GoTrax F2 2.0 review: Full featured foldable for less than $850
Folding e-bikes are one of the most popular models due to the ability to fold it for storage and transport. The new GoTrax model offers a lot for a good $849 price.
Hyperdrive Hits
4/5 Medals of Yavin: Full featured foldable ready to roll
Affordable $849 price (after using the F2YTB50 $50 discount code)
Metal fenders, lights, rear rack, mirrors, and much more
Solid build and attractive color options
Center handle for easy carry
There are a lot of options available when it comes to folding e-bikes and the market is very competitive so you should probably not pay more than $1,000 for one of these models. GoTrax is well-known for its electric scooters and I didn’t realize it also offers electric bikes. It had previously released the F2 and this new Version 2 brings in some key improvements.
For the past few weeks I’ve been riding the GoTrax F2 2.0 foldable electric bike in the blue color way. I wasn’t sure what to expect from GoTrax with the affordable price and was pleasantly surprised by the entire package and experience. I rode the bike to the office, on bike trails, and around the neighborhood during my testing period.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the GoTrax F2 2.0 foldable electric bike four (4) Medals of Yavin. This is a solid rating for GoTrax and given the reasonable price it could even be a 4.5 rating. There has to be some compromise to offer an e-bike at less than $1,000 and with the GoTrax F2 2.0 this is primarily found in the external cable routing, basic quality level of the components, and smaller capacity 500W rear hub motor.
The Good and the Bad
It’s pretty rare for me to not find something that can be improved with a product and for things like electric bikes the pros and cons can depend on your riding needs.
Pros
Full featured bike with fenders, lights, mirrors, and other accessories
Affordable price point
Solid and accurate advertised range
Big, bright color LCD
Brilliant front headlight and rear brake light
UL2271 certified
IPX4 water resistant rating on the bike
Cons
500W motor, compared to 750W in some other more expensive models
Exposed cables
No water bottle mounting points
Experiences
One nice feature with most foldable e-bikes is that they ship nearly fully assembled and in smaller boxes. I opened the box and then unfolded the frame, handlebar stem, and pedals then attached the front wheel and it was ready to go. Make sure to install the front metal fender BEFORE you put on the wheel. I didn’t do that the first time and there was no way to route the fender around the wheel after installing the wheel.
GoTrax includes all of the tools you need to assemble the bike and maintain it so you don’t need any of your own tools. The company also provides some key accessories, including dual rear view handlebar mirrors, a lock, underseat gear bag, phone holder, and tire removal levers. The phone holder actually holds my phone securely in place, despite its fairly basic design and light construction.
This was the first time I’ve used handlebar mounted mirrors and GoTrax may have converted me. I usually roll with a mirror mounted on my helmet, but that can be a bit awkward and results in a long accessory on my helmet that gets knocked around.
The bike folds up easily with the handlebars, center, and pedals all making it more compact for fitting into a vehicle trunk, storing in a garage, and even transporting on public transit. It isn’t light at 58.3 pounds, but lighter than many other foldable bikes and the center handle definitely makes it easy to pick up and move.
The saddle is very comfortable and provides good cushion for your rear. The ergonomic hand grips are nice, but a bit too short for my hands. I hit the throttle accidentally a couple of times while riding and the mirrors pushed my hands in a bit too.
The right side twist throttle works well and the pedal assist was strong enough to help me make it up my big hill, despite the 500W rear hub motor. The bike tends to surge with pedal movement though, it has a cadence sensor, so be a bit careful when you press your foot down on a pedal if you are approaching the end of your ride.
The GoTrax F2 2.0 is a Class 2 bike with a 20 mph default top speed for the throttle and pedal assist, but this can be unlocked to go up to 25 mph with pedal assist. The bike is more powerful than I expected from a 500W motor and I was able to ride up my very steep 13-15% incline at speeds from 8.5 to nearly 12 mph with PAS 5 and my legs.
Unlike many bikes, the rear rack is not an accessory, but it is part of the integrated frame. It supports up to 55 pounds of cargo and you can purchase and mount a rear basket if you want. I used panniers with it to carry my gear to and from the office.
Specifications
Specifications alone don’t mean much, but they are useful for comparing similar devices and checking that you are getting value for your money.
Frame: Aluminum alloy
Motor: 500W rear hub
Battery: 48V, 499 Wh, 10.4 Ah
Bike weight: 58.3 pounds
Bike capacity: 264 pounds, 55 pounds for rear rack
Pedal assist: Five levels with throttle
Max speed: Default is 20 mph, but easily unlockable to 25 mph.
Range: Advertised as up to 50 miles with pedal assist 1 and 25 miles with throttle only. My experience shows just about this same advertised range so it’s nice to see real world range figures.
Transmission: Shimano 7-speed
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes
Lights: Front LED and rear taillight with brake light
Display: Color LCD
Durability: IPX4 waterproof rating for the bike
Tires: 20 x 3 inch knobby tires
Colors: Blue, White, Black
Bottom Line
This was my first experience with a GoTrax e-bike and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the bike. It’s nice to find a bike available with everything you need at no extra cost. It is typical to have to purchase fenders, lights, and other accessories, but GoTrax includes it all in the package. The under seat bag is convenient and the bike lock is a nice addition to encourage using the bike for errands.
With a new trail and mountain bike track near my house, I am starting to explore riding eMTBs and am hopeful that I can try out one of the three offerings from GoTrax. Given my experiences with the F2 2.0 I am even more encouraged about that possible trial.
If you are looking for a folding e-bike that is priced under $900, the F2 2.0 is worth considering. Make sure to use the discount code above to save $50 if you decide to buy this e-bike.