Are you considering purchasing a Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike? Is the Lectric XP 3.0 a reliable electric bike? You may want to hear about the 12 issues I experienced after 200 miles of use. Amazon Affiliate links: My lightweight full face bicycle helmet, Bell Sanction: amzn.to/40PXcbL Sealant that has kept me flat free for over 200 miles, Slime: amzn.to/3JUPcPJ My main camera, Go Pro Hero 8: amzn.to/3M4kSVG 360 camera, Go Pro MAX: amzn.to/3lVctZV Microphone Adapter, Go Pro Mic Adapter: amzn.to/3Kku5aM Microphone, Purple Panda: amzn.to/40LfhYl Armored gloves, Fox Racing Bomber: amzn.to/3zopmP3 Updated version of my winter gloves Tourmaster Polar-Tex: amzn.to/3lPrzQF
Appreciate the video. I have an XP 1.0 with 1500 miles and I learned early that jumping over or down from curbs would not be a good long term idea with such a heavy bike. My bike since new has only had two issues which were solely standard issues for any bike: flat tire and frayed shifter cable. Both issues were fixed but a few critical lessons learned by non-bike mechanic self fixes, such as when removing rear tire beware that chain while tangle (easy fix thru YT) and try not to disconnect derailleur if possible without taking some pictures of how everything goes back together! Lectric XP support was fantastic with sending me replacement part (free!) with new shifter. I have been considering upgrade and either used 2.0 or 3.0 under consideration. Thanks for posting a real world vid on what to expect.
Thanks for detailing your experience. Despite the issues I have seen, I would still purchase a 3.0 today because of its versatility (cargo, passenger, folding) for the price. If I had seen issues with motor, battery, or controller I would think twice about it.
Great Lectric bike videos! I have 120 miles on my 3.0. The only problem I have had is the light moving around but ever since I tightened it as hard as I possibly could i haven’t had a problem since. I ride mostly streets and down dirt canals. No issues other than the the light and the brakes are a little squeaky. Love my 3.0!
Its nice to see an honest review for a change. It seems like watching reviews on RU-vid to make an informed desision for the best way to spend my money, is getting next to impossible . There's way too many shills on RU-vid,who will say anything to make a buck.
Yeah, the problem is that those that get a free bike to make a review, have a lot of pressure to stay positive. They also don't own or ride the bike long enough to really get a sense for what problems could arise during long term ownership.
best real world review of this ebike and the fixes. The truth is its a budget bike and the main components are what you dont want to fail. Seems like it depends on how you ride it will determine how it wears. Thanks
The headlight: I contacted lectric and they sent me another elite headlight for free. But it was on backorder for over a month so I ended up sticking the one I had back on there with super glue. That broke back off almost immediately so I got some JB Weld Structural Plastic Bonder. I also painted the JB Weld some random satin black I had and you can't really tell it was repaired. I eventually got the replacement headlight but now I'm waiting for the repair to fail. Its been holding strong for over 400 miles and I haven't been easy on it. The squeak: On that comfort seat its springs. I shot some sprayaway silicone lubricant on the springs and that went away. I also put some on the suspension seat post under the boot to make that operate more smoothly. The brakes: Couldn't take all the noise so I got 1.5mm worth of rotor spacers and replaced the calipers with cable actuated hydraulic Zoom HB100 calipers. That fixes the noise but they're harder to pull at the hand levers. They work just fine other than they feel kind of like a band aid solution at the levers. Now that Lectric is giving us older XP 3.0 owners dual piston fully hydraulic (nutt) brakes I'm kind of just dealing with the HB100s until those finally come in. Otherwise I was going to order some Zoom HB876E (quad piston full hydraulic with motor shutoff) or HB875E (dual piston full hydraulic with motor shutoff) and see how those worked.
Good tips. I also ended up repairing and relocating the light and its holding. Have also experimented with Shimano calipers and hydraulic brakes that perform well. Have a few videos up on the topic.
