Lectric XP 3.0 Review: A Budget-Friendly Electric Bike That’s Eager To Please

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0 Review: A Budget-Friendly Electric Bike That’s Eager To Please Dave Johnson Forbes Staff Forbes Vetted Contributor Group Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Following Jul 6, 2023, 02:48pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Lectric XP 3. 0 electric bike was named the best value electric bike in our recent testing and review of the best ebikes .

Read on to see why it’s the ebike we recommend for cyclists on a budget. Electric bikes are expensive. The battery itself can cost the manufacturer hundreds of dollars, which means it isn’t economical to assemble a quality ebike for much under a grand (and I wouldn’t recommend many of the least expensive options, which tend to cut a lot of corners to hit a low price point).

But there are exceptions. The Lectric XP 3. 0 is a superb ebike that only costs $900 and offers a great ride, quality components, long range, accessories and upgrades—and can even fold up for storage and portability.

After testing nearly a dozen ebikes in my recent roundup of the best electric bikes, the Lectric XP 3. 0 stands as my choice for the best value electric bike. Lectric’s XP 3.

0 might be a bargain, but it’s so thoughtfully designed that it’s a genuinely good . . .

[+] deal. Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer The Lectric XP 3. 0 might be among the cheapest bikes you can buy, but don’t be fooled by the price tag; it doesn’t ride like a budget bike.

And as Lectric has grown to become one of the biggest ebike brands in the U. S. , it has directed its resources into making its bikes better.

When I first tested the new Lectric XP 3. 0 last year, for example, it came equipped with mechanical brakes. Now all new XP 3.

0s rolling off the assembly line have substantially improved hydraulic brakes—without a higher price tag. Read on for more details on why I love the Lectric XP 3. 0.

Best Value Electric Bike Built Like A Tank But Riding Is A Joy Lectric eBikes Lectric XP 3. 0 Buy From Lectric eBikes Class : 2/3 (28 mph, throttle) | Weight : 64 pounds (330-pound max load) | Range : 65 miles | Motor : 500 watts (1,000-watt peak) hub | PAS sensor : Cadence (with wattage regulation) | Shifter : 7 speeds | Tires : 20-by-3-inch fat puncture resistant | Warranty : 1 year Best for : Riders on a budget Folks who don’t want to assemble their new bike Hauling groceries, pets and passengers Skip if : You’re looking for a bike that’s more conventionally attractive A lighter bike you can lift onto a bike rack MORE FROM FORBES VETTED The Best Subscription Boxes For Kids, From Cooking To STEM Kits By Jenni Gritters Contributor The Best Folding Chairs That Allow You To Sit Just About Anywhere By Camryn Rabideau Contributor Lectric XP 3. 0 Features A Functional But Ugly Duckling Design The Lectric XP 3.

0 is a squat, fat tire bike that is unambiguously electric—no one would look at this bike and mistake it for a traditional bike. The step-through frame sits low over 20-inch tires, with the top of the downtube just 29 inches off the ground (compare that to around 35 inches for a more traditional bike). That downtube is a hefty box-like structure that holds the battery.

Simply put, there’s nothing subtle or streamlined about this bike, but whether you like the look is a matter of taste. The good news is that it’s foldable, collapsing to about half its normal size, thanks to a pair of locking hinges, one in the frame and another that flips down the handlebar post. Unfortunately, the foldability competes with the bike’s substantial 64-pound mass, which means it’s a little awkward to fold and even harder to move around once it’s collapsed.

But since it does fold up, that means that you can throw it in the back of a minivan or to store it in the corner of the garage. You could even ride it to the office and then fold it up in your cubicle. Lectric knows that bike theft is still a big problem, especially in bigger cities, so the bike can be secured with a key, which you need to insert to power the bike at all.

You can use the key to unlock and remove the battery, as well (which is handy if you want to charge the battery indoors, because there’s no dragging that 64-pound bike up a flight of stairs). The only downside? That keyhole is on the bottom of the downtube, which can be hard to find, especially in the dark. The Lectric XP 3.

0 features a collapsible frame, though it’s a bit difficult to transport in this . . .

