America’s best-selling e-bike has taken a step further in its evolution, all while maintaining its accessibility to the everyday rider. Lectric’s new XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bike is quite the step up for the XP series, coming well-rounded and stocked with a solid array of features for a quality, high-performing experience. With the new descendant models, the king of the proverbial e-mobility hill has given the XP4 e-bikes more power, further traveling range, an even smoother ride, and a bunch of safety upgrades that are quite impressive for its affordable pricing. Whether you’re in the market for a cruiser, a commuter, or in need of a cargo-carrying alternative, Lectric has offered quite the support for it all with this new model. You can learn more about the XP4 750’s capabilities and my hands-on impression below.
Lectric’s XP4 750 answers fan’s calls for upgrades
So, I’m sure you’re asking right off the bat (if you weren’t already in the know from our original launch coverage): what are the big changes between the previous XP 3.0 e-bikes and the new XP4 e-bikes? Well, for starters, they have been given fully redesigned frames that come with zero-degree stems and more colorway options – two for the standard XP4 model and four for the XP4 750 model, of which I am very much enjoying the Raindrop Blue that we first saw offered among the XPedition 2.0 Cargo e-bikes.
While the standard XP4 model offers the same motor specs as the previous XP 3.0 model (though it does gain a little more travel distance here at 50 miles), the XP4 750 e-bike comes with longer-range upgrades in the form of a 750W brushless geared hub motor that peaks at 1,310W, and a 17.5Ah battery that provides up to an 85-mile range, depending on what PAS levels you have set it to. What’s more, the motors have been given the brand’s Stealth M24 tech so as to run at quieter levels, which it certainly does in my opinion. Due to New York laws, mine had been limited to a 20 MPH top speed, though elsewhere with less restrictions, folks can expect to reach up to 28 MPH speeds.
One of the biggest standouts that riders have been calling for from the previous variation is the addition of a torque sensor, and Lectric has heard these desires and delivered. It brings a much smoother power distribution and acceleration to the pedal assistance, though I will just say that there is a noticeable sensitivity to it kicking on, which may take some unexpecting riders by surprise.
Another of the fan requests being met is the step up to keyless riding. The previous XP 3.0 models required a key to turn on the battery; however, the new XP4 e-bikes only require a key to remove the battery. This key location has been shifted to the side of the frame, along with the charging port, too.
Removable features don’t stop there, as the new backlit 3.5-inch TFT color display comes fully detachable while also offering five new and more intuitive riding modes. There’s also the continued additions of removable pedals, which I find makes getting the bike up and down my Brooklyn stoop all the easier.
There’s plenty more that you’d think would increase the price, like a hydraulic suspension fork or the hydraulic brakes that sport a 28% rotor thickness increase, while also activating the taillight’s brake lighting. Speaking of the lighting on this model, folks can now enjoy more street-friendly performance in the form of turn signaling. There’s also the 20 by 3-inch mixed terrain tires that have custom treads, a Shimano Altus 8-speed derailleur, a custom 56T chainring with a dual-sided chainguard, and more.
Receiving and unboxing Lectric’s XP4 750 e-bike
The XP4 750 e-bike came near assembled, pre-folded, and well-padded within a condensed, yet still sizeable box, with four small, separate boxes that held the charger, the display, the pedals, Velcro straps, and the brand’s accordion-style folding bike lock. Most of the work involved cutting open the box for easier access to the bike, and then unwrapping and de-padding it before attaching the display and connecting the loose wires to their respective pairs.
The 840Wh battery arrived with the e-bike and even came with a 70% charge. Of course, I was immediately tempted to test things right out of the gate, heading out once a pocket in NYC’s on-again-off-again summer storms presented itself. When it finally did, I eagerly headed out.
Now, the first thing I noticed – and if you’ve read any of my previous e-bike reviews, you might remember this little hurdle – is that the weight does make things challenging for someone of my 5-foot-9-inch, 125-pound, un-muscled build to carry down a rather large stoop to the street below. It weighs in at 71 pounds with the battery, which leans on the heavier size for folding models. Losing the battery takes nine pounds off it, making things a little easier, but all in all, I managed fairly easily, if not slowly (and speaking now weeks later, taking it out regularly has already built the body memory and strength to make things easier).
