trek e bike tires

.css-1hnz6hu{position:static;}.css-1hnz6hu::before{content:'';cursor:inherit;display:block;position:absolute;top:0px;left:0px;z-index:0;width:100%;height:100%;} Ride Review

Your guide to trek electric bikes.

A comprehensive guide to Trek eBikes that fit your needs on the open road, mountain trails or on the city streets.

In This Guide

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If you are in the market for a new eBike, you’ve probably heard of Trek bicycles . Founded in 1976, Trek is a leading bicycle manufacturer and distributes bikes in over 90 countries around the globe. Headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Trek bikes are manufactured in Europe and Asia. 

Through extensive R&D from its world-class professional road and mountain bike teams, Trek designs and builds its consumer eBikes with the most innovative technology available in the industry. Trek’s eBike lineup includes an extensive selection of road, mountain, city, utility, and cruiser bikes that suit anyone who wants to ride recreationally on the road or trail, commute to work or carry groceries and kids around town.

Reputation and Quality - With 50 years of experience, Trek has a solid reputation for building quality, dependable eBikes that are equipped with good componentry. Their batteries, motors, and controllers are certified for safe operation and charging in your home.

Model Variety - Trek offers an extensive selection of performance road and mountain eBikes, city and utility eBikes, and hybrid and recreational bikes in a variety of sizes and colors.

Innovation - Trek strives to be on the leading edge of the bike industry and puts innovative technology into all levels of its bike lineup.

Warranty and Customer Service   - Through dealers and customer service, Trek provides personalized service to ensure that you get the bike that’s correct for you and that it works for years with minimum issues. 

More Expensive - Trek eBikes are not the lowest-priced options on the market. Do you prioritize price over component specs and feature innovation? You may look to other eBike brands that deliver more value.

Dealer Sales Only - New Trek eBikes are only available through authorized dealers with no options of direct-to-consumer. On the plus side, you will receive proper fitting and have the peace of mind that your eBike was assembled by a certified mechanic.

Are you ready to learn more about Trek eBikes? Let’s get started!

.css-1hnz6hu{position:static;}.css-1hnz6hu::before{content:'';cursor:inherit;display:block;position:absolute;top:0px;left:0px;z-index:0;width:100%;height:100%;} Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Verve+ 3 Lowstep is Trek’s take on the classic city bike. The lightweight, step-through frame and comprehensive set of accessories make the Verve+ 3 Lowstep a turn-key eBike for your city riding needs.

10 Reasons to Buy the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike comes with powerful disc brakes that provide maximum safety.

This e-bike is equipped with a mid-drive motor to help riders easily ascend any incline without the need for strenuous physical effort.

Its geometry provides great stability and comfort when cycling, allowing riders to remain in an upright position while their body weight is evenly distributed on the bike's frame.

The design of the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike is sleek and modern, adding a stylish touch to your cycling experience.

To ensure a smoother ride, it has a suspension seat post that can absorb shocks from uneven terrain, reducing stress on the joints.

For added protection against punctures, the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike comes with tough, puncture-resistant tires.

Its lightweight aluminum frame makes the bike easy to maneuver.

The price tag of the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike is also very affordable compared to other electric bikes in its class.

With its wide range of sizes and frames tailored specifically for different heights and body types, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your needs.

This amazing bike also comes with high-quality accessories, including rear lights.

2 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Verve+ 3 doesn’t include any front suspension, meaning riders won't benefit from the added shock absorption.

The display included with this bike is nothing special, just featuring basic functions such as speed and battery level indicators.

The Bottom Line

The Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep’s traditional city bike design and geometry make it ideal for city commuting and light utility use. The low step frame makes it easy to get on and off, no matter what you are wearing. It’s generously equipped with all the accessories that you’ll need to tackle your daily errands in all conditions.

The Trek FX+ 2 eBike is a no-frills upgrade for your city commute or leisure rides when you want an electric boost. The FX+2 is Trek’s more economical eBike offering.

11 Reasons to Buy the Trek FX+ 2 eBike

The Hyena Rider Assistant app optimizes the bike's performance to meet your needs.

The bike's rear hub motor is quiet so you can enjoy a natural ride that feels like a traditional bicycle with an added boost.

The PAS system has three optimized settings that provide noticeable variation in assistance.

The 120-lumen headlamp offers excellent visibility and the fenders help you stay dry in wet conditions.

The kickstand mount keeps the bike upright and accessible, making it easy to grab and go.

The hydraulic disc brakes perform well even in heavy rain, ensuring consistent stopping power in various weather conditions.

The rear rack mount lets you easily transport items while commuting or running errands.

The loud bell ensures you can alert other riders or pedestrians to your presence for added safety.

It’s incredibly lightweight at just 40 lbs for effortless handling and maneuverability.

It comes in four sizes and three color options.

It has a range of 70 miles with the range extender battery system.

2 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek FX+ 2 eBike

The LED display for battery status and pedal assist mode feels outdated compared to modern LCDs.

The lack of quick-release wheels requires tools for their removal.

The Trek FX+2 gives you the essentials for everyday city commuting. Its lightweight,  understated design is excellent for riders who need to carry their bike and don’t want to attract attention. It lacks some features found on more expensive bikes, but the FX+2 provides extra assistance for daily utility and leisure rides.

The Trek Dual Sport+ is a versatile and well-designed electric bike that delivers a comfortable and stable riding experience on both the road and trail. It is lightweight and durable, making it perfect for commuting or light touring.

6 Reasons to Buy the Dual Sport+

Well-designed and versatile electric bike

An affordable and reliable option

Excellent brakes and dependable specification list

Lightweight and durable hybrid bike

Small but effective motor and torque sensor

Stealthy appearance with streamlined design elements

3 Reasons to Buy the Dual Sport+

The absence of an integrated light system

Puncture-resistant tires

Non-replaceable internal battery may limit range without an external range extender battery

The Dual Sport+ electric bike is a well-designed and versatile option that offers great value for its price. With excellent brakes, a dependable specification list, and a small but effective motor, it provides a reliable and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Domane+ LT is a performance road bike with electric assist that is perfect for long miles on pavement or gravel.

5 Reasons to Buy the Trek Domane+ LT

The Bontrager Arvada Elite saddle promises a comfortable ride

Tubeless tires on quality tubeless-read wheels

Full carbon suspension is extremely durable and stable

Powerful electric drive system with a touch remote

Good performance on steep climbs

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek Domane+ LT

The pedal assist will cut off after reaching a speed of 20 mph, which might not give the best experience to riders looking for a fast ride.

The battery life can be a bit short if you want to have a full-day adventure.

Only one frame size is available, but it might not be suitable for all riders.

The Trek Domane+ LT can give you an authentic road bike experience, thanks to the quality carbon frame, tires suitable for road and gravel, and hidden electronic drivetrain system.

The Trek Allant+ is a powerful, versatile, and capable electric bike perfect for speedy commutes, sweat-free errands, and off-road adventures. It offers a hill-flattening boost and a range that shrinks distances, making it suitable for various ride use cases such as neighborhood cruising, urban commuting, and family leisure. 

5 Reasons to Buy the Allant+

It is a high-quality ebike with ample range, a powerful motor, and a comprehensive parts package.

It is a comfortable and capable commuter ebike with reliable handling.

This fast commuter e-bike has sharp and reliable handling and ample speed.

The Allant+ features high-quality components, a powerful motor, and intuitive connectivity.

The Allant+ is a high-quality bike with effective weight distribution, an impressive motor, a smooth ride, and good components.

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Allant+

The Trek Allant+ has an expensive price point that may not provide the best value for every customer.

The charging port could benefit from a more accessible position.

Low-speed steering and suspension could be improved.

The Trek Allant+ line of electric bikes offers top-notch quality, impressive performance, and a comprehensive set of features. While they may have a higher price point, the high-quality components and intuitive connectivity make them a great investment for those seeking an enjoyable commuting or casual riding experience.

The Trek E-Caliber is a lightweight electric mountain bike that combines traditional cycling agility with the benefits of electric assistance. With its nimble and efficient ride, the E-Caliber is accessible to a wide range of riders and offers a versatile design that appeals to both professionals and casual riders. 

7 Reasons to Buy the E-Caliber

The Trek E-Caliber is praised for its integration of the Fazua Evation assist system, which provides electric assistance while maintaining traditional cycling agility.

The bike is optimized for weight and performance, potentially setting a new standard for eMTB design.

It offers a nimble and efficient ride, making it accessible to a wide range of riders.

The E-Caliber features a lightweight carbon frame and quality components.

The bike has a versatile design and appeals to both professional and casual riders.

The iso-strut suspension guarantees a comfortable and adjustable ride.

The E-Caliber is customizable, allowing customers to tailor it to their specific needs.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the E-Caliber

The E-Caliber suspension may not provide enough off-road performance and its aggressive geometry may limit its application.

The high price tag of $11,999 may deter some potential buyers.

There are other e-bikes in the same price range that offer more.

Despite its lightweight and quality components, the E-Caliber may not be suitable for longer rides.

The Trek E-Caliber is a groundbreaking eMTB that offers the perfect blend of electric assistance and traditional cycling agility. With its optimized weight and performance, it sets a new standard for eMTB design. The nimble and efficient ride, along with the Fazua Evation assist system, ensures a superior riding experience with minimal resistance.

The Trek Powerfly FS 4 is a full-suspension electric mountain bike designed for rugged trail adventures. It features a durable Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame and is equipped with a powerful Bosch Performance Line CX drive system. Despite its high performance, the Powerfly FS 4 remains affordable, providing excellent value for money.

9 Reasons to Buy the Powerfly FS 4

The Trek 2022 Powerfly FS 4 features a suspension system, making it suitable for mountain biking and off-road adventures.

The bike utilizes Trek's Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame, ensuring durability and strength.

Equipped with the reliable Performance CX mid-mounted motor by Bosch, providing efficient and powerful assistance while riding.

The integrated battery is removable, allowing for easy charging and replacement.

The bike offers additional features ready for customization, giving users the ability to personalize their riding experience.

The new Trek Powerfly FS is versatile and high-performing, suitable for various terrains and riding styles.

The e-bike is equipped with top-of-the-line hardware, ensuring quality and reliability.

Despite its high quality, the Trek Powerfly FS is considered affordable, offering value for money.

The design of the bike allows for great off-road handling, providing a thrilling and enjoyable riding experience.

1 Reason Not to Buy the Powerfly FS 4

The bike's small display screen might be inconvenient for some users, potentially affecting visibility and ease of navigation.

