Velotric Tempo — Lightweight Gravel Commuter eBike

Velotric Tempo — 39 Pounds, 350W, and the Lightest PAB-Eligible Velotric in Canada

The Tempo is the lightest eBike Velotric makes, and the one that finally answers the question Canadian buyers have been asking us for two years: is there a Velotric I can ride on the street without arguing about wattage? The Summit 2, the GoMad, the Discover 3 — all 750W bikes that exceed Canada’s federal Power-Assisted Bicycle (PAB) 500W nominal limit. The Tempo is the lightest Velotric built around the law instead of around it — and one of two PAB-eligible Velotric models in the Canadian catalogue, alongside the heavier-duty Velotric Discover M mid-drive. 350W nominal motor. 32 km/h default top speed. Both PAB thresholds satisfied with the bike configured as it ships.

And then there is the weight. 17.7 kg / 39 lbs — 15 to 25 pounds lighter than the typical hub-motor commuter at this price point. You can carry it up an apartment stairwell. You can load it onto a car’s roof rack one-handed. You can ride it home without electric assist if the battery dies, the way you would a normal bicycle. 374 Wh Samsung/LG 21700 battery stays UL-2271 and UL-2580 certified for the same safety stack Velotric uses on its 800 Wh packs. SensorSwap — toggle cadence or torque sensing from the display, on the fly. NFC card unlock. Apple Find My + Google Find Hub. 500-lumen integrated headlight with turn signals + brake light taillight. Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors front and rear. Kenda 700×42c gravel tires that ride well on pavement and stay planted on packed gravel rail trails.

What it gives up — honestly — is range and trail capability. The 374 Wh battery is roughly half the watt-hours of the Summit 2’s 801 Wh pack, and the rigid aluminium fork is not suspension. This is a road and gravel commuter eBike, not a hardtail and not a hill-climbing torque monster. For commuters under 60 km a day on pavement, packed gravel, or rail trail, the trade is the right one. Free Canada-wide shipping. Ships from Canada within 5–10 business days. Real humans answer at 1-866-938-7580.

