Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: an ultra-lightweight commuter e-bike packed with tech

It's not often you find an electric bike like the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro that so effortlessly blends practicality, power, and style to make an impressively well-rounded road e-bike, comfortable with longer commutes and leisurely rides.

Like many of the best electric bikes, the Carbon 1 Pro hides its motorized and smart features within a slim, elegant head-turning frame. And it deals expertly with a variety of terrains, from flat roads and minor hills, to busy streets and quiet parks.

Its 350W motor isn’t especially peppy, nor does it offer a full e-throttle, but I found it perfectly complementary to the bike’s lightweight design, delivering ample speed, acceleration, and confidence during all my rides. But is it the right e-bike for your needs? Here's how it stacks up.

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: price and availability

The Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro is available from the company's store for $2,999. However, Urtopia sometimes runs a sale, dropping the price down to $2,499, saving you $500 on the usual retail price. But even at the higher price, it’s competitively priced for a carbon fiber e-bike with these specs.

When comparing it to other carbon fiber e-bikes like the Ride1Up CF RACER1, the Carbon 1 Pro weighs about 9 pounds more and costs about $500 more. However, it offers a more powerful motor, a removable battery, and nearly twice the range.

While $2,999 is a significant investment, the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro stands out in its category. The lightweight design, smart features, and impressive range justify its price, especially for urban commuters looking for a reliable and stylish ride.

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: design

The Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro's carbon fiber frame is of course a major highlight, making the bike incredibly light at just 37 lbs, making it perfect for city commuting. I put this to the test a few times carrying it up several flights of stairs when taking a shortcut to the Willis Ave Bridge, or the subway.

Because of its size, the bike can still be a little awkward to lift, and on rainy days, I often opted to instead roll it up or down steps so I didn’t slip. A bigger downside to its carbon fiber build is that it’s prone to showing scuffs and dings.

My creme-colored model, though striking, quickly revealed wear and tear. Its other color option (matte black) might fare better in hiding these imperfections, so that may be something to consider. Despite this, I still prefer the more eye-catching white. 

Speaking of eye-catching, similar to its predecessor, the 1 Pro’s frame an almost thunderbolt-like cutout. The frame is absent from welding marks and with its smoothed-out corners, everything looks very premium and futuristic.

It’s one thing for me to think a bike looks good, but when I’m stopped and complimented by random people during my test rides (three so far!), that’s another. But it's not just looks that make this an excellent e-bike.

The Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro is packed with smart features and security. It comes with an eSIM with 4G (free connectivity for a year), Bluetooth, and GPS, all controlled by a rather odd-looking display and a companion smartphone app.

At first, the matrix dot display looks very sleek. By default, it shows your power mode, speed, and battery level. It’s large and easily readable in sunlight, but as it can only use large dots to create text or shapes, the large display feels underutilized.

There’s more than enough space to display more stats on screen simultaneously, like average speed, top speed, and ride duration. While you can pair your smartphone for turn-by-turn directions, I often found it easier to follow my phone’s map, especially in NYC’s often unreliable GPS zones.

A concern with this display is its water resistance. My Urtopia Chord electric bike developed condensation under a corner of its display, which never went away. Although the Carbon 1 Pro hasn’t shown issues after a few rides in the rain, I always wipe it down thoroughly when I get home to prevent similar problems. 

However, the built-in Bluetooth speaker is pretty underwhelming. It sounds tinny and muffled, even when stationary. For better audio, I’d recommend a budget Bluetooth speaker like the JBL Go 4. 

While I’m not someone to blare their music while riding, what really bugs me are the unavoidable sound cues and chimes the bike makes when turning it on/off or switching power modes. They feel cheesy and draw unwanted attention to an otherwise stealthy and premium-feeling bike.

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: performance

The Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro feels remarkably smooth, thanks to its “intelligent algorithm” torque sensor. The power delivery in all modes is seamless, adapting perfectly to how hard or fast you're pedaling.