The Trek Powerfly FS 4 is a top-performing e-bike that offers durability, versatility, and value for money. With its suspension system and strong frame, it's perfect for off-road adventures. The reliable motor and removable battery provide efficient assistance and easy charging. Plus, the customizable features allow users to personalize their riding experience. While the small display screen may be a drawback for some, overall, the Powerfly FS 4 delivers a thrilling and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Rail 9.7 is a long-travel carbon electric mountain bike that offers impressive performance and a solid distance range. With its powerful Bosch motor and 625Wh battery capacity, it provides powerful uphill momentum and inspires confidence on descents.

4 Reasons to Buy the Rail 9.7

Impressive distance range with the powerful Bosch motor and a solid 625Wh battery capacity

Powerful uphill momentum and confident descent

Good geometry and an enjoyable ride

Surprisingly plush and comfortable

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Rail 9.7

Slightly quirky display and controls

Less smooth start-off of the motor

Placement of the water bottle holder

The aesthetic of the remote (not visually appealing)

The Rail 9.7 offers an impressive distance range and powerful performance, making it a great option for those looking for an enjoyable and comfortable ride. While there may be some minor quirks and budget-oriented componentry, overall, this enduro eMTB delivers on its promises and provides a solid choice for riders.

The Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS is an evolved e-mountain bike from Trek. Built on a carbon fiber chassis, it offers a light, stiff, and nimble ride.

13 Reasons to Buy the Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS

Versatility for different terrains

A great option for both park rides and long trail rides

Impressive build quality

Sleek design for a smooth ride

Sturdy build, high-quality components, and excellent ride quality

Electric-assist has powerful performance

Silent operation and instant drive unit engagement

Reduced fatigue and increased agility compared to full-fat eMTBs

Sturdy frame and supportive suspension for an efficient and confident ride

Efficient climbing performance and powerful brakes

It has a short rear end for a playful ride quality

Impressive natural ride feel and lightweight build

Potential long-term durability and performance

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS

Somewhat expensive compared to some competitors

It has areas for potential improvement

Heavier and lacking small-bump suppleness

The Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS is a versatile and high-quality micromobility vehicle that delivers an exceptional ride experience. With its sleek design, sturdy build, and powerful electric-assist performance, it's a top choice for riders looking to tackle different terrains, from park rides to long trail adventures. The reduced fatigue and increased agility make it a joy to ride, while the supportive suspension and efficient climbing performance ensure a confident journey. Despite the somewhat higher price tag, this micromobility vehicle offers long-term durability and performance, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking a reliable and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Fetch+ 2 is a compact electric cargo bike designed to haul a lot while being fun and simple to use. With the powerful boost of the Bosch smart system, it can easily carry up to 175 lbs of cargo, making it perfect for families.

5 Reasons to Buy the Fetch+ 2

The Trek Fetch Plus 2 electric bike offers great capacity for carrying children or cargo.

The bikes are highly customizable, allowing for the addition of child seats and various compartments for cargo.

They are equipped with Bosch electric bike motors, known for their quality and reliability.

The removable Bosch batteries can be fully charged in six hours, providing a convenient power source.

The Fetch Plus 2 cargo bike offers a minimalist design with a relatively lightweight, making it suitable for urban riding.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Fetch+ 2

The Trek Fetch Plus bikes have a hefty price tag, which may not be accessible to all potential buyers.

While the bikes are designed for carrying cargo, they may not be suitable for users who don't have a need for that specific functionality.

The customization options and additional accessories may add to the overall cost of the bike.

The bikes are primarily designed for short city rides, so they may not be the best choice for long-distance or off-road riding.

The Trek Fetch+ electric bikes are an excellent choice for those seeking versatile micromobility options. With their impressive carrying capacity and customizable features, they provide a reliable and convenient solution for transporting children or cargo.

The Trek Fetch+ 4 is an electric cargo box bike that offers a high carrying capacity and the ability to connect with family members while providing a sustainable transportation alternative. With the powerful boost of the Bosch smart system and best-in-class handling and stability, this bike can confidently carry up to five children.

6 Reasons to Buy the Fetch+ 4

Customizable options for the Trek Fetch+ 4 electric cargo bike.

Significant carrying capacity, with the Fetch+ 4 able to carry up to 200kg and carry up to five children.

Priced comparably to leading electric cargo bikes.

High cargo carrying capacity and durable components make the Fetch+4 ideal for families.

Premium Bosch powertrain systems, a trusted brand in electric bike technology, offer high performance power and sustainable transportation alternatives.

Potential savings from eliminating recurring costs related to car ownership.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Fetch+ 4

The design appeal of the Trek Fetch+ 4 falls short compared to rivals.

The Trek Fetch+ 4 lacks a throttle, which may be a disadvantage for some riders.

Customizable options for the Trek Fetch+ 4 is not as extensive as other brands.

The cost of the bikes is high, which may be a deterrent for some potential buyers.

The Trek Fetch+ series offers customizable options and impressive carrying capacity, making them perfect for families and those in need of a reliable cargo bike. With Bosch electric bike motors and high cargo-carrying capabilities, these bikes provide sustainable transportation alternatives and potential savings from eliminating car ownership costs.

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Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

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Trek has been building bikes since 1976 — and in that time, we’ve collected a whole lot of hard-earned knowledge about what makes a quality bike that’ll stand the test of time. We’ve applied those same lessons to the electric bikes we’ve made in the past two decades. Experience matters when it comes to design and innovation. But whether or not your e-bike journey ends with a Trek, there are some key things you should know to look for when you’re making your choice. Here’s what we’ve learned separates quality electric bikes from the mass-produced e-bikes that can be less dependable, less durable, and less convenient. 

Parts that are locally serviceable

Want to spend more time riding and less time waiting? Choose an e-bike that can be serviced locally at your shop, and not one you need to ship away to a service center for repair.

Robust hubs, wheels, and tires made for e-bike power and speed

Electric bikes have more mass and are ridden faster. So, it makes sense that they’re equipped with strong parts built to stand up to these additional forces — not just cheap parts that happen to fit the frame.

Hydraulic disc brakes for all-weather stopping power

With the additional speed and mass of an electric bike, you want high-quality disc brakes designed for stopping power in varying weather conditions. Rim brakes are generally not as powerful as disc brakes, so we recommend avoiding them.

A higher torque if you’re riding in hilly areas or carrying cargo

In an e-bike drive system, a higher torque gives you quicker acceleration. If you’re climbing or carrying extra weight, opt for a system with more torque.

A range that matches the distance you’ll ride

Stopping to charge mid-ride isn’t always awesome, so choose an e-bike with a range that’ll at least get you where you’re going and back on a single charge.

A battery that’s replaceable and recyclable

Electric bikes use lithium-ion batteries. Make sure the e-bike company you choose has a solution both for replacing your end-of-life battery and recycling it responsibly.

A drive system with software that’s easy to update with new features

Just like your computer or phone, a quality e-bike will have software that’s easy to update when new features are released. Choose an e-bike with software that can be updated easily when the time comes.

A warranty that covers both the electronics and the frame

Check your warranty carefully and be sure to understand what’s covered and for how long. Reputable e-bike companies won’t be afraid to stand behind both the electronics and the frame.

Curious how Trek stacks up?

Seven ways Trek is a smarter e-bike investment

• Why choose Trek e-bikes

Take me to the e-bikes already!

Wherever you roam, there’s an e-bike that’ll bring more power and possibility to your rides.

• Electric mountain
• Electric city
• Electric road

Want to talk it out? We love talking bikes — electric bikes especially. Because we know there’s a lot that goes into your decision to purchase one. We’re standing by to talk through your questions and help you find your perfect ride. Here’s how you can reach us fast.

Take a test ride locally

Drop by your local Trek retailer to check out Trek and Electra e-bikes, ask questions, and even go for a test ride. It’s the best way to see how much fun an e-bike will bring to your life.

Get in touch

Have questions now? Don't wait! We have a ton of ways for you to reach out and get connected with us. We'll help you answer your questions, guide you to your perfect model, and help you find your local Trek retailer.

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2023 Trek Domane+ e-road bike review: Ultra-quiet, ultra-stealthy

Flagship model weighs just 12.21 kg, and us-spec bikes get a genuinely useful 45 km/h cutoff from the new tq mid-drive motor..

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Trek has today announced the third generation of its Domane+ e-assist road bike, and it’s quite the change from the one that came before. There’s a new motor from German company TQ, a brand-new carbon fiber frame with more advanced carbon fiber content and construction, more tire clearance, and in general, a sleeker and lighter total package that looks and feels more like a “regular” road bike.

It sounds like quite the complete package on paper, and it mostly is in reality – with some caveats, of course. 

The lightning pace of e-bike motor development 

Trek clearly isn’t shy about switching motor suppliers. Each generation of the Domane+ has used a different brand of motor: Bosch on the first generation one, Fazua on the second iteration, and now TQ on this latest third-generation model. 

Why the switch, you wonder? Because it seems like quite the advancement in a number of key areas.

First and foremost, the TQ HPR-50 motor is legitimately tiny, so much so that in profile, you almost wouldn’t guess at all that the Domane+ is an e-bike. Unlike the previous Bosch and Fazua units, the TQ is hidden completely inside a painted-to-match shroud at the bottom bracket with little on the outside to give anything away. Of course, a closer look reveals clues such as the cooling port on the underside of the cover, but even the battery is fully integrated inside the down tube.

Trek is also touting the HPR-50’s unusually quiet operation, which comes about thanks to a unique interior configuration that does away with the usual array of reduction gears and/or belts, and is claimed to reduce internal friction, too. Trek’s official press materials also make mention of the lower Q-factor as compared to the Fazua unit, but don’t get too excited; it’s only down 2 mm in total, and the 163 mm figure is still about 12 mm wider than what you get with Shimano GRX, or 17 mm wider than most dedicated road cranks. 

Be that as it may, the specs of the TQ HPR-50 motor are impressive. The official maximum power output is 300 W (or 50 Nm of torque), and it’s powered by a 360 Wh Li-ion battery in the down tube that Trek claims is good for “up to” 145 km (90 miles) in Eco mode. An optional range extender battery tucks into a water bottle cage for another 160 Wh, and the system can even run on just the range extender battery alone should you want to fly with your new Domane+ and need to tuck in under typical airline battery size restrictions.

Three levels of e-assist are available, each of which can be customized using the Trek Central smartphone app. Switching between the three assist levels is literally at your fingertips thanks to convenient remote buttons positioned next to the brake lever hoods, while the various mode screens on the high-resolution LCD panel on the top tube are accessed directly on that panel. Among the available screen pages are windows for remaining battery life (expressed numerically as both a percentage and time to empty, and visually with bars), current power output, speed, and distance – and when you’re charging the system, the display even gives you a precise countdown to when the battery is full. 

Frame design implications

The bigger benefit of switching to the TQ HPR-50 motor is arguably how it affects the latest Domane+’s frame design. Trek sought to have this version look as much like a non-powered bike as possible, and aside from some generally inflated proportions, that goal seems to have been met.

