Lectric XPedition 2.0 Review

Lectric hit a home run with the original XPedition, so this bike has some big shoes to fill. Luckily, it doesn't seem they've changed any of the fundamentals while giving the bike a host of upgrades and not raising the price. The XPedition 2.0 uses a new (longer) hydroformed aluminum frame, adds a 50mm dual-spring suspension fork, polypropylene fenders, an expanding dual leg kickstand, and a color display. Lectric refers to this bike as “the ultimate transportation solution,” and we just might agree.

Performance Comparison

Ride

The XPedition 2.0 has a longer (54") wheelbase than the previous model, giving it a long, stable feel. The dual spring suspension fork offers 50mm of adjustable travel, which allows Lectric to spec slightly narrower 2.5" tires to increase the bike's range without sacrificing comfort. 20" wheels give the bike more agility than you might imagine for a bike of this size and capability. The bike's layout and geometry make riding, parking, and carrying loads easy, even if you're new to cargo bikes or ebikes. A low step-over height makes getting on and off the bike worry-free, and the wide kickstand supports the bike, even when fully laden.

Considering the price tag, the component spec on the XPedition 2.0 is outrageous. Sure, the suspension seatpost on our test bike felt cheap and less effective, and we were not fans of quick-release pedals, but this bike offers tremendous value for the dollar. The torque sensor and adjustable suspension fork are the two biggest standouts; no one else is offering these features at this price point. The hydraulic disc brakes use mineral oil and 180mm rotors to provide powerful, all-condition stopping power. The old bike used a Shimano 7-speed drivetrain with a shifter we were less than fond of, while the new model gets an 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain with an underbar thumb shifter. The 20 x 2.5" tires have reflective sidewalls, puncture protection belts, and tubes with Slime installed should something get through the casing. The tires roll exceptionally well on smooth paved surfaces, and their inverted tread pattern gives you a little grip when you wander off the beaten path.

The bike has a 21" step-over height, making it user-friendly for people with shorter legs. When we purchased our bike, several “free items” were included. This is common for Lectric, and one of the things they included was a top tube bag. It's an incredibly handy accessory that makes stowing your gear like a lock or phone very simple. It also raises the step-over height by 6.5", so it's not likely a great accessory for smaller riders.

Lectric says the bike should fit riders from 4' 11" to 6' 5", and I think the lower figure is accurate, but if you're over 6'2" (as one of our testers is), the cockpit feels cramped. Even with the telescoping seatpost providing proper leg extension, we wouldn't recommend the bike for exceptionally tall riders. Another one of the Lectric freebies was a suspension seatpost in place of the telescoping model. While these posts generally absorb the harsh hits and provide additional comfort, ours is prone to stiction (static friction), making it feel sticky and reluctant.

The cockpit on this bike is adjustable without using tools; a simple lever on top of the stem allows you to adjust its angle while adjusting the handlebar's rise and sweep. It's a clever system we've seen on many other bikes and seems ideal for a family bike that members of a household of different sizes might share. The touchpoints on the bike don't feel cheap; an elastomer-suspended Lectric saddle and lock-on ergonomic grips provide quality feeling interfaces.

The XPedition 2.0 isn't a bare-bones offering. Even at the cheapest price, the bike includes many features that other manufacturers sell as accessories. Full-wrap polypropylene fenders with an integrated shroud on the rear keep you clean and dry while keeping little feet out of the spokes. Integrated lights ready you for after-dark, and the rear light features a working brake light and turn signals. I was dubious when I first experienced turn signals on a cargo bike. They seemed like a silly addition created for a marketing bullet point, but after using them on several bikes for the past year, I'm fully on board with their functionality. When riding a cargo bike, especially a fully loaded one, taking your hands off the handlebars to make a hand signal can feel unsafe, so these LED signals are quite useful.

The bike features a new expanding wide-leg kickstand that is more stable than previous models. It supports the bike effectively, but its location is strange. Our testers all agreed it was much further back than we expected and more difficult to deploy. The wide kickstand feet don't sink into soft ground or grass like narrower feet, allowing you to park the Xpedition 2.0 in more places.

Perhaps because they started as a folding bike company or want to make assembly easier, Lectric uses quick-release pedals on all their bikes. These pedals have a small amount of play between the coupler and axle, resulting in a less secure feeling. Considering that pedals are two of your five contact points and hold the most weight, we'd opt for swapping the pedals with permanent pedals as we have on past Lectric test bikes. If you're transporting the bike frequently, you might enjoy the easy release, but they don't realistically make this large bike much smaller.

