To eat up the rest of the battery, we rode around the neighborhood. Even battling headwinds, the bike’s propulsion system continued to push us forward as we pedaled. We ended up riding the Trek on the windiest and coldest day of our e-bike tests on our mixed-road-surface 28-mile loop in the East Bay north of Oakland, Calif. The pedal assist should be enough power for most, but if you’re looking for an experience where you can sometimes take a break while riding, you might look at our pick for the best commuter with a throttle. There’s no hand-activated throttle on the handlebar, but the first gear was low enough to take on the final, steep quarter-mile hill we used during tests if we kept pedaling. It’s sort of like having a bicycle built for two where the person behind you will only help you pedal the bike if you pedal first. As you pedal, the hub-based motor in the rear wheel activates and assists the rider. Trek’s bike uses a pedal-assisted propulsion system that’s connected to a Shimano nine-speed shifter. The FX+ 2 offers a nice balance of electric powertrain and battery in a package that won’t strain your back when you’re hoisting it onto a bike rack or heading up a four-story walkup. If you’re looking for a bike with the pedigree of an established bike company that delivers a wonderful on-road riding experience with a shifter that helps tackle steep hills-and you’re not too concerned about not having access to a throttle-the FX+ 2 delivers on all accounts.Īt just over 40 pounds, the Trek felt downright light compared to the other bikes in our test panel (although it’s not as lightweight as Trek’s nonelectric, sub-30-pound commuter bikes). Its lightweight yet sturdy build quality inspires confidence, as does the company’s network of bike shops. The Trek FX+ 2 is a perfect example of a legacy bike company embracing the e-bike market and creating a successful product. Network of Trek bike shops for building and maintaining the bike.Trek’s decades of bike-building experience shine through with a sturdy, lightweight model with high-end accessories that’s great for both commuting and leisure riding. We also like the Aventon Level.2 for those who prefer a throttle, the Gocycle G4 as a folding bike and Rad Power’s RadRunner 2 for off-roading. (All the e-bikes in our test are categorized as “level two,” with a maximum propulsion speed of 20 miles per hour from hub-based motors.) After our exhaustive research and testing, we determined that the Trek FX+ 2 is an outstanding pedal-powered electric bicycle. We tested both types of systems on the hills of Northern California and have recommendations for people who want more of a traditional bicycle and for people hoping to cruise without working up a sweat. The motors of the e-bikes are enabled in one of two ways: either via pedaling or with a handlebar-mounted throttle. The good news is that prices have fallen somewhat, and charging the bike in most areas costs between $30 and $50 a year. Shopping for an e-bike, though, has become increasingly complex as there has been a “gold rush of sorts,” with more vendors, both established and brand-new, says Lance Camisasca, group show director of a company that holds bike-related trade shows. The electronically propelled bicycles take up the same space as pedal-only bikes and offer the freedom of two-wheeled travel to a larger audience. E-bikes offer a transportation alternative without the physical exertion that comes with commanding a traditional bicycle.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |