Trek Allant+ 8S Review, 2024

We performed two Range Tests using the Allant+ 8s to determine a realistic mileage bracket that most riders could expect to fall within. To establish this bracket, we rode the bike in Eco Mode and Turbo Mode until the battery expired, using Strava to document our mileage and the duration of each test.

In Turbo Mode, our tester Brendan traveled 29.8 miles over the course of 1 hour and 37 minutes. We covered over twice the distance in Eco mode; our riders measured 74.8 miles after spending 6 hours and 4 minutes on the bike.

This is an impressive distance, though when compared to similar commuter e-bikes we tested previously by numbers alone, the Allant+ appears to be relatively average. One component of this surface-level comparison is the fact that we have tested a handful of similar e-bikes with remarkable efficiency; this has inevitably skewed the results.

In truth, the Allant+ 8s was not as efficient as we expected it to be based on its motor and battery specs, though once again, its results in this test were far from poor. With a 250W nominal/600W peak motor and a 625 Wh battery, we anticipated that our Turbo mode test would yield roughly 55 miles over a 2.5 hour time period.

Our actual results produced 35% less time and 46% fewer miles than expected, which suggests that the bike’s motor was drawing more power from the battery than anticipated. This makes sense when considering that the Allant+ had a higher-than-average average speed during this test; most of the other Class 3 commuters with mid-drive motors had an average speed below 20 mph, while the Allant maintained an average of 22.3 miles per hour.

Regardless of its position in comparison to similar commuter e-bikes we’ve tested, we consider the Allant+ 8s to be successful in providing a highly practical range, especially when in its low power setting.

However, for those who need the ability to cover more miles with a higher assistance level or those planning an extended trek (apologies for the pun), the brand offers a supplemental 500 Wh Range Boost battery. When adding this external battery to the mounts on the down tube, we believe riders could expect roughly an 80% increase in overall range.

We evaluated the Allant+ 8s’ hill climbing ability at our standard test location called Hell Hole Trail (see the graphic above for a description). There, the bike successfully climbed the paved path in 1 minute, 43 seconds with an average speed of 10.5 miles per hour.

Compared to other commuter-style e-bikes we have reviewed, the Allant+ 8s gave a relatively average performance, but our focus in this test is not to reward the bike with the fastest time, but instead to recognize general ability.

The Allant+ proved to be competent at assisting our ascent, requiring only a comfortable but steady level of effort in Turbo Mode to reach the top of the hill. In this setting, the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor is advertised as providing up to 340% power in proportion to the rider’s effort. While we have no way of testing this for precision, the 250W mid-drive has a maximum output of 600W and 85 Nm of torque, which is a significant amount of force to aid in uphill travel.

To be clear, the Allant+ 8s does require active pedaling, but our experience at Hell Hole Trail was enjoyable and far from strenuous. I have personally pedaled up (or rather, attempted to pedal up) the path on an analog bike, which was an experience I have no desire to repeat. For an e-bike like the Allant to turn that exhausting endeavor into a fun and spirited experience is truly a delight.

I should also point out that the bike includes an impressive gearing range to make climbing easier when using a lesser amount of pedal assistance. With a 46T chainring and a 10-42T cassette, riders can pedal efficiently even on steep roads or paths.

Bottom line, while there are some similar e-bikes that can conquer steep hills faster, there are also plenty that a cyclist riding the Allant+ 8s would leave behind. The bike is extremely capable of “flattening” hills and turning exhaustion into exhilaration.

We used the process explained above to test the Allant+ 8s’ braking ability. After three trials, we used our data to calculate an excellent average stopping distance of 21’-1”.

The bike is equipped with a high-performance Tektro Orion 4-piston hydraulic brake system with 180mm front and rear rotors. We expected the Allant to perform well in this test with this brake system, as it is uncommon in our experience for such powerful brakes to be included on an e-bike of this type.

We were not disappointed! For comparison, the average stopping distance for all of the commuter e-bikes we’ve tested is 21’-10”, so the Allant+ performed noticeably better than average.

At 57 lbs, the Allant+ 8s is relatively middle-of-the-road in terms of weight, but well within the range that makes two-piston brakes effective. Such a robust four-piston ensures excellent stopping ability even when traveling at Class 3 speeds up to 28 miles per hour.

The brakes felt every bit as effective as their numbers suggest; even when flying downhill at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour, the Allant felt stable and its speed completely under control. Its stability remained when slowing down; I experienced slight fishtailing when braking hard, but nothing out of the ordinary.

With that in mind, we wish that the blinking tail light functioned as a brake light (indicator lights would be great, too, but we’ll start small). It is fantastic to have such reliable stopping power when traveling at high velocity, but the ability to communicate with other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians is equally important.