The motor’s smaller form factor makes for a more normal-looking bottom bracket area, and although the down tube is notably bulbous given the internally housed battery, the whole frame looks surprisingly proportional. The Q-factor may not have changed much, but the more typical chainline has allowed Trek to switch to a standard 142 mm-wide rear hub in place of the “Road Boost” 148 mm one on the previous-generation Domane+, which is a great move for wheel compatibility.

The 2023 Domane+ marks the first time Trek has used its top-end OCLV 800 carbon fiber content. Combined with the integrated down tube battery – meaning there’s no need for a large hatch – Trek claims to have lopped 450 g from the previous Domane+ chassis. Claimed weight for an unpainted 56 cm frame is around 1,250 g. Adding to that is 1,850 g for the motor, 1,835 g for the 360-Wh battery, plus a few more grams for mounting hardware.

That claimed frame weight includes the latest version of Trek’s IsoSpeed pivoting seat cluster concept. This incarnation isn’t adjustable, but it does use a conventional (albeit proprietary) telescoping carbon fiber seatpost instead of the integrated seatmast of previous IsoSpeed-equipped bikes. 

All in, my 52 cm flagship sample with a SRAM Red eTap AXS wireless electronic 1×12 groupset and Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon clinchers tips the scales at a comparatively svelte 12.21 kg (26.92 lb).

Save for a 10 mm increase in chainstay length – a consequence of the TQ HPR-50’s motor casing size – frame geometry is the same as the non-powered Domane, down to the millimeter. Stack and reach figures are more upright and relaxed as compared to the Madone or Emonda, but both are still pretty sporty overall, and trail figures in the low-60s across the board are intended to provide fairly nimble handling manners. 

Despite those virtually identical dimensions, the Domane+ is approved for tires up to 40 mm-wide, whereas the non-powered Domane tops out at 35 mm. Keep in mind those are Trek’s official ratings, which account for a minimum of 6 mm of space all around. Actual maximum tire sizes will almost certainly be bigger, though that’ll depend on your comfort level for potential frame rub. 

Either way, adding fenders to the hidden front and rear mounts will drop that maximum tire size by 5 mm. 

Naturally, cabling is fully hidden, although the manner in which Trek has gone about it for the new Domane+ isn’t nearly as maddening as it could have been. Lines are run externally on the handlebar before being routing alongside the underside of (not through) the stem and then into ports in the dedicated upper headset cover. Keeping things visually tidy are a cosmetic cover bolted to the bottom of the stem and profiled headset spacers that are also split for easier bar height adjustment. 

Models, availability, and pricing

Trek will offer the new Domane+ in six different build kits, all using the same frame and motor package. There are only three price points, though, with each one offering a SRAM and Shimano variant. Interestingly, all SRAM-equipped bikes will come with 1×12 drivetrains and 40 mm-wide Bontrager gravel tires, while Shimano bikes are set up with 2×12 drivetrains and more tarmac-oriented 32 mm-wide slicks. As usual for Trek’s premium models, Project One custom builds are available in most models, although whichever way you slice it, the prices are awfully high.

Topping the list is the Domane+ SLR 9 eTap P1 (US$13,000 / AU$n/a / £12,900 / €14,500), built with a SRAM Red eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.15 kg (26.79 lb).

Sitting alongside that is the Domane+ SLR 9 P1 (US$13,000 / AU$n/a / £12,500 / €14,000), equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 2×12 electronic groupset, 21 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 carbon clinchers, and 32 mm-wide Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite slicks. Claimed weight is 11.75 kg (25.90 lb).

The middle child is the Domane+ SLR 7 eTap P1 (US$10,000 / AU$n/a / £9,750 / €11,000) with a SRAM Force eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.50 kg (27.56 lb).

Alternatively, the Domane+ SLR 7 P1 (US$10,000 / AU$n/a / £9,450 / €10,600) comes with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12 electronic groupset and the same wheel-and-tire package. Claimed weight is 12.20 kg (26.90 lb).

There’s also a slightly less expensive non-Project One Domane+ SLR 7 (US$9,500 / AU$14,500 / £8,900 / €10,000).

Looking for the fancy TQ motor on a “budget”? The Domane+ SLR 6 eTap P1 (US$9,000 / AU$n/a / £8,900 / €10,000) is equipped with SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.60 kg (27.78 lb).

If you prefer Shimano, there’s the Domane+ SLR 6 P1 (US$9,000 / AU$n/a / £8,890 / €9,600) with the same wheel-and-tire package, but Shimano’s latest 105 Di2 2×12 electronic groupset. Claimed weight is 12.40 kg (27.34 lb).

Finally, there’s the non-P1 Domane+ SLR 6 (US$8,500 / AU$13,000 / £8,340 / €9,000).

All of the new Domane+ models are supposedly available for ordering and/or purchase starting today.

Like an ever-present hand on your back

I should first point out in this review that your own experience on the new Domane+ will vary greatly depending on where you are. In the US, the TQ HPR-50 motor is allowed to operate at full power up to 45 km/h (28 mph). However, the cutoff in Europe is just 25 km/h, while most other countries will be at various points in between. I did this test in the United States, so take my commentary with a grain of salt if you live in a different region. 

It’s also important to remember that there are essentially two major categories these days: so-called full-power ones such as what you normally see from brands like Bosch and Shimano, and lightweight models such as this new Domane+. Full-power ones are usually rated for around 250 W or so of power (and around 85 Nm of torque), but keep in mind that’s a nominal figure. Peak outputs are usually much, much higher – often more than 800 W. 

But like other e-bikes in this “lightweight” category, the output of the TQ HPR-50 motor is far more modest. It’s rated at 300 W, but that’s the most you’ll ever get out of it (give or take a few watts). Likewise, maximum torque is capped at 50 Nm. The benefit of that reduced output is a huge weight advantage for the motor and battery itself, plus everything else on the bike can be made lighter as well.

That all said, while I know opinions are definitely mixed out there with respect to e-road bikes, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one heck of a good time testing this thing.

Those full-power e-bikes are undoubtedly fun (so much power!), but the experience can also be so far removed from purely human-powered pedaling that it can almost seem like something other than bike riding. But this Domane+? It’s more like you’ve always got a hand on your back, or the feeling you get when you’re having a really, really (really) good day. 

Trek intends for the Domane+ to feel like a regular road bike, and for the most part, I’m inclined to agree. Power from the TQ motor doesn’t come suddenly like a kick, but more like a building wave. It’s surprisingly subtle, so much so that when you rise out of the saddle to sprint, it almost seems like nothing’s happening – but then you look at your speed and your times, and it’s pretty clear that isn’t the case.

The way that power comes on is interesting, though. It’s not simply a direct proportion of your own output, but a more complex calculation that also takes other factors into account like speed and cadence. From what I can tell, it’s almost like the system has two goals.

One is helping you maintain your speed. For example, when casually cruising at 150 W (and with the highest-power setting selected), there are times the system is putting out 200 W or more. At other times, it’s kicking out almost nothing. But in either case, how much power the system produces depends on how much help it thinks you need, and it does an uncannily good job of figuring that out. 

It’s also pretty impressive when flirting with that 45 km/h cutoff. One of the main drags heading back into town is mostly flat, but with some small rollers and often just enough of a tailwind that you can really build a head of steam. The Domane+ was more than happy to give me a nudge to get me to that magical 45 km/h mark, and then just barely enough power to let me stay just shy of that figure so as to not trigger the cutoff. And when I did cross that line, the cutoff is remarkably gentle, so much so that I kept peeking at the top tube display to see if the system really wasn’t doing anything.  

It’s when climbing that the TQ HPR-50 comes into its own. There, the motor doesn’t seem to just want you to maintain your speed; it wants you to feel like a superhero (at least in full-power mode). Needless to say, the feeling of climbing like that is addictive, but it also highlights the power limitations of the system. Say you’re climbing steady at 200 W and the system is kicking out another 300 W. But if you put down more than that, it’s still topped out at 300 W. Granted, that’s still an awful lot more than I can maintain on my own, but proportionally speaking, it’s more noticeable that the system is cutting power than when you’re hitting the speed limit. 

But it’s still fun.

Unfortunately, there’s another limit to that fun, and Trek’s range claims strike me as a bit ambitious (which isn’t surprising). Granted, range claims are always more than a little fuzzy, and the mountainous terrain of my local stomping grounds certainly has a lot to do with that. One ride in particular covered just 38 km (23.5 miles), but almost 800 m (2,600 ft) of elevation gain – all at maximum power assist (have I mentioned how much fun this bike is?). But when I got back home, the battery capacity was down to a middling 27%. Granted, I could have done that same ride on a lower power setting, but where’s the joy in that?

Here’s where that lightweight vs. full-power thing comes in again. While lightweight models like this Domane+ indeed feel more like non-powered bikes most of the time, there’s no substitute for watt-hours. To put that into perspective, I played around with a Canyon Grail:On gravel e-bike a couple of years ago, which is equipped with a full-power Bosch system and a much bigger battery. One ride I did on that bike covered more than 47 km (29.5 miles) with just shy of 1,200 m (3850 ft) of elevation gain – and there was enough juice left at the end that I almost could have done that ride twice. 

Granted, that bike was more of a bruiser than this Domane+, which does really feel a lot like a good, non-powered road bike in many respects. While it’s fun to blast around in full-power mode, kicking things down a notch or so dramatically extends battery life. There’s some noticeable friction in the TQ motor when pedaling without power at all – more from the bearing seals than parasitic mechanical losses, from what I can tell – but it’s not bad at all, and it certainly pales in comparison to what the motor is putting out.

Aside for the extra weight, the Domane+ genuinely feels pretty normal – certainly enough so that you don’t feel like you have to be in full-power mode all the time. And just as promised, the TQ HPR-50 motor is remarkably quiet so you’re not always audibly reminded what you’re riding, either. There is a whir that grows proportionally louder with pedaling cadence, but even at its loudest, you can barely make it out from the hum of your tires. At higher speeds, it’s drowned out entirely by wind noise. It’s easy to forget about it.

About that speed cutoff

As I mentioned earlier, your experience on an e-road bike will vary greatly depending on where you’re riding it (or perhaps more specifically, where you’ve purchased it). Although I found the Domane+ to be incredibly entertaining, it would have been very different had the motor cut out at 25 km/h as it would in Europe. There, the Domane+ would still be a blast when climbing, or perhaps more as a dedicated light-duty gravel rig with those 40 mm-wide tires. However, I’m not sure how much fun it’d be otherwise (and I know CyclingTips senior tech editor Dave Rome agrees on this one ).

Kudos to Trek and TQ for so thoroughly engineering the motor assist cutoff when you do bump up against that mandated speed limit. Unlike many other e-bikes I’ve ridden, the power drops off gently and seamlessly, rather than feeling so abrupt that you wonder if a wire has suddenly come loose. 

