High-level componentry is found throughout the bike from the SRAM hydraulic brakes, SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain, and the generous 710Wh battery powering the bike (on the 4.0 model we tested).. It’s not just about the pain job though, you get a lot of options in hardware too. You get to pick your option of grips, wheel size, tires, fork, drivetrain, throttle, size of battery you want and more.
The torque sensor also makes for great battery efficiency. The 720 Wh battery isn’t class leading, but it squeezes more mileage out of that battery than a cadence sensor could. We have a not-so-secret crush at Electric Bike Report on utility bikes.
You also get two different frame sizes to choose from, which is a big upgrade over the single one-size-fits-all frames that many e-bike companies still offer. So to offer a full-size electric bike with otherwise nice commuter features yet with such a small battery is a bit surprising. The low power motor is matched by a low capacity battery. With just 288 Wh of capacity, the battery surprised me, and not in a good way. Sure, I’ve seen plenty of e-bikes with 288 Wh batteries before. It’s just that they’re usually on smaller, lightweight e-bikes that push the needle considerably less on the scale.
Do recall that this bike was designed around 2008, so a lot of the more modern stuff didn’t exist. However, BionX was around, with their I2C torque sensing motors, so there’s mongoose excursion at least some better stuff available. As is standard for geared ebike motors, it has no significant rolling resistance when the wheel is turning faster than the motor.
The adjustable stem is a great touch for dialing in the reach. It may not be the fanciest or highest-spec’d folding electric bike on the market, but by golly it’s hard to deny the popularity and value of the Lectric XP 3.0. Although the electrical components on some of these bikes might not be plastered with a familiar name, like Bosch or Shimano, that doesn’t mean they’re not capable. Aventon, for example, pieced together its own e-bike system for the Pace 350—rather than buying a complete one from someone else—to keep the price down and allow for higher-quality parts elsewhere. The SCiB batteries are power dense, charge insanely fast, are proprietary and un-obtainable by normal people, and just don’t make sense for an electric bicycle.
It’s a bit jarring the first time or two, but that’s par for the course, and you’ll warm up to it quickly. Once the electric’s on, there are three modes of assistance to choose from on that left control panel — flat, downhill, and hill climbing. We’re not saying it’s without effort, but it’s a greatly reduced effort. Uphill, however, we definitely expended a significantly higher amount of energy with our toothpick-like legs. On flat roads, shifting gears will allow you to put more or less effort into your ride as you please, allowing for a lot of levity in the experience.
It’s got 3 buttons, up down and a power/enter button in the middle. There’s a port in the side of the frame where you can charge it without removing, or you can use the keys to pull out battery and charge separately. All in all, this bike offers good performance and quality for its price. The 280Wh battery gives enough juice for up to 25miles, which might not seem much, but it’s perfect for weekend adventures. Lastly, the Marshall comes with integrated LED frame light and headlight, but with just a battery taillight. Your bike will be shipped via one of our trusted freight carriers.