Lectric XP Review – 2021

The XP exceeded all handling expectations, every single one of our test riders felt in control and confident when riding the XP. Regardless of the surface we were riding on we felt like the XP handled it extremely well, those looking for a bike to adventure and explore on are really going to enjoy the multi-surface capabilities of the XP.

The XP cornered like a champ, this is partially due to the The 20’x4.0” tires. These tires helped a ton with bump compliance especially when offroad, and at slower speeds it was easy to stay balanced due to the width of the tire. At higher speeds the width is confidence inspiring for the same reasons.

We liked the tread choice on the XP tires, they have plenty of knobs for the occasional off-road, but they are designed to still be fast rolling for pavement and on road riding. The 20” circumference of these tires provide a tight turn radius, which is great for city riding or anywhere where you aren’t typically going in a straight line.

When it comes to offroad riding, the XP did great in gravel, and dirt too, the throttle helped us boost through the looser stuff too. We wouldn’t recommend mountain biking on this bike, but when it comes to off road exploration and multi-terrain adventures the XP is definitely a great option.

The only thing we would change in terms of the way the XP handled was the width of the handlebar: for taller riders the handlebar feels a bit narrow, so stability and control isn’t quite as good as it is for smaller riders, this isn’t by any means a deal breaker and our taller test riders still had a blast riding the Lectric XP.

All of our test riders were surprised how comfortable the Lectric XP was, the price point mixed with being a foldable ebike gave us the idea that it was going to feel awkward when riding, but we were wrong.

This bike is quite comfortable, especially for shorter rides (5-10 miles). When we rode any farther than 10 miles the adjustable handlebars and soft saddle helped us stay fresh. All of us agreed that the seat is quite soft, and holds its form well even on longer riders.

We all felt the grips were quite hard and did not provide very much “tackiness”. Despite the ergonomic shape of the grips some of our test riders noticed some hand soreness around the 15 mile mark. Wearing a pair of riding gloves is a simple way to solve this issue, but we would still like to see some softer grips on future Lectric Bikes.

When it comes to off-road comfort the XP’s mentioned 20×4.0 tires provided plenty of dampening to the surface we were riding on, which helped us a ton with hand and back fatigue. Because of how much air the 20×4.0’s hold we were able to fine tune the pressure of the tire relative to the surface we were riding on, which allows the XP to be even better offroad than it already is.

Starting/Turning on the bike is quite simple once the keys are inserted into the bike. Hold down the power button for about 2 seconds and you will see the display turn on. This is your indication the bike is ready to ride, the XP turns on in “level 0” so you’ll need to get to level 1 or higher to receive pedal assist, and to use the throttle.

Lectrics design requires the key to be inserted to ride, and we felt the insertion point for the key wasn’t the most convenient. It’s on the underside of the bike and requires you to get quite low to the ground to get the key in. This location can be both irritating and a bit dangerous since you either have one dangling key — or if your key is on a key ring, you have a dangling set of keys.

Our team agreed that if the key needs to be inserted to ride it would make much more sense to move the keyhole up underneath the LCD display or elsewhere on the bike where it doesn’t dangle.

We found the Tektro 160mm mechanical disc brakes both front and rear provide good stopping power. Because of the weight, and top speed of the bike, our team agreed that the XP would definitely benefit from 180mm rotors for even more stopping power.

Many ebikes have hydraulic brakes to offset the higher speeds and heavier frames, so these Tektro mechanical brakes aren’t as high-spec as some, but for a bike of this price point they are a great choice. One side note is that you may need to adjust the brake cable tension out of the box to optimize stopping power. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, it should be a pretty quick adjustment for your local bike shop to make for you.

The brake levers have a motor cutoff switch so as soon as you tap the brakes the motor shuts off power — this way you’re not wearing down your brakes while the motor is engaged. It also naturally slows the bike without having to apply too much friction to the rotors.