Range

Range testing involves riding the bike until the battery dies, but there's more to it than that. We fully charge the battery, inflate the tires to the maximum recommended pressure, and pack our tester's backpack with enough weight to get him up to 180 pounds. We then put the bike in its most powerful setting (PAS 5) and set out on our test course using only the throttle for propulsion. Our course has rolling hills and a mix of hard surfaces with as few stops as possible.

The original XPedition used a 672Wh battery, while the XPedition 2.0 uses a UL 2271 certified 624Wh battery, or in the case of our test bike, two 624Wh batteries. In our first range test, we ran the bike with a single battery and achieved 21.9 miles on throttle power alone while climbing over 1000 feet of elevation. Not surprisingly, the range with the smaller battery is slightly less than the 25.7 miles we rode on the original bike. When we tested the bike with both batteries totaling 1248Wh, we were able to ride 43.1 miles with 2150 feet of elevation.

Our range tests involve no pedaling; we rely on the throttle to provide all the power. By adding some leg power, you can extend this range substantially. We didn't order the largest battery packs that total 1680Wh, but we can extrapolate from our tests and estimate that you could achieve close to 60 miles without pedaling the bike. One thing we found curious is that the screen doesn't show your remaining range like many other Lectric models using the same display; you'll need to rely on a colored bar graph as an estimate. When using dual batteries, the system uses an isolator that will drain both batteries simultaneously, allowing you to stay at a higher voltage (more power) longer. The bike comes with a standard 2 amp charger, which can charge each battery in 6.5 hours. Lectric sells an aftermarket 5 amp fast-charger that will charge the standard battery in just over 2.5 hours and the large battery in 3.5 hours.

Power

Cargo bikes need to have ample power to carry multiple people or heavy loads, but they also need to have smooth power delivery so they don't feel jumpy and overpowered when riding unladen. The XPedition 2.0 uses a torque sensor, adding power proportional to the power you're putting into the drivetrain. This gives the bike smooth acceleration through the range of pedal-assist settings and prevents it from the phantom acceleration that can plague bikes using a cadence sensor.

Using the dynamometer to determine the Xpeditions 2.0's output, we measured 1247 watts and 46.3Nm of torque at the rear wheel. These excellent numbers show just how robust the Lectric 750W motor is. A note about accuracy: Lectric claims their motor is capable of 1310 watts at peak power and 85Nm of torque; our testing doesn't reveal that they have misrepresented the bike's power. Instead, Lectric gives us stats for the motor itself, which do not account for losses in drivetrain efficiency. We can make accurate comparisons between models by measuring power at the wheel. In our flat ground acceleration test, the bike sped to its throttle-powered maximum speed of 20 mph in just 9.9 seconds. In our hill test, the unladen cargo bike with a 180-pound rider climbed at 18.8 mph and slowed to 15.0 mph at the steepest incline of the hill.

Lectric gave the bike five levels of pedal assistance using the Pedal Assist Wattage Regulation+ (PWR+). Lectric says this “helps to manage power output based on the rider's pedaling effort. With this technology, riders can reach higher speeds easily and with more control than ever before.”

Cargo Carrying

Lectric gets a lot of things right on this cargo hauler. By using smaller, 20" wheels, you don't have to worry about wheel flex when fully loaded, and they also make the bike easier to ride, park, and store. The XPedition 2.0 can carry riders up to 330 pounds while the rack can hold up to 300 pounds - but not simultaneously. The maximum load capacity of the bike is 450 pounds in total, with up to 30 pounds on the optional front rack. The 20" wheels also keep the bike's center of gravity and rack height low. The 15" wide, center-mount kickstand expands as it deploys; it's far more stable than the past model, and Lectric ostensibly placed it so far to the rear to create more stability when the rack is loaded. The downside to its placement is that it's a bit more difficult to get up and down, especially when using the running boards.

The massive cargo rack measures 37" long by 6.75" wide, but the usable length is about 33" due to battery placement. Unlike version 1, the rack uses pannier rails that allow you to clip on panniers and maintain the full functionality of the top of the rack. There is plenty of room for two Yepp child seats and panniers.

