I just had my first couple proper rides on this bike:
- Commuted into work. PAS0 on the downhill part, PAS1 on the flat part.
- Went for a lunchtime ride on PAS0. (since I'm at one bar of battery left and the commute home is uphill)
NO NEED FOR SPEED:
This bike is a lot of fun, somehow without needing speed. With previous bikes I've gone for, the faster I go, the more fun it is. This bike is fun at a walking pace. (1st gear is a walking pace) There's something about being upright that takes away the need for speed. Additionally, going faster doesn't make it more fun.
"FLAT FOOT TECHNOLOGY":
I really like the "Flat Foot Technology". (FFT) Typically, we cyclists who consider it a hobby know that having nearly full leg extension lets us apply the most force into the geartrain. Since the bottom bracket is usually at the bottom of the seat tube, getting the seat high enough for full leg extension usually means we can't comfortably touch the ground when we roll to a stop. With FFT, the bottom bracket is well ahead of the bottom of the seat tube, so that the legs are forward. The seat also tube angles back, so that as the seat is raised, it not only gets further from the pedals due to height, but also due to going further back away from them. The result of that is that the seat doesn't have to be so high.
For my part, I cannot get full leg extension while also being able to flat-foot the bike, but it's a lot lower. I can get a toe down easily; no need for a curb. If I settle for a bit less than full leg extension, I can get both toes down or one foot down flat.
For most guys I know, this is not important, but for most women, it seems to be.
RIDE QUALITY:
It has 26" fat tires and rubber bushings underneath the back of the saddle, so over bumps, it's not as nice as a good shock seat post, but it's better than something with firmer tires and a totally unsprung seat. Any penalty in rolling resistance, I don't really notice. It rolls noticeably easier than my Lectric XP Lite, for example. Rolling over some thick grass barely slowed the bike down. Loose, deep sand will be too much.
LIGHTING:
None provided. You'll have to add battery-powered lights on your own dime, if you want lighting.
OTHER ACCESSORIES:
None provided. If you want to make this more than a fair weather bike, you'll need to add the fenders, and if you want to carry something on the bike, you'll need to add the rack on your dime. Charger is a 2 amper, but the battery is small and lower in voltage, so that doesn't mean it takes all night to charge. (should take about 4 hours)
COMPUTER:
To me, it is simple and effective: Three buttons. One for power (long hold) and one each for PAS + and -. 5 green LEDs for battery status and 3 red LEDs for PAS level indication. This is just what my wife needed; she gets intimidated by too much information. (not thrilled, like I do)
BATTERY:
36 V, 250 Wh. (7 Ah) This is not much, and some reviewers over at Trek's site (who own Electra) mention it. They do sell a "range extender" that fits onto the bottle cage bosses to double the range, but I've read somewhere that it is $700 or something. I hate price gouging like this; I'm likely to source an aftermarket one because of this. That battery pack could cost half as much and they'd still make money from it.
One thing about this bike is that it has a multi-pin jack in the frame near the pack. This allows it to be more than just a charging jack, but it communicates a bit, so that the "range extender" can be plugged in there. I assume the "range extender" has a similar jack, so it can be charged too.
MOTOR:
Hub-type, Hyena branded, rated 250 W and 40 Nm. It's VERY quiet. I can't even hear it, except when I'm really lugging it. Since it's in a Class 1 eBike and only needs to assist to 20 mph, (It's geared lower than a Class 3) it has a decent amount of torque for being only 250 W.
RANGE EXPECTATIONS:
Trek advertises "up to 40 miles". I haven't charged it yet, but it was fully charged at the bike shop when I test rode it. (1 mile) Then, I rode it home from the bike shop. (3 miles) Wife rode it up and down the street and around the block. (0.5 miles) We went for a long ride Saturday. (20 miles) I rode it to work this morning. (2 miles). I expect to make it home tonight and have it flashing 1 bar or 0 bars shown, so about 30 miles, taking it easy. Maybe 20 miles if you have it on PAS 1 the whole charge. PAS2, with any amount of leg strength will have you spinning along in 7th gear.
WEIGHTS:
Weight limit is 300 lbs., including the 44 lbs. of the bike, so payload capacity is around 255 lbs.
Full specs can be found
here, about halfway down the page.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This is a relaxing bike to ride and fun at low speeds. It rolls surprisingly well for having the fat tires. It reminds me that biking is supposed to be fun. It encourages me to slow down and look around. I thought I would need to add a shock seatpost, but I don't think it's really necessary.
To me, the cruiser is a great type of bike to electrify: it is comfortable and relaxed, but usually heavy. The heaviness only really matters for carrying the bike or riding uphill. Electric handles the hill part, and since it doesn't have a big motor or battery, it still manages to be relatively light. (44 lbs.)
If you're hankering for another eBike and your current one(s) have a foward lean, I encourage you to try one of these out at your local bike shop. Even if they don't have the electric versions, try a regular cruiser, then imagine weight is not an issue with hills.