I personally would recommend practicing stopping in an open area to become familiar with the way the XP slows down, this is also a safe way to make sure your brakes are working properly.

Parking the bike was really simple, all we had to do was kick out the kickstand! Even when folded, the XP can stand on its own. Because of the foldable feature you can get creative with how you park and lock your XP.

Removing the key will ensure the bike cannot be turned on, which will deter some thieves due to the weight of the bike. We would definitely recommend purchasing a lock with this bike, simply to protect your investment. Being a foldable bike you have a better chance of being able to take it inside, and you are able to get more creative with the way you lock it up.

We were impressed with how small the XP becomes when folded up, because of this you’ll likely be able to find a place to store your XP even if you don’t have very much space. The Lectric XP also fits in most trunks when folded up, eliminating the need for a bike rack.

We were super impressed with the range of the XP, especially for the $900 price point, despite riding some extremely steep and long hills the XP held its own : We rode the XP on the highest assistance level and pedaled the whole time, resulting in just over 30 miles before the battery died, When we were low on power the display made it very clear that it was time to charge it, plus the bike had diminished slightly in power before completely dying.This is pretty standard for lithium ion batteries. The combination of a visual display of where the battery is at, and feeling it slowly put out less power will keep you very aware of how much life you have left in the charge.

The Lectric XP’s 500w hub motor performs extremely well, and every single one of our test riders were impressed by the acceleration and power it provided. We really liked that the hub motor was capable of 28mph pedal assist speeds, it made it that much funner when riding the XP. One thing we were curious about was how the XP would climb considering its weight and small, wide tires, in short it destroyed the steepest hill we could find. This is because Lectric has provided the hub motor with an additional 300w of peak power for when things get tough, we really appreciated this feature as it kept us riding longer, and more comfortably.

The Lectric XP uses a 48volt LG battery with 10.4 ah and 500Wh. The battery is integrated snugly into the downtube which keeps it protected and out of the way..

Our test riders had no complaints about the battery, in fact we were quite impressed with its range. On the highest assistance level it had a range of just above 30 miles, which is pretty phenomenal considering it’s only 10.4ah.

The battery was a little difficult to remove at first, but we got the hang of it and understand it has to be a tight fit for the folding design to work well. The charging port for the battery is on the left side of the downtube so you can charge your bike without removing the battery which is always nice.

Lectric sells replacement batteries for around $300 each which is actually quite reasonable, this makes the carryings an extra one that much easier. A standard 48v, 2amp charger is included. This will plug into any standard wall outlet.

We really appreciated the large display on the Lectric XP, it made it easy to read when riding. All of us really liked the handlebar display on the XP, and all of the customization it offered. Most ebikes at this price point have very simple handlebar displays, without many features. Instead of skimping here, the Lectric XP has one of the largest, clearest displays of any we’ve tested.

While they saved money on a few components, Lectric eBikes really invested in a nice display on the XP. The control pad is on the left handlebar with two up/down buttons and a mode button that are all well positioned for a thumb reach. The display itself sits vertically in the center of your handlebars. The battery display icon also has 10 intervals so you have a more specific idea of your charge percentage than most ebikes.

We found the lights on the XP to be pretty standard, they’ll keep you seen by others in low light conditions and provide enough visibility to emit your path to get home at night. If you plan on riding a lot in darker conditions we would definitely recommend purchasing a secondary head light for better visibility. We recommend keeping the lights on for all rides, to increase your chances of being seen by others.

5 total levels of pedal assist made it extremely easy and convenient for us to find the perfect setting when riding, and the cadence sensor made the engagement decently consistent. We spent a lot of time in the higher assistance levels to get a better feel for the power and capability of the bike, and simply because that’s when the XP is funnest, and we are confident that you’ll do the same.

We noticed that on occasions the bike would continue to boost forward for a second after we stopped pedaling. This quick boost is nothing too serious, but it is definitely something to consider when preparing to stop, or corner.

