Lectric XP4 750 Watt Motor Review – Solid Upgrades, More Power

When Lectric announced they were launching a bike at an RV resort near the Grand Canyon, it was pretty clear they would be updating their flagship XP model. Since the bike’s inception, it’s somewhat quietly become the best-selling e-bike in the United States, with sales topping 400,000 bikes.

As we were driving down to the event, I had several questions running through my head:

• 1. Could Lectric’s electric founders Levi and Robbie find a way to get the industry excited about a 65-70 lb folding bike? Yes, the XP is a classic and top-seller – but it’s not necessarily been known as the bike that everyone imagines when they think of an e-bike. And it’s certainly not the e-bike you will find being talked about much from many cycling enthusiasts.
• 2. Could Lectric find a way to improve the design and the components of the XP while still offering the bike for less than $1,000 – especially given the current turmoil that tariffs are creating?

If you’re someone already familiar with the Lectric story and their products, or if you’re one of the 400,000 owners of a past XP model, then I know you’re already jumping ahead to learn more about the bike.

However, if you’re from the more elitist side of cycling and are wondering what all the fuss is about an e-bike that’s $1,299, stick around and let me see if we can convince you to take a second look. It might just save you some money.

My Experience Riding The Lectric XP4 (750) E-Bike

While I’m a big fan of what Lectric has done for the e-bike industry the past 4 years, I have to be honest and say that the XP 1, the XP 2, and the XP 3 were never at the top of my list for ride quality. Those models stood out from a price to value ratio, and they offered a TON of utility. They were also fun to ride, but they never quite felt “like a bike”.

I think that all changes now with the XP4. As we rode around the Grand Canyon and listened to Levi’s enthusiastic presentation, it became clear why Lectric has been so successful:

• They listen to their customers.
• They are incredibly focused, passionate, and competitive.
• They aren’t making bikes with traditional cyclists in mind. Instead, they are looking at the population as a whole and making bikes for the largest segment – those who other brands skip over with their $3K – $15K bikes.

With that passion and competitiveness, Lectric has improved almost every aspect of the XP series. But these improvements weren’t just so they can win a component comparison vs other brands. Instead, Lectric took the time and opportunity to improve the entire ride quality and feel of the XP4, and especially so with the 750 watt version.

All of that was very evident as soon as I saw the bikes. I know I shouldn’t care so much about how a bike looks, but I do. And while this might sound like I’m gushing too much about a $1,299 bike, I have to admit that I really like the visual improvement’s Lectric made.

They made the bike look more, well, like a bike.

And they also made it ride better in the process.

Lectric brought in the designer who originally designed the RadRunner, and they made a few key improvements that helped the ride quality (and again, looks). First, they went with a zero-degree stem instead of the slightly-canted forward stem of the past. This reduces the reach of the bike by an inch or two, making the bike more maneuverable and more comfortable. I no longer need to reach so far that my arms are almost entirely straight.

In addition to the improved geometry, Lectric also stiffened the frame, improved the brakes and brake levers, upgraded the display, and also took a step up in quality with the Shimano Altus drivetrain. Combining those upgrades with the 750 watt motor gives the bike a more responsive, more controllable, and more powerful bike.

I think my only complaint when riding the XP4 (750 watt) is that the spring front fork is still pretty basic. However, at this price point I don’t think it’s fair to criticize. The fork makes the ride more comfortable, and at this price that’s really all you can expect.

Range

Estimated Range (from [Brand]): Up to 85 Miles
Real World Range Test Results: 30-35 miles on Turbo, TBD on ECO (still testing as we haven’t had the bike long enough to finish up all the ranges tests we do)

If you look closely at the photos, you’ll notice that Lectric made the downtube on both the step-through (seen in the photos) and the high-step (seen in the video review). Part of this was to make the frame stiffer, the other part was so the frame can fit a whopping 17.5Ah battery.

