Teleport Comes Across As the Kind of E-Bike We Definitely Want, but There's a Big Catch

Folks, the list of e-bike manufacturers seems to be growing with each passing day, and often, "new" brands have very little to set them apart from Chinese brands. Well, as I explored Teleport Ride and the first machine with which they grace our city streets, I realized that we may have stumbled upon one of those "different" crews.

Now, if the name Teleport Ride doesn't ring any bells, it's because this is a rather new crew on the scene, having been focused solely on R&D in the past two years, and finally, they've put it all together. Let's find out if this bugger belongs on this year's Christmas list.

Overall, we're looking at an aluminum backbone or frame, so this puppy is meant to be light and sturdy enough to handle a rider weighing 290 lbs. With all the components I'm going to run through, a Teleport weighs just 34 lbs (15.4 kg). Not bad at all so far.

What I found rather interesting about the Teleport is its geometry and tire size. If we compare the Teleport to other gravel bikes on the market, we begin to see resemblances. Sure, the Teleport isn't as finetuned as EVs spat out by established industry giants, but they are definitely putting in the effort and aiming for a sort of do-it-all bicycle.

The next defining factor is wheel and tire size. Overall, the Teleport is based on 700x38c tires, meaning you're destined to be sticking to roads, be they with asphalt or even the occasional dirt trail. Please note that this sort of bicycle should be ridden with both tires on the ground all of the time; no jumps, off-road trails, or other crazy ideas you may be getting.

But, the real attraction for the Teleport is the fact that you can get it out of the box with a massive 750 W motor strapped to the rear wheel. Hang on a minute, 750 W? That's the sort of power found on off-road bikes! If that's not enough, 80 Nm (59 lb-ft) of torque can be generated with this thing, and that's more than some e-MTBs, so yeah, you can already start signing me up for this EV. A 500 W motor option is also in place, but who in their right mind would want less power?

Now, that's a hungry motor, so Teleport Ride decided to integrate a rather beefy battery into this EV. Overall, a 36V 11.4 Ah battery is found inside the down tube and sealed off from the elements. But the real-ticket item here is the 100-mile (161 km) range!

Yes, Teleport is showcasing a 100-mile range, brought about not just because of the battery but because it has regenerative braking integrated into its functionality. This function kicks in while braking, coasting, or even when you pedal.

So, at this point, I decided to give Teleport Ride an e-mail after this article and see if we can test this thing because, honestly, I've been waiting for so long for a manufacturer to add regenerative braking to their setup, and curiosity only killed a cat, not a human.

The tech doesn't stop there, either. According to the manufacturer's website, this puppy is loaded up with a torque sensor, always optimizing how much power the motor spits out, and a sine-wave controller, again, for optimized electrical flow.

As we've been talking about this bike and you've explored the image gallery, I'm sure you've noticed that there's no classic drivetrain on this bugger; what we're looking at is a Gates carbon belt setup, and if you've never encountered one before, Gates drivetrains have even been rated to be maintenance free for up to 33,000 km (20,505 mi).

I've tested several bikes with this sort of setup, and I can understand why more and more brands are adopting this style of drivetrain, especially for city bikes. Since you won't be shifting any gears, you'll rely on five power settings granted by the motor. Best of all, Telport Ride also added a thumb throttle to this EV, so you can sit back and enjoy the ride at speeds upwards of 28 mph (45 kph); it's a Class 3 e-bike with the 750 W motor configuration.

The final aspect I want to point out is the cockpit. Here, Telport aimed for full integration once again and opted for a handlebar/stem configuration that's all one piece and includes an integrated display to keep track of stats. Did I mention that this thing is also IP65-rated?

Now, I can't say that the Teleport is perfect; very few e-bikes are. I'm just not a big fan of that bulbous head tube or that section of down tube that's seen extending beyond the BB. Maybe I'd change the front fork too. But these are all just personal preferences, and I'm sure Teleport has some method to their madness. Other than that, I'm in!

As for the question on everyone's mind, the Teleport's price is where this brand may encounter some issues. As I explored this EV, I encountered an asking price of $3,800 American (€3,600 at current exchange rates), which, to my knowledge, is around double what the average Joe is willing to pay for something like this. However, I'm sure a test ride would push most of us toward a purchase of this beastly and sleek urban EV.