But even then, the 25 km/h cutoff that much of the world would see on this thing also severely cuts into its utility. It’s virtually guaranteed that someone riding a Domane+ wouldn’t be able to enjoy a bunch ride with friends since they’d essentially be dragging an ineffective anchor all the time, and even more gradual climbs would likely be frustrating as the motor continually cuts in and out. It’d still be a boon for longer climbs if you’re ok with taking it a bit slower, and certainly on steeper ones. But aside from that, I’d urge anyone considering their first e-road bike purchase to seriously ponder the effects of that speed limit. 

What about the non-motorized bits?

Handling mostly feels like the regular Domane (and you can expect a review of the new non-powered Domane SLR from me shortly, too), although there are some caveats. I find it interesting that Trek equips the Domane+ models with such a broad spread in tire sizes, as it does affect the steering. I first tried my test bike with the stock 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires, and it was… ok. The steering felt heavy off-center, and the bike wasn’t nearly as eager to initiate turns as I would have expected. But when I switched to 35 mm-wide Schwalbe G-One RS tires, the handling instantly became much more natural, easily diving into turns and flowing through corners as it should. 

Switching tires also highlighted another downside. Although the stock Bontrager gravel tires are quite grippy on hardpack and tarmac, they’re also surprisingly slow-rolling. With those Schwalbes installed, the bike felt much faster and alive (and I’m sure there’s a positive impact on battery range, too). 

Ride quality improved with the tire change, too, but it still couldn’t completely mask the imbalance between the front and rear ends. Trek’s IsoSpeed feature continues to work brilliantly, offering an incredibly smooth and compliant feel that (at least for me) never feels overly bouncing or intrusive. But even with the bigger Bontragers fitted, the front end is dramatically stiffer. Even medium-sized impacts jar your hands, and trying to attack washboard sections of packed dirt is absolutely brutal. My guess is the massively oversized down tube has a lot to do with this, which is something I’ve noticed on other e-bikes with similar proportions. 

There are some other quirks, too.

One of the TQ display screens is supposed to separately show your output and that of the motor. The motor figure seems believable enough, but the display of your output seems dramatically low. Granted, I didn’t verify this with a separate power meter, but I know what 200 W feels like, and when I see 150 W on the display, something seems off.

Aside from the tires, I don’t have much to complain about regarding the spec. The 10-44T cassette and 42T chainring offer plenty of range, and shift quality is very good. The jumps between sprockets are still a little bigger than I’d prefer for group road rides, but it’s fine when out solo. And kudos to TQ for powering the rear derailleur directly by the main system battery. It’s clean and convenient, and one less battery to worry about (although that also means if the system is totally, completely dead, you now can’t shift, either). 

The Bontrager finishing kit is generally excellent. The snub-nosed Verse Pro saddle is comfy, the Aeolus RSL 37V wide-format carbon wheels are fantastic, and kudos to whoever at Trek specified this wonderfully grippy and squishy bar tape. But the handlebar underneath that tape? I’m sure someone likes it, but it’s definitely not my cup of tea. The short reach and deep drop are an odd combo, and I was never able to find a remotely comfortable position for my hands in the drops. Thankfully, Trek’s solution for concealed cabling allows you to use any bar with a 31.8 mm clamp diameter.

Super fun, but keep the limitations in mind

Trek’s move to the TQ motor platform is interesting, if for no other reason than its longstanding relationships with other (and much better established) motor suppliers. However, the company clearly sees advantages in what the TQ HPR-50 provides, and after riding it myself, it’s hard to argue with Trek’s decision: it looks better, it’s quieter, and while TQ’s long-term reliability still needs to be proven, the simpler mechanical layout at least bodes well since there’s less to go wrong in there.

As promised, the Domane+ does feel a lot like a regular road bike in a lot of ways, and it’s undeniably fun to ride. But as I mentioned earlier, the experience will vary greatly with where you’re riding it. Although I found the bike incredibly entertaining, it would have been very different had the motor cut out at 25 km/h as it would in Europe. There, the Domane+ would still be a blast when climbing, but I’m not sure how much fun it’d be otherwise.

Either way, those looking for the more visceral thrills of a full-powered e-road bike won’t be blown away by the TQ motor’s modest specifications, but if you’re after more of a traditional feel with a little bit of a boost – and live in the right country – this seems like a bike well worth considering. 

More information can be found at www.trekbikes.com .

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Trek Allant+ Review

Editorial Team

Ebicycles score.

The Trek Allant+ is a robust and stylish high-performance ebike that’s packed with state-of-the-art features and all the necessary accessories.

It sets the standard for electric commuter bikes in terms of practicality, speed, and reliability, but it comes at a premium price that may not fit everyone’s budget.

Whether you are a seasoned ebike commuter or a casual city rider, the Trek Allant+ could be the right choice for you thanks to the functionality its Bosch electronics and Shimano components offer.

In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the nuances of the Allant+, examining its design, features, performance, and how it stands up against the competition.

Trek Allant+ Specs:

• MSRP: $3,800 – $6,350
• Class & Speed: 1 (20 mph) or 3 (28 mph)
• Motor:  Bosch Performance CX or Performance Speed
• Battery:  500 Wh or 625 Wh
• Range:  Calculate
• Wheels: 27.5″/650B
• Drivetrain: Shimano Alivio, Deore, or XT
• Brakes: Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes
• Weight: 49 – 56 lb
• Payload Capacity: 300 lb

Trek Allant+ Full Review

The Allant+ is one of Trek’s best-selling series of ebikes, blending modern design and high-tech features. These are high-performance ebikes with top speeds of 20 mph to 28 mph, depending on the class and specs.

All models are equipped with a Bosch motor and battery, Shimano derailleurs and hydraulic disc brakes, lights, as well as all the accessories necessary for daily riding.

The Trek Allant+ is every city commuter’s dream as its Bosch motor provides plenty of torque and the 500-625 Wh batteries offer enough capacity for a few days of riding. In case that’s not enough for you, you can also add a second long-range battery to double the range.

Related post:  Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike Review

All models also feature Trek’s proprietary Removable Integrated Battery (RIB) system for a sleek look and easy charging. The batteries are seamlessly integrated into the downtube, but easy to remove and replace or charge off the bike.

The Trek Allant+ is a robust and stylish high-performance ebike, setting the standard for electric commuter bikes in terms of practicality, speed, and reliability.

With several frame variations including step-over, stagger, and low-step, the Allant+ ebikes truly fit everyone’s needs.

Though the pricing is much higher compared to direct-to-consumer brands such as Aventon, Ride1UP, or Lectric, the quality of the components is a lot higher as well and there’s also the big-brand appeal that many riders are keen on.

Trek Allant+ Pros and Cons

Rider-friendly aluminum frame.

Trek Allant+ comes with a sleek-looking aluminum frame with integrated battery and cables, available in three variations:

Trek is a rare brand that offers its bikes in three variations, as most other brands only offer step-over and step-through frames. The Stagger variation is somewhere in between.

If you like ebikes with a clean look and a simple color palette, you’ll like Trek Allant+’s design. All cables are integrated and the battery is almost unnoticeable, hidden inside the down tube.

This aluminum frame is paired with a 45 mm suspension fork on the Allant+ 7 and 7S models, a rigid alloy fork on the Allant+ 8 model, and a rigid carbon fork on the Allant+ 9.9 models.

The frame is also equipped with a wide range of accessories which make it fully commuter-ready. You can read more about it in the section below.

High-Performance Bosch Motor and Battery

The heart and soul of Trek Allant+ ebikes is a Bosch mid-drive motor coupled with an integrated but removable Bosch PowerTube battery.

The most affordable Allant+ 7 and 7S builds come with Bosch Performance CX drive units, and all the other models come with faster and more powerful Performance Speed units.

Likewise, the Allant+ 7 and 7S builds have 500 Wh batteries, while all the other models boast larger 625 Wh batteries that offer more range.

• Related: Best E-Bikes with a Bosch Motor

Of course, all builds use modern torque sensors, feature large Bosch displays, and have app connectivity which lets you customize assistance levels and overall ride feel.

High-Quality Shimano Builds

At the moment of writing this Allant+ review, Trek offers this series of ebikes in four builds:

• Trek Allant+ 7
• Trek Allant+ 7S
• Trek Allant+ 8S
• Trek Allant+ 9.9S

As you can see in the section about electronics above, they mainly differ in motor power, battery capacity, and top speeds. However, they also differ in terms of drivetrain components and the brakes they use.

The most basic Trek Allant+ 7 build features 2-piston hydraulic disc brakes, whereas all the other builds with 28 mph top speeds have 4-piston hydraulic discs as they need more braking power.

Its blend of Bosch and Shimano technology offers unrivaled reliability and functionality, making it an excellent choice for both dedicated ebike commuters and casual city riders.

Naturally, if you pay more you’ll also get a better groupset, ranging from Shimano Alivio, over Deore, all the way to XT.

Durable Commute-Ready Accessories

If you want to replace your car with a capable ebike, you’ll appreciate the fact that Trek Allant+ ebikes come pre-equipped with all the accessories you could possibly need for year-round commuting.

This includes front and rear fenders, front and rear lights, a rear rack, and a kickstand. All builds come with the same accessories, regardless of the price.

The only disadvantage with these is that the rear racks on the more expensive models sit lower than the fenders, so you may only use them to attach panniers. You can’t use them to strap a basket or a backpack on top. Though it’s fair to say that most commuters travel with panniers so this may be a problem only for a select few.

Trek Allant+ Downsides

Apart from the potential issue some riders may have with the rear rack that we mentioned above, Trek Allant+ doesn’t really have any downsides.

The main thing that will deter some people from buying it is its price. Namely, you can get a much cheaper model from direct-to-consumer brands that does pretty much the same things that the Allant+ models do.

Despite its premium price tag, the Trek Allant+ delivers a remarkable fusion of comfort, style, and performance.

However, Trek does it a lot better, looks A LOT nicer, and is arguably more durable with better customer support. So it’s up to you to determine your priorities and decide if these perks are worth the upcharge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a trek allant+ 9.9 weigh.

The Trek Allant+ 9.9 weighs around 49 lb, which is great for a fully equipped city commuter electric bike, especially considering it has a high-capacity battery and numerous accessories. Most similar electric bikes weigh upwards of 50 lb, with some lower-cost models weighing over 60 lb.

Why is Trek so expensive?

Trek’s bikes are more expensive than many direct-to-consumer brands but cost around the same as other big-name brands. The reason Trek is more expensive than brands such as Aventon, Ride1UP or Lectric is that it uses higher-quality Bosch and Shimano components and has a popular name to back up the price.

What is the top speed of Trek Allant+ 7S?

