Urtopia Carbon Fold 1

The Urtopia Carbon Fold 1 is a sleek, lightweight folding e-bike with a carbon fiber frame.

In this review, we discuss the bike’s key pros and cons and the ride quality. Then, we put the Carbon Fold 1 to the test to find out its range, climbing speed, acceleration, braking performance, and more. To finish, we provide our overall assessment of the bike’s value and a breakdown of the BikeRide Score.

About Urtopia

Urtopia was founded recently in 2021. The brand’s first product was the Carbon 1 e-bike, which we reviewed about a year ago. In 2022, Urtopia expanded by opening a subsidiary in Berlin.

The company focuses on technology-forward e-bikes, and they only make bikes with carbon frames. The other bikes in its range include the Joy Carbon, Carbon 1 ST, Carbon Fusion GT, and Carbon 1 Pro.

What Is the Urtopia Carbon Fold 1?

The Carbon Fold 1 is a folding e-bike with 18″ wheels and a lightweight design aimed at urban riding and commuting. Both the frame and stem fold, resulting in a compact package that’s easy to pick up and a breeze to transport in a vehicle.

Urtopia says the bike weighs 29lb. On my scale, the Carbon Fold 1 clocks in at 35.8lb, which is 6.8lb or almost 25 percent more than advertised. While this is disappointing, it’s still very light for an e-bike, especially one that folds.

This is a Class 1 e-bike with an advertised top speed of 20mph and no throttle. Oddly, the test bike came configured with a 16 mph top speed. Luckily, it’s easy to raise the limit to 20mph in the advanced settings.

E-bikes have been around long enough now that they should always come with UL and IPX ratings for safety and water resistance. Unfortunately, as of this review, the Fold 1 has neither.

Urtopia says the bike and battery are being tested for UL 2271 and UL 2849 and seems confident the bike will receive these certifications. However, despite this confidence, it couldn’t offer a timeline for these certifications.

Urtopia also couldn’t provide an IP rating, saying: “We have no IPX rating test on the whole bike, but some parts did it.” This isn’t the kind of clear and precise answer one would hope for. So, unfortunately, we recommend not riding this bike in heavy rain.

Urtopia opted for a 36V electrical system with a compact 250W, 42Nm motor and a torque sensor. The motor is powered by a 7Ah (252Wh) battery.

Pros

Folding Design

The Carbon Fold 1 doesn’t have the usual bulky aluminum frame found on so many folding e-bikes at this price point. This bike has an unusually slim and sleek silhouette thanks to the carbon construction and the fact that the battery is in the seatpost, not the frame.

The built-in magnetic clasp that keeps the frame closed when folded is a nice touch that, combined with the lightweight frame, makes it much easier to move the bike when it’s folded. Urtopia’s Carbon Fold 1 is also much easier to lift in and out of a car trunk than heavier aluminum folders, such as the 65.8lb Velotric Fold 1 or 68lb ENGWE L20.

Lightweight Carbon Frame

Alongside the folding design, the carbon frame’s low weight is a standout feature of this bike.

The Fold 1 is light and easy to pick up or maneuver when folded. The slim frame and low weight make it easier to fit into small spaces like the back of a car.

Thanks to that lightweight frame and the 8-speed drivetrain, the Fold 1 is fairly easy to pedal without assistance on level ground. It’s also agile and responsive, both in terms of handling and its response to pedal input.

Drivetrain

I enjoyed the 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain and the action of the trigger-style shifter. The combination of an 11-32t cassette and 53t chainring also means pedaling is comfortable right up to the 20mph top speed.

As mentioned, the Carbon Fold 1 is impressively easy to pedal without motor assistance compared to most of the heavy folding e-bikes we’ve tested. In fact, I rode over two miles without motor assistance at the end of the range test without worry.

Cons

Hill Climbing

Hills are a problem for the Fold 1. The small motor lacks the grunt needed to make ascending hills effortless, and climbing hills also drains the battery quickly. The bike’s torque and gearing mean it’s possible to climb hills slowly, at around 8-9mph, but significant effort is required to get enough assistance from the torque sensor.

Also, Urtopia has tuned the motor controller to reduce power when remaining battery falls below 50%, slowing the bike even more when climbing. So, while the Fold 1’s results in the hill-climb tests aren’t the worst we’ve recorded, we wouldn’t recommend this bike to those who regularly tackle multiple hills.

Tuning and Torque Sensor

The Fold 1 arrived with the assistance capped at 16mph. With this setting, the torque sensor didn’t feel responsive; it felt more like a cadence sensor. With the speed unlocked to 20mph, the torque sensor was more responsive, but the motor struggled to get the bike to 20mph, even on level ground.

The bike performs much better when the battery has plenty of charge. When charge drops below 50%, the bike struggles to exceed 16mph, and at 25% remaining, the bike hardly reaches 12mph. From this point, power slowly dwindles until there is almost no assistance. When the low battery warning appears, there’s actually no power at all.

The motor’s weak output was at lower voltages is frustrating. It feels like the bike is cheating the rider out of power in order to artificially extend range.

Lack of Info in the Manual

The number of warnings in the user manual borders on insanity. Below are some direct quotes from the user manual that made us question the frame’s durability:

“The product can only be used on paved roads.”
“In the process of travelling, it is strictly prohibited rapid acceleration, rapid deceleration and sharp turns, not excessive leaning forward and backward body, is strictly prohibited excessive speed riding.”
“During riding process it is forbidden to shake the bike (ie. it is forbidden to stand up and press the center of the body on the handle bars).”
“Do not ride in heavy rain or deep water.”
“Please be carful not to stop the bike with the auxiliary switch on…” (we don’t know what this means).

Combine these surreal and confusing warnings with the Fold 1’s lack of UL safety certifications and water and dust-resistance testing, and one must question the bike’s durability and overall safety.

Urtopia also markets this as a 29lb bike, which is the weight without the battery. The complete bike actually weighs 35.8lb. Frankly, Urtopia’s misleading statements regarding the Fold 1’s weight, safety standards, and weatherproofing are very disappointing.

The Carbon Fold 1 in Detail

Urtopia designed this bike to be light and have a small overall footprint, making it easy to commute on, transport, and store. The Fold 1 is intended for riding in urban environments on paved roads, according to the user manual.

Frame and Fit

The carbon fiber folding frame comes in one size, which Urtopia says fits riders from 5’1 to 6’1. The riding position is upright and the handlebar height can’t be changed.

The Fold 1 comes in four colors: the Aegean Blue of our test bike, Lime Green, Charcoal Grey, and Saffron Yellow. The frame, stem, and pedals fold. The sleek and contoured carbon fiber frame has a refined look. It has no suspension and supports a meager payload of 220lb.

E-Bike System, Controls, and Classification

Most e-bikes have the battery inside the frame or hanging off the frame. The Fold 1’s battery isn’t just located inside the seatpost; it is the seatpost. This reduces the frame’s bulk and means the battery is removable, unlike some compact folding e-bikes.

A cable at the bottom of the seatpost connects the battery to the bike. Urtopia supplies a 2A charger, which plugs into the battery under the saddle. As mentioned, neither the bike nor the battery are UL certified, but Urtopia expects that to be done soon.

The rear hub motor is a 36V, 250W unit with 42Nm of torque. This motor uses a torque sensor to detect input, and there’s no option for a throttle.

Wheelset, Drivetrain, and Brakes

The bike rolls on 18” spoked aluminum rims wearing 2” Kenda tires. The front wheel uses a quick-release axle.

Tektro hydraulic brake levers operate two-piston calipers and 160mm brake rotors. The drivetrain comprises a Shimano Altus 8-speed 11-32t cassette and Altus trigger shifter. The chainset includes 170mm crank arms and a 52t chainring. A single-sided chain guard helps keep grease off clothes.

Cockpit and Touchpoints

The carbon fiber handlebars have an integrated color LCD display in the center. Locking rubber grips, a bell, and the Altus shifter complete the cockpit. There’s no provision to change the height of the bars. The other touchpoints are Wellgo plastic folding pedals and a Velo Plush saddle.

Accessories

Urtopia provided fenders and a kickstand with the test bike. At the time of writing, these are included with the Fold 1, but they may cost extra in future. Without these two accessories, the Fold 1’s utility is significantly reduced. Our test bike also has a rear rack rated to carry 55lb, but this isn’t included.

