The Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 Folding E-Bike — CleanTechnica Review

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The team over at Lectric eBikes in Phoenix, Arizona is hell bent on making electric bikes affordable and functional for the masses. The Lectric XP and Lectric Step-Thru were launched at a bargain price of just $899 a bit less than 2 years ago and having shipped more than 70,000 of the bikes to date, it is clear its first iterations were massive successes.

The team has taken the lessons learned from its first generation bikes and is launching version 2.0 of both the Lectric XP and the Lectric Step-Thru with a slew of improvements. The new bikes feature slightly wider, slightly curved handlebars for a more comfortable ride, a front oil shock, slightly smaller 20″ x 3″ tires, new front rack mounting points on the frame, a ton of new accessories, and a beefier rear rack, to name a few of the upgrades.

Lectric is committed to keeping the price down and was able to bring all these new features while keeping the price under $1000. The new Lectric XP 2.0 and Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 are both launching today for what’s still, in my opinion, the best value in e-bikes at $999. As a special bonus, Lectric is making the new version of the bike available to all customers with backlogged orders eagerly waiting for their Lectric e-bike to ship.

Customer with existing orders were given the option to upgrade to the 2.0 models for just $50 for a total price of $949. Lectric also gave those customers a 20% discount off of accessories to further sweeten the deal. Here are just a few of the new accessories Lectric is launching with the introduction of its second generation bikes: A cargo package including a front rack and a pair of baskets for $149, a comfort package including a suspension seatpost and a saddle that is the equivalent of a recliner for $99, a premium headlight upgrade for $49, a bike lock $49, mirrors for $39, and a phone holder for $29.

We met up with Lectric eBikes CEO Levi Conlow and a few guys from his merry band of misfits while they were out in Southern California doing some work and were able to spend a few days with a prototype build of the Lectric Step-Thru 2.0.

We toured it through our normal review route on miles of roads, took it off-road, onto the sand, over rocks, downhill, uphill, and everything in between and just can’t help but to be impressed by the second generation build. The Lectric was designed to be as capable as possible at as low a price point as possible and considering what you get for the price in this second version, it is an impressive value.

The Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 is built on top of the same low-step folding frame as its predecessor, with the removable battery integrated into the primary tube of the bike. The power is routed to a 500 watt rear hub motor designed in house by Lectric. 500 watt motors are increasingly popular as bike builders and riders find they strike a nice balance between power output and efficiency.

The updated Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 comes with an adjustable shock up front that provides a bit of extra cushion to absorb heavier bumps. Combined with the shock absorption coming from the oversized 20″ x 3″ CST tires, the Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 provides a smooth ride.

These tires are smaller than the 20″ x 4″ tires on Lectric’s original bikes and are a significant improvement. The tread on these CST tires provides a ton of traction without creating a ton of additional rolling resistance. Their rounded profile makes them smooth on city streets as well as on dirt trails.

As a folding bike, the slightly smaller tires trim off a bit of extra weight and thin out the profile of the bike a bit. At 62 pounds, this bike is no lightweight, but the ability to fold increases its portability and gives owners plenty of options for tucking it into an RV, boat, trunk, or in the closet.

The handlebars were also improved on the new version. They’re slightly wider and pull back just a bit from the bike for more control and more comfort. They are a subtle, but noticeable improvement over the first generation that make for a more stable, comfortable, controlled ride.

Individually, these upgrades are nice, but not life changing. Together, they smooth over some of the rough edges in the first generation bikes for a new Lectric lineup that’s more capable, more refined, and more capable than their predecessors. A massive part of that capability has to do with the new accessories Lectric is rolling out alongside its new bikes.

The new front rack bosses we mentioned earlier are sweet, as they make it possible to mount a front rack to the frame of the bike. Doing this adds a new place to haul gear and makes it far more stable than a traditional front basket by securing the load to the frame itself. A large or small basket can be bolted to the L-shaped front rack, depending on the needs of the rider. We had a look at some of the first prototypes of the baskets, and they are sharp looking matte black metal baskets built to put in some serious work.

Out back, the new rear rack that comes with the bike has a capacity of  77 lb (35 kg). That’s a significant amount more hauling capacity than a standard rear rack can carry and that could be a factor for folks looking to put their Step-Thru to work hauling gear. With the improved hauling capacity, a copious lineup of new accessories available from the factory, the fact that Lectric was able to deliver a ton of new features for only $100 more at a time when supply chain prices are climbing across the industry is an impressive feat.

Lectric’s stock seat is already one of the most comfortable factory seats we’ve ridden on, but they wanted more. It may be a pet project of the CEO or just a desire to make the most comfortable seating position on any bike out there, but we had the opportunity to test out Lectric’s new optional comfort saddle and suspension and man, is it comfortable.

Yes, it is a massive seat. Yes, the seat and post probably weigh more than some high end road bikes. But dang, this thing brings the comfort. It’s the equivalent of the recliner chair in your living room that everyone falls asleep in and it’s actually reasonably comfortable to peddle the bike on. I took it off-road for a short blast on some local trails and it was like riding on a cloud of marshmallows.

The new 2.0 looks to be better positioned to meet the needs of even more customers, accelerating Lectric’s evil plan for world domination. Ok, maybe it’s not evil, but the company is trying to get as many e-bikes out into the world as possible, electrifying the way we get around along the way. On top of that, Lectric’s introductory accessory bundles make it easier for owners to get their hands on quality gear designed and built specifically to extend the functionality of their Lectric bikes.

The upgraded version of the bike should help to carry them even farther up the sales ladder, ultimately replacing even more cars with miles ridden on electric bikes. I mean, if you can get an electric bike with a rear rack and basket for under $1,000, who wants to drive to the grocery store anyway? And that’s the goal. Lectric’s CEO is bent on replacing car trips with trips on electric bikes. That might be from your house to the grocery store, from your RV to the beach, or leaving with the kids and dog in tow to head to the park. Zero emissions is zero emissions and who knows, you just might get a workout while you’re at it.

The new Lectric XP 2.0 and Lectric Step-Thru 2.o both officially launch today. Get all the juicy details about the new bikes, the new accessories to bling them out with, and order one directly from Lectric’s website.

Lectric Step-Thru 2.0 Folding E-Bike Specs

• Motor: 500 watt Lectric-designed rear hub motor
• Battery: 460Wh, 48v, 9.6Ah battery built with Samsung cells
• Range: up to 45 miles
• Charge Time: 4-6 hours
• Top Speed:
  • Throttle: 20 mph
  • Pedal Assist: 28 mph
• Tires: 20″ x 3.3″ CST BFT or Chao Yang tires with oversized 3.5″ inner tubes
• Gearing: 1 x 7-speed
• Size: One size
• Recommended Rider Height: 4’10” – 6’3″
• Colors: White or Black
• Lights: integrated front and rear LED lights
• Assembly: Arrives fully assembled
• Weight: 62 lb
• Payload Capacity: 330 lb
• Price: $999

All images credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica