The Lectric e-bike company was founded on the principle of providing consumers with affordable yet high-quality electric bicycles.
Although their first model, the LX, almost bankrupted the company, the founders Levi Conlow and Robby Deziel weren’t dismayed. Instead, they listened to the customer feedback, and so the XP series came to be.
The XP series boasts the best value for the price. They offer a decent range, a reasonably powerful motor, and a smooth ride.
Recently Lectric launched its XP 3.0 series of e-bikes. They’re just as affordable as the last series but come with quite a few improvements, such as a bigger battery, a beefier motor, and welded-on cargo racks.
Moreover, the XP 3 comes in two versions: regular and long-range. The only difference between the two is in the battery capacity.
And if that wasn’t good enough, you can also choose between two frame styles: step over and step through.
In this article, I’ll cover the entire XP 3.0 e-bike series and give you my two cents about them.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go over the key specs.
Frame
The frame design on the XP 3 e-bike series is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s built out of durable yet lightweight 6061 aluminum alloy and is designed to be as simple as possible.
I especially like the step-over version. The entire frame consists of a single square tube. There’s no chainstay or a downtube. The battery is housed inside the frame, which just makes the frame lines extremely clean.
The step-through version isn’t as classy, but it still features a pretty solid design. This version features a chainstay and a seat stay, so the overall lines are much busier. But if you have mobility issues, you probably don’t care if the frame design is a bit cluttered.
The one thing I very much appreciate about the frame on the XP 3.0 series is that it comes with a welded rear cargo rack. The welds are pretty solid, so the cargo rack can handle quite a lot of weight.
When it comes to handlebars, they’re pretty solid. Unfortunately, the rubber handguards don’t lock, which can get a bit annoying when you’re gripping the handle a bit too tightly. At least they have solid palm rests that ensure you won’t get any arm cramps.
The best thing about the XP 3.0 e-bike series is that they’re foldable. The folding mechanism is pretty simple. There are latches on the “main tube” and on the handlebars, which you need to unlock, and the bike almost folds itself. When folded, the XP 3 series e-bikes measure only 37" x 18" x 28" (Length x Width x Height).
Unlike the XP Lite, the folding joints on both versions aren’t as stiff as those on the XP Lite. Unfortunately, there are still no carrying handles which makes carrying it around pretty cumbersome - especially when you factor in that XP 3 series bikes weigh 71 pounds.
The thing that surprised me the most is that XP 3 e-bikes come with a front suspension. Although this adds to the overall weight, it makes the ride that much smoother and more comfortable.
I’m also happy to report that these e-bikes are very comfortable, even for tall riders. I’m a tad bit over 6 feet, and I had no issues getting into a comfortable riding position.
Motor
The XP 3 e-bike series comes with some pretty powerful rear hub motors.
Sure, they’re not as powerful as those on some higher-end models, but they’re pretty decent when you factor in how affordable these bikes are.
All XP 3 e-bikes come with a 500-watt motor that has a peak output of a whopping 1000 watts.
The motor is also capable of producing around 55 Nm of torque. While this is not on the level of some more expensive e-bikes, it’s pretty impressive to see a budget e-bike with a reasonable torque.
Don’t get me wrong, you won’t be burning tires with this much torque, but you’ll have a much easier time taking off and reaching the top speed of 28 MPH in a reasonably short time.
Controller
When it comes to the motor controller, it’s your standard fare.
Just like all Lectric e-bikes, the XP 3.0 series comes with a very bright LCD screen. It’s very well lit, and you’ll have no trouble reading information even under direct sunlight.
When it comes to controls, you have a control cluster located on the left-hand side of the handlebars. There you can set the pedal assist level as well as access the settings menu and configure the motor.
Just like the XP 2.0, the 3.0 series e-bikes feature a twist throttle on the right-hand side of the handlebars. I prefer twist throttles since they don’t require me to hold my thumb in an uncomfortable position.
Battery
The only difference between a regular XP 3.0 e-bike and the long-range version of it is the battery.
The regular XP 3.0 comes with a 48V 10.4AH battery that provides around 40 miles of range. This is pretty impressive for a budget e-bike.
In fact, there are quite a few more expensive e-bikes that offer the same, if not shorter, range.
If 40 miles is not enough, you can opt for the XP 3.0 long-range version. This e-bike comes with a 48 V 14AH battery that provides you with around 50 miles of range - this is more than enough to ride this bike for a week and not have to recharge it.