If you change your tires to motorcycle tires it's a game changer. I'm running shinko 244s for the winter. No flats, dot tires, more grip less speed. But now i can lean the bike sideways, ride in snow. I had most of the same issues, including front fork flexing
So you can use motorcycle tires on a ebike, I didn't know that, can you put them on a ebike rim? Or do you got to get new rims? I put tannus Armour tire inserts in my ebike tires, since I did that I haven't got any flats so far 2 of them cost me around 160 dollars but well worth the price They recommend using smaller tubes if you install them
Love down to earth vids like this- just got their trike for my elderly uncle- thinking about getting an XP for myself:) Aventon is on my list too but LECTRIC customer service is next level so I'm starting to lean towards them :)
I hear good things about Aventon's customer service as well and really like some of their models. I've come close to ordering an Aventure 2 but at this point I'm going to wait for the Aventure 3. I do have an XP Trike on order and expect it sometime in June. Have you received the Trike yet?
OK let me start by giving you a great deal of credit for your honesty, as many will NOT take responsibility for their errors. If you would have disclosed the problems and blamed Lectric for the issues I would have stopped watching immediately. I own a 3.0 and have had little trouble. One was the front head light, so I put a thin lock washer on the screw and it seems to have solved the problem. I purchased a bar extender and am going to place my 2 new high powered lights on that bar, along with other items. I don't know if you received notice from Lectric that a kit to replace the brakes to hydraulic on the newer model was available for free. I have had zero problems with the bike since then. Now having made the aforementioned I must admit I have not been able to ride due to a temporary medical condition but am currently riding again. My wife has a trike due to balancing issues and she and I think it was the best thing Lectric could have done. I find that Lectric continues to build just what many people need and at a very reasonable price considering competitive prices and the excessive increase in costs on everything in the last 4 years. Thank you for sharing your experiences with the bike.
I found the video helpful. I also watched a flat preventative test video with Area 13. Their tests indicated Flat Out worked better then slime. Flat Out in their tests was able to plug larger holes where Slime failed.
For the elite headlight, if you rotate the reflector (until it stops) so it is pointing to the ground you can lodge something between the back of the reflector and the bottom of the light. I used a piece of Styrofoam held in with some tape. This will prevent the light from moving down as you ride.
I have been following reviews of that bike with some interest. I wonder if it would be too easy to overpower the basic suspension in offroad situations with that much power at hand.
Love my 3.0. The elite light mount sucks, I hadn't thought about moving it to the handlebar. I may give that a shot, or 3D print something, because I do like to ride at dawn and dusk. They're great bikes for the price, with some minor issues that can be fixed with tinkering.
This is great info. I have a bike just like this and some of the issues you mentioned I thought was just me, good to know these issues are inherent with the bike.
some additional tips, get a screen protector/ cover the for the bikes control screen as well i brok mine within 2 weeks of getting my bike. lectric was kind enough to send me a replacement for free. i also lost the premium light due to the mount breaking. i just removed it, and sealed up the plug for it and wrapped it in the cable cover. i use a LED handlebar mounted light now that has a 5 hour use on it and charges with a usb cable. Lectric has recent announced that they are going to be replacing the breaks with hydraulic ones so hopefully those work better
Cool video, and lots of great tips for all riders. Slime works well in your situation, but I still don't like how it prevents patches from adhering properly on the bigger punctures. I used to recommend Tannus Armour, but I got flats caused by internal friction on high speed group rides, and took them out. I went with puncture resistant tires instead, and they have worked well. If you plan on doing jumps, I would recommend the RadMini, but they don't make it anymore! Thanks for the video 👍👍
These are not really off road bikes...they are commuter bikes...they can take gravel and dirt paths but bouncing of curbs or boulders is not gonna cut it. Going into three years with my lectric 2.0...run three batteries at the same time 40ah....1700 miles no issues just basic upkeep,
You would benefit from resin or organic break pads than the metal on metal for what you are using the bike for. Im really liking the resin at the moment for my commuting
Great review. Deal breaker for me is the brakes. I owned motorcycles. Enjoyed them. I consider these mini-motorcycles. Mechanical brakes don't cut it for me. Everyone covers the GO. Not so much the STOP. Thanks for your effort.
