XP Lite Owners - Wish you had more power?

[geekeasy]

I'm looking for an e-bike that I can easily move on and off a boat. So getting something that's light weight is a huge priority.

I'm getting very close to possibly buying a XP Lite, but my one hesitation is that after I get it I'll want something with more power. In part, I may have made the mistake of test riding a fully unlocked Super 72 S2.

So, do you wish that your XP Lite had more power?

I appreciate any advice....

 

[Johny Rocket]

I have a lite, that replaced my xp (too heavy). The lite is a reasonable compromise if you want a simple somewhat light weight somewhat decent speed handy ebike with ok range that folds for stowing at a really great price for what you get. There are lighter and better stowing bikes but they will have less power and range than the Lectric. There are faster and more powerful folding e-bikes but you will likely find them to be overly cumbersome for your intended use. The only issue that may surprise you is the ride might be considered harsh in bumpy situations as it has small diameter wheels and no suspension. In my area we have asphalt bike trails and when the cracks in the asphalt are sealed up the slight rise of the sealed crack is felt enough for me to do my best to avoid running over them even when running low tire pressure. It's all ok for short 3-10 mile rides which is what most people end up riding.
I ended up enjoying riding so much that I did invest in a full size mid-drive ebike with excellent comfort, speed and a 90 mile range at typical peddle assist.

 

[myers830]

I have an XP Lite and like it so much better than my old XP 1.0 which I sold. The 300 watt motor is sufficient to move the much lighter XP Lite and frankly it surprised me. My only concern regarding the XP Lite...its power is not sufficient for a lot of very steep hills. You need gearing for that. I don't have that problem. Its portability is so much easier than the XP as well. You don't need to shift or maintain all the unnecessary shifting hardware. It's a great eBike and if it had a carbon belt drive...they couldn't make them fast enough. Basically, its simplicity and FUN factor are worth the lack of suspension. Once you add all the bulk and weight of gearing and suspension...you take away what the XP Lite was asked for by thousands of buyers....a lighter, easier to maintain, and more nimble XP. Also GOTRAX makes an XP Lite clone with a more powerful 350 watt motor for $100 less. Check that out if you don't mind going with another company.

 

[geekeasy]

I ordered the XP Lite yesterday, and I'll have it in a couple of weeks.

I'll see if it's powerful enough for me, and if it's not I realized I can just always upgrade the motor.

 

[RiPPn]

I have an XP Lite and like it so much better than my old XP 1.0 which I sold. The 300 watt motor is sufficient to move the much lighter XP Lite and frankly it surprised me. My only concern regarding the XP Lite...its power is not sufficient for a lot of very steep hills. You need gearing for that. I don't have that problem. Its portability is so much easier than the XP as well. You don't need to shift or maintain all the unnecessary shifting hardware. It's a great eBike and if it had a carbon belt drive...they couldn't make them fast enough. Basically, its simplicity and FUN factor are worth the lack of suspension. Once you add all the bulk and weight of gearing and suspension...you take away what the XP Lite was asked for by thousands of buyers....a lighter, easier to maintain, and more nimble XP. Also GOTRAX makes an XP Lite clone with a more powerful 350 watt motor for $100 less. Check that out if you don't mind going with another company.

Thanks for the heads-up on the GOTRAX F1 Folding Electric Bike 2.0. It addresses 2 things I didn't like about the XP Lite. A tail light that actually works with the brakes. And more range. Plus the slightly more powerful motor and $100 less price tag is a definite go. Do you happen to know if GOTRAX runs deals like Lectric where you can buy a pair for $100 off or anything like that? I'm also curious if Lectric is about to introduce a Lite 2.0 as they are selling out of all the colors on their website.

 

[myers830]

Thanks for the heads-up on the GOTRAX F1 Folding Electric Bike 2.0. It addresses 2 things I didn't like about the XP Lite. A tail light that actually works with the brakes. And more range. Plus the slightly more powerful motor and $100 less price tag is a definite go. Do you happen to know if GOTRAX runs deals like Lectric where you can buy a pair for $100 off or anything like that? I'm also curious if Lectric is about to introduce a Lite 2.0 as they are selling out of all the colors on their website.

I have no inside information...just a feeling they are going to have a new XP Lite 2.0. The XP Lite is their best selling eBike, so it makes no sense to "run out of them" if for no other reason that they aren't making version 1 anymore. Also when I was watching the video of Levy talking about the great carbon belt drive partnership with Gates when designing the new Lectric ONE...but at the end he said something to the effect of "I look forward to do another project again" (with Gates)...so let's keep our fingers crossed he was referring to the XP Lite. I have emailed Lectric many times before the XP ONE ever came out about having a carbon belt XP Lite, and their tech team replied to me saying "we will pass this on to our design team"...but I just took it as them "being kind" and nothing more.

 

[geekeasy]

The Gotrax looks like it's a just a cheap(er) direct knockoff of Lectric products. Any thoughts on the quality of them and how they compare to Lectric?

And after 120 miles, removing a bit of weight from the XP Lite, plus figuring out the settings (P11=1, P12=4), I think the XP Lite actually has more than sufficient power especially when the battery is full.

It puts 15amp @ 50v when accelerating, so 750w which is lots of power for a small, light bike.

 

[myers830]

The Gotrax looks like it's a just a cheap(er) direct knockoff of Lectric products. Any thoughts on the quality of them and how they compare to Lectric?

And after 120 miles, removing a bit of weight from the XP Lite, plus figuring out the settings (P11=1, P12=4), I think the XP Lite actually has more than sufficient power especially when the battery is full.

It puts 15amp @ 50v when accelerating, so 750w which is lots of power for a small, light bike.

Excellent point on changing the default P11 and P12 settings on the XP Lite. Those 2 changes will really make a difference in acceleration for those who want more of a "kick".

 

[RiPPn]

Excellent point on changing the default P11 and P12 settings on the XP Lite. Those 2 changes will really make a difference in acceleration for those who want more of a "kick".

Anyone know if the GOTRAX has these same settings? I’m about to pull the trigger on 2 of them, one for me and one for my wife. There’s a coupon code knocking off about $40 on the GOTRAX site making them just over $700 shipped.

 

[geekeasy]

Excellent point on changing the default P11 and P12 settings on the XP Lite. Those 2 changes will really make a difference in acceleration for those who want more of a "kick".

At level 5 on setting 12 the little XP Lite was actually too torquey, which surprised the heck out of me.

 

[myers830]

At level 5 on setting 12 the little XP Lite was actually too torquey, which surprised the heck out of me.

Yeah, its one thing to have some extra punch...but at some point, it can be a liability in the event you are not ready for it, or are in a situation where it causes you to lose control. Its good however to know that little 300watt motor can be tweaked.

Anyone know if the GOTRAX has these same settings? I’m about to pull the trigger on 2 of them, one for me and one for my wife. There’s a coupon code knocking off about $40 on the GOTRAX site making them just over $700 shipped.

I would be surprised if the GOTRAX has the same controller/programming. That's more of an in-house design thing. They all do their own thing even though the parts may be similar. I would contact GOTRAX to see if they allow programming tweaks. It would also be a good "test" to see if GOTRAX responds because you may be saving $$ with them...but if they don't respond then that's a red flag in my opinion. I always test any new company purchase with contacting their support team to see how they respond in case you ever need them. Lectric is going to be hard to beat in terms of support after the sale.

 

[Balsa61]

Even if the GOTRAX bike is identical to the Lectric and make in the same factory, what is their customer service like?

With Lectric, I can call or email the service center in Phoenix, AZ and get great customer service - that's worth the extra to me. If GOTRAX can match this, I would happily buy from them.