If you've ever skipped on Lectric's products because you don't want a small folding bike, then it's time to rejoice! The XPress is a full-sized commuting electric bike, rocking 27.5" wheels with excellent rolling efficiency. It's purpose built for commuting which means it comes standard with everything you need: fenders, lights, and a sturdy rear rack. In classic Lectric style it's available at a low price with some shockingly good deals for pre-order customers; get the 750-watt version for just $1,299 and it comes with a free spare battery ($500 value).
Frame and power options
For starters, you can pick between a high-step and a step-through frame. The high-step is more rigid and stable at speed and comes in a dark gray color; it also has a flat handlebar for a more forward seating position. The step-through is much more approachable and sports a raised handlebar for a more upright, almost cruiser-ey vibe, and it's white.
The base model is equipped with a 500-watt hub motor and a 10.4 amp-hour battery and is priced at $999. It's still Class 3 capable which means a 28mph (45kph) top speed, and even though the battery is smaller it should still get good range thanks to the lower power drain of the smaller motor. Lectric estimates 45 miles of max range and I'd say that's fair. For riders who want a bit more "oomph", you can pay a few hundred dollars more and get a 750-watt motor paired with a 14 amp-hour battery. More speed and more range (up to 60 miles)! I tested the 750-watt version and found it to be delightfully zippy.
Lectric's first torque sensor is refreshingly unique
More and more brands are slapping torque sensors onto their models without putting a lot of thought into how they're tuned. Lectric has long resisted the torque sensor craze, opting to refine the design of their cadence sensor setups and doing an excellent job of it. Their PWR system is seriously well done and does well on their previous models. Now they finally have a torque setup, which they're calling PWR+, and it is quite unlike any other torque sensor available today.
The first thing I noticed about PWR+ is that it's not very responsive. When you start pedaling from a standstill it activates immediately (which is awesome), but if you change how hard you're pedaling while already in motion, it takes a few seconds for the system to respond. There's a sort of inertia to this setup where it wants to stick at the current assist level and doesn't change unless there's a sustained signal. This felt a little weird at first but after just a few minutes of riding I fell in love with it, because it addresses the biggest shortcoming of other torque sensor setups: they require you to pedal hard to go fast.
I know, I know, that's usually one of the positives of torque sensor setups (that they require exercise and thus more fitness). That's great for some situations but not others. Do you like showing up to work panting and soaked in sweat? do you like exhausting yourself on the way home after a long day? Sometimes you just want to get somewhere fast without having to put in a ton of work. Some e-bikes account for this by adding a throttle, which works okay but requires you to hold down the throttle the entire time, and those are capped to 20mph (32kph).
On the XPress you will still have to pedal harder in a short burst to increase your speed, but once you get to whatever speed you want to cruise at, you can ease back and pedal at a more relaxed level, and the bike will maintain speed. That inertia effect makes it stick surprisingly well, and it's also pretty well tuned for further adjustments; another burst of hard pedaling to accelerate, or just stop pedaling for a bit to slow down. I found that the system allowed me to intuitively "ride it like a bike" without having to fiddle with the controls. Cruising along at maximum speed is refreshingly fun and just the right amount of exercise in Level 5, and you can always drop it down to a lower level if you do want more of a workout.
Everything you need for city commuting is included
Large diameter wheels have great rolling efficiency, plus puncture protection and reflective sidewall stripes
Sturdy rear rack with a 50lb (22kg) weight capacity
Integrated front and rear lights
Full-coverage fenders
Not having to spend extra for necessary accessories is always a win! With that said, it would be nice to have turn signals and brake light activation, especially for commuting in cities. My test bike also didn't have a flick bell, but I think they'll be adding that for the finalized production version.
Having a 28mph (45kph) top speed helps out a lot here too; being able to keep pace with traffic and accelerate out of the way of danger makes it a lot easier to ride in cities that are still mostly built for cars.
Like all of Lectric's products, the XPress ships mostly assembled
Ordering an e-bike online can be a challenge when it comes to the "setting it up" stage; most of them require some finishing assembly before you can get riding. Lectric's folding models don't require any asssembly, but the XPress will require a little bit (still less than most). You'll have to mount the front tire and that's about it! This is helped by their quick-release pedals, a nice touch that makes storing the bike easier, not to mention transporting in a vehicle.
It still might be handy to have a second person when assembling, as e-bikes in general are rather large and heavy. Lectric's products are incredibly affordable but the downside is their lack of dealers; they have quite a lot of service partners so post-purchase support is getting easier to find, but there aren't many options to test ride one before pulling the trigger.