Good to know. I have 4200miles on my Xp2.0. It’s had its wear and tear but it has saved me $1k in gas and is extremely fun to ride to work daily. Also the county gave me $500 rebate. It’s paid for its self already.
I got my XP 3.0 this summer and now have just under 100 miles on it. I like the bike quite a bit. I've ridden it about 50/50 on the street and on very rugged desert trails. It's held up well so far. Regarding the factory installed slime in the tires, I didn't know it was in there. So before my first tough ride I put a half bottle of real Slime in the front tire and aired it up to well below the max pressure. As I set to work on the rear tire, the front one literally exploded. Since I know I didn't over-pressure it, I could only guess the two slimes didn't play well together. Chemical reaction maybe? But since you got away with it, I truly don't know what happened unless I just got a bad tube. At the time, I'd already put a few miles on it. Taking the bike in for a tune-up today.
I'm betting what happened is that part of the tire bead was not sitting in the wheel fully. The tires feel a bit narrow for the wheel and you have to air up a bit, check the bead and repeat until fully inflated. It also helps to take weight off of the tire you are inflating. Thin sidewalls make it difficult for tire to stay seated and keep its shape when inflating from fully flat.
Im commuting 34 miles every day for work, and i noticed some of the same issues. Brakes, front light, seat, rear tire puncture (2x), Lots of rattle from front suspension. At 500 miles now. The frame latch is now not latching. Small stuff, but i should have invested in a higher quality ride for as much as i use it. Dependability is paramount. But for those riding less miles, relatively small issues
I"m about to do a 5 day commute challenge, which I will extend to 2 weeks, then a month if things go well. The frame latch would be my biggest concern....did failure make the bike feel like it was coming apart while riding?
I used a flathead to manually move the latch lock in place, it's fine. The front suspension seems ok despite the rattle. But I just had to repair 3 broken spokes. I'm at 920 miles now. I'll need to check that every month now. They are an unusual size, so my local mechanic needed to get some made. I think my use case is kind of insular, most people don't run into these issues it seems.
Check inside the bike frame for the battery lies the top part where it locks in with the key was loose there's a few Phillips screws in in there on the plastic top part inside the frame with a battery goes mine was kind of loose
The sealant on these Lectric XP 3.0 bikes is NOT Slime branded. You will see this when you get your first flat-- no green residue. Likewise the sealant provided is not installed with sufficient quantity to prevent flats. This is a misrepresentation by Lectric and they should not be claiming this on their website.
I have the same issue with the light and rack, It looks like you have a newer rack with the mount in the front. Mine has the attachment in the middle of the rack. I have seen your newer rack on a couple of bikes recently, but their web site still shows light contention in the middle. I have to point the light way up ,which make it non functional to see the street, but the airplanes can see me riding. No light shines on street at all. If I do what light on the road in front it literally rubs the tire and I could see it would brake after a mile. Also the elite light would not stay tight prior to basket install. I would assume that is why they are giving them away. The free mirrors and seat post was free. Replaced free mirrors and cell phone holder after two rides, both junk... You get what you pay for... FREE. I have same pedal issue. One side works good, the other is very hard to get up and down and have cut myself several times getting pinched when the pedal finally moves. I do not jump. Suspension seat post not a smooth ride and squeaky. You are the first person to address all of my issue. I guess the others got Free bikes and are reluctant to be truthful. Thank you for your honest review. I will contact Lectric on Monday.
Thanks for sharing your detailed experience! Looks like we've discovered some common weaknesses. The benefit of buying my own bike and doing long term owner reviews is that I can be more honest about issues and hopefully also offer easy solutions for any problems I find.
The main complaint I have about my XP 3.0 is the lazy acceleration and low top speed in throttle-only mode. Pedal assist performance is fairly good, but my bike tops out at only 17 - 18 mph in throttle-only mode. ☹
I understand your point. However, one positive thing about lazy throttle only acceleration is that it makes for smooth starts from a stop in traffic, around pedestrians, or when riding with a passenger.
@@PETEYWEEDY _"I thought I was the only one I have"_ No, you're not the only one who has an XP 3.0! But do I understand correctly that you also experience mediocre acceleration and top speed in throttle-only mode?