Key Features

• 350W Rear Hub / 650W Peak / 45 Nm Torque — The smallest motor in the Velotric lineup, and the one that finally lets the bike fit Canada’s federal PAB 500W nominal limit. 45 Nm of torque is roughly the same as a moderately powered electric scooter or a small geared mid-drive — enough to launch from a stoplight without leg-bursting effort, enough to pull a 200-lb rider up a 5–7% urban climb in Toronto or Vancouver, but honest: this is not a hill-climbing bike. For sustained 10%+ grades, look at our hill-climbing eBike guide instead. The win here is law, weight, and efficiency — not torque.
• 36V 10.14Ah / 374 Wh Samsung/LG 21700 Battery — The 21700 cell format is the same architecture used in premium EVs and high-end mountain eBikes — higher energy density per gram, longer cycle life, better cold-weather performance than the older 18650 cells most budget eBikes still use. UL 2271 + UL 2580 certified. IPX7 waterproof (submersion-rated). Removable with key lock. Velotric’s claim is up to 96 km (60 mi) PAS and 64 km (40 mi) throttle under ideal conditions. In Canadian winter conditions below –5°C, plan on 25–35% less — call it 60–70 km Eco / 40–50 km throttle for real January riding. Honest trade-off: the 374 Wh pack is meaningfully smaller than the Summit 2’s 801 Wh and the Discover 3’s 730 Wh — if your daily ride is 50+ km, look at a longer-range model.
• SensorSwap — Cadence + Torque, Switchable — Velotric’s signature feature: toggle between a cadence sensor and a torque sensor from the display or the Velotric app. No hardware change. No mechanic visit. Cadence mode kicks in when you spin the pedals — effortless cruising for flat commutes and tired Mondays. Torque mode responds to how hard you push — more natural ride feel, real exercise, and 20–30% better battery efficiency. On a 374 Wh battery, that efficiency gain matters more than it does on an 800 Wh pack — torque mode is the smarter default for daily commutes. How pedal assist and throttle work →
• Pulse Mode — Heart-Rate-Linked Power — Pair a Bluetooth heart rate monitor (chest strap, Apple Watch, Garmin wrist, or any HR-broadcast wearable) and Pulse Mode automatically adjusts motor assist to keep your heart rate inside a target training zone. Want to ride at 130 bpm regardless of headwinds, hills, or fatigue? The motor adds power when your heart rate dips and pulls back when it climbs. This is genuine fitness-grade ride control — the kind of feature that normally appears on $5,000+ premium eBikes.
• Rigid 6061 Aluminium Fork — Light, Stiff, Predictable — This is not a suspension fork. It is a rigid aluminium fork with internal brake routing and a 12×100 mm thru-axle. Honest trade-off: it does not absorb potholes the way a suspension fork does. The compensation: it weighs roughly 1–1.5 kg less than a 100 mm suspension fork, it has zero pivot points to service, it transfers every watt of your effort directly into the front wheel, and on a 39-lb bike, removing the suspension fork is the single biggest weight win available. The 700×42c tires (running 28–33 psi) absorb most of what would have been fork compliance.
• 6061 Triple-Butted Aluminium Frame — Two Geometry Options, Two Sizes — Mid-Step (MS) for easier mount/dismount and step-through commuting. High-Step (HS) for a stiffer, sportier diamond frame and aggressive riding. Both available in Regular and Large. Rider heights per Velotric’s official sizing: MS Regular 4’10″–5’5″, MS Large 5’3″–5’11″, HS Regular 4’11″–5’8″, HS Large 5’6″–6’4″. Best step-thru eBikes Canada →
• Shimano 8-Speed Drivetrain / 11–40T Cassette / 46T Chainring — A practical commute-grade Shimano 8-speed with an 11–40T cassette range. The 40T low gear is enough to spin up most urban climbs without dipping into Boost; the 11T high gear keeps you spinning, not pushing, when you’re cruising at 30 km/h on a rail trail. 46T narrow-wide chainring (chain-retaining tooth profile) reduces dropped chains on rough surfaces. 170 mm crank, WELLGO platform pedals.
• Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes / 180 mm Rotors Front + Rear — Hydraulic brakes self-adjust as pads wear, maintain stopping power when wet, and require less hand force than mechanical disc brakes. The 180 mm rotors on both wheels (instead of the more common 180 mm front / 160 mm rear split on lightweight commuters) give consistent stopping power loaded or unloaded. Reliable, serviceable at any bike shop.
• Default 32 km/h — PAB-Compliant Out of the Box — The Tempo ships with its top speed set to 20 mph (32 km/h), which is exactly Canada’s federal PAB limit. Combined with the 350W nominal motor (under the 500W PAB limit) and the pedal-equipped frame, the Tempo qualifies as a federal Power-Assisted Bicycle in its as-shipped configuration. The bike is adjustable to higher speeds (up to 45 km/h) for off-road or private property use, but those settings exceed the federal PAB speed limit. Velotric’s Class 1/2/3 designations on the display are the US classification system — not Canadian regulatory categories. Full Canadian eBike laws by province →
• NFC Card Unlock — Tap and Ride — NFC cards in the box (credit-card sized). Tap the card to the display area and the bike powers on. No phone required. No app login. No Bluetooth handshake delay. In a Canadian January morning with thick gloves on, this is meaningfully faster than fumbling with a phone — and it is the detail that turns the Tempo into a bike you actually use every day in winter.
• Apple Find My + Google Find Hub — Both Ecosystems — The Tempo reports its location through both Apple’s and Google’s global Bluetooth networks — wherever there is a phone within range (which in urban Canada is everywhere), your bike pings location to your phone. Works even when the bike is powered off. Genuine theft deterrence without a monthly subscription. eBike theft protection in Canada →
• 500-Lumen Integrated Headlight + Turn Signals + Brake Light — A real lighting system, integrated into the bike, powered from the main battery. The 500-lumen headlight is bright enough for unlit Canadian roads in November dark-by-4 PM conditions. The handlebar-mounted turn-signal controls click audibly and show on the display. The taillight illuminates harder when you grab the brake levers — cars behind you see your stop signal the same way they see a brake light on a car. No aftermarket lights to buy. No handlebar clutter.
• 2.0″ Colour Display + USB-C Charge Port + Velotric App — 2.0-inch full-colour, left-mounted, high-brightness display readable in direct sunlight. Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. USB Type-C port on the display for charging a phone on the go — useful in a Canadian winter when phone batteries die in the cold faster than they would in summer. The Velotric app (iOS + Android) handles ride tuning, OTA firmware updates, GPS logging, HR pairing for Pulse Mode, and Find Hub configuration.
• UL 2849 + UL 2271 + UL 2580 + ISO 4210 / IPX6 + IPX7 — The full safety stack. UL 2849 certifies the complete eBike electrical system. UL 2271 certifies the battery pack. UL 2580 certifies the battery cells themselves. ISO 4210 is the international bicycle frame and component safety standard. IPX6 on the frame (rated for high-pressure water spray — rain, slush, road salt). IPX7 on the battery (submersion-rated). In a Canadian market where budget eBike batteries have caused enough fires to warrant CPSC warnings, this triple UL stack plus the 21700 cell format is the clearest signal that Velotric is not cutting corners on the most expensive and most dangerous component on the bike.
• 330 lb (150 kg) Total Payload — Lower than the Summit 2’s 440 lb because the Tempo is a lighter-duty road/gravel frame, not a hardtail. Enough headroom for a 200–220 lb rider plus a loaded pannier or front-bag commute kit. Riders consistently over 250 lbs should look at the Summit 2 or our heavy rider eBike guide instead.

