Here is my review of the Verve+ 1 Lowstep LT after a week and several rides.
My wife and I are a bit older, and we had been considering an e-bike for a while, but what I wanted didn’t exist. I had been looking for a low-step, lightweight ebike that wasn’t a fortune, and could give me extended range and also access to more challenging trails.
For a long time, we have been reluctant to take on hilly trails because it was just too much for us. A few hills were fine, but long stretches of inclines were really taxing, so we have been riding mostly on flat trails along some of the local rivers.
We also hate riding in the wind. If it’s at my back, awesome. If I’m riding into a stiff 15 mpg headwind, it’s torture. I’ve had some longer rides where the wind was in my face at the end, and those last 5 miles were awful.
Also, our range is somewhat limited too. Ten to twelve miles is about the most we do, especially in the heat and humidity. I’d like to be able to push that to 15-20 miles and add more terrain options.
However, we also are riding for fitness, so we didn’t need a high-powered ebike, just some peddle assistance. I also didn’t want a 65 lb. beast that I couldn’t lift or use on my bike rack. And, I wanted to be able to ride the bike without any power assistance and not have it feel like an elephant.
We also were not interested in bikes with throttles where you could ride without peddling at all. We’ve seen people on the trails riding without peddling, and that point they are just electric motorcycles.
I was excited to see that Trek finally cracked the code, and the Verve+ 1 looked to be a good choice. Weighing in at just about 41 lbs., it was light enough for me to wrangle and we could still use our Kuat Sherpa bike rack, which has a 40 lb. load limit (I know, stretching it a tiny bit).
It uses the Hyena drive system, which is a low-powered drive. I test rode the Verve+ 2, and the Bosch drive is definitely nicer with less lag, but the bike is 10 lbs. heavier, and that would require a new bike rack. And it would be harder to manage. So, I took the plunge and got the 1.
First impressions from a couple of 15+ mile rides:
However, if you need a longer range, want 28 mph on a throttle, more power for steeper terrain, and don’t care about the weight, you might want to pick another ebike.
My wife and I are a bit older, and we had been considering an e-bike for a while, but what I wanted didn’t exist. I had been looking for a low-step, lightweight ebike that wasn’t a fortune, and could give me extended range and also access to more challenging trails.
For a long time, we have been reluctant to take on hilly trails because it was just too much for us. A few hills were fine, but long stretches of inclines were really taxing, so we have been riding mostly on flat trails along some of the local rivers.
We also hate riding in the wind. If it’s at my back, awesome. If I’m riding into a stiff 15 mpg headwind, it’s torture. I’ve had some longer rides where the wind was in my face at the end, and those last 5 miles were awful.
Also, our range is somewhat limited too. Ten to twelve miles is about the most we do, especially in the heat and humidity. I’d like to be able to push that to 15-20 miles and add more terrain options.
However, we also are riding for fitness, so we didn’t need a high-powered ebike, just some peddle assistance. I also didn’t want a 65 lb. beast that I couldn’t lift or use on my bike rack. And, I wanted to be able to ride the bike without any power assistance and not have it feel like an elephant.
We also were not interested in bikes with throttles where you could ride without peddling at all. We’ve seen people on the trails riding without peddling, and that point they are just electric motorcycles.
I was excited to see that Trek finally cracked the code, and the Verve+ 1 looked to be a good choice. Weighing in at just about 41 lbs., it was light enough for me to wrangle and we could still use our Kuat Sherpa bike rack, which has a 40 lb. load limit (I know, stretching it a tiny bit).
It uses the Hyena drive system, which is a low-powered drive. I test rode the Verve+ 2, and the Bosch drive is definitely nicer with less lag, but the bike is 10 lbs. heavier, and that would require a new bike rack. And it would be harder to manage. So, I took the plunge and got the 1.
First impressions from a couple of 15+ mile rides:
- There is about a second or two of lag once you start peddling for the drive to kick in. I didn’t find it to be a problem for me. The Bosch drive on the Verve+ 2 was definitely more responsive and seamless, but again, it was 10 lbs. heavier.
- Controls are super easy to use. It was very easy moving between settings as I needed to. The controls are simpler than with the Bosch drive with just On/Off, battery level, and the power setting.
- The lights can be turned on and off, which is nice. There is also a walk assist mode.
- I ran it on Eco mostly, with an occasional bump up to 2 or 3.
- The drive is definitely low on the power scale. On a very steep hill, even the 3rd setting wasn’t quite enough to keep up my speed, and I had to gear down. It wasn’t a big deal, but you are not going to shoot up to the top of steep inclines at 15 mph.
- The bike is very comfortable, and the geometry was perfect for me. It’s a hybrid, which I like.
- It’s rated about 35 miles, and that seems about right. I rode 4 times this week for a total of about 28 miles, and I had about 20% battery life left according to the gauge. That’s mostly in Eco or 2, with some 3-level riding, and some power off. The last ride was very hilly, so I’m sure that impacted the range.
- Riding without any power assist was good. It felt like a regular bike. I’ve seen reviews of heavier ebikes that said peddling without power was no fun, and this one felt very good without power, and I would ride long stretches with power off. With all power off, I could easily ride at 11-12 mph.
- Subjectively, the lowest power mode – Eco – at 14 miles per hour felt like it took the about the same effort as my unpowered bike at about 10 mph.
- Top speed is 20 mph, and the drive shuts down at that speed. I got it up to 19 mph with some effort as a test.
- The bike costs more than a lot of inexpensive ebikes out there, but I’m good with spending a bit more for Trek quality and a local dealer with service.
However, if you need a longer range, want 28 mph on a throttle, more power for steeper terrain, and don’t care about the weight, you might want to pick another ebike.