One piece of advice for those not of a strength-based build: it’s far easier to carry while unfolded. The few times I tested carrying it in a folded form, the weight was not as easy to balance with my limited ability, not to mention there aren’t integrated locking points for it to stay in an unmoving state, with the provided straps only being good when the bike is staying in one place (but more on that later).
So, to start, I went through the five riding modes: Eco, Tour, Sport, Sport+, and Turbo to get a feel for things. The Eco mode is, as you’ve likely assumed correctly, the setting in which you’ll get the most out of its supposed 85-mile range, with the Tour mode being the everyday, standard bike-with-balanced-support setting.
Things take a step up once you switch to Sport, with a noticeable shift in power output from the 750W motor (that peaks at 1,310W) and acceleration speeds. Sport+ goes a little further with that output and allows for faster speeds. Lastly, due to my being in New York, the Turbo setting really only seems to increase acceleration speed, as the motor has been limited to 20 MPH at max (though I have pushed it a few bumps higher when pedaling like my life depended on it), otherwise, I assume it would activate the 28 MPH potential.
One of the first noticeable eccentricities with this model was the torque sensor’s sensitivity. On Sport, Sport+, and Turbo modes, I barely had to push the pedals in the proper direction before the motor cut on, occasionally catching me off guard, at times. The second of its eccentricities quickly made itself known shortly after, with my learning quickly that the pedals, when pushed and held at their lowest point, can scrape against the ground upon leaning and taking sharper turns.
As most of my experience is with commuter models that tend to sit much higher off the ground, I learned rather quickly that I have the habit of pushing my weight into the pedal on the side on which I’m leaning or making turns, eventually making the maneuvers with it fully rotated and held downwards. Of course, I would go on to make this mistake a few different times on other outings, but mostly learned how to do such with those habits…altered…or so I thought…
I crossed back and forth across Brooklyn, stopping off for some pizza so I could eat as much as test the bike lock that came with it. It was easy to attach the frame using the two screws at the mounting points, and I very much like these folding, but sturdy designs. The key locked things into place and unlocked things when I returned. It easily folded back up, went into its holder, and allowed me to carry on without problems.
By the time I returned home three or so hours later, I was already highly impressed with this e-bike performing the way it does, while Lectric retained the low pricing when they could easily charge more. And being a folding model, it wouldn’t be lining the hallway or taking up the already limited space in my “garage” (AKA the small spare room in my apartment), but instead fits neatly into my living room closet.
As I previously mentioned, there are no integrated ways to keep it in its folded form, but instead comes with two Velcro straps that can be used to secure the two halves and hold them together. On the note of trying to carry it with these straps: while it’s entirely possible, I found it to be difficult, as the shifting weight sometimes caused the Velcro to unstick, though I luckily never had it fully detach and fly open.
While performance is normally a key factor for me in choosing which of my bikes I ride most often (alongside carrying them up and down my stoop), the folding frame makes it a keeper should I ever have to downsize.
Riding experience over time – XP4 750 pros and cons
I’ve been riding the XP4 750 e-bike for a few weeks now, and in that time, my love for it has only grown, especially as someone who, overall, enjoyed my time on the previous generation model. It’s definitely benefiting from Lectric’s improvements, though, as I indiscreetly implied earlier, it’s not without its eccentricities that can…assist in user errors very easily.
While I quickly grew used to the torque sensor’s sensitivity, I could easily see someone caught off guard by it – especially first-time e-bike riders who might be used to back pedaling and front pedaling interchangeably with coasting periods. I recommend that folks without much e-bike experience learn the levels of its performance gradually, getting used to it one by one, especially when you start to feel the PAS kick in faster and faster as you work your way up. And if you’re placing your finger anywhere near its trigger throttle, be cautious of accidentally hitting it if the PAS surprises you when kicking on. Also, always wear a helmet.
In my time getting used to this new e-bike, I’m very grateful that the last of those warnings was always ingrained in my head since I learned to ride, because that second eccentricity was the one I overlooked, and boy, did it catch me while my guard was down. After I took it out one Saturday afternoon and had a lovely ride around Brooklyn for a few hours, I decided to cut through Prospect Park on my way back home and wanted to stop off at a spot I enjoy by the side of its titular lake.
