Lectric XPeak e-bike launched as new best bang-for-your-buck adventure electric bike

Just when you thought that value-based electric bike brand Lectric Ebikes had revealed it all, they drop one more awesomely-priced e-bike into the mix. Meet the Lectric XPeak, a new adventure-style e-bike with some seriously good bang-for-your-buck.

Adventure electric bikes can be tricky to define but are generally considered to be a class of full-size fat tire e-bikes. Too big for the mountain bike class but too all-terrain for purely commuter use, these fat tire e-bikes split the difference and offer either an ultra-comfy street ride or a fun and diverse trail ride.

In this case, the Lectric XPeak takes a lot of the same design components – 4-inch fat tires, front suspension, powerful motor, and equally powerful braking – and wraps it all up in a pretty bow with an amazing price tag of just $1,399.

And that’s to be expected, as Lectric Ebikes didn’t land the best selling e-bike in the US, the $999 Lectric XP 3.0, by resting on its laurels. The company has constantly worked to rollout new models, expanding into cargo bikes, trikes and other designs along the way. And that’s the same energy that Lectric is bringing to the XPeak, as cofounder and CEO Levi Conlow explained at the company’s recent Media Day:

I’m only interested in going in and being number one in this category, just like we did with the XP 3.0, and the XPedition and the XP Trike. Number two is just the first loser, and we’re not interested in that!

Even though the XPeak won’t officially begin taking orders until next week on Tuesday, November 1, taking a look at the specs and pricing shows that rising to the top of the category once again is a pretty safe bet for Lectric.

Let’s jump into the specs of the XPeak to see what this e-bike is packing.

The rear motor is a 750W continuous and 1,310W peak-rated hub motor. It provides up to 28 mph (45 km/h) of speed, though the bike can be programmed to operate in Class 1, 2, or 3 operation modes. Lectric is also calling this their Stealth M24 motor, as it’s the quietest motor they’ve offered yet.

The removable, frame-integrated battery is a 48V 14Ah unit with 672 Wh of capacity. It provides power to the rear wheel either through a thumb throttle or Lectric’s wattage-based pedal assist. That pedal assist uses a cadence sensor but as part of a current-limiting system that creates pseudo-torque sensor performance. The lag is still there, but the bike doesn’t shoot up to a set speed like most simple cadence sensor bikes. It’s something of the “poor man’s torque sensor.”

For stopping power, the bike gets a set of hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors, a feature normally seen on more expensive bikes but has recently begun working its way into value e-bikes as well. The company recently updated its Lectric XP 3.0 to use hydraulic brakes, which has been widely praised for bringing higher performance braking to budget-level rides.

Other features on the XPeak include front and rear LED lighting, a 7-speed pedal drivetrain and puncture-resistant 26″ x 4.0″ tires.

Interestingly, Lectric actually went above and beyond the required safety testing by using a US-based bicycle testing lab to rate the bike to ISO M4210-10, a standard we normally see on much higher end electric mountain bikes.

The EMTB safety standard ISO M4210-10 tests the frame, fork, and other areas for ruggedness required of true off-road bikes. It’s a standard that is required in Europe but only recommended in the US, and Lectric elected to undergo that testing. To pass it, they explained that there was only one fat tire fork that would work for them and could withstand the torture testing. As Conlow added, “You have to make the investment in the fork to be able to pass this testing. In this space right now, the only solution is the RST Renegade fork. That fork retails for $400, and it meant we would have to put a $400 fork on our bike to pass the test. And so we put a $400 fork on the bike. That makes this the only e-bike under $3,000 that uses this Renegade RST fork.”

In another nod to rugged design, the front wheel also makes use of a quick release thru-axle, unlike a narrow quick release skewer axle seen on most budget e-bikes. That means that you can still pop your front wheel out easily to put the bike in a car, but that it can’t come out accidentally while riding, and it doesn’t rely on a thin 5mm axle that can bend or break under rough off-road conditions.

Lectric has a wide range of accessories that are compatible with the XPeak as well, ranging from racks and bags to fenders and locks. In fact, if you order through here when the bike launches after November 1, you’ll get $450 of accessories as part of the Launch Package, including front and rear racks with baskets, a fender set, a folding lock, and an Elite headlight.

Electrek’s Take

How many more rabbits can Lectric Ebikes pull out of this same hat?

As I’ve said before, the company has one move and one move only – to look at what other e-bike companies are building and just do that, but for a better price. And they’ve perfected that move.

The result may not always be the sexiest. It’s not always the highest quality. In fact, it’s rarely either. You can find flashier e-bikes with fancy carbon frames and top shelf derailleurs out there. But I’ll be damned if the XPeak isn’t the best value on the market for this class of e-bike. If you’re a value shopper and you don’t need bells and whistles, this is the ticket.

I’m really impressed to see the extra effort that the team at Lectric put into the frame and fork. Many of the electric components on e-bikes, such as motors and batteries, are largely off the shelf parts that are fairly common between companies, so doubling down on frame design can be a major differentiator. Using a thru-axle for the front wheel is also a big upgrade, and that’s something that always jumps out at me when I inspect a new e-bike. While skewer axles have been common for a long time, thru-axles are starting to replace them when companies want to ensure they’ve got a stronger and more rugged front end designed to last for many more miles of hard riding.

All told, I’d say Lectric has done a very impressive job here. Even without considering the price, this looks like a great design. But when you add that $1,399 price tag (or $1,299 at the launch next week), it’s even better!