The Trek Allant+ 7S’s top speed is 28 mph, which makes it a class 3 electric bike. All Allant+ models with an “S” behind the model name have a 28 mph top speed, whereas the models without an “S” have a 20 mph top speed, meaning they fall into the class 1 category.

What frame configurations is Allant+ available in?

The Trek Allant+ is available in Step-Over, Stagger, and Low-Step frame configurations. This makes it suitable for a wide array of riders who need different functionalities from their ebikes. All frame configurations cost the same and come with the same combination of accessories.

What is the range of the Trek Allant+ 9?

Trek does not disclose the exact range of the Allant+ 9 model because the mileage depends on a lot of factors, such as the rider and cargo weight, PAS level, terrain, weather, and so on. You can use Bosch’s Ebike Range Calculator to get a rough estimate of what mileage you can expect from a full charge.

Our Verdict: Ride or Pass?

The Trek Allant+ ebike series delivers a premium, high-performance ride experience with top-notch components, significant range, and high speeds.

Despite its steeper price tag, the blend of Bosch and Shimano technology offers unrivaled reliability and functionality, making this series an excellent choice for both dedicated ebike commuters and casual city riders.

Its versatile frame design, impressive accessory list, and the possibility to extend its range further enhance Allant+’s appeal.

Equipped with top-notch components, significant range, and high speeds, this ebike series solidifies Trek’s reputation as a leader in the industry.

While it may not fit everyone’s budget, those willing to invest in the Trek Allant+ will find it a remarkable fusion of comfort, style, and performance.

We can conclude that this series is well worth considering, solidifying Trek’s reputation as a leader in the ebike industry.

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Always Ride with a Tailwind on Trek’s Latest Domane+

The lightweight and quiet Domane+ SLR proves that less can be more for e-road bikes.

Takeaway: Trek’s Domane+ SLR is a different type of road bike. And it’s a different type of e-bike. The Domane+ SLR combines lightweight, comfort, and pedal assist into the look and feel of a traditional road bike. The Domane+’s TQ motor system delivers assistance smoothly and runs quietly, making for a bike that feels at home on any kind of road ride. The bike’s biggest downside is the very high price tag.

Weight: 26.7 lbs (size 52cm) Price: $13,000

Trek Domane+ SLR 9 AXS

A Different Type of E-Bike

It’s important to distinguish between Trek’s latest, third-generation Domane+ and most other e-bikes currently on the market. E-bikes in the commuter and mountain categories are usually termed full-power e-bikes. These bikes have large-capacity (and thus heavy) batteries paired with powerful motors. Many of these full-power e-bikes hit peak power outputs of 700w and have up to 80 Nm of torque. And the motors on these bikes are designed to push as much power as fast as possible to get you to maximum regulated speeds of 20 or 28mph.

Trek’s Domane+ SLR is not like that at all. Riding the Domane+ SLR is an experience much closer to that of riding a traditional road bike, except that you have a sweet tailwind where ever you go.

For the TQ HRP-Motor, max torque is capped at 50 Nm, and the most power a ride will ever get from it is 300W. The most obvious benefit of this huge weight saving in the motor and battery itself allows the rest of the bike to be built lighter. Both of these things combine to make the Domane+ genuinely one of the lightest production e-bikes on the market (26.7 pounds for the 52cm size).

A 360 Wh battery housed inside the downtube powers the new motor. Trek claims the battery is good for up to a 90-mile range in Eco mode. Riders can add an optional range extender (which takes up a water bottle cage mount) for an extra 160 Wh capacity. As with any e-bike range estimates, your mileage will vary based on rider weight, elevation gain, and what assist mode is used.

Three levels of e-assist are available via the handy buttons tucked in near the shifters. The modes are customizable in the Trek mobile app to suit your riding style and preferences. The central top tube display offers a variety of display pages with things like battery life, your current power output, the motor's current power output, speed, and distance. When you are charging the system, the display shows a countdown to when the battery will be fully charged.

Honestly, it was the remote buttons that stole the show for me. So many road e-bikes will rip you out of the familiar ride experience by forcing you to use cumbersome mode controls. By comparison, the Trek system felt natural and easy—similar to the auxiliary shift buttons on high-end road bikes.

While the various e-bike features of the Domane+ SLR are impressive, it’s worth noting that Trek also nailed the regular bike bits. First, they bumped the official tire clearance from 35mm to 40mm. The wider rubber gives the Domane+ a bit more versatility or comfort, depending on the tires you use. There are also hidden fender mounts in case rain is a common feature of your rides.

As is expected on a high-priced road bike, the Domane’s cables are fully-internal. But Trek goes about it in a way that doesn’t make me want to pull my hair out. Brake lines run externally on the handlebar and under the stem before disappearing into dedicated ports on the headset cover. A small plastic cover attaches to the stem to hide the lines from view. This allows for easy handlebar and stem swaps for fit adjustments if needed.

The Domane+ frame geometry is nearly identical to the standard, non-assist Domane. The only change is a 10mm increase in chainstay length (needed to fit the TQ motor). As with the standard Domane+, the stack and reach numbers are much more relaxed than Trek’s race bikes like the Madone or Emonda but are still relatively sporty overall.

Pricing and Models

Trek offers the Domane+ with the TQ motor in six different builds. All of these options use the same frameset, battery, and motor. None of them are cheap. Our test bike equipped with SRAM Red eTap AXS and Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon wheels sells for an eye-watering $13,000.

The most affordable model in the lineup—equipped with SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS and slightly heavier Bontrager carbon wheels—still retails for $9,000.

The “value” Trek offers with the Domane+ is almost entirely in the TQ motor system, which has a unique ride experience but commands an enormous price premium. A Pinarello Nytro E9 e-road bike with the same TQ motor will also set you back $13,000

As a brand, Trek doesn’t generally shy away from premium-priced bikes, and in that respect, the Domane+ is priced similarly to its non-assisted version. Hopefully, as the technology develops, Trek will offer the TQ system on more affordable bikes and models.

Trek can point to the Domane+ AL 5 as perhaps a more reasonably priced e-road bike model at $3,500. But, there are some key differences between the AL 5 and the significantly more premium Domane+ models. The alloy versus carbon frame is the obvious one, but I argue the more crucial difference is that the AL 5 uses a hub-based motor instead of the mid-drive TQ motor. This change (accompanied by a lower maximum-assisted speed of just 20mph) eliminates the AL 5 as an option for riders who want to participate in faster-paced group rides (where speeds are often above 20mph).

Ride Impressions

Trek designed the Domane+ SLR to feel and ride similarly to a traditional, non-electric assist road bike, and I think they came exceptionally close. Riding the Domane+ feels much more like you're having an amazing day on the bike, instead of a typical e-bike ride.

The first thing you notice with the TQ motor is its incredibly subtle power delivery. There’s no sudden jolt or kick when the motor kicks in, versus the feel of many full-power e-bikes. The Domane+ SLR feels much more like a slowly gathering tailwind that’s helping you get up to speed.

Adding to this feeling is how clever the whole system is at figuring out how much assistance you need. It’s not a simple linear relationship of effort to assist. For example, when starting from a stop, the Domane+ will give you a brief bit of extra boost to get you moving that gradually tapers off as you settle into your pace. Similarly, once you’re up to speed, you need to actually put in effort to get the motor to kick out some extra boost. The whole system does a remarkable job of making you feel great on the bike without constantly reminding you that you are on an e-bike. But riders that want more boost could always tune the system to their preferences via the Trek mobile app.

The TQ motor is so danged quiet that you will sometimes forget you’re riding an e-bike. If you don’t spend much time riding e-bikes, this might be hard to appreciate, but some electric motors can sound pretty loud. This is especially true on powerful commuter e-bikes where the motor noise can distract from the cycling experience.

The Domane+ SLR’s motor is practically silent. There is some noise, but it is so minor that you must listen closely to hear it. Otherwise, the noise fades into the background sounds of riding a bike, along with wind, tire, and drivetrain sounds.

The ride quality of the Domane+ is somewhat of a mixed bag. As on other Trek models with IsoSpeed (the suspension feature at the seat and top tube junction), the system works very well and provides compliance. But the front end of the Domane+ is incredibly stiff by comparison. This is due to the overbuilt downtube of the frame (designed to accommodate the motor and battery), which results in increased harshness up front. Fortunately, Trek equips the Domane+ with 40mm wide Bontrager GR1 tires. At first, I thought putting gravel tires on a road bike was a bit weird, but the added comfort of the wider tire helped counteract the harsh-feeling front end.

The Domane+ is so good at blending its e-bike characteristics into the background of your ride that I sometimes began asking, “Why don’t I just ride an assisted bike all the time?” I spent plenty of time thinking about that while riding this bike back to back with non-assisted bikes. Simply put, the Domane+ SLR is fun—It is fun to go out and experience what riding with an extra 300 watts feels like (without being something that feels more like an electric scooter). While my inner, grumpy bike racer might scoff at the “unearned speed” that the Domane+ provides access to, the rider in me thinks the joy of going fast on a bike is worth sharing instead of being a curmudgeon about it.

Given the Domane+ SLR’s high price point and the unique motor and ride feel the bike best suits the rider that prizes the feel, sound, and experience of riding a non-assisted road bike over the power output of a full-powered e-bike. Typically, bicycle brands market e-bikes like the Domane+ to riders who cannot keep up with faster riders. Lightweight e-bikes are often sold as bikes only for aging racers or significant others. This marketing approach feels dated and non-inclusive. I know folks who have given up on riding due to health issues but have gotten back into riding regularly, thanks to e-bikes. The bottom line is that e-bikes are for anyone that wants one.

Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer. 

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Is an Electric Bike Right for You?

What you need to know about choosing an e-bike

By Benjamin Preston

Pedal-powered bicycles and electric bikes have been in high demand since the pandemic, when sales surged due to more people working from home. Despite sales experiencing a slight leveling off over the past year, electric bicycle sales are still up 231 percent over 2019 levels, according to the NPD Group, a market research company. And no wonder: Electric bikes have great versatility and appeal.

Getting Started

If you’re thinking about buying an electric bike, commonly known as an e-bike, first consider how you intend to use it. There are almost as many types of electric bikes as there are pedal-powered bicycles, and many of them do specific things very well. A big factor in your decision will be where you live , because climate, the presence (or lack) of bike lanes, how far you want to ride on a regular basis, and how your locale classifies and regulates e-bikes will affect how you can use one.

More than half of U.S. states recognize e-bikes as a type of bicycle, depending on how fast they go and how power is applied (for example, through the pedals or a hand control). But a few states treat electric bikes like other motorized vehicles and require riders to have an operator’s license to use one on public roads, depending on the type.

Currently, there are three general electric bike classifications (PDF), and some gray areas.

