The Trek FX+ 2 e-bike is a jack-of-all-trades
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Albino_Boo
Ars Praefectus
The E part of the bike is made by Hyena. They are relatively new and don't have a big logistics and support team. I got my Orbea E bike from an Orbea dealer but when the system developed a fault I was run between Orbea and Mahle, who made the electric power train, for 3 months. Even when with a big dealer network you can still run into problems.
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I've always been a fan of the Trek FX series (and similar fitness hybrids from other manufacturers). They're excellent "I just want a bike" sort of bikes, the kind most people riding on mostly paved surfaces should consider first.
This generation FX+ is a big step up from the old Trek Ride+ system, which was basically slapping on a version of the Bionix ebike conversion kit. I'm sort of surprised they didn't design around a mid drive motor, but that's probably due to price point considerations. This is also the kind of bike where the downsides of a hub motor are going to be more tolerable (and this motor looks tiny!).
I hope Trek and other companies sell lots and lots of these sort of bikes - simple, light city/commuter bikes that happen to have useful assistance, instead of the monstrous unpedalable e-mopeds I'm seeing more and more of.
This generation FX+ is a big step up from the old Trek Ride+ system, which was basically slapping on a version of the Bionix ebike conversion kit. I'm sort of surprised they didn't design around a mid drive motor, but that's probably due to price point considerations. This is also the kind of bike where the downsides of a hub motor are going to be more tolerable (and this motor looks tiny!).
I hope Trek and other companies sell lots and lots of these sort of bikes - simple, light city/commuter bikes that happen to have useful assistance, instead of the monstrous unpedalable e-mopeds I'm seeing more and more of.
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Serendipitous. I was just looking at ebikes last night and saw this was a "very good overall" recommendation on sites. I recently moved to an area that's more cycling/pedestrian friendly and I've been feeling an itch to utilize it more. I'm still waffling on looking at speed/range and cargo capability.
One thing I've noticed from a driver's perspective as I'm seeing more of these on the roads is there's a bit of an uncanny speed for passing somewhere between 20-30 mph on 50+mph areas where it's slow enough to cause traffic to back up but fast enough that you sometimes have to put down some gas to pass in a timely fashion to mind other cars. It also doesn't help that a lot of riders seem like road newbies riding unpredictably (like weaving and hopping on and off sidewalks) and without much in the way of heads up or signalling.
One thing I've noticed from a driver's perspective as I'm seeing more of these on the roads is there's a bit of an uncanny speed for passing somewhere between 20-30 mph on 50+mph areas where it's slow enough to cause traffic to back up but fast enough that you sometimes have to put down some gas to pass in a timely fashion to mind other cars. It also doesn't help that a lot of riders seem like road newbies riding unpredictably (like weaving and hopping on and off sidewalks) and without much in the way of heads up or signalling.
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Another pretty big, though not often mentioned, reason to go with a well known brand (and pay a little more for it), is that many cheap-ass e-bike batteries, on occasion, tend to explode into flames and burn down whatever structure in which it's charging.
It's NOT a common enough thing to be obsessed about it, but it is worth considering when trying to decide if one should go with quality, or economy. Normally, I'm all about economy. But in this case, all other things being equal I'd go with more quality just as a preventative measure against a charging accident.
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Very interesting article, but I couldn't help but notice in the photos that the rear rack is not fully secured.
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It looks nice enough, but $1750 extra for a Class 1 feels like a bit much. Is the top speed unlockable?
Also your chain guard and rear rack don't appear to be installed properly.
Also your chain guard and rear rack don't appear to be installed properly.
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Albino_Boo
Ars Praefectus
It's the cost of building a new production line for the a single use frame
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Albino_Boo
Ars Praefectus
Most of the market for high end Ebikes, class 1s are the only bike that's legal. Faster bikes are classed as mopeds or motorcycles and require the appropriate licence and insurance.
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While I don't use one myself, I'm a big fan of the level 1 e-bikes. A Cannondale e-bike similar to the above model allows my wife to ride with me one day each weekend. Without the e-bike, I'd constantly want to go faster than she can manage on her own and she'd never agree to go as far as we typically do. She gets plenty of exercise because it is only an assist. I think it is a way better option than a tandem for equalizing disparate riding abilities. Plus she sometimes uses the e-bike to ride to work.
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It looks to be secured by only a single bolt on each side, very strange. Usually has a second attachment point on the seat stay. Interesting that it appears to have a chain guard and a kickstand standard.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
It isn't clear from TFA, but the bike seems to have a torque sensor driving the motor rather than a cadence sensor (it seems that the latter is just for rider information). That would be the appropriate sensor for this cost level but makes it even odder that Trek doesn't allow for more user control of the power curve.
That's pretty bog standard these days and at this price, I'd expect it. It is a very useful capability.
That's pretty bog standard these days and at this price, I'd expect it. It is a very useful capability.
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They both look incorrectly installed until you look closer. I'm not used to seeing chain guards on bikes with 9 gears in back, but that's probably how it needs to installed so you can shift into 1st (the largest gear).
