The best electric bikes: The Volt Metro reviewed

Tucked away in an unassuming street near Borough, you’ll find Volt Bikes – who were one of the first UK bike companies to spot the growing appetite for electric commuting.

The Volt Metro is the company’s newest folding bike, pitched directly at the commuter looking for a great quality, compact electric bike at a competitive price.

At just under £1400, I think this is a very well priced bike when compared to the rest of the market. For the kit you get, the fully folding functionality, the performance and range, it’s worth it. It’s kitted out very nicely with a Velo Plush saddle, ZOOM and SR Suntour suspension (more on this later). Combine Shimano disc brakes and it’s notably a step above in terms of spec. Where it lets itself down though is the weight – at 23kg with battery. And I certainly noticed this. In fact, at times I did find myself questioning the benefits of the bike folding at all, if in its folded form it essentially became a monolithically heavy – and far less practical to carry – version of itself.