Lectric XPeak: Fun affordable fat tire e-bikes
Lectric is known for making affordable, accessible e-bikes and its big fat tire rugged bike is a ton of fun
Hyperdrive Hits
4/5 Medals of Yavin: Highly recommended for those looking for a comfortable ride on gravel, mountain trails, and even in the neighborhood
Quick and easy assembly, easy breakdown for packing to the trail head
Affordable, solid quality build, and attractive color schemes
Free accessory offers are awesome
Step-Thru may have issues with rear rack loads
Fat tire bikes are very popular and they aren’t all just for blazing down forest service gravel roads or sandy beaches. The fat tire provides a nice level of comfort for riding in various conditions and are enjoyable for cruising on paved trails and roads. I never use them for commuting since part of my commute includes riding on a train so carrying and storing a heavy fat tire bike on a train isn’t the most convenient.
Last fall I made a trip to the Lectric HQ in Arizona and had the opportunity to see the XPeak launch and ride the XPeak Step-Thru through some rocky hill terrain around Phoenix. To be honest, my heart was racing over some of the terrain because I don’t have a lot of experience riding on terrain like that, but I trusted the bike and the power it provided. It was a sheer joy to take on those trails and as soon as the pre-order window opened up I placed my order for a Step-Thru model of the XPeak.
A few days before my order arrived, a set of the winter handlebar covers arrived and I was wondering why they showed up at my house. I then received an email from the folks at Lectric stating that an XPeak bike should arrive soon for testing. Yes, I ordered one so I knew it was arriving soon. They clarified that I was also sent one for evaluation and thankfully it turned out to be the High-Step model so I was blessed with the opportunity to ride both models of the XPeak.
Back in November I was also sent the cargo package box that I ordered since the bike wasn’t due until January so I had front and rear baskets around for a couple of months waiting to be mounted. Stay tuned for more on that cargo package below.
The pre-order also included the starter package with the rear rack, fenders, and big elite headlight. Again, read below for more on that and if you bought an XPeak then DEFINITELY read about the starter package below.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the Lectric XPeak four (4) Medals of Yavin. If I was just rating the Step-Thru with the cargo package as a must have then I would probably give that very specific setup a 1 or 0 medals (see below). However, overall the XPeak is a very good fat tire bike and one of the most affordable options out there. I plan to put it through a lot more testing soon, but wanted to provide you all with some feedback now.
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
Affordable price
High quality front RST suspension fork
eMTB safety certified (ISO 4210-10 safety standard)
Lots of available power
Front and rear hydraulic brakes
Easy front wheel assembly and removal
Basic, easy to read display and basic controller
Cons
No rear suspension
Front cable collection is a bit much
Not the longest range for a fat tire ebike
Step-Thru and cargo package warning
When I rode the Step-Thru model in Arizona it was a barebones bike with no baskets mounted on it with flawless performance. When mine first arrived and I went on an introductory ride all was well. I then outfitted it with the cargo package I received and if I made just a couple of moves of the handlebars at some speeds the handlebars then took on a mind of their own and wobbled uncontrollably. I tried putting some dumbbells in the back basket to change the weight and that made it worse.
I then tried having my wife ride it since she is a lot lighter than me, but then she almost crashed and was pretty scared by the experience. I then removed the rear basket, leaving the front one in place, and things were fine. I also tried with just the rear, no front basket, and the issue appeared again.
In my engineering field, systems can match a natural frequency of the ship and cause excessive vibration when the frequencies match up. This felt something like that where either a natural frequency or a center of gravity was hitting the perfect sweet spot to cause the issues. Given that the High-Step doesn’t have the issue, I wonder if there is a frame design concern with the battery embedded in the frame and not providing the full strength/rigidity of that frame piece.
The bottom line is that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you do not mount the rear basket on the Step-Thru model until Lectric figures out what is going on. Lectric sent out an email to all Step-Thru owners and is offering two free waterproof pannier bags ($148 value) to replace the cargo package so take advantage of that offer. The cargo package is also no longer offered as a free upgrade with new purchases.