[+] form due to its weight. Dave Johnson For Forbes A Ride Worthy Of A More Expensive Bike The bike is built around a 500-watt-hour battery that can get you up to 65 miles on a single charge. (Based on my testing, I’d say you should expect closer to 45 miles in real-world riding conditions, but that depends so much on terrain and your riding style that these numbers are super approximate.

) This is a Class 3 bike, which means it tops out at 28 mph when using the pedal assist, and you should be able to 20 mph with the twist throttle alone. Thanks no doubt to the powerful 1,000-watt motor, acceleration on this bike is robust—most of the time I stuck to level 2 or 3 of the pedal assist and still got up to speed very quickly, and the throttle gives you a burst of speed that will thrill folks who wish it was really a motorcycle. The motor in combination with the seven-speed shifter made the bike fun to ride on all sorts of terrain, from rolling hills and flat ground to a pretty aggressive incline that I have to walk with my non-powered bike.

The cadence sensor does mean that cold starts—such as at a traffic light—can take extra effort, but I avoid that by giving the throttle a twist when the light turns green. That kickstarts the bike, and then I start pedaling normally once the motor gets the bike off the starting block. The Lectric XP 3.

0 has integrated lights, fenders, 3-inch fat tires and—surprisingly—a hydraulic suspension. And Lectric recently started including hydraulic brakes at no additional cost. That’s a substantial upgrade from the mechanical brakes that Lectric used to build into this model, making this one of the very, very few bikes under $1,000 to offer this feature.

Trick Out Your Ride With Accessories One of the things I love most about the XP 3. 0 is the wide array of accessories you can get. This is a utility bike, after all, and you can add a cargo package with racks and baskets, or get a pet trailer you can hitch to the back.

Speaking of passengers, you can also add a passenger seat (as well as a handlebar and foot pegs) for a second rider as well. Whether or not you get any of these accessories, it comes with a rack in the rear that is fully integrated into the frame and capable of carrying a load of up to 150 pounds. The Lectric XP 3.

0’s display is simple, but it helps keep the sticker price low. Dave Johnson For Forbes How Does The Lectric XP 3. 0 Compare To Other Electric Bikes? The Lectric XP 3.

0 is an incredible bike given the price. Of course, no $1,000 bike is going to be perfect, but Lectric gets so many things right, at such a good price, that it’s an easy choice. Other models, like the Rad Power RadRunner 3 Plus, cover much the same ground with a utility frame, fat tires and plenty of accessories.

But that Letric can do all of that for less than half the price is nothing short of astonishing. And unlike most of the competition, it’s fully assembled—and I do mean fully—right out of the box. Of course, not everyone will want a utility bike.

A model like the Velotric T1 or Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad give you a smoother ride, thanks to bigger wheels, and they throw in additional features or name-brand components. But the stuff you do get is compelling: The black-and-white digital display is big, easy to read and tells you everything you need to know for a great ride. After riding this bike a lot , it seems to me that Lectric has struck the right balance between cost and performance.

My Expertise I’ve been geeking out as a technology journalist since the ’90s. But why did I choose this path? Well, let’s just say my love for gadgets, gear and all things tech played a big role. Over the years, I’ve gathered a number of writing credits from publications like Forbes, PC World, Digital Camera Magazine, CNET, TechHive and Insider (oh, and I’ve also written close to thirty books).

Along the way, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to test and play with all kinds of gear. I managed to blend my passion for biking with my tech obsession many years ago. I hopped on the electric bike train early on, writing about these capable rides since their humble beginnings.

Not only did I write about them, but I also zipped around town and embarked on epic weekend adventures on these two-wheeled wonders. I’ve made it my mission to stay up-to-date with all the latest electric biking developments. So, when it came time to prepare for this article and test out bikes, my garage was already bursting at the seams with a collection of e-bikes (it’s getting pretty close to the point where squeezing in my car is a real challenge).

How I Tested The Best Electric Bikes When selecting the products for this roundup, it was important to include the most popular and common ebikes on the market—the ones that Forbes Vetted readers are most likely to consider. I included both direct-to-consumer ebikes (from online, mail-order brands) and models that you need to visit a dealership to purchase. I assembled a cross-section of bikes in styles most people want to ride, like commuter and city bikes, folding bikes, off-road bikes and utility bikes that can carry cargo.

