Infinite Machine Olto Review: A Tremendously Fun Ride

If Elon Musk’s Cybertruck didn't exist, I think I'd like Infinite Machine’s Olto even more. On the first outing with this electric bike, someone came up to me in a coffee shop and asked if I was the owner of the bike outside. “It looks like a Cybertruck!” Another time, at a stoplight, a man on the crosswalk with his baby in a stroller paused to ask about my ride. “It's so cool!" Followed by another Cybertruck mention.

As I rode through New York City, eyes locked onto my ride as I cruised through the streets, and all I could think of was the unfortunate parallel with the Tesla pickup. I don't blame them; it's the first thing I thought of when I saw the Brooklyn company's ebike last year. The Olto undoubtedly looks like it was ejected from a Cybertruck ready to blow up, à la the Bat-Pod blasting off from the Tumbler in The Dark Knight.

If you don't mind the Cyber connotation and Apple-like construction, then there's a lot to like with this $3,495 vehicle. It's rated as a Class 2 ebike that can hit 20 miles per hour, though you can set it to Class 3 to unlock a top speed of 28 mph. You'll have to comply with local ebike laws—for example, in New York City you'll have to stick to 15 mph whether on a bike lane or a road. The Olto might look like a moped—with room for a passenger and all—but you do not need a license to ride it in the US. There are pedals you can unlock from the frame to enable pedal assist like a normal ebike, though that won't stop the annoyed looks from fellow cyclists in the bike lane.

Cyber Bike

It is so fantastically simple to get going once the Olto is in your possession. The company dropped off the bike for me in a van, and this delivery option is available in the NY metro area as well as in Los Angeles and Orange County. Other cities will be added soon, but if you're not in those markets, the company says the Olto ships fully assembled in the box. The delivery folks will unbox and remove the packaging, so all you need to do is plug in the backup battery (more on that later).