When it comes to recharging time, it takes around 5 hours to charge a drained battery fully. This is on par with most e-bike batteries, and if you want to eliminate any downtime, you can simply buy a spare battery.
Brakes
The brakes on the XP 3.0 series e-bikes are pretty impressive. These e-bikes come with Zoom 180 mm mechanical disk brakes.
Given the overall heft of these e-bikes, this is more than enough stopping power. I had no trouble coming to a full stop, even with an adult passenger onboard.
Of course, hydraulic disk brakes are more reliable and easier to maintain, but that would probably make these bikes too expensive.
Tires
Just like the XP series 2.0, the 3.0 e-bikes feature puncture-resistant fat tires. They measure 20 x 4 inches which is more than enough heft to absorb most of the road shock.
Although you don’t have enough torque to have some wild fun on an offroad track, you can take an XP 3.0 to a beach and have a pretty tranquil sunset cruise.
Accessories
As I mentioned earlier, the XP 3.0 series e-bikes come with a welded rear rack.. However, for just a couple of bucks more, you can get a couple of accessory bundles.
If you need an e-bike that can carry a lot of cargo, you can get a cargo accessory package that includes a front cargo rack as well as rear and front cargo baskets.
And if you want to ride around with a passenger, you can get the passenger accessory package that includes a passenger seat, handlebars, and even foot pegs.
Lastly, if you want to make your ride even more comfortable, you can get a comfort accessory bundle that includes a giant seat and a suspension seat post.
Post Test Summary: Lectric XP 3 Pros And Cons
What I Like About Lectric XP 3 E-bike Series
There’s more to like about the XP 3 series e-bikes than there is to dislike. For starters, both the regular and long-range versions are ridiculously cheap. The next best folding bike will cost you nearly $500 more.
Although they’re incredibly cheap, these e-bikes pack a metric ton of value. Not only do you get a decent motor and battery, but they also come with a rear cargo rack and front suspension. Most bikes in this price range don’t even come with a display for the motor controller.
On top of all that, the riding experience is more than comfortable. The fat tires work perfectly in tandem with the front suspension to absorb 99% of road shock.
Lastly, the overall build of the XP 3.0 series is pretty solid. The weld lines are pretty clean, and everything feels high-quality. I wouldn’t try it, but I bet these e-bikes can take quite a lot of beating before breaking down.
PROS
What I Don’t Like About Lectric XP 3 E-bike Series
Although the XP 3.0 series e-bikes are some of the most affordable on the market, they don’t have many tradeoffs that are usually present when you want to build something as cheaply as possible.
The only real issue I have with the XP 3.0 series is that they don’t come with carrying handles. These e-bikes weigh 71 pounds, and lugging it around by awkwardly holding it by the middle tube can get pretty cumbersome pretty fast.
Besides that, the only other issue I have with these e-bikes is that the front and back lights aren’t very bright.
I know this can be fixed by attaching a pair of rechargeable battery lights, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having an electric bike.
Cons
Advice To Buyers
Whether you’re a seasoned e-biker or a newbie, I recommend you give the XP 3.0 e-bike series a try. These e-bikes pack a ton of value for the price. You won’t find many e-bikes in this price range that come with this powerful motor, this much range, and such a smooth ride.
Conclusion
In most cases, when something sounds too much to be true - that’s usually the case. However, the Lectric XP 3.0 series is an exception to this rule.
Not only do these e-bikes come with a pretty decent motor, but you also get a lot of range, and the ride experience is incredibly smooth.
If you’re looking for a cheap, reliable e-bike for daily commuting - I recommend you get one of these e-bikes.
Our Rating - 79/100
Lectric XP 3
The XP 3.0 e-bikes are definitely the best in their class. You won’t find another budget e-bike that comes with this much range, a powerful motor, and impeccable build quality. On top of that, it features a foldable frame so it takes up very little space.
Lectric XP 3
The carrying handle is welded to the frame just ahead of the seat post. The bike only weighs 64 pounds, pretty heavy, but not 74 pounds. Lectric sells a brighter headlight, plugs into the wire harness and replaces the standard headlight.
Great article otherwise.
Lectric XP 3
Hi, thanks for the review!
The bike weighs 71 lbs with the battery installed, which is the weight that matters.
Regards,
Ruaan
I own a XP 3.0, it weighs 64 pounds with the battery installed.
The XPremium weighs 74 pounds.