I’m absolutely blown away by the Urtopia Chord E-bike! As someone who is always keen to try out the latest gadgets and trends, I was particularly drawn in by Urtopia’s first full carbon fiber e-bike – Carbon one. They have managed to combine almost every imaginable smart technology into an eye-catching design that truly stands out. So when they asked me to take the new Chord model for a spin, I jumped at the chance!
The experience truly exceeded my expectations. This bike had all that I could ever dream of in an urban ride – and then some more. Rather than using technical jargon like ‘smartphone on two wheels’, I’d call this a perfect blend of technology and design – something that can only be described as intelligent, stylish and simply exquisite.
Design
When you first lay eyes on the Chord ebike, you can’t help but be enamored with its beauty – much better than the pictures or videos suggest. It truly is a work of art. Its design perfectly suits its name – Chord. At first glance, it brings to mind the aura and feel of a grand piano. The Utopia team has imbued this design with many stories, and even had Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica interpret their design concept – an impressive feat indeed. Though I won’t go into too much detail here (you can find more information on their product page), suffice to say that the overall design is wonderfully complete, making you feel sophisticated while riding it. What’s more, there are no welds visible on the frame: many seemingly irregular shapes have been made possible by liquid forging technology – allowing them to break away from regular pipe frames. This technique is said to be a ceiling for aluminium alloy bike construction and is only used in top-of-the-line models. Maybe this advanced process was necessary to achieve such a bold look? In any case, it certainly contributes to why the Chord ebike looks so good!
About the Tech
The Urtopia Chord is still hailed as one of the smartest electric bikes. It shares the same smart platform as the Urtopia Carbon One and allows users to unlock via fingerprint, voice control, onboard navigation, 4G connection and data tracking through the Urtopia app.
The fingerprint unlock feature is definitely a highlight for me – simply tap your finger lightly at the top of the ebike and it will come alive with sound effects and lighting. The on-board navigation feature is also another favorite of mine, allowing me to leisurely cruise outdoors without having to keep my eyes glued to my phone. This is made possible via simple yet effective methods like voice commands, handlebar vibrations and arrow displays.
I’m also fond of its accompanying app which provides all sorts of information regarding my ride such as location tracking, speed stats and even auto-records of my entire journey. There’s also an active community section where users can share their experiences or post pictures from their rides – this reminds me a lot of Strava but with more additional features!
Moreover, what makes this truly a ‘smart’ electric bike is its ability to perform Over-the-Air (OTA) updates on both hardware and software alike. This means that users can always make sure they’re getting the best experience out of their ebike – just like in today’s modern cars! And here’s some extra tidbit: according to the Urtopia team, all IOT components are integrated within a single smartbox located on the handlebars so if there’s ever a need for hardware upgrade in future, it can be done by simply replacing that box instead of exchanging for an entirely new vehicle! Now that’s not only environmentally friendly but it also keeps us well informed about any tech advancements that comes with our ebike.”
Riding experience
The Utopia Chord is an amazing ride. It feels solid and has great road feedback. Designed with city riders in mind, the seating position is comfortable and I was able to ride for 5 hours without any issues. With an 8-speed Shimano transmission coupled to a 4-speed motor assist mode, the range of cadence adjustments can be as high as 1.5 to 4.5. Riding this bicycle often conjures up images from the movie ‘The Fatal Delivery’, where Jason Statham elegantly drives his Audi A6 through town at high speed. Indeed this bike can handle both leisurely rides and fast ones, I’m able to easily increase my speed up to nearly 40km per hour without breaking a sweat! It’s truly a great city bike – it gives you a sense of speed but more importantly allows you to enjoy an easy and relaxed ride through town!
The Chord uses torque sensing technology, and Urtopia team have done their own unique tuning on their controller algorithms – letting you feel an accurate pedal stroke with no lags or hollow-feeling moments when pedaling. I’ve ridden many other eBikes before but it’s almost impossible for me to tell the difference between this rear hub motor powered Chord and a great Bosch mid-drive motorized Bike – it just feels like riding a great regular bike but with that added touch of ease!
Others
The Utopia Chord ebike is a marvel of modern design and technology. Not only does it come with quality components and craftsmanship, but it also has some unique features that make it truly stand out. With a built-in esim card and GPS tracking system, you’ll be able to locate your bike if ever stolen. It also has an amazing lighting system, inherited from Carbon One’s stylish lights, that will turn heads on the road at night.
Service and Price
Utopia takes service seriously as well, offering almost 100 global bike shops for maintenance services and support. And what’s even more impressive is their price point – the Chord comes in at less than 2000 USD! That’s an absolute steal for such a high-end product. Plus, they’re currently offering discounts for pre-order customers so if you don’t want to miss out on this amazing deal, then better act fast!
