It’s a big day for Electra, who is announcing its first electric moped-style utility bike. Thehe new e-bike is known as the Electra Ponto Go! model.
The Electra Ponto Go! marks new territory for parent-company Trek and its Electra brand, as the bicycle manufacturer hops on the utility bike bandwagon. It’s a move we’ve seen taken by other bike shop brands such as Specialized lately and usually involves using a sub-brand to help distinguish the new model from their main product line (and not alienate their lycra-clad big spenders in the process).
The Electra Ponto Go! carries many of the utility e-bike hallmarks such as a long rear rack, extended bench seat with foot pegs for a second rider, pedal forward geometry for flat footed stops, and high rise handlebars for an upright riding geometry.
The company says that the bike can support riders in the height range of 4’10” to 6’2″ (147 to 188 cm) and has a payload capacity of 360 lb (163 kg).
The 78 lb (35 kg) Class 3 e-bike can hit speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle-only control, or even higher speeds of up to 26 mph (42 km) in pedal assist. That’s thanks to a powerful 750W hub motor in the rear, maxing out the legal limit for e-bike power in the US.
The bike also carries a rather large battery at 650Wh, which Electra claims offers a maximum range of 60 miles (96 km). Keep in mind that using the throttle and riding at faster speeds will reduce that maximum range.
The bike rolls on 20″x4″ urban tires, which are common in the utility e-bike market.
Standard accessories that come included with the bike are fenders, LED lights with rear turn signals, hydraulic disc brakes, an 8-speed shifter, a handlebar Quad Lock mount for smart phones and a rear grab bar for pillion riders whose fragile sense of masculinity can’t take being seen holding onto the waist of the same-sex rider in front of them.
Priced at $2,699, the Electra Ponto Go! e-bike comes in four colors and one size.
Trek also launched its second generation Supercaliber mountain bike at the same time, which falls into an entirely different category of cross-country off-road MTBs. The first generation was launched in the before times way back in 2019 and led to several Olympic and World Championship wins.
Top comment by Paul Campbell
For those asking, functioning pedals are required for it to be classified as an e-bike. No one will buy this with the goal of pedaling because the geometry is wrong, though I know people who do pedal moped style bikes to extend range. The irony is that their claimed range of up to 60 miles would require the bike achieving an efficiency of 10.83 watt hours per mile. That's impossible to accomplish without significant pedaling, which is hard to do on this bike!
That being said, the bike styling stands out as being both unique and good looking to me. I like that the battery is down low, and I love the cargo accessory for the space below the seat.
This is definitely a new direction for Trek. I've been on hundreds of group rides ranging from a handful of people to over 300, and the standard Trek bikes are the ones struggling with hills. I guess that will change now, but what I find interesting is that our local weekly group rides are now sponsored by Trek, and they just banned all bikes that go faster than 28mph. I guess Trek doesn't want to get shown up, lol
The new generation gains longer front and rear travel. It also has a longer reach and slacker head tube angle for stability on descents and comes with two unique frames. There’s a lightweight SL frame and a super lightweight SLR frame. While the two frames appear identical to the naked eye, the super lightweight frame has a lighter carbon layup and lacks internal cable routing guides.
Electrek’s Take
It’s interesting to see more bike shop companies eyeing the massive direct-to-consumer market that favors heavier, more powerful e-bikes with throttle control. Trek may have made its name and its fortune on lightweight and efficient models, but the company isn’t blind. They know where most of the sales are now, and it’s not five figure carbon fiber bikes.
Sure, those models still sell, and so the company will always produce them. But Trek obviously wants to take a bite out of other markets dominated by bikes like the RadRunner, SUPER73 mopeds and the ultra-affordable Lectric XP line.
Doing so with an Electra-branded moped-style bike seems like a good idea, though that price is a bit high compared to the competition. The upside is that riders can always head to a Trek store for service and support, which is something that most direct-to-consumer brands can’t compete with.
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