Urban Glide is an urban electric vehicle manufacturer that has quietly carved out a niche for itself in the mobility market by focusing on the features/price ratio. And that's how these scooters with their two large headlights and small electric balance bikes became commonplace in the urban landscape, especially in the inner suburbs. Unfortunately, the durability of these machines wasn't their strong point. This didn't stop sales from continuing.
The story could have ended there, but a few weeks ago, the editorial team was contacted by the brand to try out the two new models that will replace the best-selling models. All with the promise of improvements based on user feedback. Obviously, we responded favorably to the proposal.
And what better way to start than with the model that tops the range, the Urban Glide 1000GT 2×2, a machine with a nominal power of 2000 W distributed by two motors capable of each taking 1400 W at peak, hydraulic braking, large spring suspensions and a deck wider than the deck of a recent lottery winner's boat. All this for 1299 euros, an unprecedented price for such features.
But does this alluring appearance on paper make it a good vehicle? That's exactly what we're going to see.
Test Conditions
The test was carried out with a loaner model received new. Upon unpacking, you'll need to screw on the handlebars. These fit onto the stem, between two clamping plates. You'll therefore need to make sure they're positioned correctly, using the markings. The same goes for the grips, brake levers, and controllers.
It's not rocket science, and it'll take you 30 minutes. Be careful, the 3.3 kg are not easy to extract from the box.
Technical characteristics
- Dual motor (one in each wheel)
- Nominal power of 1000 W for 1400 W peak for each motor
- Single motor operation (propulsion) or dual motor (like electric cars) with selector on the handlebars
- Turn signals housed at the ends of the handles
- 1216 Wh battery in 52 V
- Charging time of 11 hours
- IPX5 certification
- 10-inch Tubeless cross-type tires
- Hydraulic disc brake at the front AND at the rear
- Stated weight: 33.3 kg
- Measured weight: 33.3 kg (this is rare, that!)
- Deck height: 27.5 cm
- Deck length: 64 cm with footrest
- Deck width: 18 cm
- Handlebar height: 131 cm from the ground, 106 cm from the deck
- Blue LED lights on the sides of the deck and on the stem
- Non-adjustable headlight
- Turn signals on the deck with front and rear reminders
- Handlebar width: 69 cm
- Length: 134 cm
- Dimensions of the scooter folded: 134 cm x 69 cm x 54 cm
- Dimensions of the scooter unfolded: 120 cm x 60 cm x 131 cm
- Suspension fork at the front and rear with spring shock absorbers large diameter
- NFC card locking and starting system
Design and finish: what's yellow and what's giant?
Massive is the first word that comes to mind. The very (too) wide cross-style wheels, the yellow that gives a "sporty" look, all sprinkled with very visible screws and enormous brake discs immediately announce that the Urban Glide 1000GT 2x2 is not here to mess around. "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable" says the character of Boris the Chopper in Snatch. Reliable, hard to say, you would have to use the scooter for a whole year to say it.
But the finish leaves something to be desired. If nothing moves, the materials used feel cheap to the touch. The nuts, screws and especially the tires seem low-end. Yet, nothing moved during the test.
In fact, I didn't notice anything problematic. Even the stem mounting system works well, although it takes a long time to do and undo, since you have to screw in the cleat. It clearly works correctly, since I didn't notice any play from the beginning to the end of the test.
The turn signals are integrated into the deck. The deck lights up in a clearly visible blue on demand, distinct from the headlights. Well done.
The stem is no slouch with its neon strip. The headlight is powerful and provides good lighting, but it is not adjustable. Its design is original and very successful, giving the impression of a glass bullet.
The deck is huge and can accommodate the feet of a basketball player. Especially since it ends with a very well integrated, aesthetic and wide footrest.
The underside of the deck is clean and smooth. The mounting screws are stainless. Logically, the Urban Glide 1000GT 2×2 meets the IPX6 standard. Sessions in the rain were no problem.
The handlebars are wide and well-designed. A holographic screen sits in the center, like on old-fashioned toys and alarm clocks. No LCD screen here. The problem is that it's unreadable in broad daylight. And that's not the only problem. The displayed information is useless, and the meters take up a lot of space for nothing. And yet, the remaining battery life is displayed in the form of bars (and there are only 5 of them) and not as a percentage. The time isn't displayed either. For a machine that's supposed to be a vehicle in its own right and requires both hands to move forward, this is a shame. It's nevertheless practical to know the time for a machine used to get to work.
It starts using NFC. Without it, it's impossible to move forward. A welcome safety feature.
The handlebar grips are perforated. A strange choice (the weight gain is anecdotal and the production cost higher), especially since they are not ergonomic and hurt your hands.
No intermodal or you will suffer
We're not going to lie, taking the subway with this scooter is a challenge. Besides the disconcerted looks tinged with silent insults from other travelers, you will have to carry it unfolded, because folding the stem takes a good minute, with just as much time for unfolding. An unthinkable delay when traveling on public transport.