We purchased the XL Cargo Pannier bags with our bike, and they're fantastic. Each pannier can hold two bags of groceries, which can easily be unclipped from the bike for shopping or folded flat when not in use. The all-in-one rear fender / wheel shroud is lightweight, durable, and quiet.

Cargo bikes tend to become more useful with more accessories. Customizing the bike to your needs by adding some accessories can really increase its utility. Adding accessories to the Specialized Globe Haul ST was painful due to the cost and difficulty of installation, but Lectric makes it easy. Lectric offers a wide range of accessories built specifically for the XPediotion 2.0, and I found them to be not only well-designed but well-priced. The Orbitor rack has been updated with pinch-proof handles and an angled backrest. It works well for keeping kids contained and as a roll cage for infants in Yepp seats. The Plus One chair provides a comfortable perch for larger kids and is easy to load and unload.

The long wheelbase of this bike (almost 6" longer than its predecessor) keeps the bike more stable at speed and provides more room for gear, but also makes it more difficult to transport. At 56" long and well over 90 pounds with accessories and dual batteries, there aren't many bike racks capable of carrying the beast. Even loading it into the back of a van or truck would be difficult without a loading ramp.

Interface

The XPedition 2.0 uses a 5-button controller on the left side of the handlebar, which is your primary interface with the bike. This controller is where you power the bike on, adjust pedal-assist settings, operate turn signals and lights, and change the view on the bike's display. There is also a thumb paddle throttle on the left that you can use to propel the bike without pedaling or use as the occasional boost when starting or passing. The throttle is easy to use with gloves, but the controller has small buttons that can be challenging for insulated hands. Pushing the throttle and minus button simultaneously activates cruise control. This can be a difficult operation with gloves, but we found it useful on long bike path stretches where we didn't feel like pedaling or holding the throttle.

The Xpedition 2.0 uses a backlit color LCD display that provides trip and battery information at a quick glance. The information on the display is easy to read and well-organized. There is a USB-C charging port on the bottom of the display that you can plug your phone into if you're using it for navigation on a handlebar mount (available separately). I liked how the colors helped to convey information on the display, and while you can scroll through several screens of data, there is no range estimate. The battery management system does an ok job relaying your remaining charge. Still, there were several instances toward the end of a ride when the state of charge would jump between 1 and 4 bars remaining, which caused a bit of anxiety. Range anxiety isn't a huge deal on most e-bikes, but pedaling this bike without assistance (especially when loaded) wouldn't be very enjoyable.

The remaining state of charge is displayed in a 10-segment color bar graph at the top of the screen, with your current speed displayed prominently in the center. Like most e-bikes we test, the XPedition 2.0 has a walk mode that allows the bike to power itself at walking speed while you walk next to it. This feature is only mildly useful on most bikes, but it's quite handy on this bike, especially when loaded.

Assembly

Lectric is notorious for its bikes, which are particularly simple to assemble. Their folding models ship fully built and folded in compact packaging. The XPedition 2.0 is not foldable and requires quite a bit more cardboard. Lectric advertises the bike with “One Minute, Tool-Free Assembly.” While the bike is easy to assemble, getting it out of the box and unpackaged took me longer than a minute. You can see in the time-lapse video below just what was involved in getting the bike road ready.

We purchased our bike on the first day it was available, and there was a special promo (Lectric has these often) that shipped our bike with a dual battery, pannier bags, two rack cushions, and a suspension seatpost. Most arrived in a large 112-pound bike box with panniers and other accessories shipped separately. While the bike is quite heavy, especially with two batteries installed, the wide kickstand makes its assembly easier.

Once you remove the bike from the box with the packaging, we recommend checking the inflation of the tires, proper torque spec on bolts, and charging the batteries. If assembly looks daunting, you can watch and follow Lectric's step-by-step assembly video.

Should You Buy the Lectric XPedition 2.0?

The original XPedition was an impressive bike that we recommended widely. The XPedition 2.0 builds on that bike's platform and value, making it even more worthy of our recommendation. Cargo bikes are wildly useful, but they can be outrageously expensive. This bike offers the same, or better, performance than most for a fraction of the price and has a huge array of accessories that allow you to customize it for your particular needs. Due to its versatility and variety of accessories, this bike can grow with your family. If you've been on the fence about a cargo bike, the XPedition is an economical way to experience the convenience and joy of owning one.

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