Pay attention to the two machine screws that hold the kickstand in place to the bicycle frame. I have to ex premium bicycles I've retightening them a few times now next I'm going to put loctite on them the blue color
Pedals Won't break if you don't treat it like a mountain bike. It's a putter, not a trail bike, For your upgraded light congratulations. Now put some lock type on that bolt, it will stay still
I bought tannus Armour tire inserts n put them in my ebike tires n haven't got a flat since I put them in, especially if you ride in desert with those goat head thorns, get these tire inserts 2 cost me around 160 dollars but well worth it If you get them n put them in your tires you need smaller tubes as well Ebike brake noise problems, on my ebike I adjusted brakes n noise went away at times, like if you put the brake pad in to far it my cause squealing noise, also with my brakes on mine I could adjust brake part that will put brake part in center off brake disk more so it won't make noise
@@LectricGo get the tannus armour inserts n save yourself many future flats, especially on a ebike which is a lot harder to push home with flat fat tires, green slime is only good for small punctures, but even when green slime covers up the hole, sometimes the hole comes back n tire goes flat again, i went through this with punctures in tubes many times, some holes in tubes green slimes covers it for good other times it doesn't, green slime is mostly a temporary fix for small holes, then when you get home you should patch hole or put new tube in if tube has to many holes If you get a big enough tear or puncture in tube green slime wont work that good or not at all Tannus armour inserts can handle many punctures or cuts or tears in tire before they can penetrate the tube, i do a lot of riding off road also, tannus armour inserts way to go After you put tannus armour inserts in you can put green slime in tubes for more protection, but i wouldn't n would carry 1 or 2 bottles of green slime on bike along with a small pump just in case tube does get punctured with inserts in Green slime will harden after a few years or if bike hasn't been rode for awhile, then you will have hard green slime in your tube that wont cover punctures anymore People tannus armour way to go well worth the money They say even if something does go through inserts n punctures tube n tube goes flat you can still ride bike home slowly with the inserts or at least push it home easier
Poorly design machine screw that holds the aftermarket light that's bigger than the stock one is well as heavier. I believe it's too small and the nut on the backside of the fork that holds the light to the frame should be nylon lock nut
If you feel you need or will use dealer support, Pedigo may be better. I have an Aventon dealer nearby and would have gone for Aventon instead of Lectric if dealer support was critical. Luckily I like tinkering though :)
Great video. Saw you talking about all your thorns. Recently got my XP trike and on mile 55, got my first one. But, much to my surprise, no Slime pre-installed like Lectric says there is. Bummer. Was wondering where you were located with all of those goat-heads, and then I see you ride by a sign I know well! Nice to see someone riding in Chuco town! If I ever see you out and about on my rides, we'll have to grab lunch! #915Strong
Absolutely! I have also wondered how much Slime Lectric adds. I was losing pressure initially on my 3.0 until I added my own half bottle in each tube. Sounds like I better add some to the Trike as well.
Great video... many thanks. Are there other ladies out there with this bike? Mine is coming in a month. I'm trying to plan for how I'll be able to transport it given its weight. I'm thinking I'll get a dirt bike rack for the hitch with a ramp. No way could I pick up to put each tire into a holder. Ideas?
Do you have a truck? A wide ATV ramp could let you ride it into the bed before strapping down. I have a dirt bike rack with a ramp but its pretty heavy. I probably feel more strain dealing with the rack than the bike. Mine is a steel rack though and aluminum ones should be lighter.
The issues seem to be more design related. I don't think anyone has gotten a good quality front light bracket that doesn't loosen over time for example. I haven't had to replace anything yet except for figuring out a better mounting solution for the front light. Other stock parts are still functional enough just not working perfectly.
i've had my 3.0 less than a week & when i pulled the battery out, the pull tab came off. now i cant get it back on. seems simple but it just doesnt want to go back on - cant get the ends to go into the holes.
@@LectricGo thanks for that info. i finally got both sides to go into the holes, but had to wedge pieces of toothpick into the little slots so the ends dont come out again.
