Name: Vintage Electric E-Tracker Review
Item: Vintage Electric E-Tracker
Author: Court Rye

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Vintage Electric E-Tracker Review

Vintage Electric Bikes E Tracker Electric Bike Review 1

Vintage Electric Bikes E Tracker Crystalyte Hub Motor

Vintage Electric Bikes E Tracker Lights Button Speed Fuse

Vintage Electric Bikes E Tracker Bar Trigger Throttle Regenerative Brake Button

Vintage Electric E Tracker 160 Mm Avid Bb7 Brake

Vintage Electric E Tracker Brooks Leather Grips

Vintage Electric E Tracker Brooks Sprung Saddle Led Lights

Vintage Electric E Tracker Battery Charge Port

Vintage Electric E Tracker Classic Headlight

Vintage Electric E Tracker Integrated Carry Rack

Vintage Electric E Tracker Schwalbe Fat Frank Balloon Tires

A beautifully styled single speed electric bike that functions like a moped and can reach ~36 mph with the optional "Race Edition" upgrade or function as street legal at the default 20 mph
Good weight distribution and heat dissipation thanks to a custom made aluminum alloy battery box that's permanently mounted mid-frame, multiple color choices, beautiful matching accessories
Single speed drivetrain isn't much fun to pedal if you run out of batteries, no power level gauge, pedal assist isn't super responsive and brake levers don't have inhibitors

Warning, in some configurations this electric bike is classified as a moped or motorcycle and may not be ridden on cycling trails or paths. It may require licensing, insurance and lights when used on public roads.

Make:

Vintage Electric

Model:

E-Tracker

Price:

$4,995 USD (Up to $6,845 with Accessories and Upgrades)

Body Position:

Upright

Suggested Use:

Urban

Electric Bike Class:

Throttle on Demand (Class 2), Moped or Motorcycle (Class 4)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

1 Year Comprehensive, 30,000 Miles

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2015

Total Weight:

72 lbs (32.65 kg) (74 with Rear Rack)

Frame Material:

Hydroformed Aluminum Alloy

Frame Types:

High-Step

Frame Colors:

Indian Red, Excelsior Blue, Slate Grey, Racing Green, Custom (~$600 Extra) (High Grade Powder Coat)

Frame Fork Details:

Rigid Tig Welded Steel with Hand Crafted Leather Frame Bumps, CNC Machined High Grade Billet Aluminum Triple Clamp

Gearing Details:

1 (Single Speed)

Pedals:

Aluminum Alloy Platform

Handlebar:

Stainless Steel, Hand Made, Swept Back

Brake Details:

Avid BB7 Road S Mechanical Disc with 160 mm HS1 Rotors

Grips:

Brooks, Hand Crafted Leather with Lockers

Saddle:

Brooks, Hand Crafted Leather, Sprung

Rims:

Aluminum Alloy

Spokes:

36 Spoke, Hand Laced and Tensioned

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe Fat Frank, 26" x 2.35"

Wheel Sizes:

26 in (66.04cm)

Tire Details:

KevlarGuard Puncture Protection, Reflective Sidewall Stripe, Available in Black or Creme Colors

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Single Side Kickstand on Left, High Speed Charger: DC 52 VC 110/220 AC Compatible, Aluminum Alloy Rear Fender, Xanadu Headlight, Optional Rear Carry Rack with Integrated Leather Accents ~$290, Optional Rear Carry Rack with Integrated Leather Accents and Two Saddlebags ~$800, Optional Rear Light Integrated with Brooks Saddle $75 Extra, Optional Brooks Challenge Bag ~$100 Extra

Other:

Regenerative Braking Button on Left Bar, Pedal Assist is Required for Bikes Shipping to the EU, Each Bike is Numbered Like Artwork

Motor Brand:

Crystalyte

Motor Type:

Rear-Mounted Gearless Direct Drive Hub

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

750 watts

Motor Peak Output:

3000 watts

Battery Voltage:

52 volts (60 Amp Continuous)

Battery Amp Hours:

12.5 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

650 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

2 hours

Estimated Min Range:

20 miles (32 km)

Estimated Max Range:

30 miles (48 km)

Drive Mode:

Trigger Throttle, Cadence Sensing Pedal Assist (Pedal Assist is Optional and Costs ~$130)

Top Speed:

36 mph (58 kph)(Default 20 mph Mode, Activate High Speed with 10 Amp Fuse for ~$150 Extra)

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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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The E-Tracker is a high speed capable electric bicycle modeled after the gasoline powered track racing bikes of the early 1900’s. Those motorcycles were raced on wood-planked motodromes in the US (modeled after European velodromes for bicycles) that included steep banked corners and bleachers for crowds of paying race fans. With the onset of the Great Depression in America during the 1930’s and the high price of resurfacing the tracks, this sport quickly died out. What Vintage Electric Bikes has created in the E-Tracker is a single speed electric moped that cultivates nostalgia and delivers high speed “off road” use at ~36 mph or lower speed “street legal” at 20 mph in the US. It’s also legal in Europe if you select the optional ~$130 cadence sensor. My experience testing this ebike was mixed, I actually spent two separate days with it to fully explore the features and handling. It performs best under throttle power and isn’t much fun to pedal if you run out of juice given the ~72 pound footprint and single speed drivetrain. The squishy balloon tires and premium Brooks sprung saddle were comfortable enough but in many ways this is a showpiece and there are lots of opportunities for improvement that I’ll dig into below.