Everything Included — No Hidden Costs

The Tempo arrives ready to ride. Box contents:

• Velotric Tempo eBike (3 colours, 2 frame styles, 2 sizes)
• 36V 10.14Ah Samsung/LG 21700 battery (374 Wh) — removable, key lock
• 36V 2A fast charger
• Rigid 6061 aluminium fork with internal brake routing + 12×100 mm thru-axle
• Shimano hydraulic disc brakes (180 mm rotors front + rear)
• Shimano 8-speed shifter + derailleur (11–40T cassette, 46T narrow-wide chainring)
• Kenda 700×42c puncture-resistant gravel tires
• 500-lumen integrated LED headlight
• Integrated rear light with brake-actuated stop light + turn signals
• Handlebar turn-signal controls with audible click
• 2.0″ left-mounted full-colour display with USB-C charge port
• NFC unlock cards
• Battery key(s) for the removable battery lock
• Removable trigger throttle
• Saddle, grips, and WELLGO platform pedals

What You Should Know (Honest Take)

• The 374 Wh battery is the trade-off you make for 39 lbs. Roughly half the watt-hours of the Summit 2 (801 Wh) or the Discover 3 (730 Wh). If your daily commute is over 60 km round-trip, or you ride through Canadian winters where range drops 25–35%, the Tempo is the wrong bike — look at the Velotric Discover 3 or the Velotric Summit 2. For commutes under 40 km daily, the 374 Wh is more than enough on Eco.
• Rigid fork — not suspension. The 6061 aluminium fork transmits everything the front wheel hits straight to your wrists. The 700×42c gravel tires (run at 28–33 psi) absorb most of it on smooth pavement and packed gravel. On rough asphalt, expansion joints, or root-laced rail trails, you will feel more than you would on a 100–120 mm suspension fork. This is a deliberate choice — suspension forks add 1–1.5 kg and the Tempo is the lightest Velotric for a reason. For suspension, the Summit 2 hardtail is the next step up.
• 45 Nm of torque is not a hill-climbing motor. The Tempo will handle short urban climbs (the kind you find on a Toronto streetcar route or a Vancouver False Creek bridge approach), but for sustained 8%+ grades over a kilometre or more, the 350W hub and 45 Nm torque will feel tapped out. The Himiway A7 Pro at 130 Nm or the Summit 2 at 100 Nm are different categories of hill capability. The Tempo is a flat-and-rolling commuter.
• 700×42c tires are not for snow or singletrack. They are gravel-grade — fast on pavement, planted on packed gravel and rail trails. They are too narrow for deep snow (you sink instead of floating), too smooth for soft sand, and not knobby enough for rooty singletrack. For winter snow riding, look at our winter eBike guide; for trail riding, look at the Summit 2 or the Himiway Cobra D7.
• The 2.0″ display is small. Readable in sunlight, but smaller than the 2.8″ displays on Velotric’s larger bikes. Velotric traded display size for an integrated NFC reader and a cleaner cockpit. If display size is your priority, the trade is a real one.
• Plastic platform pedals at this price tier. Common across the industry. A $30–$50 set of aluminium pinned platform pedals from any bike shop is an obvious day-one upgrade for year-round commuting.
• The Tempo is an early model in this exact spec. We have not yet seen Electric Bike Report or Ebike Escape publish an independent range test on this specific SKU. The numbers we quote here are Velotric’s manufacturer figures plus our standard winter-derating estimate. We will update this page when a third-party tested number is available.

None of these trade-offs touch the core sell: the lightest Velotric ever shipped, one of two PAB-eligible Velotric models alongside the heavier-duty Discover M mid-drive, and the same SensorSwap + NFC + Find Hub + UL safety stack you get on the heavier Velotric bikes. For the right commute — flat to rolling, under 60 km daily, pavement and packed gravel — this is the bike.

Full Specifications

Who Is the Tempo For?

• Canadian commuters who want the lightest federally PAB-compliant Velotric — 350W nominal, 32 km/h default speed, pedal-equipped frame — all three federal PAB thresholds satisfied in the as-shipped configuration. For riders who want the full SensorSwap / NFC / Find Hub / UL safety stack on the lightest Velotric in the PAB-eligible category. For more torque, a much larger battery, full commute kit (rack, fenders, kickstand) and a mid-drive in the same PAB-eligible category, see the Velotric Discover M instead.