Class 1 covers pedal-assist bikes, which power the electric motor as your foot applies pressure to the pedal. There’s no throttle to get the bike going; the electric part works only when the rider is pedaling, and the e-assist cuts off at speeds above 20 mph. (It’s possible to get even conventional bicycles moving faster than that on a steep hill.)

Class 2 bikes also have an electric motor that works up to 20 mph, either while the rider is pedaling (pedal assist) or with electric propulsion alone via throttle control.

Class 3 limits an electric bike’s pedal assist to 28 mph and requires a speedometer.

Where you can ride an e-bike varies based on location, so it’s best to check local regulations before using one on a bike-only trail. (Powered bicycles could be prohibited.) It’s also strongly recommended that electric bike riders wear helmets even if the locale doesn’t require it.

There are also more powerful electric bikes that are supposed to be ridden only in designated off-road areas. These electric bikes can look like bicycles but functionally are more like motorcycles. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll focus on the three classes that most resemble a conventional bicycle.

Why Buy an Electric Bike?

There are many reasons people buy an e-bike, but we found after talking to experts and riders that the main ones are for commuting, recreation, and hauling light cargo. For many during the pandemic, bicycles were a transportation alternative for urban and suburban commuters wishing to avoid using public transportation. Beyond social distancing, they can also be great for exercise and recreation, even with help from the electric motor.

Performance road bikes prioritize speed, aerodynamics, and lightweight construction. They're the type used in pro races, although electrified versions aren't allowed in conventional bicycle races.

Photo: Trek

“There’s no one demographic that rides an e-bike,” says Sarah Johnson, a cycling expert and advocate who used to own a bicycle shop in Omaha, Neb., that sold electric bikes. “It’s young people who don’t want a car; it’s older people who want a little help so they can still ride a bike; it’s commuters who don’t want to get all sweaty on the way to work.”

According to the Department of Transportation, nationwide survey data show that more than half of the trips people take are 3 miles or less . And 72 percent of those are made by car; less than 2 percent are made on a bicycle. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) says that distance is feasible for bicycles, particularly e-bikes.

Electric Bike Pricing

Prices for e-bikes range from less than $500 to thousands of dollars. For most consumers, the higher end of the scale will be about $6,000 to $7,000. According to the NCSL, the average price for an electric commuter bike is $2,000 to $3,000, compared with $1,000 for a conventional midrange commuter bicycle.

Electric bicycles come in a variety of styles to serve different needs.

Photo: Rad Power Bikes

Micah Toll, who digs into the particulars of electric bikes and other battery-powered personal transportation for Electrek , a website focused on everything electric, says budget is an important consideration for e-bike shoppers.

He advises consumers to avoid the extreme low end of the electric bike range, where cheaper components can affect the overall quality. He also says first-time buyers might not want to get the most expensive models, to give themselves time to figure out whether or not they like riding one. He says that although there are so many options for every price range as the number and type of e-bike models continue to proliferate, $1,500 is generally a sweet spot in terms of price. You may find cheaper alternatives from no-name manufacturers that pop up on Amazon and other online sales venues, but quality e-bikes tend to start in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.

“There are more players than ever in the industry, and the options have really expanded on both the low and high ends of the market,” Toll says. “Manufacturers are making good-quality bikes but aren’t using top-shelf components. It’s a good balance for people who don’t want to spend a fortune but also don’t want the bike to fall apart after a year or two.”

Commuter Electric Bikes

Commuter bikes come in a variety of styles but are meant to serve as practical transportation. For many consumers, e-bikes represent a much more cost-effective alternative to expensive, fossil-fuel-dependent automobiles, or, at the very least, a way to cut down on the number of cars in the driveway. Many people like the fact that they can commute on an electric bike without getting too sweaty on the way to work and that they aren’t as likely to get stuck in grinding car traffic.

Commuter bikes provide easy, trouble-free service as daily transportation.

Steve Volkers, who lives in suburban Maryland and commutes several miles over rolling hills, says he actually gets to work a little faster on his electric bike because he doesn’t have to sit in the Washington, D.C., area’s notorious car traffic.

Glen Mayenschein, who works several miles from his home in northern New Jersey, has been commuting exclusively by bicycle for 20 years, and, at age 62, decided to buy an electric bike.

“I have a bad knee, so I figured I’d make it easier on myself and get an electric bike,” Mayenschein says, noting that he rides a hilly route to and from work. “I like riding a bike, and I still ride regular ones from time to time, but now I mostly ride the electric one.”

Commuter bikes vary from the type with narrow tires and straight handlebars that city dwellers are used to seeing in conventional form to beefier models with fat tires and thicker frames.

Experts say fat-tire bikes—which can be difficult to get going on pedal power alone—are gaining in popularity as electric versions have become more widely available. There are also folding electric bikes that are easier to stow in a tight storage area or aboard a train or bus.

Recreational Electric Bikes

The bulk of the pandemic bicycle sales boom has been for enthusiast bicycles like road and mountain bikes, according to NPD. Road and mountain biking were already popular recreational activities, and the addition of electric motors has expanded their appeal.

Multiple studies show that e-bikes, while a less intense form of exercise than conventional bikes, still provide exercise benefits. A study conducted in 2021 and published in  Translational Journal  concluded that compared with a regular bicycle, riding an e-bike for a simulated 3-mile commute resulted in lower metabolic, cardiovascular, and perceived effort that nevertheless met the intensity level associated with healthy physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization and the American College of Sports Medicine. (The ACSM recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate cardiovascular exercise.)

Cruiser bikes are designed for comfort.

Photo: Trek Bicycle

As with conventional bicycles, there are several types of e-bikes, each with a special purpose, whether it’s riding mountain or forest trails, taking long rides on the open road, or cruising around at a leisurely pace near home. Some conventional cycling purists knock electric bikes because of the greater ease of pedaling, but some converts have told us they love them.

The extra boost from a battery and an electric motor has also opened up cycling to people who might not otherwise have been able to ride. Sarah Johnson, the Omaha cycling advocate, says she faced having to give up cycling when medical problems made it difficult for her to pedal a conventional bicycle.

“I used to be an e-bike hater, but when I realized that it was e-bike or no riding, I realized how great they are,” she says. “I’m feeling better, but I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of my e-bike.”

Performance Road Bikes The defining characteristics of a road bike are usually a lightweight frame, skinny tires, and drop-down handlebars that help the rider maintain an aerodynamic riding position. It’s not unusual to see a cluster of bright-shirted cyclists pedaling furiously down a bike trail or along the side of the road on lightweight speed machines.

Like their pedal-powered counterparts, electric road bikes feature slimmer, lighter components and require an aerodynamic riding position, both meant to increase efficiency over long distances. The assistance offered by an electric motor makes it possible to cover longer distances and handle steep grades with less of the fatigue associated with conventional bicycles.

Even though they’re fast and relatively light, performance bikes still aren’t for everyone, because the aggressive riding position can be uncomfortable for some riders.

Mountain Bikes With beefier frames, bigger tires, and sometimes long-travel suspension components, mountain bikes are built to handle trails, large rocks, logs, and other rough terrain and obstacles. A spin through mountain bike racing videos on the internet reveals that their riders sometimes expect the bikes to handle much more than that—big air jumps and rough terrain, among other demands.

Of course, the fun part is the faster, more effortless downhill portion. Getting there usually involves a demanding pedal up steep grades on loose terrain. Adding an electric motor to a mountain bike makes a lot of sense for someone who wants to experience the thrill of downhill riding but may not have the fitness to handle the grueling uphill slog.

The e-bike segment makes bikes with larger tires—which are more difficult to pedal using leg power alone because of the increased weight and rolling resistance that comes with their beefy wheels and tires—more appealing, and also makes it possible to do more riding in a day because of reduced fatigue. Electric mountain bikes aren’t permitted on some trails, so be sure to check state and local regulations. Also, as CR’s testers found, it’s important to buy an electric mountain bike with brakes that can handle the extra weight of the battery and electric motor.

Hybrids and Cruisers Hybrids offer a combination of road bike efficiency and the more upright riding position preferred by mountain bikers and commuters. They usually have straight handlebars. This type of bicycle can be a good all-around setup for those who seek the best of both worlds.

Cruisers offer a relaxed, comfortable upright seating position, and often a softer ride because of bigger tires and cushier seats. Look for swooping handlebars that keep a rider’s arms a relaxed distance from the body. The addition of an electric motor to either of these configurations makes it possible to use a thicker frame and wider tires to soak up bumps in the road. Volkers, the Maryland commuter, bought this type of e-bike because he can ride it on light off-road trails and paved roads with ease.

Cargo Electric Bikes

Cargo bikes are built to haul cargo and extra passengers. With strong frames, fatter tires, and robust components, they’re the industrial beasts of the two-wheeled world. Pedal-powered cargo bikes have been around for a while. They can be configured with rear-mounted seats or cargo racks, or front-end cargo boxes supported by one or two wheels. Bicycle taxis can also be included in this group; those two-wheeled models are popular for urban delivery services and for ferrying children.

Adding electric power to a frame designed to haul heavier loads offers an obvious advantage, and electric propulsion can be a game-changer for anyone who wants to use a bicycle as an alternative to a car, such as to run errands and carry large loads of groceries, packages, or passengers. E-bikes—although not necessarily the heavy-duty cargo variety—are also popular among food delivery riders who want to avoid car traffic and double-parking.

Folding Electric Bikes

Think of the folding bike as a more portable version of the commuter bike. Folding bikes typically have smaller wheels and long handlebar stems and seat posts, as well as hinged frames and other parts that allow the bike to be folded into a more compact shape. This type of bike might be appealing to someone who needs a bicycle but has to pack it into a car’s trunk, take it on a bus or train, or has limited storage space at home. There are several folding electric models on the market, but it’s worth noting that the ones with the most powerful motors tend to be heavier, and therefore more difficult to fold, carry, and stow. That said, CR tested one model that offered a bit of e-assist in a lightweight package that folded very small for easy packing or storage. (See CR’s roundup of the best folding bikes .)

Electric Bike Safety Considerations

E-bikes can travel at speeds similar to conventional bicycles, and they carry the same safety risks. But models that can travel at 20 mph or more add another level of risk to the equation.

Higher speeds mean the rider has less time to slow down or stop. Whether riding a bicycle or a motorcycle, the results of even low-speed crashes—especially when cars and trucks are involved—can be painful and even fatal. A 2019 study in the journal Injury Prevention found—based on an examination of emergency room records—that electric bike riders were more likely to suffer internal injuries than those riding conventional bicycles.

The easiest and most obvious way to avoid a serious head injury is to wear a bicycle helmet. A review of bicycle helmet research published in the journal Injury Prevention in 2007 says that wearing a helmet can reduce the chance of serious head injury by 63 to 88 percent. Wearing bright clothing and adhering to traffic laws can also help.