The motor driving this bike is a 3,000 watt Crystalyte gearless hub located in the rear wheel. It’s very capable, even the default limited 750 watts output feels strong and fast despite the heavier frame. It’s not super quiet but I kind of liked the noise because it fits the overall motorcycle theme. Gearless hub motors have fewer moving parts and that makes them durable but they also tend to weigh more and have a larger visual footprint in order to generate torque. It blends in well enough and the matching black spokes are a nice touch. With the optional ~$600 performance upgrade (basically a 10 Amp fuse that completes a circuit on the left side of the battery pack) you can unleash the full 3k watts that this motor is capable of but do be careful if you’re riding on public roads without a license. Many states will let you register this as a moped and legally ride at the ~36 mph top speed and for liability purposes it’s totally worth exploring. I was able to ride this in a rural environment at top speed and it was a blast.

Powering the motor and headlight (as well as the optional rear LED light) is an impressive 52 volt 12.5 amp hour Lithium-ion battery pack that’s capable of putting out 60 amps! The cells are all contained within the custom made aluminum casing that’s positioned low and center on the frame. I love how they designed it to match the internal combustion motors used on vintage track bikes and the aluminum is not only light weight but also great at dissipating heat. The big drawback here however is that the pack cannot be easily taken off for convenient transport, storage or charging. This is a real bummer because the bike is already very heavy and the battery likely weighs upwards of 15 pounds with the case. I’m guessing that many owners will leave this machine in their garage and if temperatures get extreme the battery cells can degrade more quickly. Ideally, you want to store Lithium-ion packs in a cool dry environment and keep them between 20% and 80% charged. With the E-Tracker that can be difficult because there isn’t a battery level indicator on the pack or on a display panel. This can be a huge issue if you’re out and about riding the bike and then run out of juice because it’s not that fun to pedal. One proactive measure would be to take the charger along in a backpack or using the optional rear rack and panniers. It’s a high quality quick-charge capable unit that works with 110 or 120 volts and can completely fill the pack in about two hours.

Operating this electric bike is dead simple… You stick the key into the slot on the left side of the battery and twist from horizontal position to vertical. Thankfully, you can easily take the key out and avoid bumping it while riding/pedaling but one possible downside is that it’s very easy to leave the bike on and drain the battery a bit extra. There aren’t any indicator lights on the trigger throttle or elsewhere to help you remember to shut it off but I believe there is a built in auto-off feature after 15 minutes or so. Okay… so once the bike is “on” you have two choices. You can press the circular button near the key slot and activate the headlight (and optional rear light) or you can press the trigger throttle to activate the motor (or pedal with the optional cadence sensor). The cockpit is clean and intuitive, I love the swept back handlebars and Brooks leather grips with metallic end caps. This thing feels awesome to ride around but the utility factor of knowing how fast you’re going, how far you’ve traveled and how much juice is left in your battery left me a bit disappointed. Maybe there’s a way to do a mobile app in the future or something?

I think the biggest complaint I have with the E-Tracker electric bike is that in pedal assist mode, the motor isn’t especially responsive in shutting off once you’ve ceased moving the crank arms. The 160 mm mechanical disc brakes are barely acceptable in my mind given the weight and speed offered here and without motor inhibitor switches in the brake levers it can feel a bit out of control during tense “must stop!!” moments. I expressed this in the video review and mentioned that the regenerative brake button could be an effective way to cut power but that it wasn’t as intuitive to use. I found that trying to pull both brake levers and activate regen made my left hand feel open and vulnerable instead of secure and in control. Still, if you come at this thing like a moped and only use the throttle option to just scoot around town it becomes a joy to ride. It’s beautiful, fairly practical with the fender, optional rack and bags and comfortable with the balloon tires and spring saddle. The reflective sidewalls on the tires are nice, the four default frame colors are classy and the cantilever high-step design is sturdy. I feel like they could do a better job with wire management and the price is pretty steep (especially with all of the options) but many elements are hand crafted and the limited-edition numbered frame feels almost like art. If you know you want this bike then I’m telling you it’s fun to ride and feels high-quality… just remember to top the battery off every couple of months if you haven’t used it and ride safe if you unlock the higher speed. The one year warranty sounds good but this appears to be Vintage Electric Bikes’ only model and I’m not sure how a battery replacement would work after a few years of heavy use? I’m excited to see them refine the design and address some of these issues with future iterations.