At 17.5Ah, that gives you 840Wh, which means you could ride pretty easily for over an hr at the full 750 watts. In our range tests, we got just over 30 miles on Turbo (max assist). We were pretty happy with this results and actually think we could get 35-40 given 1) how windy it was when we tested the bike (20+ mph gusts), and 2) Lectric installed Tannus Armour in the bike tires to prevent anyone from getting a flat during the media ride.

Check back soon and we’ll have our official range test results updated. In the meantime, we assume you would be able to get 5+ more miles of range if you’re not riding into such high winds.

The Tannus Armor inserts also add around ½ lb of weight per tire, so that will also decrease range a bit. We will be removing the Tannus Armor and retesting.

Overall, even if you only get 30 miles on Turbo that’s still pretty good range for a folding, semi-fat tire e-bike.

Power (Motor & Battery)

When the Ride1Up Portola and Velotric Fold 1 came out spec’d with 750W motors I had a feeling that Lectric would not only follow suit, but try to do everything they could to outperform those motors. The Lectric 3.0 was close in hill climbing capabilities, even though it’s only a 500W motor.

The XP4 750 watt boasts 85Nm of torque, and is significantly faster up hills and feels quite a bit more peppy while riding on flats. You can read Mike’s review of the XP4 500 watt version, but if you’re someone who wants a hill charger, or if you’re a larger rider, then we would recommend the upgrade to the 750W XP4.

While I was happy with the power and torque, the reality is that I think most people are super happy with 500W, and charging extra for a more powerful motor isn’t groundbreaking. However, being able to improve the power and also improve the responsiveness of the motor might be more challenging – and impressive.

We found the XP4 to pedal very naturally with its torque sensor, now on its 4th iteration from Lectric. The sensor is pretty sensitive in that you don’t really have to press down hard on the pedals in order to get full output; however, you can still modulate your speed within each PAS level by varying how much you are pressing on the pedals.

I like this more ‘easy-riding’ feel for a bike like the XP4, as it lends itself really well to the casual rider, the person who hasn’t ridden in a decade or more, and people who simply don’t want to break a sweat while pedaling. And, if you are one of those people looking for more of a fitness ride, then just put the bike in ECO or Tour mode and pedal away!

No, the 750 watt M24 Motor + torque sensor combo isn’t on the level that you get from a high-end mid drive motor from Specialized or Trek, but is one of the better motors (and strongest) we’ve tested in this price point.

Components

Overall, the Lectric XP4 750W comes specc’d with components I would generally see on a $1,599 – $1,799 bike.

Major upgrades from the previous XP 3.0 that come standard on both the 500W and 750W XP4’s include:

• Star Union “602” hydraulic disk brakes. These brakes were made specifically for Lectric, and Star Union went as far as displaying a welcome billboard for Levi when they flew to the factory. You’ll notice how the Star Union Wuxing branding is very prominent, as is the “602”. Star Union really wanted their branding on these brakes, as I’m sure it’s a great brand play for them to be so highly visible on such a highly-sold e-bike. In return, it looks like Lectric gets to pay homage to their home 602 area code (Phoenix, AZ).
  
  

  I’m curious to see if Star Union uses their ‘602’ brakes on any other brand.

  In terms of quality, the entire brake system is fantastic. I really like the feel of the brake lever pull, and the 180mm x 2.3 rotors are thick and durable. They should transport better than thinner 1.8mm rotors, and they also help the bike stop incredibly well.

• 1×8 Shimano Altus Drivetrain (rapid fire shifters, 11×32 freewheel). While the Altus isn’t a super high-end drivetrain by any means, I’ll also argue that it’s a significant upgrade from the Tourney that came on previous models. Frankly, I’d like to just see Tourney go away.
  
  

  So yes, I was happy to see that Lectric went to the Altus system, specifically because of the rapid fire, under the handlebar shifting. It’s just a better, more controlled shifting experience. Yes, Lectric had to get rid of the twist throttle, but the throttle lever felt very easy to use and didn’t wear out my fingers even if I was throttling for a few miles at a time. Note: I am personally biased towards thumb throttles vs twist throttles. If you prefer a twist throttle, then that would be a downside for you.