Upon cutting off from the large biking/running lanes to the off-road path, I slipped up with my bad habit of pressing the pedal down as I leaned into the turn. The path I traveled passed over a tree root that wasn’t what would normally be considered too high, but was just high enough to catch the pedal and completely throw the bike forward with me following right along.
To Lectric’s credit though, the bike took the impact so well that the only noticeable damage was the right brake handle getting bent forward (which very much surprised me due to the angle I hit the ground). While it doesn’t provide aesthetic pleasure looking at it, it hasn’t impaired my ability to use the brake like I normally do, with the bike otherwise riding in the time since as if nothing had ever happened. That just goes to prove that despite the low pricing on its models, this company puts out quality builds that remain tough and durable.
The XP4 750 e-bike has quickly become one of my favorite rides around the city now, sitting right up beside MOD’s Easy 3 e-bike on my list. I usually stay out riding for three to five hours at a time and have not once come close to running out the battery entirely – and that’s with me regularly relying on the throttle over PAS support. One notable thing I enjoy over the past models is the shift to showing the remaining battery levels in percentages of ten rather than bars, which makes it far easier to predict as you ride over trying to guess what percentage a certain bar amount might entail.
The motor is a lot quieter than past e-bike models from the brand, with the M24 stealth tech that’s been added giving it quite a reduction. That’s not all, as the power this thing puts out stands up to hills exceptionally well, with the bike climbing parts of the park’s more inclined areas far better than most of the models I’ve ridden through there in the past.
It also handles rougher streets and off-road trails really well, too, with the suspension fork and suspension seat post both contributing to smoother experiences – plus, the stem’s redesign alongside the wide saddle make the ride all the more comfortable too. There’s no shaking feeling here, with the tires pairing with the above feelings to provide stable control, even in sudden surprise situations – and the hydraulic brakes have not let me down once when I need to make a near-immediate stop to avoid hitting others or getting hit by vehicles.
The 3.5-inch color display is a straightforward and easily customizable feature, and the added bonus of being able to detach if need be is always an option I’m grateful to have, though I doubt I’ll ever actually need to remove it (unless it gets damaged, I guess). While I didn’t necessarily mind having to ride the XP 3.0 with a key, it’s nice to not have to worry about keeping track of it all the time – and the new placement of it and the power switch is so much better than on the underside of its frame.
Speaking of the frame again, I do want to just make one more quick warning for new owners who haven’t yet learned: when you fold the e-bike, its frame comes into contact with itself, which can easily chip the paint if you care about maintaining its aesthetics. While I love anything with character (ie. scratches, marks, and other signs its really being used), this is a spot where Lectric could definitely make improvements down the line.
I could honestly go on and on about how much I love this thing with every new day I take it out to ride, which I’m sure my friends are getting sick of, as I regularly recommend it any time I hear someone say things along the line of “I want an e-bike but I don’t want to spend too much money.”
Final thoughts
As I mentioned doing to my friends, I am happy to also do to my readers and recommend this new generation of XP e-bikes to anyone wanting well-balanced quality at an accessible and affordable price. It’s got a perfect range of uses for college students needing a better alternative around their campus or college town, as well as those in RVs looking for a way around when parked at various sites that won’t take up as much space as a non-folding model.
In terms of comparisons, Lectic has given fans a solid step up in riding experience, with the changes providing obvious leaps forward in innovation. Everything about the XP4 feels like a logical evolution from its predecessor and will surely pick up the same mantle that the XP 3.0 earned for the company in short time.
You can currently score the standard XP4 Folding Utility e-bike with a $79 bundle of free gear at $999 shipped, with two colorway options – the Tempest Grey step-over frame or the Stratus White step-thru frame. On the other hand, if you want to go from a 50-mile travel range to the maximum possibility of 85 miles, the XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bike can be scored with $356 in free gear at $1,299 shipped, with the four colorway options of Pine Green or Tempest Grey for the step-over frame while the step-thru frame comes in Tempest Grey, Raindrop Blue, or Stratus White.
One notable inclusion among the free gear on either variation is the brand’s new LevelUp rack which is an add-on expander for the rear cargo rack that also sports a built-in mounting window for various other accessory combinations to be added.
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