For racks, you're used to seeing a horizon support usually extending to somewhere near the seat post. If you look closely, this rack is attached to the fender to give it horizontal stability.
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In response to comments about the chain guard and rack, they are both installed correctly (and somewhat unusually). The chain guard fastens to the seat stay a few inched above where you'd usually see it. And the rack has a single attachment point to the frame.
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I don't know much about bikes, but one thing that feels missing in many reviews and even spec sheets is the weight. Why is that? In a CPU article there's usually a whole table with core specs, but I rarely see data like that for bikes.
Edit to add: doh! I should have RTFA better, sorry! Thanks, Eric!
Edit to add: doh! I should have RTFA better, sorry! Thanks, Eric!
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Being in a relationship requires compromises. I'm sure she does things to accommodate your desires. Give and take.
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This seems like a good, all-around utility bike
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Meaning, the integrated lights, the chain guard, the modest but very useful power, the bike rack—all these things make this an all-purpose bike good for recreation, running errands, and commuting. Just remember, though, that the non-e-bike is 1/3 the price, 1/3 lighter, and will never need OS updates, app updates, battery replacement, or worries about hacking (remember, even cars can be hacked) or the app no longer being updated. Raise your hand if you ever had an app you love not being updated for your current phone.
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Meaning, the integrated lights, the chain guard, the modest but very useful power, the bike rack—all these things make this an all-purpose bike good for recreation, running errands, and commuting. Just remember, though, that the non-e-bike is 1/3 the price, 1/3 lighter, and will never need OS updates, app updates, battery replacement, or worries about hacking (remember, even cars can be hacked) or the app no longer being updated. Raise your hand if you ever had an app you love not being updated for your current phone.
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For those concerned about the stability of the rack/fender/light setup, this image does a better job of showing the connections between rack, light, fender, and frame.
Edit: It does look like the delivered bike doesn't have the cover for the light's wire in the below pic, so that piece may not be structural or included in all options.
Edit: It does look like the delivered bike doesn't have the cover for the light's wire in the below pic, so that piece may not be structural or included in all options.
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Right. On the local trails near me, only class 1s are allowed.
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What is this, a bike for ants??
Great review, my tiny nitpicking over unit typos aside. I do feel like at this price point, a mid drive motor might be justified, but torque-sensing assist sorta makes up for it & probably has a bigger positive impact on the actual feel of the assist...
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This looks like a nice e-bike, if a bit on the high side price-wise, though you are paying for the Trek name. Entry-level ebikes seem like the perfect fit for 1x drvetrains as it simplifies the shifting for people who are likely to be less-experienced pedalers.
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I’d still be concerned about the rack attachment. Any front-rear forces are only moderated by the attachment to the mudguard. I’d prefer that job to be done with an arm to the frame mounting near the seat tube. I’m sure it’s been tested though. My daughter used to ride with her sister on the carrier when going to the shops. I’m not sure this would suffice for that use case.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
I think it is torque sensing. Says it has a torque sensor in the spec sheet. It also has a cadence sensor. And the docs (at least on a brief read) don't explicitly mention that the torque sensor is controlling the motor. A cadence sensor could be for rider input (knowing your cadence is key to efficient biking). But a torque sensor really doesn't have any use except to control the motor.
But neither the article or The Fine Documentation is explicit about this. Which is weird since it's Trek.
EDIT: But Eric's gripe makes more sense if it is a cadence sensor that is controlling the motor although a bad torque sensor adjustment curve can mimic a cadence sensor. Again a weird fail for a company like Trek with a bike at the high end of the scale.
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For anybody out there who hasn't tried an e-bike before, the difference between cadence and torque is the difference between having power the moment you try to launch versus power kicking in after a revolution or two.
Top-quality torque is also fun as hell, making you feel like some kind of cycling god, while cadence kind of feels like the bike has a mind of its own. People who find cycling difficult will absolutely want a torque sensor for the rapid acceleration from a stop. I'd argue it makes cycling safer, too, since one of the main things holding back cyclists from stopping at a sign is the loathe of the launch that comes after.
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Not true at all, at least in my state, as Class/Type 1 and 2 are treated the same, with only Class/Type 3 being restricted from class 1 and 4 bikeways.
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Bicycle company e-bikes seem better engineered so there's value for the extra money. One quibble is what's the rear cassette range? Without the regular FX 2's 30T granny gear I'd want to see a large cog back there for climbing. I'm also not enthused about the form over function rear rack especially on a frame that appears to have rack mounts on the seat stays. FWIW Canyon is using a similar design so I guess all the cool kids are doing it., apart from Cannondale. I'd be inclined to get a Kona for less money and spend the difference on a rack and bags.
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The main multi use trail near me allows all classes, and it's annoying. 28 MPH is rather fast in that environment.