• 56 Tooth Chainring. This large front chainring helps reduce ghostpedaling. I didn’t have any problem pedaling at 27-28 miles per hour.
• Polypropylene Fenders. Moving away from the metal fenders makes the bike slightly lighter. They also are more durable, don’t get bent, and are quieter on the road.
• New Key Locations!!! I know I shouldn’t get so excited about something as small as moving the key position, but it always drove me nuts how I had to keep the key in the bike on the old XP models in order to ride it. It also always made me feel like I was going to lose it as it was hanging out of the bottom of the frame.
• Front Suspension with Lockout. This is perhaps the only component that Lectric didn’t improve. It’s still nice to have the 50MM of travel, but the 30mm stanchions could be thicker to improve the fork stiffness.
• Rear brake lights and turn signals. This might seem small, but is very impressive that it comes even on the $999 version.

The 750W version also has a few upgraded components that the 500W does not have, including:

• Suspension seat post.This is also not a super high end seat post suspension and it’s not adjustable. However, it does take the edge off while riding, at least for me at 185 lbs. If you are over 220 lbs you’ll notice a bit more sag when you sit on the saddle and won’t get quite as much cushion as I do out of it.
• 90 Lumen Headlight with side amber lights. If you do a lot of night riding, then having some extra lumens helps. I’d still recommend getting a helmet light to pair with this.

We’ve stated this already, but just to make sure it’s clear, you also get the 750W motor and larger 17.5 Ah battery if you upgrade to this version of the XP4.

Screen / User Interface / App

Lectric also finally updated their display to a TFT color display that is also removable.

There is a lot of great information you can find on the display in addition to your MPH. A few of my favorites include:

• Motor Output (watts)
• Amps
• Rider Input (watts)
• Rider Cadence

While the wattage meter isn’t the most accurate, it’s nice to get at least a relative idea of how many watts I’m putting into the pedals vs how much the motor is producing. I also really like seeing what my cadence is.

My only complaint about the display is that the battery % readout is somewhat misleading. It shows a percentage (%), but actually drops in 10% increments. For example: it goes from 100% to 90% to 80%, etc. As such, it’s more like a fancy version of the old 10 bar readout and isn’t quite as reliable as an actual % readout.

Lectric still doesn’t have an app, but they did make changing the settings on the XP4 much, much simpler. By holding down the ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ buttons at the same time you can get into the menu. All the options are written out now for you and there is no need to search Google for random code numbers and what they mean.

This is especially useful for riders in California, as you can easily set the bike to the current California Class 3 if you would like and still have your bike street legal.

Lectric XP4 Model Options

The Lectric XP4 comes in two different versions, with different color options based on which version you choose:

• XP4 500 Watt. Comes in both step-thru and high-step. Color options include a Tempest Grey and Stratus White.
• XP4 750 Watt. Comes in both step-thru and high-step versions. Color options include a Tempest Grey, Stratus White, Raindrop Blue, and a really nice Pine Green (likely as a thank you to all the RV crowd that has supported them over the years)

I personally prefer the step-through model, but neither bike has a very large step-over height.

Is The Lectric XP4 (750W) Worth Buying?

I actually think this is going to be the best selling bike of the year, and it may even have a bigger reception than the previous 3.0. Lectric has upgrades almost every aspect of the bike and kept the price under $1,000 (for the 500W version), and the $1,299 price tag for the upgraded 750W model is well worth the extra $299. In a current e-bike world that is dominated by tariffs, it’s refreshing to see this.

Pros

• 750 watt motor is very powerful and responsive/controlled
• Impressive upgrades across almost all components
• Powerful brakes with large rotors
• Turn signals and brake lights
• Nice new color options
• Stiff frame and improved geometry greatly improve the ride quality of the bike

Cons

• The chain stay could use a protective strip to protect it from chain slap and grease
• Pay attention to the contact points when folded. We noticed a little bit of unwanted contact by the rear axle that might warrant a protective guard placed there.