It adjusts power output seamlessly, especially noticeable on inclines where the motor ramps up assistance and eases off on flat roads. Unlike many e-bikes, the Carbon 1 Pro encourages active gear shifting and power mode adjustments for a tailored riding experience.

The motor feels complementary rather than overpowering. It avoids the jerky on-off power you might experience with other e-bikes and is another example of how well 1 Pro is engineered. 

For one of my tests, I took the Carbon 1 Pro on a 20+ mile ride across NYC, starting in the South Bronx and heading over the Willis Ave Bridge, through Central Park, down to Times Square, and along the Hudson River to Pier 40.

The ride featured a mix of flat roads, minor hills, chaotic traffic, and serene park loops. The bike handled each segment well, but it particularly excelled in more relaxed environments like Central Park and the Hudson River path. 

Keeping up with road traffic wasn’t as effortless as the bike isn’t particularly quick off the line nor is it really designed to maintain 20mph. For stop-and-go traffic and weaving between cars, it allowed me to keep up and even beat some congestion, but for longer stretches between lights, it had me wishing for a more powerful motor that could more easily maintain faster speeds. 

But the front and rear dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes were effective in unpredictable traffic. From cars making sudden turns in front of me, and pedestrians crossing where they shouldn't, to random obstacles in the bike lane, the brakes consistently kept me safe from collisions.

Most reassuringly, during a rain-soaked ride back from Pier 40, the bike still felt stable despite the wet conditions, and the brakes performed reliably even in heavy downpours as I raced 10 miles to get home. 

But overall, the Carbon 1 Pro is best suited for pavement. It lacks any suspension, making it less comfortable than I would have liked while traveling along the city's crumbling roads.

Its slightly wider 700 x 40C tires can handle smooth gravel or dirt paths, but you may want to consider upgrading its front forks if you plan on doing that a lot. Similarly, the stock seat isn't the plushiest, especially noticeable when I was carrying a heavy backpack on my longer trips, so I’ll likely be swapping that out soon. 

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: security features

The security features are a mix of practical and theoretical. In NYC, even the best bike locks can’t guarantee safety from determined thieves. I wouldn't leave this expensive bike unattended for long, even locked up.

However, the included GPS tracking which relies on the 4G e-sim subscription helps you keep tabs or locate your bike with the app. I used it a few times when I forgot where I locked it up in Central Park, but this will only work if you leave the battery installed.

The fingerprint sensor carries over from the original model and is used to turn the bike on and disable its security, otherwise, the alarm sounds if the bike is moved without authorization.

Just as with the original, in my tests, the sensitivity of the alarm is hit-or-miss and is definitely more of a last-resort measure. It’s unlikely to deter a serious thief, but it might be useful if you’re nearby and can respond quickly.

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro review: battery life

The 352.8Wh removable Samsung battery delivers a claimed range of up to 80 miles. Unlike some heavier e-bikes, which rely on larger motors and batteries, the Carbon 1 Pro seems to be far more consistent with its battery estimation.

The bike doesn't suffer from significant battery dips after long sessions of fast pedaling or climbing steeper hills, likely because its motor doesn’t have to work as hard thanks to its weight savings. In my tests, I’ve been hitting 65-70 miles of range when using a mix of its power modes including some without any e-assistance.

A minor downside, however, is the battery indicator on the matrix display, which only shows a battery bar that can display one of four levels, making it difficult to track the exact battery percentage during the ride.

Should you buy the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro?

The Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro stands out as one of the best well-rounded road e-bikes available. It offers an excellent balance blend of power, style, and practicality while being one of the lightest options you can get today for under $3,000. 

But if you're looking to spend a bit less, it's worth considering the Ride1Up Roaster V2. For around $1,000, you get an electric bike capable of a similar speed in a more traditional pedal bike design, but the range is only 13 miles, so it only works for short commutes. 

Meanwhile, the Charge Bikes City makes an interesting alternative to the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro. It's range and top speed are slightly less, but it is about half the price too. Plus, the handlebars fold down for easier storage at work or home.