older model (much of this has to do with the battery and motor changes). Lighter is better in most cases when it comes to electric bikes, and it makes the bike easier to lift for service and transport on car racks.
• The sturdy 20mm clamped axle with wider Boost hub spacing ensures maximum strength for the spokes and front wheel, which is important given the weight and potential for higher speeds here. The rear axle is 12mm thick vs. 9mm on most bicycles I test.
• Note the leather accents at the top portion of the fork between the double-crown mounts. These keep the tubes from marring the side of the frame when you turn sharp or park the bike (they protect against oversteer). One drawback is that the turning radius of the bike is wider, so you might need to do multi-point turns.
• Premium Promax Lucid hydraulic disc brakes offer the stopping power needed for high-speed riding and a heavier bike build. The 203 mm front rotor will do more than half of the work as weight shifts forward, and it will cool faster because of the increased surface area. The rear brake rotor is 160mm, which is smaller than expected, but keeps the rear from getting too crowded.
• When activating the right brake lever, the controller system activates regenerative braking to recoup some energy. This helps to reduce speed and wear on the brake pads. The controller is designed to never overfill or damage the battery however, so you might notice regen fading out if you’re at 100% full and descending a long hill.
• The metal fenders felt sturdy, did not rattle when riding on rough terrain, and definitely add some style to the bike because they are paint matched and skirted on the sides. They should keep you clean, but you might notice little pebbles clicking through occasionally. Note that the fenders may be aluminum alloy or steel depending on the run. The demo bike I tried had steel fenders.
• Decent weight distribution, the bike may be heavy but at least the battery box is mounted low and center on the frame, this improves handling and keeps the frame stiff compared to e-bikes with rear-rack batteries.

Cons:

• Although the bike is now roughly three pounds lighter than the prior generation Tracker, it is still fairly heavy at 84.5lbs. This is due in part to the heavy duty steel fork, handlebar, fenders, 20mm front axle, stylized frame and battery box, high capacity battery, as well as the powerful direct drive hub motor.
• The bike costs a lot, though I was impressed that the price hasn’t really increased since 2019 when I last covered it. In addition to the base cost, you’ll need to pay $199 more for shipping, or $75 for delivery if you live in the Bay Area (near San Francisco California). You can pick it up for free by visiting the Vintage Electric headquarters in Santa Clara. The Race Mode Key costs an additional $150 if you want to unlock off-road 40mph use, and of course the bags and seat post suspension also cost extra.
• This is a fairly minor gripe, but there are no bottle cage mounts on the frame. With traditional bicycles, you might find one on the downtube or seat tube, but that area is taken up by the custom battery box. Consider a handlebar clamp bottle holder, trunk bag with bottle holster if you get the rear rack, or a hydration backpack.
• The charging port for the battery is located on the right side of the frame, low down by the crank arm. This means you have to bend down to plug it in, and the cable could get caught or sheered off if the cranks are spun while the bike is plugged in. Thankfully, that’s not super likely given that the kickstand creates pedal lock on the left side of the frame so the crank can’t spin all the way around repeatedly.
• The battery charger is fairly heavy at 2.8lbs and quite large. This makes it less portable, in my opinion. It’s also not as adjustable as the charger you get with the 72 Volt Series, which allows for 80% or 100% fill and even the speed from 1 amp to 5 amp. This charger just goes at 5 amp and I assume it fills to 100% each time.
• The kickstand does not offer adjustable height, and it’s positioned at the center of the frame on the left side. This puts it directly in the path of the left crank, which can cause pedal lock if you back the bike up while the kickstand is deployed.
• The battery itself is more permanently bolted to the bike frame. It’s not like some other ebikes that allow you to park the bike in one spot and charge the battery in another. This could expose the pack to extreme temperatures, and means you will have to park the bike near a charging outlet to fill it.
• Since the bike is a single speed, it doesn’t offer as much flexibility or support for starting and climbing, or reaching and maintaining high speeds without spinning fast. There’s a sweet spot where pedaling feels good, and you won’t need to do as much drivetrain maintenance with this setup, it’s just less efficient and enjoyable at other speeds. This is why it was important for them to use a cadence and torque sensor, since you won’t be able to exert much force at higher speeds because the pedals will be going so fast.
• As nice as the bike looks overall, the wires are external and a bit messy at some spots. You can see them bundled up near the base of the battery box and the bottom bracket. This probably makes them easier to service and improves overall frame strength vs. internal routing. It’s nice that the bike can support up to 300lbs, which is above average.
• The bike only comes in one frame size and the stem isn’t super adjustable (you can only swivel the handlebar). I appreciate the adjustable height saddle, because it allows for better leg extension and comfort, but otherwise this is a single size single frame style high-step.
• The grayscale display is easy to read and its buttons are reachable, but there’s no USB charging, the battery charge level indicator isn’t as precise (just 5 bars, each representing 20%), and it’s not removable. In some ways it’s kind of basic, but it’s intuitive enough and does offer settings menu if you hold up and down. Press M to cycle main display readouts, hold up to activate lights, and hold down to activate walk mode.
• The rear light is positioned just under and behind the saddle. It’s nice to have it high up, to clear the fender and optional rack, but if you have a jacket or backpack on, it could easily hang down and block it. Keep this in mind, and note that the Scrambler uses knobby tires that do not have reflective stripes like the Roadster and Shelby. Since the bike is all black, it might not be as visible to cars and other cyclists in low light conditions.
• The gearless hub motor has a big of magnetic drag. This is the case for all of the direct drive motors I’ve covered, and it is somewhat balanced by the regeneration that you get. Note that pedaling without assist, or beyond the supported assist and throttle will be more difficult than with a geared hub motor or regular bicycle. You could hypothetically charge the battery up by pedaling, but it would be lots of work and very inefficient :)
• It would be nice if the display had a range estimator or battery percentage instead of just five squares (which each represent 20% steps and just aren’t as precise).

Resources:

• Vintage electric bike dealers.
• Official Vintage Electric website.