Prospective buyers should feel confident in the bike’s brakes, however; the Tektro Orion system provides fast, powerful stopping power and the ability to easily modulate speed.

We were highly impressed by the overall ride quality of the Allant+ 8s, though as with any e-bike, it has a few minor aspects with room for improvement.

In terms of comfort, the bike excels; its riding position, while having a slight forward-lean, is mostly relaxed and upright. It features a well-shaped Bontrager Commuter Comp saddle with a great balance of softness and supportiveness. The bike includes ergonomic rubber grips with plenty of support, and large rubberized pedals with plenty of grab – but no pegs to inflict shin wounds in the event of a slip.

The Allant+ is offered in three frame sizes and two frame styles; the high-step we tested fits riders between 5’-5” and 6’-6”, while the step-thru or “Stagger” model is made for shorter riders between 5’-1” and 6’-1”. At 5’-11”, I fit squarely in the middle of the accommodation range for the Large frame, and it felt perfect for me in terms of saddle height, reach, etc.

As I mentioned previously, the bike felt firmly planted, but still handled incredibly responsively. Its 660mm handlebars provided quick steering, and ultimately felt wider and roomier than they were. The 27.5”x2.4” Bontrager E6 Hard-Case Lite tires helped the bike feel stable and offered cushioning to help counteract the absence of a suspension – which itself plays a role in the bike’s confident handling but makes bumps more pronounced.

A huge element that contributed to the overall ride feel of the Allant+ is its Bosch Performance Line Speed mid-drive motor. In addition to providing a remarkably smooth and consistent feel to its pedal assistance, the system includes highly functional technology to make rides easier and more enjoyable.

Our test bike was outfitted with the manufacturer’s SmartphoneHub that includes a basic black-and-white LCD, but features a spring loaded clamp mount that allows riders to use their smartphone as a display. When paired with the bike through Bosch’s COBI.BIKE app, users have seamless access to up to 10 pre-selected contacts for making calls with Bluetooth headphones/earbuds, streaming songs through Apple Music or Spotify, turn-by-turn navigation with Apple Maps, ride tracking through Strava or Komoot, and health/fitness data through Apple Health or Google Fit.

We found the app to be highly functional in most cases, though as with any technology, there was a slight learning curve to the app and the bike’s multi-functional control panel. Once it was set up, my phone became a true unified dashboard that felt more in line with what I expect in an automobile. I appreciated that the app could be manipulated through my phone or (more reliably) the bike’s button panel, and I also liked that simply removing and/or rotating my phone would return control to the bike’s integrated LCD and stop ride tracking.

The phone mount itself is something I hope Bosch improves in the future; the spring loaded top portion of the clamp felt rather flimsy, and in fact broke at some point during our testing. When diagnosing the issue, we observed that the mechanism seemed to be held together with two tiny screws that did not seem to be stout enough for a moving component. Sturdier construction would be appreciated, but in the meantime, a separate phone mount may be good to keep on hand – the handlebars have enough real estate to make that option practical.

One other thing prospective owners should be aware of is that the bike’s light system is always active when the bike is turned on. Our contact at Trek advised us that this is a setting within the Bosch system that was selected for safety reasons, but it can be changed to provide more direct control to the user. As long as your local bike shop services Bosch systems, their technicians should have the ability to alter the light settings.

Aside from these relatively minor concerns, the overall feel of the Allant+ 8s was of a solidly built, high-quality, responsive, and dialed-in e-bike. We hope to see a few small improvements, but there is simply a huge “WOW!” factor to the bike as-is.

Our experience with the Allant+ 8s underscores the popularity and excellent reputation of legacy brands like Trek. With such a long history, the brand has nearly half a century of experience to draw from, and with such a broad customer base, it can devote significant resources to product development. As such, it should be no surprise that Trek makes products with such a well-tuned, refined feel.

In our testing, the Allant+ appeared relatively average – but it is important to consider that average is a pretty high bar. The bike has remarkably smooth pedal assistance with intuitive programming, the ability to reach blazing speeds, plenty of power to make climbing steep hills enjoyable, and brakes that can stop on a dime.

We hope to see some minor improvements on the next version of the bike, including a sturdier phone mount/display unit, a brake light, and a way of turning the lights off – but even with these things in mind, the Allant+ 8s is a highly capable commuter that we thoroughly enjoyed testing.

With a huge degree of comfort, the ability to keep up with traffic, the reserves to cover a significant distance before needing to be recharged, and the backing of a global brand, we gladly give our seal of approval to the Allant+ 8s.

Happy Riding! Make sure to let us know if you have any questions or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Trek Allant+ 8s down in our comments section.