New Lectric XL Lite eBikes
Why Get eBikes?
We’re becoming older and going up the hills in our old mountain bikes was becoming a chore, especially because of having to stoop forward. I purchased a beach cruiser for my sweetie, but even that was a chore for her to pedal for longer than 20 minutes.
Unboxing the Bikes
The boxes were not in the best of shape as you can see from the first photo. Once we had unbacked all parts everything was without damage. It was easy to unwrap the packaging and to open the bikes to operating position. The bikes came fully assembled. We only needed to charge the battery and attach the included “Commuter Package” accessories.
Advice for the New Purchaser
Save the packing sheet between the wheels because it will come in handy to prevent scratches when you transport the bikes. The bikes do not come with covers so some folks are using plastic totes (minus the lids) to keep them and the vehicle from damage.
First Impressions
Definitely read the entire manual because there are potential dangers if using the bikes without knowing how the pedal assist works. Here are a few impressions:
- The kickstand is in a great position – attached close to the rear wheel, you can roll the bike backward without getting bound up in the stand.
- The seat is uncomfortably hard so most people advice to replace with some form of seat and/or shock absorber. We took the gel seats off our old bikes and they work great.
- The pedal assist is fantastic! I’ve NEVER had this much fun with a bike! It is reported that one can get up to 45 miles in a single charge when using PAS (pedal assist) 1 or 2. We are on the third day of our initial charge and the battery indicator reports nearly full charge. It takes about 4-5 hours to charge.
- I was worried about performance on steep roads. The road to our place is rather steep and long, but the bikes handled the hills with ease!
- It was not impressed with the location of the key to run the bike – under the frame near the front crank – will become soaked and filthy when it is wet.
- Be careful to ensure PAS is set to zero when walking – assist is activated when the pedals rotate in the forward direction. If they are position just right, assist might activate without your intent.
- New riders should consider setting PAS to zero when doing sharp turns (such as U turns) so you do not accidentally activate the assist while turning.
What Next?
Our bike came with the Commuter Package with a cell phone holder, integrated bike lock system, and performance headlight all for free. We added a gel seat from our other bikes. We also ordered a front and back rack plus saddlebags for $99, which still has not been shipped. Fenders will definitely be nice but I think we will wait for the company to come out with their version.
Links
XP Lite Series eBikes
A Walk Around Our Property
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