Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra E-Bike Review: A Joy to Ride Indeed
An almost perfect e-bike riding experience.
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
Last year, we reviewed the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro e-bike, lauding it for its beautiful design and lightweight frame. At the time, that model was the company’s debut product, and included some unique design elements, including a novel information display and the use of integrated AI. Since then, the brand has expanded its e-bike catalog significantly, offering consumers a wider variety of options to choose from. One of the newest editions to that catalog is the Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra, which offers a near-perfect riding experience that redefines what an e-bike should be.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
A Joyful Experience
The aptly named Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra gets just about everything right. So much so that we want to point out its one flaw just so we can get it out of the way early. The bike only comes in one size, which Urtopia says fits riders ranging in height from 4’ 11” to 6’ 3”. But as a rider who approaches the top end of that scale, the bike constantly felt a little small, even with the seat set to a proper height. We still managed to ride it just fine, but it was a little challenging to get fully comfortable in the saddle at times. Take that for what it’s worth, and your personal mileage may vary here.
That said, the bike’s small frame does play an important role in what makes it so fun to ride, however. Clearly, the designers at Urtopia concentrated on keeping the Joy Ultra’s weight to a minimum, as it tips the scales at a mere 42 lbs. That’s downright svelte for an e-bike, which seem to only be getting heavier all the time. The bike’s smaller size aids in the effort to keep it light, as does its carbon fiber frame—something that is often a pricey upgrade in the traditional bike space. Yet somehow, this model still comes in at a very reasonable price, while delivering great performance at the same time.
The other factors that play such an important role in making this bike a—well—joy to ride are its excellent components. From its highly responsive electric motor to its Shimano groupset and disc brakes, the Joy Ultra offers a refined ride that rivals that of a traditional, non-electric model. That’s high praise, considering most of the competition feels heavy and clunky. Here, you get a nimble, lightweight bike that leaves you rethinking a lot of preconceived notions of what an e-bike can be.
As we’ve noted in other recent e-bike reviews, improved bike components are making a big difference in newer models. Shimano should be commended for upping its game, delivering better parts for manufacturers to use in their products. In the past, most e-bikes came with gears that were adequate at best, and usually quite bad. As a result, riders rarely switched gears at all, preferring to use the bike’s pedal assist modes or throttle to help them overcome steeper climbs. That works, of course, but it also drains the battery at a faster rate. These newer—and better—components make the gearing much more useful, reducing reliance on the electric drive, which leads to improved battery life and longer range. Not to mention a better all-around rider experience.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
Putting the “E” in E-Bike
All of the above said, an e-bike with top-notch components can still be let down by an inferior motor and battery. Fortunately, that isn’t the case here, as Urtopia’s electrical drive system is excellent. The motor is very responsive, providing pedal assist exactly when you need it, and cutting off the assist when you don’t. This gives riders plenty of confidence when riding with traffic, taking on a steep climb, starting on a slope or accelerating from a traffic light. And should they need a little extra burst, a thumb throttle is available to apply power even without pedaling at all.
The tech specs for the Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra include a 750W peak-power motor and a 529Wh battery back. Working in conjunction with one another, those parts give the bike a range of up to 70 miles on a single charge. As always, those official range numbers are estimated under ideal conditions, typically involving the lowest level of pedal assist and mostly flat terrain. That said, as a taller and heavier rider, testing on rolling hills, we still managed to get well over 60 miles of range between charges. We’re confident that lighter riders will be able to extend their range even further, possibly even beyond the manufacturers estimated number.
Speaking of pedal assist modes, the Carbon Joy Ultra offers four options for riders to choose from. Those include Eco, Tour, Boost, and Turbo. As with all other e-bikes, the higher you go up the scale, the easier it is to pedal and maintain speed. That extra power comes at the expense of battery life, so it’s important to find the right balance. Fortunately, the excellent gearing and the bike’s lightweight design play an important role here, too. On our test rides, we rarely ever had to take the bike out of “Eco” mode at all, preferring instead to use the Shimano gears to shift our efforts up and down. Still, having the extra power there when you need it is very reassuring. It also allows you to always put in as much—or little—effort as you want.
Riders can keep track of their current speed, battery life, riding mode, and other metrics on the bike’s built-in display. The screen is small and simple, but easy to read, giving users all the info they need at a glance. It even shows dual power meters—one on either side of the screen—indicating how much work the rider is putting in versus how much the motor is adding to the effort. Those looking to eke out the most range possible will definitely appreciate this feature.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
A Refined E-Bike Evolution
Clearly, we’re smitten with the Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra. The bike is lightweight, fun to ride, and very well built. In many ways, it feels like the full evolution of the current generation of e-bikes, delivering on all the promises we’ve expected from the industry for the past five or even ten years. This is a model that makes you want to use it on daily commutes, while running errands, and just for the pure joy—no pun intended—of riding.
Urtopia has even streamlined the assembly process, making it easier than ever to have an e-bike shipped to your door, put together, and out on a ride in no time at all. Admittedly, we’ve built our fair share of e-bikes over the years, but the Carbon Joy Ultra was assembled and ready to go in less than 20 minutes. It wasn’t complicated or difficult at all. Even getting it out of the box was easy, thanks to cleverly designed packaging made to make the customer’s life easier.
At this point in the review, we’re running out of superlatives to describe the Carbon Joy Ultra. Pure and simple, it is easily one of the best e-bikes we’ve ever tested and comes highly recommended for anyone currently in the market for a model of their own. Unless you happen to be taller than six feet, in which case you may find it a little on the small side. But for everyone else, this is a new benchmark by which all other electric bikes will be measured.
It should be noted that the Carbon Joy Ultra doesn’t come with a suspension system of any kind. This was undoubtedly left out of the design to help save weight, which as it turns out was probably a wise choice. The bike is very comfortable to ride on its own, and its large—but not oversized—tires serve as a cushion when rolling over rougher terrain. But we didn’t find ourselves missing the suspensions that are common on other e-bikes at all, which is further testament to the quality of Urtopia’s bike.
Photo Credit: Urtopia
Pricing and Value
The Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra sells for $2,499 (currently on sale for $2,199 at the time of publication), which makes it a little pricier than much of the competition, but not exorbitantly so. But the bike occupies a growing sweet spot in the market that sits above the glut of budget models and the pricey high-end options from other manufacturers. In other words, yes, you can find other e-bikes that cost less, but if this one fits in your budget, it is very much worth spending a little extra for. This is especially true if you plan to take it with you on your travels, as the size and weight are big pluses compared to what you’ll find elsewhere.
In terms of value, the Carbon Joy Ultra is worth every penny. In fact, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find that it actually cost more than the advertised MSRP. The built quality is outstanding, the components are top-notch, and the overall ownership experience is excellent. That’s it. That’s all you need to know.
For more information on the Urtopia Carbon Joy Ultra e-bike, visit the company’s website.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. An avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
