Velotric GoMad Review: A Class-Switching Fat-Tire Off-Roader for $1,999
A well-built, versatile fat-tire off-roader with big hauling room and switchable class settings that keep it legal from bike path to open road.
The Velotric GoMad is the brand's answer for people who don't want to choose between the trail, the fire road, and a run to the hardware store. The 20-by-4-inch fat tires roll over sand, gravel, and roots, and with it pulls away from a stop even with a load on board. At $1,999 you're getting a genuinely capable all-terrain bike, and our Genius Score of 70 out of 100 reflects that mix of excellent build quality and real versatility.
Because it has a , you can ride it without pedaling, and because the class is switchable, you decide how it behaves. Set to , the throttle drives you up to 20 mph on its own. Bump it to Class 3 and pedal assist carries you to 28 mph. That flexibility lets you keep it trail-legal one day and run it road-fast the next.
Pros & cons
What we like
- gives it strong low-end pull, so loaded starts and moderate climbs come easy.
- A 500-pound leaves room for a passenger, a loaded rack, or a big weekly haul without pushing the bike to its limit.
- Oversized Tektro (203mm front, 180mm rear) are a real step up in braking hardware for this price.
- A switchable Class 1/2/3 setup plus a lets you match local rules and ride without pedaling when you want to.
- The 801.6Wh backs a claimed range up to 75 miles, and you can add a second battery to roughly double it.
Worth weighing
- The motor is the real limitation here: 750 watts nominal and is modest for the fat-tire off-road class, so long, steep, loose climbs push it near its ceiling.
- The 20-inch wheels keep it stable and easy to stand over, but they roll over big roots and rocks less smoothly than a bike on larger wheels.
Key specs
The motor & power
The GoMad runs a tuned for pulling power more than speed. With , it gets a heavy, loaded bike moving from a dead stop and handles rolling hills without much fuss.
Where it shows its limits is the top end. The is fine for everyday trail riding but modest for the fat-tire off-road class, so a long, steep, loose climb has the motor working near its ceiling rather than surging up with ease.
Velotric's marketing mentions 1,400 watts of peak power in one spot, while the spec sheet lists 1,300. We go with the 1,300 the specs support.
Range & battery
The 801.6Wh is a good size for the class, and Velotric puts the at up to 75 miles on a charge.
That 75-mile figure comes from ideal conditions: smooth ground, an easy pace, a light rider. Out on soft sand, up hills, with the fat tires digging in and the throttle doing the work, plan for a good bit less. For most mixed off-road days, think in the 30-to-50-mile range and you won't get caught out.
If you routinely ride long, Velotric lets you add a second battery to push the claimed range to 150 miles. That doubles your buffer, though it's an extra purchase and extra weight to carry along.
Ride & components
This is where the GoMad earns its keep. The parts are a step above what you usually get at this price.
Braking comes from Tektro , a 203mm rotor up front and a 180mm out back. On a loaded descent that oversized front rotor sheds speed with an easy pull rather than a white-knuckle squeeze.
A Shimano 8-speed drivetrain with an 11-34T range gives you enough gears to spin up climbs or keep pace on the flats, and the KENDA 20x4.0 puncture-resistant fat tires handle sand, dirt, and gravel while keeping you stable and low to the ground.
At 77 pounds it sits right where a fat-tire e-bike should, so moving it around isn't a wrestling match. There's real headroom left over for a rider plus a full load of cargo, too.
The GoMad ships able to switch between with a tap on the display, and each setting genuinely changes how you ride. In Class 2 the is live, so you can go up to 20 mph without pedaling. In Class 1 it's only, no throttle, capped at 20 mph, which is usually what gets it onto bike paths and multi-use trails. Class 3 opens assist up to 28 mph for road and bike-lane riding. Dial it down where the rules are strict, dial it up where you've got open road.
Price & value
At $1,999 the GoMad lands in the middle of the off-road range, and for the money you get a genuinely well-built bike. The value here lives in the components and the versatility.
Against its peers it's priced well for what it can do. Excellent brakes, a big battery, and the room to carry serious weight add up to a lot of bike per dollar.
Who it's for
The one-bike off-roader
If you want a single bike for weekend trails, dirt roads, and the occasional grocery run, the GoMad covers all of it. The fat tires handle loose ground, the strong low-end pull gets you moving even loaded, and you can switch to a trail-legal setting when you're on shared paths.
The hauler
If you regularly carry heavy loads, whether that's a kid on the back, stuffed panniers, or a big grocery run, the 500-pound ceiling gives you far more room than most e-bikes offer. Load it up and it still climbs and pulls away without straining.
The cruiser who'd rather not pedal
If part of the appeal is resting your legs, set it to Class 2 and use the to ride up to 20 mph without pedaling at all. Keep in mind that leaning on the throttle, especially in sand or on climbs, drains the battery quicker, so watch your range on long days.
The technical climber
If your rides are all about steep, loose, technical climbing, the modest peak power is worth a second look. The helps you dig in, but a long grind up a rocky grade will have this motor near its limit where a higher-powered off-road bike keeps charging.
Frequently asked
Does the Velotric GoMad have a throttle?
Yes. It comes with a , so you can ride without pedaling. The throttle is active in the Class 2 setting and takes you up to 20 mph.
Can you ride the Velotric GoMad without pedaling?
You can. Set it to Class 2 and the throttle moves you up to 20 mph on its own. Riding on the throttle uses more battery than pedaling, so your range will come up shorter on throttle-heavy days.
Can you change the class on the Velotric GoMad?
Yes. You switch between with a tap on the display. Class 1 is pedal-assist only up to 20 mph, Class 2 adds throttle up to 20 mph, and Class 3 raises assist to 28 mph. The lower settings are usually what let you ride bike paths and multi-use trails.
How far does the Velotric GoMad go on a charge?
Velotric claims up to 75 miles on the 801.6Wh battery, though real-world off-road range lands lower. You can add a second battery to push the claimed figure to 150 miles.
How fast does the Velotric GoMad go?
Up to 28 mph with pedal assist in the Class 3 setting. In Class 1 or 2 it's capped at 20 mph.
How much does the Velotric GoMad weigh?
77 pounds with the battery installed, or 67 pounds with the battery removed.
How much weight can the Velotric GoMad carry?
Its total payload capacity is 500 pounds, which covers the rider plus cargo or a passenger.
Similar bikes
Aventon Aventure 3
A genuinely go-anywhere fat-tire bike with a throttle and strong pulling power, held back mainly by real-world range once you ride it hard.
Read the review Genius 73 / 100Velotric Summit 1
The Velotric Summit 1 backs genuine climbing torque and a light frame with a switchable class and a throttle, but its real-world range trails the 70-mile claim.
Read the reviewHow we score: the Genius Score blends a bike's capability against same-price peers with its value for the money, weighted for what this off-road buyer prioritises. Specs are pulled from the manufacturer's live page and normalised (nominal vs peak watts, true weight with battery). Ratings are our estimate from specs, not a lab test.