Lectric XP 2.0 folding e-bike review

When my father-in-law took the Lectric XP 2.0 folding e-bike for a test ride around the neighborhood, I could hear him hooting and laughing a block and a half away. It’s that kind of bike: It looks a bit odd, it’s smile-inducing just to sit on it, and once you figure out all the different ways you can go fast on this bad boy, you’ll be hooting and laughing too. 

Lectric touts the XP 2.0 as a “full transportation solution and your gateway to adventure.” That’s a big promise, and the XP 2.0 looks outwardly that it can deliver on much of that. This unique folding bike comes with a suspension fork, big 3-inch tires, plenty of mounts for racks and other accessories, front and rear lights, and cable-actuated disc brakes. Adventure-worthy? I suppose that depends on what your definition of adventure is.

Still, the XP 2.0 outwardly has plenty of promise as a mobility solution. The question is whether it rides like one. Read the rest of our Lectric XP 2.0 review to find out.

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Lectric XP 2.0: Price and availability

The Lectric XP 2.0 costs $1,100 and is available for purchase through Lectric’s website. According to the Lectric website, the company currently has a 2-week supply of bikes, which is pretty good considering all the supply chain issues the bicycle industry has experienced during the Covid pandemic. Lectric also mentions that all of its bikes come with a 1-year warranty.

Add-ons are available on the website as well. You can choose the comfort pack (Giant seat and suspension seatpost) for an additional $99, the Cargo Pack (front rack, small basket, and large basket) for an additional $149, or the Comfort + Cargo Pack that combines the previous options for an additional $248. 

Lectric XP 2.0 review: Design

The XP 2.0 folding e-bike comes in a standard frame option and a step-through option. I tested the standard option. 

The XP 2.0 battery lives in the boxy down tube. There is a charging port on the left side of the frame so you can charge the battery without removing it. And a key hole is positioned on the bottom of the down tube; you’ll need to insert the key and turn it to activate the battery. The key stays in the slot while you are riding the bike.

The bike came in the box folded. To unfold it, simply push on either side of the joint. A silver lever on the drive side allows you to lock the two halves in place with a simple push. The handlebars then fold upward and secure in a similar fashion. You can adjust the height of the handlebars using the quick-release lever on the front of the shaft that connects the bars to the head tube. You can adjust your seat height with a quick release lever as well. It’s all very quick and easy.

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Once it’s all set and locked into place, just turn the key, turn on the head unit, and pedal away. The user experience is quite good in that respect.

The 500W (800W+ peak) brushless geared rear hub motor offers more than enough pedaling assist in the Class 2 mode. In the Class 3 mode, it offers enough power to get you in trouble if you’re not careful.

In the pedal-assist (non-throttle) mode, there is a slight lag time between pedaling and the assist kicking in. A Shimano shifter lets you cycle through the seven gears smoothly and quickly; it’s a nice tactile experience, with a large lever to shift in one direction and a positive button to shift in the other.

Lectric XP 2.0 review: Performance

There’s no doubt the Lectric XP 2.0 is a blast to ride. The big, 3-inch tires allow you to rocket off-pavement if you want to, and because those tires are so balloon-like, they offer plenty of compliance to create a comfortable ride.

Which in turn makes the front suspension superfluous. In fact, the fork performed so poorly that I would say it’s a detriment to the build. I was able to whip through the entire travel very quickly and bottom it out (with a disconcerting clunk).

There are two ways to get a boost from the Lectric XP 2.0: pedal-assist, and the throttle. These two overlap somewhat and I’m not sure both are necessary, but the throttle sure does make this bike a lot of fun to rip around city streets. Of course, that also means you can overdo it easily, so be sure to get a feel for the power before you pull that throttle all the way back.

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I prefer the pedal-assist mode, which kicks in as you pedal and gives you the boost you need to get up hills. There is a bit of a lag — about one second — between pedaling and the boost kicking in, which isn’t ideal, especially when starting from a dead stop (think stop lights). And once you stop pedaling, another second or so passes before the assist deactivates. You’ll need to stay alert when using the assist modes, because they don’t immediately respond to your pedaling input.

I also found myself without any assist at all at random times. The display did not indicate any errors or issues when this happened, and I’m still unclear why the power would just disappear. It’s possible I was overwhelming the battery by using the throttle too much, but if that’s the case, there was no indication on the display to let me know as much.

Using the handlebar-mounted controls for the display is easy enough. The display itself feels a bit crowded, but it’s easy to navigate and gives me all the information I need during my ride and then some. Reading through the owner’s manual opens up a lot of configuration possibilities that aren’t difficult to access on the bike.

The key location is a problem. You must find the key hole blindly, since it’s on the bottom of the down tube. It’s difficult to get the key in the slot, which I found annoying every time I went to ride the bike. Once it’s in, there’s no issue; the key stays in place. Of course, when I reached my destination, I often forgot to pull the key out. Out of sight, out of mind. A better location for the key would be a significant upgrade.

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My test bike came with the optional comfort pack, but I never ended up using it. The stock saddle and seatpost felt plenty comfortable to me. I think that’s largely due to the massive 3-inch tires that you can tailor for comfort by adjusting tire pressure.

Lectric XP 2.0 review: Range and battery life

The battery has a range of 45 miles or more, based on how you use the bike (loaded, unloaded, what mode you’re using, etc.). And it charges fully in about 4 to 6 hours. It’s a Lithium-Ion, 48-volt, 9.6 amp-hour battery that lives in the down tube of the bike. To remove it, simply unfold the bike and slide the battery out.

I took the bike out for a ten-mile ride and used the highest assist level possible. I also used the throttle primarily. I burned through about half of the battery life in those ten miles, which is in keeping with the estimates given by Lectric in the owner’s manual. At lower assist levels and with less consistent use of the throttle, 45 miles or more certainly seems possible. 

Lectric XP 2.0 review: Competition

At $1,100, the XP 2.0 is a great deal compared to some of the other folding e-bikes on the market, like the Brompton Electric ($3,400) and the GoCycle GX4i+ ($5,999). But the XP 2.0 is nearly twice as heavy as its competition. 

That said, it also has a quick charging time, and two assist modes to choose from (class 2 or class 3). So it’s fairly versatile, and at the price, it’s hard to count the XP 2.0 out if you’re on a budget. 

Lectric XP 2.0 review: Verdict

If you’re an apartment dweller and you want to commute through the city without a car, the Lectric XP 2.0 may be a good choice for you. Keep in mind, though, that this is no featherweight, so if you’ve got to hoof it up a few flights of stairs, the weight may be a big issue. 

You could toss this in the trunk of a car pretty easily, which makes the XP 2.0 a fun choice for getting around town once you reach your destination on a business trip, for example. You could also get this on a train easily, though you wouldn’t be able to lift it into an overhead storage space. It wouldn’t fit up there anyway. 

But my father-in-law’s hoots and laughs should speak volumes here. The XP 2.0 is a blast to ride, despite some shortcomings. I think Lectric could stand to eliminate the suspension fork, which doesn’t work very well and would cut down on weight anyway. 

Ultimately, buy this bike if you’re looking for a fun ride around the city and you live on the ground floor of your apartment building. Skip it if you’ll be toting your bike up several flights of stairs.