Assembly Once all the bikes were on hand, I evaluated how easy they were to assemble. Some bikes come fully assembled, while most are partially built and can be finished with some simple tools in less than an hour. A handful of bikes require substantial assembly; if you’re not already a confident bike mechanic, you’ll want to factor another $100 into the price to have a local bike shop assemble it for you.

The bottom line is that I noted the overall difficulty—and potential expense—of the out-of-box experience. Ride Experience Then it was time to hit the road. I took every bike on a handful of 10-mile treks across city streets, onto dirt and grass paths and on a paved bike path that cuts across a substantial part of the state of Michigan.

I noted each bike’s comfort, handling, shifting and braking. In other words: How well did it work as an actual bike? Power And Range As with any electric vehicle, it’s important to understand how much power the motor delivers, and what kind of range you can expect to get. To assess how well the motor could power the bike, I paid attention to pedal assist and throttle response on level ground as well as on a particularly steep overpass that would otherwise require any average biker to walk their bike up and over.

I also tracked real-world range, although this can vary enormously depending on a wide variety of factors. Smart And Security Features I love so-called smart features, and I explored whatever each bike offered, like integrated displays, electronic shifting and high-tech security. Some bikes had few or none of these capabilities, while others were veritable props from a science-fiction story.

I assessed how easy these features were to use as well and whether they were practical or useful. Bikes with integrated anti-theft or security features tended to earn extra points. Budget-friendly components keep the Lectric’s price low.

Dave Johnson For Forbes Is Getting An Electric Bike Worth It? Depending on your lifestyle, ebikes offer several advantages over other forms of transportation. Here are a few to consider: Cost Compared to cars, ebikes are very cost effective, especially when gas prices are high. If you live relatively close to work and the roads are bike-friendly, you can even commute by bike without breaking a sweat.

Ease Of Use As opposed to regular bikes, electric bikes have an electric motor to offer more propulsion than your legs can provide by pedaling alone. That means it takes less effort for you to get from here to there. That’s especially important on hilly terrain, because an ebike can make scaling a steep hill no harder than riding on level ground.

Versatility Another of the great advantages of an ebike is that you can ride it with or without electric power, meaning you won’t be stranded if the battery dies. (Heavier ebikes can be challenging to pedal without electric power, though newer ebikes are increasingly lightweight and easy to pedal when the battery is empty. ) You can use pedal assist to add power to your pedaling, stop pedaling and go on throttle alone (if you have a Class 2 or throttle-equipped Class 3 bike) or just pedal like an old-fashioned bike.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Ebikes? Swapping your car for an electric bike or upgrading your traditional bike for the electric kind has a lot of advantages—but it does have some downsides, too. Cost Ebikes may be more cost effective than most cars, but they’re still pricey. With the cheapest options setting you back close to $1,000, they cost much more than most traditional bikes.

Battery Life While many ebikes have impressive battery lives, most still need to be plugged into a power outlet to charge. That means you need to remember to charge it regularly—if you ride daily, you might need to charge up a few times per week. Weight Because electric bikes have batteries and motors, they’re often a lot heavier than their traditional brethren.

This isn’t an issue when you’re getting pedal assist from the motor, but if your battery dies and you have to pedal home, it can be very challenging to pedal a 60-pound bike up a hill. Weight is also a major consideration for transporting and storing ebikes. Very heavy ebikes can’t be hung from the ceiling or on the wall, for example, and hoisting an ebike onto a hitch-mounted bike rack on your car can be very challenging (or a two-person job).

Thankfully, many modern ebikes are surprisingly lightweight (some as little as 25 pounds), so it might be worth looking for a lighter ebike if that’s a concern for you. Maintenance Because ebikes include a motor and other electronics, they may require more maintenance and upkeep. Replacing a tire on a bike with a motor mounted in the hub of the rear wheel, for example, may require going to a bike shop.

Regulations States and local municipalities have their own laws and ordinances for where you can ride an ebike, and these can change depending on the type of electric bike you have. For example, some towns have banned electric bicycles from sidewalks, while others may have trail restrictions for Class 3 bikes, which, with a top speed of 28 mph, are sometimes not considered bicycles. Follow me on Twitter .

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