We loved the quick acceleration you get from this throttle, it helps a ton with maintaining speed, especially through areas with a lot of corners and hills. Rather than pedaling back up to speed, the Lectric XP can “boost” back up to speed quickly with the engagement of the throttle, keeping you fresher on your ride.

The Throttle is a grip-twist throttle and is pretty standard. Lectric put a small gap in between the grip and the throttle to help you not accidentally engage the throttle when riding, which we really appreciated seeing.

The Lectric XP is equipped with Tektro mechanical disk brakes, and 160mm rotors. The brakes may take some getting used to so we would definitely recommend practicing your braking in an open area before going out on your first ride.

The brakes provided good modulation but we agreed that a little bit more stopping power would be nice. With heavier ebikes you don’t stop as quickly as you would a normal bike, and we think upgrading the 160mm rotors to 180mm rotors would help the “bite” when you pull the brakes. We understand that this is a $900 ebike but larger rotors wouldn’t add very much to the overall price.

In summary mechanical brakes seem to be plenty proficient when they have decent sized rotors, but these ones felt a little small for comfort at higher speeds. With some more miles on the XP we got used to the brakes, but more stopping power never hurts!

We really appreciated having the fenders especially when taking the XP offroad, they do a great job of keeping the ride clean, and an even better job of keeping gravel from flipping up and hitting the rider.

The fenders are plastic, and they are color matched to the frame of the XP. The fenders are removable, but we would definitely recommend keeping them attached because of the amount of debris the 4.0” tires are capable of grabbing and flipping up.

Almost right away we noticed how stiff and predictable the fork felt, which is an essential especially at higher speeds. The XP’s fork is fully rigid with quick release drop outs, the fork is also “raked out” enough to help you stay in control even on steeper hills.

Because of the fork being fully rigid, you have a very responsive front wheel which is great for corners and bike handling in general.

We were shocked at how sturdy the XP’s frame felt for being foldable, and having a battery inside. Our test riders couldn’t tell that they were riding a foldable ebike, even when hitting bumps and riding off road.

The Lectric XP has a 6061 aluminum alloy frame. There is only one frame size, but this includes an adjustable saddle, stem, and telescoping handlebar stem so different sized riders can find the right fit.

The 6061 alloy construct keeps the bike sturdy enough to fold and reduces any frame flex. The bike folds in half with both wheels coming together while the pedals fold in and the handlebars fold down.

The frame becomes impressively compact — but it still weighs 63 pounds. This makes sense for what you’re getting on the XP, but can be hard to lift and carry. Even through the frame folds, be advised that moving it can be a challenge for those who struggle to lift 60 pounds.

The Lectric XP frame also comes in two colors, Glossy White with Lectric blue lettering and metallic gray accents, and Glossy Black with Lectric blue lettering and metallic gray accents.

The Lectric XP is equipped with a Shimano Tourney 1×7 cassette and derailleur, and a 52t chainwheel. This bike’s gearing feels great for hill climbs, however if you are above assistance level 3 it doesn’t take long to spin out your hardest gear when it comes to flats and downhills.

The saddle was great, even on longer rides it held its shape well, and was quite comfortable. Oftentimes people will replace the stock saddle on their bike with something they’re familiar with and know they’ll like, but on the XP we didn’t feel that was necessary.

We all agreed that the grips could be improved on, they are pretty hard and not very grippy, it didn’t take long to feel it when riding. The Ergonomic shape of the grips definitely help, but for maximum hand comfort we would definitely recommend wearing some riding gloves, this seemed to solve the issue for us.

The handlebar provides plenty of adjustment in height, and will likely have a position that is perfect for you, and your preferred handlebar height. We liked how easy it was to adjust the handlebars, even if you start to feel sore mid ride you can adjust them to make yourself feel better. The bar is 570mm wide, so taller riders may feel like their arms are a bit close together, however the bar was still wide enough for our tallest test rider to feel stable and in control.