Pros:

Aluminum alloy battery box is sand-casted in Santa Clara California (local to Vintage Electric Bikes) and is designed to dissipate heat efficiently as batteries are charged or used, it blends in nicely with the frame, seems rugged and theft-resistant
Beautiful vintage style reminiscent of the internal combustion powered 1910-1920’s board track racer bikes used at motordromes, accents include leather saddle and optional Challenge seat bag by Brooks and hand crafted leather frame bumps
Available in four stock colors, powder coated for durability, optional “custom” colors if you pay ~$600 extra, two tire color options for free (creme and black)
Six amp “fast charger” is compatible with 110 and 220 wall outlets and can fill the 650 watt hour battery in about two hours
Large classic style headlight by Xanadu completes the look of a motorcycle or moped, optional rear light uses six LED’s and is very well integrated into the Brooks saddle
Great optional accessories including Brooks saddle bag, rear carry rack and panniers and rear LED light
Simple to operate with a clean cockpit, you really only have a trigger throttle and the regeneration button, no distractions
Each unit is numbered and feels almost like a piece of artwork that could retain value over time as a “classic”
The rear fender is sturdy and well mounted so it doesn’t rattle while riding, even at high speed, it protects your back and the battery from water and mud splashing up
KevlarGuard puncture protection is built into the Schwalbe balloon tires which helps to avoid flats, this is important given the weight of the bike and lack of quick-release systems

Cons:

Brake levers do not include a motor inhibitor switch which would be useful because the motor sometimes lags to shut off given the cadence sensing pedal assist option
Regenerative braking feature is neat but sometimes awkward to use while simultaneously squeezing the left brake lever, may compromise grip
Extremely minimal cockpit looks nice and isn’t confusing but lacks battery level indicator to help you avoid being stranded
Single speed drivetrain is clean, tight and durable but not much fun to pedal, even in pedal assist mode I found that the cadence was difficult to match with the higher speeds of the bike
Battery pack is not designed to be removable and as such, makes the bike permanently heavier, difficult to transport and more susceptible to extreme heat and cold which can wear down the cells
Only available in one standard frame size with high-step frame that may not be easy for shorter riders to stand over
limited suspension can feel a bit jarring at high speed (especially over 20+ miles) but the sprung saddle and balloon tires help
Most of the wire management is good but quite a few exit at the base of the battery pack and wind around at the bottom bracket area, this might make them easier to access but some kind of little wrapper or integration could keep them cleaner
No indicators to help you remember to shut the bike off (using the key) and avoid wasting battery charge when parked

Resources:

Official Site: http://vintageelectricbikes.com/
More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/wmLFMcCGG2aMoDUs8

January 29, 2024 (11 months ago)

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Scott

10 years ago

Court: What were you thinking? There is still snow on the ground and your wearing a short sleeve shirt and shorts? Didn’t the wind feel cold at 30 mph? Great review!

Court Rye

Thanks for the concern Scott ;) yeah it was incredibly cold and I had to stop occasionally and put my hands under my shirt to warm them up. There were only certain areas that I could ride at high speed to stay legal so thankfully much of the video was 20 mph but it was still very cold. Part of this video was shot on the same day I filmed the Felt OUTFITTER which was lots of fun… but also freezing :P

Ron

9 years ago

Also saw this bike on Jay Leno’s Garage on youtube. Let’s just say, your review was a lot more knowlegable and useful. His did include a funny Pee Wee Herman impersonation, though.

Ha! That’s awesome, I just visited YouTube and found the video. Whenever I do a bike review I try to research the model a bit, speak with the manufacturer and get feedback from shops so it’s more than just a fun promotional thing. I don’t have the fanciest cameras or editing but it means a lot that you found value in my review, thanks Ron :D

Eskil

Great review, any details on future upgrade possibilities on the battery / speed controller?

Hi Eskil, from what I saw at the shop and learned from the founder it sounds like they have done upgrades in the past… you have to pay for it (and possibly for shipping) but they are way more hands on that most electric bike manufacturers. If you reach out through their official site I’m sure you’ll get some feedback, do you already own one of the Vintage bikes? Here’s the latest review of the Tracker (they removed the E from the name).

Sonic

I wish to order this

Hi Sonic, I don’t sell any electric bikes here I just review them. You can order from the manufacturer’s website here. Good luck! It’s a wonderful ebike :)

Brett La Caze

8 years ago

Hi everyone. I am in Australia and I bought one of these and paid in full last Christmas and have received absolutely nothing but promises and comments about how I am going to love the bike. I don’t even get timely responses to my emails any more. Be very careful about handing money over. What a joke!!!!

Wow, that’ sucks Brett, I’m really surprised? Is the delay based on you being located in Australia or do you feel like the company is just struggling in general?

Peter Pan

Purchased a bike one and a half years ago and had a shipped to Germany. Sixth months after, the bike did not work anymore. Even though the company promised a repair, the bike has still not been fixed. Poor Service after all and a USD6000 bike which is not working. Strongly recommend not to buy.

Wow, that’s disappointing… I’m so sorry to hear about all the time and money that has gone to waste for you Peter. A lot of times the companies are extra nice to me because I do reviews but I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. I appreciate you sharing and hope there is some solution to this situation. It can be the same for us when ordering from Europe, just makes it difficult to get support and have it arrive in perfect shape etc. Feel free to share how it works out, I hope it can finally work for you!