Experiences
The XPeak includes the starter package that is supposed to have front and rear fenders. The rear fender is installed in the box and after assembling both XPeak bikes and taking them out for rides I realized there was no front fender on the bikes. I reached out to my Lectric contact to ask if they missed including the front fender and I was told it was inside one of the “filler” unmarked boxes in the bike box. Unfortunately, I had already recycled one of the boxes and all of the miscellaneous packaging materials.
I removed the packaging from the other box and indeed there was a front fender inside this box. CAUTION: check large unmarked boxes that look and feel empty because your front fender may be inside. I highly recommend that Lectric add some text to this box that indicates there is a fender inside as I have heard of others who also threw out that box with the fender inside.
Despite the XPeak being a large bike, it was one of the easiest ever to assemble and get prepared for riding. The front wheel attaches with a single thru axle bolt that just takes a couple of minutes to install. The pedals use that awesome “socket” spring-loaded sleeve to install and remove for easier storage so after that you are ready to roll.
Unlike past Lectric bikes, the XPeak battery fits up and into the main frame of the bike from the underside. Two keys are provided to unlock the battery from the frame, but you can also charge the battery while it remains mounted in the bike.
Beyond the experience shared above with the Step-Thru and the rear basket, the XPeak has been a joy to ride so far. My wife has enjoyed riding the Lectric XP Lite in the past, but has switched to cruising on the XPeak Step-Thru due to its comfort and the control she has with it despite its size.
I’ve taken the two models out and through some dirt, sand, gravel in amongst some trees and hills with good results. There is definitely power to propel my 235 pounds around, but it also lagged at times when I went a bit slower and then tried to throttle quickly. The XPeak is a big bike so in some situations it can get a bit out of your control if you are limited in your turning radius or riding in other tight situations.
It tends to rain and be overcast quite often in Washington State so the fat tires have been nice for keeping me safe on the wet roads. The XPeak is also powerful enough to help me get up 12 to 15 degree hills and that is asking a lot of an ebike. The battery doesn’t last as long as some other fat tire bikes I have ridden with larger batteries and I’m seeing about 20-30 miles with a mix of throttle and lower pedal assist. It’s a fun bike to ride with just the throttle and Lectric estimates a range of 12-45 miles with throttle only, but this is for a 180 pound total load and flat ground.
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: 6061 aluminum alloy available in four colors
Motor: 750W rear hub (1310W Peak), 85Nm torque
Bike weight: 67 pounds
Bike capacity: 330 pounds
Pedal assist: Five levels with Shimano 7-gear transmission
Suspension: RST Renegade adjustable front fork
Max speed and range: 20 mph with up to 55 miles PAS, 45 miles throttle
Brakes: 180mm hydraulic disk brakes
Tires: 26” x 4” knobby with Slime installed
Display: Backlit LCD with IP-65 dust/water resistant rating
Bottom Line
One word to describe my initial experiences in Arizona out on the desert hills was CONFIDENCE and with the fat tires, thumb throttle, and easy controller I feel ready to roll through just about any condition. The rear basket/weight distribution issues on the Step-Thru concerns me a bit and Lectric actually took back my bike to evaluate it and try to understand the problem since there have been many other reports that things are fine. Stay tuned for more on that as we learn more about it, but at least Lectric is offering people a solution and trying to figure out if this is widespread or not.
The High-Step model didn’t experience any imbalance with baskets on the front and bike so I plan to use it for some fly fishing adventures this summer. I enjoy commuter style electric bikes for work and fat tire bikes for fun. Now that I have a truck, I also plan to pack up a couple of fat tire bikes for gravel riding with friends and family.
Lectric has done a good job of making its electric bikes accessible to the masses with reasonable prices and bikes that perform well. Every Lectric bike I have ridden has impressed family and friends so I look forward to getting out and exploring the world with the XPeak.
Both models are currently priced at $1,299 each with the starter package and two waterproof pannier bags included. Current availability shows early March ship dates and I personally cannot wait until my Step-Thru model returns from Lectric.