Testing the Urtopia Carbon Fold 1

Hill Climb Tests

Compared to the other folders we’ve tested, the Urtopia Fold 1 is grossly underpowered. Its 250W motor isn’t a patch on the 750W and 500W motors found on the similarly priced folders with aluminum frames. Therefore, in these tests, we’ve chosen to compare the Fold 1 to bikes with 250W or 350W motors and similar torque ratings.

The Fold 1 sits smack in the middle of the pack when it comes to our longer, shallower hill climb. It managed to beat the Fiido Air and Velotric T1 ST Plus.

The Carbon Fold 1 also surprised in the shorter, steeper hill climb test, where, again, it was in the middle of the group, beating the Fiido Air and Velotric T1 ST+ but falling short of the CGO600 Pro and Urtopia’s own Urtopia Carbon 1.

These are great results considering the small 250W motor and 42Nm of torque. The gearing and low weight certainly helped the Fold 1 in this test.

Acceleration Test

In the bike’s user manual, Urtopia expressly forbids “Rapid Acceleration”. With a motor output of 42Nm, the bike was never going to offer mind-bending speed off the mark. Its time of nine seconds in the 0-20 test isn’t a surprise. The sensor takes a moment to pick up pedal input, and the small motor pushes the ride up to speed gradually. Any gains from the bike’s low weight and gearing range are squandered by the small motor and unresponsive torque sensor.

Range Tests

Throughout the rides, I struggled with the bike’s four-bar battery meter, which drops in an uneven manner. During the first range test, the battery level fell quickly, reaching the 50% mark after only seven miles. The bike then ran for another 10 miles before losing another bar. After just 2.5 miles more, the battery was dead.

With such an erratic decline in charge, it’s hard to know how long the battery will last and when it’s time to turn around and head home. This is made worse by the lack of reserve power. When the last battery bar disappears, that’s it.

For the second range test, we unlocked the speed limit to the maximum of 20mph. The battery meter was just as unreliable in this test. The bike feels like it starts to limit power at 50% charge, struggling to maintain 18mph. Below 25%, the bike won’t go faster than 12 or 13mph, even when pedaling hard in Boost mode.

Overall, the Carbon Fold 1’s range is disappointing. The bike’s apparent tuning to limit the motor’s output as charge drops is also frustrating. Motor output fell markedly at the 75%, 50%, and 25% battery levels.

Brake Tests

In the braking test, the Fold 1 also fell short of expectations, needing 25.5 feet to stop from 20mph. This distance is much longer than average. In fact, it’s 10 feet more than some of the best bikes we’ve tested.

Light Tests

The Fold 1’s front light is surprisingly bright, given its size, illuminating the cone at 100 feet. However, it’s nowhere near as bright as our CatEye reference light on its 1,100-lumen setting. The Fold 1’s front light is closer to CatEye’s 400-lumen setting and still doesn’t illuminate the sides of the road, unlike the CatEye.

The rear light is very powerful and appears almost as bright as the reference light when viewed from 100 feet away.

Riding the Urtopia Carbon Fold 1

The Carbon Fold 1 is comfortable to ride and pedal over level ground. It’s also easy to lift the bike thanks to its low weight. The Altus 8-speed drivetrain provides enough gearing to pedal without motor assistance, on hills, or up to the 20mph top speed.

Riding over broken pavement and small bumps isn’t too bad, given the lack of suspension and the small 18″ wheels. The manual states the bike is only intended for riding on paved roads, so any aggressive terrain or off-road riding is beyond its capabilities.

The combination of relatively small wheels and a tall stem results in twitchy steering. Nonetheless, the handling is fairly good for recreational riding. However, I wouldn’t want to ride at very high speeds or try any aggressive maneuvers.

Urtopia says the Fold 1 fits riders up to 6’1”. This seems realistic, as I’m 6’ tall and found the bike comfortable with the seatpost fully extended. Because bar height can’t be changed, taller riders have to lean forward a bit. Shorter riders will sit more upright.