Another important safety factor for cycling is the availability of dedicated—and specially protected—bicycle lanes. If you must ride in the road with cars, take into account the prevailing speed and flow of traffic. Motorists may be distracted or driving too fast to see cyclists.

There are aftermarket devices that can be added to any bicycle with features similar to those in the active driver assistance systems (ADAS) found on cars and trucks . They include blind spot warning and crash detection.

There hasn’t been a lot of academic study yet about the injury risks to children posed by the newest electric bikes, but it’s best to exercise extreme caution when addressing the needs of any new or inexperienced cyclists. As anyone who fell off a bicycle when they were young can recall, even low-speed crashes and tip-overs can result in injury.

Because most e-bikes use lithium-ion batteries, there’s also fire risk to consider. It’s important to use the correct charger and charging cord, supplied by the manufacturer that built the bike you own.

If you end up having to replace the battery for some reason, use only a UL-listed battery approved by the bike’s manufacturer. Don’t leave the bike unattended while it’s charging, and don’t charge e-bikes in sleeping areas, or where they can block entry or egress to a room or building. Lithium-ion battery fires are rare, but they can be violent. They are often related to improper charging or storage.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.

Bespoken Word – Trek is slashing the number of bikes it offers by 40%. Here's what that means for your favorite brands in the future

In part one of a new ‘What Happens Next?’ series, Guy Kesteven has some dark warnings about what’s going to happen to a lot of bike brands in the next few years

The Taipei show is the biggest trade bike show in the world. You can go there as a punter but its primary purpose is for far eastern vendors to sell their stuff to the biggest bike brands . Unsurprisingly, given that anyone who is anyone is probably there, it’s also the biggest place for bike industry gossip. 

'Right sizing'

Right now, what everyone is talking about is Trek reporting that they’ll be reducing their bike range by 40 percent and the size of their overall business by 10 percent going forward. Yes, that Trek! The solid, dependable, privately owned Wisconsin-based brand has been rock solid since it started selling touring bikes in the 1970s. The Trek who most industry people were saying pulled a blinder by allegedly using their scale and cash reserves to guarantee the supply of parts when production and delivery choked during Covid. That meant Trek was the first to get big shipments of bikes after everyone had sold out and the sheer amount of Marlin hardtails they dropped into dealers has achieved mythical status.

Unfortunately, while they sold a huge amount of bikes to people wearing face masks, there are still a lot of Marlins in shops – and there are probably more in warehouses all over the world. So Trek is doing the smart thing and making fewer bikes going forward. Because otherwise that backlog of Marlins is never going to get sold and Trek will hemorrhage even more money storing them or selling them for less than a profit. And while their use of the phrase ‘Right sizing’ is definitely corporate ‘posi–speak’, the decision to downsize even based on pre-Covid levels is almost certainly correct.

The news that old dependable Trek is making big changes to stop future oversupply is a big deal, but they are far from being alone in this. From the sound of the rumor drums there are other very big companies, as well as many mid-sized and mini brands that are totally constipated with stock. And in many cases that’s not just because they ordered too much, but because they have a whole ton of very closely spaced products. Orange's multitude of visually near-identical, single pivot hand-made monocoque bikes made it hard for customers to pick an obvious winner and nearly put them out of business. I can’t help wondering if the reason Santa Cruz are running very big discounts on some bikes right now is because there are so many to choose from the confusion is enough to put people off. 

In contrast, Yeti has a pretty clear and clean product lineup and is still currently selling bikes full price. Other brands like Whyte and Norco have also massively reduced their product portfolio to help them leapfrog ahead of brands buried in out-of-date stock. In the case of Whyte, it has even sidelined projects they’ve been working on for years to put nearly all their eggs in the E-Lyte basket. After speaking to Jason Schiers and Clive Gosling from GT at Core bike show , it’s clear they’ve done the same. Canceling whole bike lines just before launch so they can concentrate on a few really strong new offerings.

Brands on the run

While figures like a 40 percent reduction in bike range sound dramatic, it doesn’t have to mean a loss of family favorites. Trek in particular produces a huge size range of bikes and generally makes each model in multiple colors. So it could be that every bike stays, but only in the best-selling color or with fewer options spanning the sizing spread. Not great if you're an odd size or like a choice of aesthetic, but not a disaster.

But for brands that have already slimmed downsizing and hacked the options back to a minimum, things will be a lot harder in the months and years ahead. There’s less room to maneuver too as geometry is now basically all the same and while internal storage is a nice feature, I’ve never heard anyone chopping in their perfectly good old bike just to get a snack hatch on the new one. Unless you’ve got a genuinely different suspension technology that people actually want (buyers are traditionally very averse to new tech until it’s multi-proven), then realistically how many almost identical 4-bar or twin-link carbon bikes with a 64 to 66-degree head tube do we need to choose from?

And while brand loyalty or re-polishing faded memories of past glory days will work with us old gits who’ve been hanging around the sport for decades, we aren’t the people brands need to attract to stay alive.

Power rangers

The people brands need to attract are the new mountain bikers, who may have dusted off an old bike during Covid or who just found MTB from fresh and are now encouraging their mates to join them. These riders are a very different breed with different brand and buying values. While old schoolers are used to glitches and bodges being part of biking and were prepared to put up with random customer service and extensive research to find the right next bike, the new breed isn’t. They don’t want a confusing sea, as far as they can tell, of identical bikes. They want stuff that works rather than needing to be nursed and they want it presented, sold and serviced professionally. And we might kid ourselves that this is the case in the bike industry, we all know that for every slick showroom and logo polo shirt, there’s a bargain bin in the corner and an ordering process that’s still based on paper stuck on spikes. But the whole chat about retail is for another time.  

The big thing that these new buyers mean is a total change in brand recognition and that’s also tied very heavily into the rise of the e-bike. 

E-bikes are not the miracle cure

What I mean is that while some of these new buyers might recognize the big brands like Specialized , Santa Cruz, Canyon , Shimano , or Trek, they’ll definitely spot Bosch as a brand name to go towards because their power tools, domestic appliances, auto parts, etc. are recognized as costing a bit more but return great reliability. Some outsiders might know Giant bikes, but the smartest move of the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer is to team up with Yamaha for their motors. With a lot of e-MTBers coming from an off-road motorbike background, brands like GasGas and Husqvarna are going to stand out a lot more than Haibike or Cube . Even if you get a better spec for a lower price by going for the latter. I can’t help feeling that brands like Bosch and Yamaha are going to get sick of having to deal with hundreds of relatively tiny bike company intermediaries to access the cycling market and will just make their own bikes.

There are other big players poised too. As soon as Porsche is confident that their investment in Fazua motors is a sound one, why wouldn’t they go direct through their existing dealers with all the upsell and aspirations they bring? Honda is already starting to show concept bikes again too and it’s clear that this personal mobility part of the market is becoming increasingly interesting to the auto industry. Hell, why wouldn’t Apple go for a quick positive spin on their entry to personal urban mobility by following up their failed ‘self-driving car’ project with an ‘Apple Bike’? They recently added a ton of cycling-friendly features to their Apple Watch and regardless of its actual performance, you can guarantee it would sync with all your other devices instantly and look brilliant. Not something you can say about every e-bike from current manufacturers. 

But then maybe that’s a good thing. Talking to managers at bike brands, they’re certainly beginning to realize that as the e-bike market matures, it’s not the fairy tale, fortune-creating cash cow it looked like at the start. Whatever the brand or design, e-bikes have a far higher return/warranty rate, up to 100 percent in some instances. Nobody ever had their house or warehousing destroyed and insurance companies get startled by a conventional bike catching fire either. 

They also require far more parts to order, stock, integrate, and wait for delivery on. That's after going through a whole extra level of explosive category shipping headaches and costs and being hamstrung if they don’t turn up. While it’s a pain if SRAM changes its transmission and makes your existing stock look dated overnight, if a motor brand makes your entire inventory electrically extinct that’s a huge issue. Because while the higher ticket price of an e-bike is a win at the till, when those units aren’t shifting then they’re sucking up a whole lot more cash. Which is of course the whole issue we started with in the first place.

Know your business

Finally, what the pandemic and subsequent sh*t show have clearly demonstrated is that bike and component brands know as much about their customers, demand and sales trends as a triathlete knows about suspension setup. In fact, the spike, rebound and sag in sales we’ve seen recently is almost certainly worse than the back-end performance of a bike set up by someone in Speedos.

While the amount of talk around inclusivity, diversity and lowering entry barriers is definitely increasing and that’s a brilliant thing, I can’t help feeling it’s not really gaining traction yet either. That losing a hundred grams, changing head angle by a degree, or increasing tire space still gets more high fives in boardrooms and marketing agencies than something that will engage with hundreds of thousands of new riders, change their headspace, or genuinely open up cycling to whole new communities and demographics. 

And these topics of advocacy, retail, racing, riding and media are all things I’m going to dig deeper into in this series. So for now, go enjoy the fact that there are way more bikes and brands than we need, and often being sold at bargain prices. Because one thing I’m sure of is that the situation isn’t going to last forever and if you end up buying bikes from the same place as your washing machine, then don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Guy has been working on Bike Perfect since we launched in 2019. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He spent a few years working in bike shops and warehouses before starting writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too.

Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem

Height: 180cm

Weight: 69kg

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Lectric Ebikes Blasts Into Fat Tire E-Bikes With The XPeak — CleanTechnica Tested

Lectric Ebikes has been designing and shipping some of the most exciting, affordable electric bikes on the market since its inception in 2019. The company recently launched the Lectric XPeak , an e-bike that aspires to carry all of their budget-mindedness forward into a fat bike platform geared towards people looking to get out into the dirt to XPlore the world around them.

The Lectric XPeak retails for $1,399, and buying it currently includes a free starter accessory kit that includes the rear rack and a set of fenders, as well as a spare battery. With its specs, the Lectric XPeak compares favorably with budget fat tire bikes in the $1,800 to $2,000 range. Tossing in $700 worth of accessories for free is just the icing on top and makes the deal that much sweeter.

So when Lectric Ebikes reached out about us reviewing the XPeak, we were eager to see if it was more than just specs on a page and to smash it around in real life to see if it was up to the challenge.

Like most full-size electric bikes, the Lectric Ebikes XPeak comes about 85% assembled. It takes about an hour, and with its 67-pound weight, it can be a bit of a challenge to maneuver around while assembling it. What’s awesome about the XPeak is how Lectric Ebikes worked their tail off to essentially eliminate all the plastic and foam packaging e-bikes typically ships with. Most of the packaging and insulation was paper, cardboard, and recyclable at that.

Instead of hoisting the bike frame out of the box vertically, we cut the sides of the box and opened it up like a clamshell. This makes it much easier to get access to the bike frame, and you can even assemble it directly in the box like this.

