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One year old Lectric eBikes was founded to develop and deliver an affordable yet functional electric bike to customers around the world. The result the effort of co-founders Levi Conlow and Robby Deziel is a folding fat tire electric bike that was first and foremost affordable.
The Lectric XP is simple. It comes in black and white and packs a massive amount of functionality into a bike that retails for just $999 (on sale for $899 at the time of publication). In a world where most ebikes hover around the $2,000 price point, $999 is a fantastic price. On paper, the Lectric XP is impressive, but can it deliver when put to the test in the real world? They sent us the Lectric XP for us to run through the paces in the real world to see if it was truly up to the task.
Right off the bat, the Lectric XP sets itself apart. It shows up in a compact box fully assembled, thanks to its folding design. Clipping off a few zip ties, clamp on the handlebar, and after a few small tweaks, we were off to the races. That’s a nice change from most ebikes, where an hour or two of assembly from a semi-skilled mechanic is required before they can be enjoyed.
After unboxing, we threw it on the charger and after a few hours, the light on the charger gave us a green light to get out onto the road for some riding. Naturally, we obliged.
Our test neighborhood is notoriously hilly, with several hundred feet of elevation gain in either direction from our test facility that puts the hurt on even the most robust electric motors. Modern ebikes with 750 watt motors can occasionally remove much of the pain from the climb, but anything less typically suffers a toasty and occasionally smokey fate.
With its 500 watt motor battling my 200 lb frame and the hill, the Lectric XP didn’t blow our socks off and forced us to take a less direct route up the hill. Thankfully, that was just the factory setting. The Lectric XP is unique in that the bike includes very simple instructions for tweaking the programming of the bike to enable a higher top speed and more torque.
After a few minutes of digital tuning using the handlebar controls and the integrated display back at the shop, we were off to the races. The new settings changed the game and transformed the XP from a mellow cruiser to a more substantial bike capable of easing most of the pain of climbing the hill. It’s not necessary for everyone, but it’s nice to know that a bit of programming can change the personality of the bike, if needed.
Out of the box, the Lectric XP is setup as a Class 2 ebike, but this same digital tuning unlocks a higher top speed of 28 miles per hour to make it a true Class 3 ebike. Rules and regulations around ebikes vary significantly in different cities, states, and countries, so be sure to check with your local regulations before buying and tuning the Lectric XP.
The Lectric XP comes well equipped, with 20 x 4 inch tires that provide a nice bit of cushion on the frame. They do not fully replace a set of shocks, but they certainly do take the edge off of smaller bumps and dips in the road. The knobby Chaoyang tires provide plenty of traction for the occasional off road jaunt.
The seat on the Lectric XP is a nice, plush seat that leans far more towards comfort than lightweight. It’s a nice upgrade compared to many of the hard but light seats that aren’t as friendly to the posterior on longer rides.
From the factory, the XP comes well-equipped with a set of metal fenders, rear rack, and a set of front and rear powered lights. The lights can be manually activated by holding down the up arrow on the left-mounted remote control. A large center mounted display makes it easy to see if the lights are on, how much energy is left, the current speed, pedal assist level and more. In our testing, we found the display to be extremely easy to read even in the brightest of direct sunlight.
The grips on the narrow handlebar are a bit firm and leave a bit to be desired when it comes to comfort. Otherwise, their ergonomic shape make long rides a breeze. A right-mounted Shimano shifter makes it easy to shift the Shimano Tourney derailleur between one of the 7 rear gears ranging from 14-28T.
The Lectric XP is easy to fold, with a center pivot that allows the frame to fold in half. A second folding point at the bottom of the stem cuts off some of the vertical height of the bike. At the rear of the bike, the extra long alloy seat post collapses down to further shrink the profile of the folded bike.
While it may fold, at 63 pounds, the Lectric XP still isn’t going to be the easiest to move around, but that’s not the point. It’s a fully capable, full featured electric bike that is easier to get into and out of the car because it folds. If that’s helpful, great. If not, don’t fold it and it will still work just fine as a standard electric bike.
The design of the folding Wellgo P256 pedals with the center spindle sticking out of the profile made them a bit slippery, but with the right shoes, were not a problem. It was something to keep an eye out for when testing, but should not be a showstopper as pedals are easily changed, if it comes down to that.
The Lectric XP’s 500-watt rear hub motor and frame-integrated removable are rated to deliver approximately 25-45 miles per charge, depending on rider weight, support level, weather, and terrain. At 499 Wh, the 48 volt battery is smaller than many comparable full-sized electric bikes, but is more than sufficient to power the 500-watt motor for many miles.
The Lectric XP is well equipped right out of the gate and the company offers a range of accessories to tweak it to your exact needs. A set of water resistant panniers will set buyers back $49 to add saddle bags that mount to the rear rack. That’s a great value for a set of bags to get you up and running. We packed in a bag of coffee, several small parcels for the post office and some pastries and had plenty of room to spare.
A suspension seat post and spare battery round out the accessories. Lectric also offers replacement tires, tubes, seat, and charger in case a spare is needed or it is time to replace worn components. Head over to the ever-expanding accessory section of the Lectric eBikes site for all the current offerings and prices.
I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.
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