Lectric has aluminum alloy folding pedals that collapse in half when you fold your bike. These pedals are good quality, and they don’t bow in the middle at the folding point and provide good support under your foot.

There aren’t any straps or clips to hold your shoe on the pedal, but it isn’t necessary for this type of riding, especially with how strong the XP is. The pedals will support pretty much any type of shoe (although we don’t recommend open toed sandals or high heels).

The kickstand has a wide range of adjustment and in the perfect position for propping up the bike quickly. We liked that the spring is strong enough to keep the kickstand in place when riding without you having to worry about it slapping the ground on bumps.

It was also easy to kick up when getting on the bike. The kickstand is removable, but is low profile enough, and tucked away enough that we don’t think it would be necessary to do so.

We loved these tires! We felt plenty balanced and in control with the 4.0 width, even at high speeds. We also noticed that you can maintain your momentum through the corners quite well because of the traction you get from them.

Even if you are lugging something on your rack these tires will help you stay balanced and in control. The large amount of air in these tires also helped smooth out bumps, and helped us glide over the top of gravel and dirt pathways.

We noticed that the 4.0s aired down to around 10psi made us feel like we had suspension, which reduced fatigue and increased traction overall. Be careful not to go too low pressure, the lower pressure you run the more likely pinch flats and punctures become.

Conventionally the smaller the wheels the more the bike is intended for a smaller rider, but on the XP that’s not the case. Chances are if you are between 5 feet, and 6’5” you will fit just fine on this bike.The Lectric XP fits a surprisingly large range of rider heights, especially for being a 20inch ebike. Our test riders ranged from 5’4” all the way to 6’5”, and every single one of us fit on the Lectric XP comfortably enough to do longer rides.

Taller riders may feel the handlebars are a bit thin, but not to the point of where the handling is diminished, if you’re riding terrain that the XP is intended for you should be just fine.

We really enjoyed riding the Lectric XP, and feel that it is a great option for: new riders, those looking for their first e-bike, and those who want a fun adventure bike that won’t break the bank. At this low price range there are several viable contenders out there, including bikes from VoltBikes, Tern, or RadPower’s RadMini, but the Lectric XP is the least expensive of them all, and still retains some quality components and a nicely powered drivetrain for under a thousand dollars. Lectric really seemed to think through all the parts that they’ve chosen to put on this bike and for such a low price point we were extremely impressed with the XP’s performance.

For the time being Lectric is only direct to consumers, meaning you are only able to purchase Lectric’s bikes and accessories from their website. The button above will take you to current pricing. The bike will be shipped to whatever address you give them and is one of the easiest bikes to put together we have ever received. If you feel your brakes aren’t grabbing, or your shifting is out of adjustment your local bike shop will be able to help you with the adjustment if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself. We found it easier to break down the box around the bike rather than lifting it out, from this point you only have a couple of things to do before riding.

The Lectric comes in two colors: black and white. The motor was one of our favorite things on this bike, as it packs a serious punch. It was near impossible to find a hill that the XP wouldn’t fly right up! We feel this is because of the 800W peak power, despite being a 500w motor. In simpler terms, Lectric’s engineers have designed this motor to have some juice in the reserves for when the bike really needs to push some power.

We would have liked to see some larger rotors than the 160mm rotors that came stock on the XP, but with more riding and a few adjustments we got used to them and didn’t feel they were a problem. Aside from the grips the XP keeps you very comfortable while riding, simply wearing some riding gloves can help dampen the bumps a little more, the saddle, pedaling position, and adjustable handlebars helped us stay out for longer rides : rider to rider we made the necessary adjustments and everybody found they had a position that worked for them (our test riders ranged from 5’4” to 6’5”).

The 4” wide tires on this bike are great, they provide extreme confidence at higher speeds and while cornering, they also have an extremely versatile tread pattern so anything shy of MTB trails and extreme sand this bike will handle it.

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