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I've owned 2 eBikes and a couple handfuls of "manual bikes". My first eBike was a 2005 Trek FX+, purchased for $90 from an owner who left the battery run down over the Winter and couldn't get the eBike's 'smart charger' to bring the battery back to life. I was able to coax the battery back using 'dumb charger' and slowly ramp up the voltage until the 'smart charger' would function. The new FX+ cost $2500, so that was an expensive short-term toy for its original owner. I got about a hundred miles out of this eBike, before it malfunctioned (the battery shorted when the park sprinkler turned on). The components for the FX+ was Deore, equivalent to the 'manual' FX5.
My second eBike was a $500 first gen Swytch conversion kit grafted onto the FX+. Swytch's Indigogo campaign was 1.5 years late. The controller malfunctioned after 3 months and it was out of service for 2 months before I got a functioning controller back from Swytch. After 800 miles and 9 months, the controller had another malfunction. By the time I had time to work on it, the battery had also run down and could not be brought back to life. In the Indigogo campaign Swytch stated that they would replace batteries for $50, however, when I inquired, they said they had 'run out' of first gen batteries but offered me a 'coupon' which would 'lower' the price of a new battery down to $350. I felt like an owner of a broken down car wondering if I should continue with this money pit and refused the offer.
My eBikes were marvels while they functioned. Together, I got around 1000 miles out of the two 2 eBikes for around $600, but also a lot of headaches and disappointment. With a 'manual' bike, I can fix anything that goes wrong with little effort. With an eBike, things malfunction often, and even with an EE degree, the thing is a blackbox. I don't know if my experience is typical of eBike owners, but I have two sets of eBike parts in my garage. I've heard of many eBike owners with dead batteries from discharge over the Winter. There should be a standardized "Fairphone" model for eBike components where many eBikes use the same parts and users can trade in faulty parts to be repaired and reused.
My second eBike was a $500 first gen Swytch conversion kit grafted onto the FX+. Swytch's Indigogo campaign was 1.5 years late. The controller malfunctioned after 3 months and it was out of service for 2 months before I got a functioning controller back from Swytch. After 800 miles and 9 months, the controller had another malfunction. By the time I had time to work on it, the battery had also run down and could not be brought back to life. In the Indigogo campaign Swytch stated that they would replace batteries for $50, however, when I inquired, they said they had 'run out' of first gen batteries but offered me a 'coupon' which would 'lower' the price of a new battery down to $350. I felt like an owner of a broken down car wondering if I should continue with this money pit and refused the offer.
My eBikes were marvels while they functioned. Together, I got around 1000 miles out of the two 2 eBikes for around $600, but also a lot of headaches and disappointment. With a 'manual' bike, I can fix anything that goes wrong with little effort. With an eBike, things malfunction often, and even with an EE degree, the thing is a blackbox. I don't know if my experience is typical of eBike owners, but I have two sets of eBike parts in my garage. I've heard of many eBike owners with dead batteries from discharge over the Winter. There should be a standardized "Fairphone" model for eBike components where many eBikes use the same parts and users can trade in faulty parts to be repaired and reused.
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One of the (several) things that has kept me from buying an e-bike so far is that so many of them look so silly (to this 72-year-old guy's eyes, anyway). Very pleased to see Trek offering an e-bike that looks like a bike, not like a UFO.
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It's not just Hyena at issue either. During the last 3 years, Trek has had supplier issues that are just beginning to subside; so while the quality is usually top notch and the service techs are great, I had to wait a year and a half for a replacement front fork part for one of my bikes bought 3 months before the issue cropped up, because Trek couldn't get them, period.
But at least Trek was still around when the part eventually became available and they eventually got it fixed.
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Eric, as a former bike shop worker who set up a lot of fits for people, you'd be a nightmare, with that long torso and proportionally short legs! Glad you're finding things that work for you.
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Too bad it's cadence sensing, not torque. That said, I'm not a fan of class 1 ebikes, having that quick throttle blip is great at starts vs waiting for the cadence sensor to kick in.
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There are, at least on the DIY low end. It's all just 2 wire connectors to the battery, batteries themselves are just a gang of 18650s (hopefully) spot welded together, and most of the interfaces are swappable between motors and controllers.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
That's pretty contentious and varies from place to place. IMHO, Class 2's - with a throttle- ought to be relegated to the streets or at least places where the max speed is safe. But whoever put together the system really screwed up.
As far as US public land it's pretty clear that only Class I bikes will be (legally) allowed on trails that have a bicycle designation. Class II and III bikes will be OK only if motorcycles are allowed. This is what is coming out of talks with combined US property managers (mostly US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management) which supervise imperial shitloads of property.
But every entity that has authority over local roads / paths / trails can do whatever they want.
And we haven't even begun to talk about enforcement. Which, of course, will make a joke of everything above.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
Everybody has had supplier issues. Now instead of famine, it's feast and, oops, too much product. Cannondale has filed for bankruptcy (again). A lot of other manufacturers are in trouble. I'm not going to link anything here, but a quick perusal of any of the major biking sites will have plenty of Sturm Und Drang about this.
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Yup. And that's meant that once again, the bike shops are struggling to find replacement parts as a number of manufacturers are folding.
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