Lectric ONE Review: Final Takeaway
Overall Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
(Ratings are based on both performance and price)
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Lectric ONE – What We Liked
- The Pinion gearbox paired with Gates belt for a nearly maintenance-free e-bike
- 750W hub motor offers terrific power and acceleration
- Folding handlebar mast and quick release on the seatpost make for space-efficient storage
- Comprehensive commuter accessories package: fenders, lights, rear rack and kickstand
Lectric ONE Pro’s
- Pinion gearbox offers silent, automatic shifting
- Gates belt is stronger than a regular chain and never needs to be lubed—no pants stains!
- 750W brushless, geared hub motor produces an impressive 85Nm of torque; it has amazing acceleration
- Lectric gives buyers a choice of two different batteries, 499Wh or 672Wh
- Full accessory package, including rear rack, fenders, front and rear lights plus a kickstand
- With a quick-release seatpost and folding handlebar mast, the ONE can be made surprisingly compact for storage or transportation
Lectric ONE Con’s
- The Pinion app can be a little glitchy
My Experience Riding The Lectric ONE E-Bike
Ride Quality Rating: 5.0
When I think about the reasons why some people have been reluctant to purchase an e-bike, what holds them back, the typical reasons are that they can’t get around quickly enough, don’t want to deal with the maintenance required and want an easier transmission. The Lectric ONE provides all of that.
The Pinion gearbox is incredibly smooth and shifts very quickly. At 63 lbs. with battery, it’s surprisingly light and the handling is nimble.
This is a Class 3 e-bike with a maximum assist speed of 28 mph. Thanks to the Gates belt Lectric ONE owners will never need to lubricate the chain. They will never discover black smudges on their pants and they will never experience a missed shift.
Set to its maximum power settings (more on that in a second), this thing is very quick off the line. It has tons of power and is a serious kick in the pants. The overall feel and handling of the e-bike is terrific.
Range
Range Rating: 4.2
Estimated Range (from Lectric): up to 45 mi. (499Wh), 60 mi. (672Wh)
Power (Motor & Battery)
Power Rating: 750W rear hub motor with cadence sensor, 85Nm of torque
By building the Lectric ONE with a 750W hub motor, Lectric has produced the most powerful e-bike yet added to their lineup. This is one of Lectric’s faster-feeling motors; it has a top-assist speed of 28 mph and the climb to it feels nearly effortless.
The 750W motor offers a maximum output of 1310W and 85Nm of torque. This is a very peppy motor and it is made all the more responsive because Lectric didn’t go with the typical 12-magnet cadence sensor. It still uses a cadence sensor rather than a torque sensor, but the sourced a 96-magnet cadence sensor, so it is much more responsive than we typically see.
You can effortlessly get this e-bike up to Class 3 speeds. Not only can you choose between Class 1, 2 or 3 operation, you can also adjust how responsive the motor is. At it’s highest, most powerful setting we saw some folks at the launch actually pop wheelies. It’s super powerful.
The Lectric ONE can be ordered with either a 499Wh battery or for those looking for more range, a 672Wh battery. Lectric estimates that the 499Wh battery will give riders up to 45 mi. of range, while the 672Wh battery should extend range to more like 60 mi.
Components
The big story with the Lectric ONE was their decision to go with the Pinion SmartShift gearbox. The Pinion C1.6i gearbox gives riders buttery smooth electronic shifting and six gears spread over a nearly 300 percent gear range.
The Pinion gearbox draws the tiny amount of electricity necessary to shift from the ONE’s battery. Riders shift by pressing one of two small button mounted where they would ordinarily reach for a trigger shifter—just below the right grip.
The real beauty of the Pinion gearbox is that it can be set to shift automatically for the driver. A true automatic transmission. As I slowed for lights I could hear it downshifting so that I’d be in the right gear when I started on the green light.
Because there’s no rear derailleur, Lectric was able to also ditch the chain in favor of a Gates belt. What this means, practically, is that the e-bike operates more quietly, never needs chain lube and most other forms of maintenance are eliminated.
Screen / User Interface / App
The Lectric ONE features a new display from Lectric. It’s both larger and full color and allows for lots of customizability. In addition to choosing between Class 1, 2 or 3 operation, as I mentioned, you can set just how responsive the motor is. There are 11 possible choices, with 11 being the most gentle and 0 being muscle car. You can definitely pop a wheelie in 0 if your weight isn’t on the front wheel.
Is The Lectric One Worth It?
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The question with the Lectric ONE isn’t whether it’s worth the price. There’s no doubt that it is. What I wonder is how hard they had to twist arms to spec a Pinion gearbox on an e-bike that goes for as little as this does. Will they always be able to get pricing from Pinion to keep the ONE at this price? I sure hope so.
As I mentioned before, I’d expect an e-bike equipped like the Lectric ONE to go for more like $4000 or $5000. You just don’t see the Pinion gearbox on e-bikes that retail for less than $3000.
My initial take on the Lectric ONE was, simply, “Wow.” It’s crazy fun and incredibly fast.
Bottom line: It’s just a fantastic e-bike. It’s such a great value that I have no idea how they are doing this for anywhere near $2000. A lot of times when someone is talking an e-bike up to me, what I’m getting is a sales pitch. Sure, I see lots of well-made e-bikes, but they often exaggerate just how unique or high-value they are. With the Lectric ONE, this is no sales pitch. There’s a lot of high-quality technology tech in this e-bike that I would expect to see on e-bikes going for double this. The Pinion gearbox wouldn’t be out of place on an e-bike for $10,000.
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