The stem aligns perfectly with the center of the deck, a good point. Be careful, the handlebars are very wide and the surface area taken up on the ground is significant. It's a shame not to have a system that allows it to stand upright.
Finally, the monstrous size forced me to lower the seats of a Tesla Model Y and a Range Rover. Just that!
The good news, as we'll see below, is that this size offers volume to the battery, with the capacity that implies. The connection? With such autonomy, the Urban Glide 1000GT 2x2 serves as a vehicle in its own right.
Driving: the inertia of weight and bad tires
Driving is simple: an accelerator trigger with correct ergonomics and, above all, whose progressive travel allows you to control the acceleration. The riding position is comfortable, the stem height is ideal, and the wide deck can accommodate basketball player feet.
You'll have the choice between a pedestrian mode, which de facto activates a flashing headlight, and not only is it illegal now, but it's doubly bad: firstly, it bothers oncoming traffic, and secondly, it no longer lights up the road, whereas on foot at night, dragging a dead donkey weighing 33 kg, it's necessary to see what's ahead. The other Eco and Sport modes are useless. Race mode, on the other hand, is cool. The scooter takes off like a bullet, it's fun.
The suspensions are calibrated a tad firm. They handle curbside descents, cobblestone streets, and gravel roads perfectly. We're on real spring shock absorbers, not elastomer versions, and frankly, you can feel the difference. The latter material is often too soft and much less able to withstand intense stress.
On the other hand, we deplore the tires, which are of poor quality, too wide, and have questionable grip on dry ground and poor grip on wet ground. The tubeless aspect is welcome, but it is marred by a fragile and capricious valve. They are also heavy for their size.
On the road, the scooter turns well, a feat for such a large and suspended machine. On the other hand, it is heavy and bulky, so it is difficult to move.
Still on the downside, this useless holographic screen is unreadable as soon as there is a little light. The information displayed is of no real interest (small gauges to give it a motorcycle look that are difficult to read).
Two engines, why go to hell?
The particularity of this 1000GT 2×2 is that it has two separate engines of 1000 W each, capable of reaching 1400 W peak. In other words, the peak power is very close to the nominal power. Add a 52V battery and you have a scooter capable of holding 25 km/h and powerful acceleration until the juice runs out.
With a single motor, it takes about 5 seconds to reach 25 km/h. But press the small Dual Motor button and the latter, lit up in red, gently propels you from 0 to 25 km/h in less than 3 seconds.
But not everything is ideal. The scooter struggles to contain its power to limit itself to 25 km/h and generates slight jolts once the Vmax is reached.
Besides this detail, we must add the responsiveness of the buttons on the mode selection module, which do not always respond.
At night, the indicators, neon lights and lights make you clearly visible. The headlight diffuses a wide light, but it does not go as far as the design suggested.
We did not try the scooter unbridled. Note that there is no menu allowing this (as on the old Urban Glide).
Moreover, the frustration is real as the machine would be capable of traveling at 35 km/h without flinching.
Finally, and this is paradoxical, if you do not activate the dual motorization, this Urban Glide 1000GT 2×2 is accessible to beginners.
Top braking
Without control, power is nothing. And for once, Urban Glide has not skimped on the brakes. They are Zoom (so it is not Magura either, but at this price, it is already very good, in addition to being rare).
So, launched at 50 km/h (downhill, it is possible), the scooter took 12 meters. At 25 km/h, only 2.5 meters. It is possible to force the front to perform a stoppie, but if you stay on your supports, one of your feet on the rear footrest, there is no chance of that happening.
Autonomy: an eternity to load and unload
The autonomy is gigantic. With dual motors, at 19°C with 100kg of load, you can travel 63 km. That's enormous. Add 17 more with a single motor (yes, the small difference is surprising).
Note that the power drops sharply in the last 10 kilometers, but, with two motors required, the scooter can reach 25 km/h even on a 5% slope.
Recharging is almost endless. Allow 11 hours with the included charger. But it's possible to halve this charging time by simply connecting a second one. This is a very reasonable time for a 1.2 kWh battery.
Verdict: A sensible price-performance ratio
The Urban Glide 1000GT 2x2 has many advantages on paper, notably with its two powerful engines, its impressive range, and its effective braking. However, several aspects of its design and construction leave something to be desired. The significant weight and bulk make its transport and intermodal use complicated. The materials used for some parts seem cheap and the tires are bad.
The dual-motor system offers fast and powerful acceleration, but the 25 km/h speed limit generates unpleasant jolts. In addition, the holographic screen, although stylish, is seriously lacking in daylight readability.
This Urban Glide 1000GT 2×2 is an electric scooter that is certainly basic in terms of features, but robust and powerful, ideal for long and uninterrupted urban journeys.
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