Lectric Xpress First Look Review: Their Latest $1000 Ride!

Lectric XPress Review: Specs & Features

Frame and fork

Lectric produces the XPress in two different frame designs, a traditional diamond frame and a step-thru frame. While the traditional, or “step-over,” frame has a standover height of 29 in., making it appropriate to taller riders, the step-thru edition has a standover height of just 18.5 in., which makes it ideal for buyers of more modest stature, as well as riders with limited range of motion.

The TC•Eighty suspension fork gives, as its name suggests, 80mm of travel, which is plenty for an e-bike meant to stay on the road. This will soak up rough roads, driveway lips and speed bumps. The fork is designed with a thru-axle, which is a nice feature. Budget-oriented forks can sometimes suffer from insufficient stiffness and a thru-axle will help stiffen the fork. It will help the Lectric XPress behave more predictably and handle in a way that will inspire confidence in the rider.

One other thru-axle benefit: For anyone who has ever worried about whether or not they correctly adjusted a quick-release lever, a thru-axle removes that guesswork.

Total weight capacity for the Lectric XPress is 330 lbs., including loads on racks and/or baskets.

Motor and battery

While Lectric has spec’d 500W hub motors on several of their models, the 500W brushless, geared hub motor chosen for the XPress is an all-new motor, one that Lectric claims is 400 percent quieter than other 500W motors on Lectric models. Lectric reports that the motor produces 55Nm of torque. That’s not a huge number, but it’s plenty to get a rider up to speed or over hills.

The 499Wh battery is integrated into the down tube of the frame and it is certified to UL’s 2271 standard for batteries, meaning this meets the highest safety standard available for lithium-ion batteries spec’d in e-bikes. Lectric estimates a range of 45 mi. per charge.

Now those details pertain to the $1000 base model. For another $300, Lectric offers a souped-up version with a 750W motor and a 672Wh battery. Torque jumps to 85Nm and range, per their estimate, climbs to 60 mi. per charge.

And in a first at this price point, Lectric has given the XPress a torque sensor. What this means for the commuter is that their acceleration—such as when pulling away from a stop—will be guided by how hard they pedal. Pedal a little harder and get more acceleration, but back off on the pedals and you’ll find that the motor backs off as well, which makes adjusting your speed for changing conditions both quick and easy. And while some riders enjoy the effect known as ghost pedaling, it can be disconcerting to some who want to exercise more control over their e-bike’s acceleration and top speed. E-bikes with torque sensors make the experience of pedaling an e-bike seamless, with no lag between pedaling and motor action.

Because it ships as a Class 2 e-bike, the Lectric XPress comes with a thumb throttle, which will give riders a helping hand any time their legs are tired.

Componentry

Lectric gave the XPress quality alloy components. The alloy bar has a bit of ride, though not much sweep. What this means is that the rider will lean forward a bit when riding, adding more weight to the front wheel, which will help the XPress’s handling.

While they didn’t include a rear rack and fenders, Lectric did give the XPress front and rear lights as well as a heavy-duty kickstand.

Drivetrain, brakes and wheels

In choosing 27.5-in. wheels for the XPress, Lectric gave this commuter a feature that is important for anyone wishing to get around town quickly: confident handling. Small wheels are great for maneuverability and ease of storage, but for anyone who wants to cruise at Class 3 speeds—anything north of 20 mph—an e-bike needs to give up a bit of that maneuverability in order to feel stable at speed. Going with 27.5-in. wheels means that a rider can hit cruising speed and feel comfortable even on rough roads. Larger wheels also roll over bumps more easily.

The 27.5 x 2.1-in. slick tires balance comfort with efficiency. These tires will give riders great traction in turns, but will also be easy to get up to speed.

The Shimano drivetrain features a 46-tooth chainring and a 7-speed freewheel with an 11-28t spread; that makes for a roughly 260 percent gear range. With some previous Lectric models with 20-in. wheels, we’ve struggled to go faster than 20 mph when we unlock them for Class 3 riding. That was due to a lack of a gear high enough to be able to pedal at speeds much above 20 mph. The Lectric XPress won’t suffer that problem. The 46 x 11 top gear combined with the 27.5-in. wheels should make it easy for a rider to hit a Class 3 cruising speed near 28 mph.

Another nice touch to the Lectric XPress was the decision to go with hydraulic disc brakes and pair them with 180mm rotors. This setup will give the Lectric XPress great stopping power in all conditions as well as the ability to gently scrub speed in turns.

EBR’s Lectric XPress First Look Review:

The Lectric XPress is yet another example of what this company does so well: They manage to create e-bikes that defy what we think an affordable e-bike can offer. This e-bike is a stunningly good value.

We’d like to see them offer more colors than black and white—the step-over comes in black, the step-thru in white, but that’s a minor quibble.

For anyone who has counted and/or pinched pennies on their way to saving up for an e-bike, the Lectric XPress presents a difficult-to-beat value. And as much as we are left slack-jawed by the $1000 price point for the 500W motor version, we would encourage anyone looking at this e-bike to think hard about dropping the extra $300 for the upgrade to the 750W motor.

In making the additional investment, the buyer will be rewarded with an e-bike that will offer faster acceleration and more hill-climbing power, as well as a bit more muscle for pedaling at Class 3 speeds, not to mention a bigger battery that will increase the rider’s range. Oh, and an extra battery. Yep, you read that right: Go for the upgrade and they will send you a spare battery for free.

For anyone who wants an affordable Class 2 or Class 3 commuter, the Lectric XPress will be tough to beat.