Acceleration isn’t particularly fast, and assistance isn’t torque-heavy. Motor output on PAS level “Boost” can be disappointing. In general, assistance was very light, and getting full motor assistance from the torque sensor required heavy pressure on the pedals.

The bike does not have a throttle. Its speed limit is easily adjusted in the advanced menu and can be set between 1 and 20mph.

Finally, both the small motor and the bike itself are quiet, with some creaks from the frame over bigger bumps and in turns, but no major rattles or clunking.

Conclusion

Small size doesn’t always translate to limited performance, and the Carbon Fold 1 from Urtopia is a good example, as it delivered solid performance in the hill climb tests, managing to beat half the competition.

The bike’s low weight and portability make it a good option as a multi-modal commuter. The easy pedaling and maneuverability are also highlights, and the ride quality is very enjoyable for a folding e-bike.

Still, this e-bike fell short in our acceleration and range tests, though that’s to be expected when low weight is the priority. The most worrying things about the Carbon Fold 1 were the strange warnings in the user manual, the poor motor and torque-sensor tuning, the inaccurate battery meter, and the lack of UL certification and IP testing.

All things considered, this eye-catching and modern-looking bike is a solid choice for urban riding, offering an efficient way travel short distances or tackle multi-modal commutes. However, we urge Urtopia to due its due diligence and have the safety and IP testing done immediately.

Score Breakdown

• Build quality: 85
• Performance / Innovation: 80
• Design: 90
• Ride quality: 90
• Price / Value: 85

Overall: 86

Detailed Specifications

Electric Bike Class: Class 1
Warranty: 2-year limited
UL Certification: None
IP Rating: Unable to verify
Total Weight: Claimed: 29lb – Actual: 35.8lb
Motor Brand: Aikema AKM-13.0
Motor Type: Rear hub
Motor Nominal Output: 250W
Max Torque: 42Nm
Battery: 36V 7Ah (252Wh)
Range Claimed: 40 miles
Range Tested (PAS 2/4): 21.31 mi – 817 ft. – 13.9mph avg.
Range Tested (PAS 4/4): 14.92 mi – 617 ft. – 14.9mph avg.
Max Speed: 20mph
Throttle: No
Pedal Assist: 5 Levels
Charger: 42V 2A
Charge Time: 3 hours
Display: 2” integrated color LCD
Frame: Carbon fiber
Fork: Carbon fiber
Brake Levers: Tektro aluminum hydraulic lever
Brake Calipers: Tektro 2-piston
Brake Rotors: 160mm
Chain: KMC
Crankset: Aluminum 170mm, single-sided guard
Derailleur: Shimano Altus 8-speed
Shifter: Shimano Altus trigger
Freewheel: 11-32t
Rims: 18” spoked aluminum
Tires: 18” x 2” Kenda
Fenders: Included at the time of writing
Lights: Headlight 160lm, taillight with braking indicator
Grips: Rubber lock-on
Saddle: Velo
Pedals: Wellgo plastic folding
Handlebar: Carbon fiber, XXX width, intergated display
Kickstand: Single-sided, included at the time of writing
Payload Capacity: 220lb
Rack Capacity: 55lb (rack not included)

Geometry Details

Seat Tube: 12.20“ (310mm)
Reach: 17” (432mm)
Stack: 29” (736mm)
Stand Over Height: 21.65” (550mm)
Virtual Top Tube Length: 23.5” (597mm)
Min Saddle Height: 32” (813mm)
Max Saddle Height: 39.5” (1003mm)
Wheelbase: 39.75” (1009mm)

Folded Dimensions

Folded Length: 31.49“ (800mm)
Folded Width: 19.75“ (501mm)
Folded Height: 26.77“ (680mm)

Whether you’re navigating rush-hour traffic in NYC, carrying it onto the subway, or tucking it away in a small apartment, this bike proves itself as a top-tier urban mobility solution.

Overall, the Carbon Fold 1 exceeded my expectations. While there are a couple minor things to consider, I think anyone who gets this bike will really enjoy its convenience and performance.

The original price for this… is unreasonable. I wouldn’t pay that much for this bike, but I have seen it on sale… and that [sale price] seems reasonable to me… because there are a ton of positive attributes.