You get what you pay for in most cases. To bring this bike in under $1k some corners had to be cut. But some things I had issues with can definitely be improved with a few more cents invested by Lectric or a tweak to the design.
Was included with a motorcycle but this one is very similar www.amazon.com/SPECSTAR-Motorcycle-Universal-Swingarm-Kawasaki/dp/B0894JRVXF?crid=28SOMK4CKAGRH&keywords=adjustable+motorcycle+stand&qid=1684105389&sprefix=adjustable+motorcycle+stand,aps,143&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVzJDR1UzTEc4Wk5UJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjc1NTI2MUQxSTlSN0Y1UEpLRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTU2NjIzMUE0T09XUDBVWFVSViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU%3D&linkCode=sl1&tag=lectricgo-20&linkId=b8154f113d416d6a4a0c79bbada43832&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
The seat bouncing is only funny if you're thinking funny :) I believe the features for the price still can't be beat. The problems I've had have been minor annoyances rather than serious issues so far. If I didn't care about passenger capability or a rear rack with a large load capacity then I might consider other options.
Anyone else's shocks make a "ping" sound when going over bumps? Lectric said add more lube to the shocks. They still make a loud ping. Are the shocks just bad?
My front fork makes a noticeable sound, "clank", after hitting a bump when the fork extends quickly. Not sure if it is the same sound you are experiencing. Lower cost forks don't have top out dampers and I have seen this on several low cost bikes. I consider it normal for the fork on the XP 3.0.
Tighter if you are heavier and softer if you are lighter. With your weight and cargo on the bike, you should see the front fork compress a little more than half an inch.
It's not enforced as far as I know. Also, for three miles of my commute it would be suicide to ride in the street and there are no alternative routes 😞.
Yeah I live in Michigan the Macomb county sheriff's state only sidewalks are pedestrian sidewalks not for bicycles and dog walkers. But very young children are exempt.
At the higher price, I certainly expect some elements to be better.. Front light looks very similar. It would be interesting to hear if you have any issues with it coming loose.
Looking at reviews of the original bike, it does appear that several key components were better. Tektro brand brakes I'm sure were much more robust and consistent even if only 160mm, the light mount appears to be different and more solid on the 1.0 and the rear shifter is a level up from the 3.0.
@@bassw1758I don’t think age of buyers was a thing, but there’s a reason why these Lectric bikes are generally cheaper than many others. Cut costs here and there and you’re selling for less. What I honestly wonder is just how many factories in China actually produce all these ebikes for sooo many companies. There’s obviously no way every company makes their own bikes.
there is nothing special about this bike other then Lectric marketing strategy . There are many more powerful and better bike for the same or less price now
I hope you're right! Competition will pressure Lectric to improve their product and value equation further. Hydtraulic brakes, a torque sensor, and a better front light solution are top on my wishlist for XP 4.0. I think the XP 3.0s ability to carry a passenger in a folding bike and rear rack load capacity is still unique in this price range.
@@LectricGo I used the ratio cup in each fork. One fork at a time. That way I knew how much oil to add back in them each. But yeah I used a better quality of fork oil I believe Electra forks are made in China and I don't believe therefore coil is quality.
@@LectricGo Hydraulic brakes are not great for folding bikes because if you fold them often there are higher chances you will need more often to bleeding brakes or even replace the cable due to damages. I had different brand with only 50lbs limit rack and I carried my wife off road and she is about 140lbs and bike was going up hill with me pedaling 750w motor . The marketing is great but all those racks with limit 35 - 55 lbs can handle much higher weight but not everyday
@LectricGo I have this espin bike which is more powerful and comes with Hydraulic brakes ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iZkJowoZK3M.html after 15% discount code: erides the price will be cheaper then lectric. The difference between both bikes are so much that I never even compared since Espin has basically everything Lectric owners dream of ,lol also, 15 inches step thru make it really easy and thumb throttle with 85 nm torque. Real 4 inches tires. They do have walk in office in California. Their support also excellent! I never had any issues but I saw some people posted about spongy brakes, and once bleeded, it worked great. T