Pro tip : If you aren’t comfortable taking on the task of assembling the bike, yourself, coordinate with a local bicycle shop and have the bike shipped directly to them for assembly. This saves you the effort of transporting it from your house to a bike shop after the fact.

We bolted the front wheel on and connected up all the odds and ends and the bike was looking good. Before heading out the door on the first tuning ride, we aired up the tires to the recommended 20 psi and we were ready to go.

Riding the XPeak

As with the first ride of any newly assembled bike, our first ride is what we call it tuning ride. We head out with a few tools in our pocket just to make sure there are no gears that need to be adjusted, tires that need to be aligned, or bolts that need tightening before really getting into it with a longer ride. The Lectric XPeak was ready to go, and after a quick adjustment of the seat, we hit the streets for a proper ride.

The seat of the XPeak is comfortable and has plenty of room for vertical adjustment thanks to its long travel post. Up front, instead of a traditional stem that pulls the handlebars forward of the headset, the XPeak uses a stubby downhill style stem that pulls the riding posture down over the handlebars.

It’s a more aggressive posture and frame geometry than we typically see on budget fat tire bikes that are more typically relegated to urban cruiser duty. The stubby stem also means that you don’t have as much leverage over the front tires, meaning it is does require a little more effort to steer than fat tire bikes with more traditional length stems.

The grips up front provide a solid place to grab onto the handlebars, providing confidence and control over the direction of the bike. The hydraulic brakes similarly provide a reassuring brake response and are extremely reactive — which is what you want in a 67-pound bike with a 750W motor that peaks at a staggering 1,300W of output.

On the downside, the right-hand side of the handlebars feels a little cluttered with both a thumb shifter up top and a thumb throttle on the bottom. Those are in addition to the standard rear brake lever, which takes some getting used to.

Similarly, the front headlight looks to have been through several revisions, and cable management was lacking in the latest update. There are cables everywhere up front with seemingly little thought to cable management. It’s not ideal aesthetically or functionally, although thankfully, the clutter can be managed with the tactful application of a few zip ties.

The Lectric XPeak is a solid value in the budget fat tire e-bike category with tires that curiously only allow a maximum pressure of 20psi. That makes for a more comfortable ride, but fits you at higher risk for punctures. This risk is somewhat mitigated by Lectric’s decision to include tire sealant in the tubes of all of its bikes, including the XPeak, but I would still add a robust tire liner to prevent punctures if this were my daily.

Out back, the rear rack on the XPeak is solid, with beefy construction and four frame mounting points that makes it extremely sturdy, and while I was able to sit on it myself (at just over 200 lb) it comes with an official maximum load rating of 60 pounds. That’s perfect for hauling groceries around, book bags, and it even features a range of standard connections that lets you add all sorts of connections, like Lectric’s rear panniers.

Overall, the Lectric Ebikes XPeak is a great value in the budget fat tire e-bike space, and with the accessories currently included with the purchase, it is hands-down the best value around. Even though it’s not going to set any records on your local trails, its fat tires and upgraded front shocks are well suited for occasional use on trails. As a daily driver, it is extremely capable.

For more information about the Lectric Ebikes XPeak, check out the specs below or head to their website .

• Motor : Stealth M24 750 watt continuous / 1,310 watts peak rear hub motor
• Battery : Frame-integrated 48v, 14Ah lithium-ion battery
• Pedal assist : 5 levels of assist + right thumb throttle
• Tires : 26″X4″ Chao Yang tires
• Front fork : Adjustable RST Renegade suspension fork with up to 80mm of travel
• Brakes : Front and rear hydraulic brakes with 180 mm discs
• Included accessories : Front and rear fenders, integrated front and rear lights, and a rear rack
• Weight : 67 pounds / 30.4 kilograms

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I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.

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Posted 2024-04-09 09:47

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Refurbished TREK Road Bike/Shimano Exage/Weinmann/Fully Tuned - $499 (Bloomington)

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Green Deals

Save $250 on greenworks’ 3000 psi electric pressure washer, hover-1 e-motorbike now just $922, and more.

Clean off winter grime and get your outdoor space ready for spring with a chance to save on this Greenworks 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer through the end of the day. It drops to $430 alongside an even deeper discount on the Hover-1 Altai Pro R500 e-bike that’s down to $922 . Plus, you’ll find all of the other day’s other best Green Deals below.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course,  Electrek ’s best EV buying  and  leasing deals . Also, check out the new  Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories .

Greenworks 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer Combo Kit now $430 in 1-day sale

Best Buy is offering its  Greenworks 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer Combo Kit for  $429.99 shipped  through the end of the day. Normally fetching $679, this particular combo kit has spent most of this year regularly bouncing between its all-time low of $310 and its MSRP – at less frequent rates than you’ll find on the other more simplified kits for the same model. It only matched its lowest markdown twice, during July’s Prime Deal days and September’s Labor Day sales. Today’s deal comes in as a 37% markdown off the going rate and lands among some of the lowest prices we’ve seen. While it’s not necessarily at some of the lowest rates that is has been in the past, this is still a solid $250 discount that gives you excellent equipment for your tool arsenal at an affordable price.

This  Greenworks pressure washer  comes equipped with a 14A TruBrushless motor that generates 3,000 PSI at a 2.0 GPM flow rate. It sports an onboard one-gallon detergent tank and features a wide array of accessories: 25 feet of non-marring, high-pressure hose, a surface cleaner attachment, one turbo nozzle, one soap nozzle, one 15-degree nozzle, one 25-degree nozzle, and one 45-degree nozzle – it even has on-board space for all these attachments for easy storage, convenient transportation, and quicker applications. Like most Greenworks pressure washers, it also features a Total Stop System, which automatically shuts off the pump when the trigger is not engaged, saving you energy, money, and extending your pump’s life.

Hover-1 Altai Pro R500 e-bike hits new $922 low

Amazon is offering the  Hover-1 Altai Pro R500 e-bike (Blue Model) for  $921.65 shipped . Down from its regular $2,300 price tag, this e-bike has seen plenty of discounts since summer, with all but one of them keeping above $1,800 before the new year, even during Black Friday sales. It wasn’t until early Christmas sales that we saw the price get taken down to the former $1,386 low, with most of the discounts we’ve seen in 2024 so far being on the other color schemes. Today’s deal comes in as a 60% markdown off the going rate, beating our previous mention last week by $216 and marking a new all-time low. You’ll also find the  red model currently going for  $1,074.83 shipped , and the  jet black model going for  $2,107.99 shipped .

The  Altai Pro R500  is designed with the stylish frame of a motorcycle, this e-bike comes equipped with a 500W motor and a 48V/20Ah lithium-ion battery that can reach top speeds of 28 MPH and travel up to 60 miles on a single charge. It typically takes seven to eight hours to fully charge, and the battery is removable from the body for more convenient charging. Its 20-inch fat tires help you traverse uneven terrain, and it has been outfitted with a headlight, taillight, and turn signals. It also comes decked out in an array of accessories: dual side mirrors, a phone storage bag, side and rear racks, two saddle bags, a rear mudguard, a triangular storage bag, and a folding lock. Through the Hover-1 E-Mobility app you can even track your riding distance, navigate with GPS, and adjust the e-bike’s settings.

EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max Portable Power Station with 60W Solar Panel now $489 in 6-hour flash sale

It’s the sixth day of  EcoFlow’s annual mega sale  and the second of four scheduled 6-hour flash sales that are offering up options to maximize savings and ensure your preparedness at home, on the road, or out in the wilds. While the two minor offerings of free camping cups and 500 EcoCredits have already been sold out in the first few minutes of the flash sale’s opening, it is still offering the  RIVER 2 Max Portable Power Station with a 60W solar panel for  $489 shipped . Down from $608, this particular model and subsequent bundle doesn’t often get regular discounts like its counterparts, seeing the biggest drop to the $279 all-time low during Black Friday sales. Today’s deal comes in as a 20% markdown off the going rate that lands at the fifth-lowest price we have tracked.

The  RIVER 2 Max power station  offers up a 512Wh capacity and a total output of up to 500W (1000W peak). It can recharge in just one hour via a standard wall outlet, in 3+ hours depending on your connected solar panel, or in 8+ hours directly plugged into your car with the adapter. Through the EcoFlow app, you’ll be able to get real-time status updates, view your battery level, and customize power settings. It has 9 output ports to cover all your device-charging needs: four ACs, three USB-As, one USB-C, and one DC. Head below to read more.

This  flash sale started at 12pm EST and will only last for a total of six hours or as long as the limited supplies last, with  the overall mega sale  continuing through April 21 and taking  up to $2,796 off  a selection of the company’s power stations, bundles, and accessories. One important thing to note is that there are two more upcoming dates that are scheduled to have a similar 6-hour flash sales: April 14 and April 19, so mark them down in your calendars or keep your eyes peeled.

Spring e-bike deals!

• Super73 RX Electric Motorbike: $2,999 (Reg. $3695)
• Lynx All-Terrain e-bike: $2,999 (Reg. $3,999)
• Juiced’s HyperScrambler 2: $1,999 (Reg. $3,499)
• Aventon Aventure.2 All-Terrain e-bike with free extra battery: $1,799 ($2,499 value)
• Aventon Abound Cargo e-bike with $372 in free accessories: $1,799 (Reg. $2,199)
• Heybike Brawn Fat-Tire e-bike: $1,449 (Reg. $1,800)
• Electric Bike Co. Model J e-bike: $1,299 (Reg. $1,499)
• Velotric Discover 1 e-bike: $1,099 (Reg. $1,599)

Other new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

• Z GRILLS’ latest 450A Pro wood pellet grill covers your backyard cookouts for $368 (Reg. $499)
• ALLPOWERS R600 BEIGE 299Wh power station offers 7 ports and wireless charger for $199 low
• Pit Boss 440 Deluxe wood pellet grill offers 518-square inch cook space for $360 (Reg. $450)
• Prepare for BBQ season with Z GRILLS’ 2023 450E pellet grill and smoker at $399 (Reg. $599)
• Bosch Tronic 6100 electric tankless water heater covers sinks and appliances for $559 (Reg. $749)
• Rad Power flash sale gives you up to $400 off e-bike and free accessory starting from $1,199
• Heybike spring sale takes up to $700 off e-bikes with $297 in free gear starting from $999
• Eve’s Aqua HomeKit water controller keeps sprinklers on schedule for return $100 low
• Save up to $2,796 on EcoFlow power stations, solar panels, more during annual mega sale
• Keep showers and sinks steamy with these electric tankless water heaters starting at $183
• VEVOR’s level 2 EV charging station with adaptable 40A output hits $275 Amazon low
• UGREEN PowerRoam 2200 portable power station returns to $1,599 low (Reg. $1,999)

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