I have had my Atlas for two months and put 400+ miles on it so far. I bought it primarily for year-round urban bike commuting, with casual riding and medium-distance trips as secondary purposes. It has aced the commute over some rough pavement and through (what seems like perpetual) construction. I am loving the front suspension! I've also gone on regular 50-mile round trip jaunts this summer, which I could have done both ways *maybe* on my analog bike.
Since the pandemic began, I went from 70% bike commuting to 95%, filling out the remainder with public transit. My front fender did not fit right without rubbing at first, but Evelo sent me the spacers needed to correct it. As muscular as the front tire looks without that front fender, even a small puddle would get my ankles and feet wet. Never mind water on the street post-big rain. I was soaked from the thighs down within 3 minutes! The fenders are quite effective.
I find myself riding in pedal assist 1 most of the time. Though I have tried 2-5, I only have done this under certain conditions, e.g. at night when no other bikes are around me and I'm in a protected bike lane. Beyond wanting to get exercise from the peddling, the available torque and speed in the higher PAS levels is more than I need on a bicycle. I actually wish you could re-program PAS 1 to 50 or 60% of what it does. PAS 0 is mostly unusable due to the bike's weight, although I do use it when the bike trail goes right through the middle of a botanical garden with pedestrians around. I have been riding motorcycles for 20+ years, so I feel qualified to rev it up when no one is around at night, though.
While I knew I would want to at least change out the stock seat, I didn't know how much of an investment I would be making in all the gadgets, or farkles as we call them in the motorcycling world. I added a cheap replacement seat, a throttle, a mobile phone holder, a rear rack while the Evelo one was on backorder, a taillight extension cable for that rack, a bell, a bar-mounted mirror, a mount for my Beeline Moto, an expensive chain lock, a killer Arkel pannier (much better then Ortlieb!), and as of last night the Evelo rack and a Shotgun Pro bike seat for my kid. The handlebar now looks a bit ridiculous, but hey, I have what I need. I glanced other reviews and read that someone changed out the handlebar on their Atlas, so that's a potential future upgrade. The diameter of the bars varies across different spots, so for instance my bell loosens itself if it slides over. One thing I was happy I did not have to add was a water bottle cage. It even came with an Evelo water bottle :)
In terms of the ride, I really enjoy it. On the downside it is large and heavy, though not as bad as some cheaper and more expensive bikes I had previously considered. I store it downstairs where I live, and it's a chore to get it up and down. If I bring it upstairs to work on it I remove the battery - super easy - to save weight. Oh right, the battery! The battery life is okay, not quite what I had hoped. In PAS 1 with me (~220 lbs.) and my gadgets and gear (another ~30 lbs.), the battery is down to 20-30% by the time I go ONE WAY on that 50-mile trip. Therefore the fast 3A charger that comes with the bike goes into my saddlebag / pannier and gets used. I also bought a fanless 2A charger of the same brand online so I can charge in my office where I need quiet. With two chargers and the ability to take one I have no range anxiety. I could have purchased the rack and second battery when I got the Atlas, but figured the longer trips only occur during warmer months.
Besides the weight and battery, everything else is an upside. I saw a review criticizing the brakes, but have been pleasantly surprised how fast it stops. This comes in handy when pedestrians walk across bike lanes with their nose in their phone. Ask me how I know :( You may also find reviews talking about the drivetrain noise from earlier Atlas'. Rest assured this bike is super quiet. When riding trails, my bike is so quiet that I sneak up on all the bunnies. They don't notice me coming until they see me four or five feet away. Then they run like h*ll! I have to carefully listen to hear the whine of the Bafang motor over the wind noise generated by my helmet. The belt is so quiet and smooth, and the bike is built like a tank with no rattles present. These are all the qualities - well-made, quiet, low maintenance, mid-drive motor, front suspension, good company support - I had been looking for in an ebike. I had to stretch my budget ~50%, but I was willing to spend enough to get everything I wanted without going into Riese & Müller territory. To me that's the only way to avoid regret. And I have none with this bike. Highly recommended!
