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A Folding E-Bike That’s A Blast To Ride

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You know how when you buy a new car, you suddenly notice other people on the freeway driving the same model? That’s how I feel about e-bikes in general. Because I ride one as my primary mode of transportation, I always notice other e-bike riders. And here in Southern California, there are a lot of them. One brand I keep seeing is Lectric. And until recently, I knew nothing about the company or its bikes. But then a rep reached out to see if I’d be interested in testing the Lectric XP 3.0, which is its latest folding model in both a standard ($999) and long-range ($1,199) version.

This one is armed with a 500W hub-motor (1000W peak) with 55nm of torque, coupled with a 20 amp controller. That translates to power and speed, even going up hills. Mine arrived folded up in a box that was much smaller than that of a typical e-bike. It was well packed. And when I unpackaged it, I was pleasantly surprised to see the bike fully assembled. All I had to do was unfold the bike, open the pedals, and adjust the seat height. Literally no tools, no screws, and no frustration. Why every e-bike can’t arrive like this I have no idea. But at this point, I was already loving this bike.

So to test it out the first time, I just plugged the key into the battery, powered on the bike, and rode away. It was super simple. First impressions: The seat is well-padded and comfortable. The pedal assist works great. The thumb throttle engages quickly without the jerking motion that bikes often experience. Acceleration is fantastic. The ride – due to the motor, added suspension and puncture-resistant fat tires – is ultra-quiet and smooth. And the front and rear hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors worked extremely well, even going downhill, without any squealing whatsoever. Honestly, of the four dozen or so e-bikes that I’ve unpacked and tested, this was far and away the easiest and best carton-to-road experience.

I think the one downside I’ve experienced with the bike so far is the battery life. But I’ll be patient because we’ve had a lot of cold weather lately, which can greatly limit a battery’s range. But give Lectric credit: Right on the web page for this bike, the company lists standard and long range model mileage for each pedal assist level and the throttle. I haven’t seen any other brand do this before, but I wish all of them did. And as I tell everyone, you will likely never reach the listed range of any bike. Even in the cold weather, I’ve ridden plenty in throttle and pedal assist 5 level modes — which both suck up the most battery – and I still fall into the standard range. I’m sure as the weather warms up, it’ll start getting better mileage.

The bike comes standard with a front and rear rack that you have to assemble. But even that process is ultra-fast and smartly prepped. I attached the rear rack in just a few minutes, by removing the four Allen screws from the obvious receptacles where the basket goes, and then screwing them back in. The front requires the extra task of removing the headlamp first and then reattaching it after installing the rack. I also followed a YouTube video to unlock the speed ceiling to 28 mph.

This model also comes with a 11-28 tooth, 7-geared freewheel paired with a Shimano derailleur and thumb-triggered handlebar shifter that lets you change gears while riding for pedal efficiency. Several times I found the bike going so fast that pedaling slipped because it couldn’t catch up to the bike speed. All normal, though. Total bike weight is 64 pounds with the battery, plus the heavy racks. Charging takes up to six hours, according to the company.

Overall it’s been a great early-on experience.

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