The Carbon 1 Pro is a 41-pound, carbon fiber e-bike that feels very much like a conventional hybrid/cruiser road bike. Urtopia describes it as a gravel bike, and the Carbon 1 Pro would be at home on well-packed gravel rail trails or on paved roads and trails. It uses a single 44-tooth chainring up front, an eight-speed (11-40) rear cassette, and a hub-mounted 350-watt motor driving the rear wheel. The 353-watt-hour (9.8 amp-hours, 36 volt) removable battery is integrated into the downtube, which makes for a clean, streamlined look. The traditional top tube design (instead of a step-through) makes it easy enough to lift the bike up to carry over an obstacle or put on a bike rack.
There are four assist modes (plus a no-assist setting) that are selected using a small multi-directional pad mounted to the handlebars. The first three modes are selected with a simple tap on the up or down arrow, while Turbo mode requires a long press to engage. The bike’s 41-pound weight can be felt when going up hills without any electric assistance, but engaging any of the models provides generous assistance. In Turbo mode, a fit cyclist can motor up most hills even in the hardest gear. Electric assistance tops out at around 19 mph. All assistance comes when pedaling, as the Carbon 1 Pro is not an e-bike with a separate throttle switch that allows you to move forward without pedaling. Urtopia says the bike has up to 80 miles of electric range—depending, of course, on how often you use the assist. In our test that included a combination of uphill, downhill, and flats, we achieved a range of around 16 miles with full assistance at the highest level.
While the handlebars can be raised by adding spacers under the stem, the stem itself is rather short and fixed at one angle. The result is quick steering and slightly twitchy handling. It also means that impacts from pavement cracks and holes transmit to the rider: The 700 x 40 millimeter tires just don’t provide that much impact absorption, and the sport-style saddle’s padding isn’t as thick as a more comfort-oriented saddle.
The hydraulic front and rear disc brakes bring the bike to a smooth stop. Gear changes are handled by a trigger-type selector on the right side of the handlebars.
There is a rudimentary digital screen built into the stem, which shows speed, battery life, the boost mode, and navigation directions. Many features are controlled by a proprietary smartphone app that can configure the navigation system as well as access a multitude of health and fitness monitoring and reports. A movement alarm and integrated fingerprint unlocking feature help reduce the risk of the bike being stolen.
There are abundant mounting points on the fork to install travel bags for bikepacking trips. Front and rear fenders, a headlight incorporated into the stem, and a taillight are standard. Grippy flat pedals keep your feet secure, which helps at times when you’re in an easy gear, and the electric assist lets you spin the pedals faster than you expected to. A rear-mounted cargo rack and a taillight that incorporates turn signals are options.
