Electric bikes are turning into a famous driving arrangement, particularly after bike sharing organizations have made them almost pervasive. With costs as low as $299 for mainstream electric bikes like the GOTRAX GXL, a typical inquiry has become "how strong would they say they are?"
So when it came time for this review, I chose to put the GXL to a harder than ordinary test. I needed to perceive what it could deal with. Also, the outcomes really astonished me.
The GOTRAX GXL electric bike is perhaps the most mainstream financial plan level electric bikes available. Furthermore, in an industry where virtually all spending electric bikes pretty much appear to be identical, the GOTRAX GXL really heads out in a different direction on a couple of significant highlights.
Yet, before we get into the quick and dirty, how about we look at the tech specs on the GXL.
GOTRAX GXL electric bike tech specs
Engine: 250 W nonstop front center engine
Battery: 36V 187 Wh
Maximum velocity: 15 mph (24 km/h) (really goes a touch quicker with full battery)
Reach: 8-12 miles (13-19 km) contingent upon riding mode
Weight: 31 lb (14 kg)
Burden limit: 220 lb (100 kg)
Brakes: mechanical circle brake in back; regen brake in front
Tires: 8.5″ pneumatic
Charge time: 4 hours
Additional items: front lamp, LED speedometer and battery meter, 2 rates, journey control
GOTRAX GXL electric bike torment testing
Anybody can test an electric bike on the smooth and radiant bicycle paths of southern California. That won't reveal to you without a doubt.
All things considered, I took my GXL neglected, cruel universe of Boston's colder time of year roads. On the off chance that it can endure streets that have a greater number of holes than the Apollo 11 landing site, it should work practically anyplace.
An extremely light snow was falling when I started my test. The temperature was 36ºF (2ºC). Not severe, but rather beautiful darn cold for this transfer.
I wasn't going to infant this bike so I ran my testing in the most noteworthy stuff. All things considered, the subsequent stuff. There are just two. Yet, this wasn't a period for ECO mode. So Mode 2 it was, and I was off.
Before long the snow went to rain however that didn't stop me. I was flying around at 16.5 mph (26.5 km/h). Some way or another I was getting considerably more speed than the bike was evaluated for. That surely wasn't going to assist me with accomplishing the guaranteed 12 mi (19 km) of reach, however hello – no bad things to say here.
As my ride progressed from street to walkway to bicycle path and back to street, I felt the ride quality change with each surface. The bike needs suspension and subsequently hitting pot openings at speed isn't the most agreeable exercise. Be that as it may, the air-filled tires consumed the brunt of the stun.
When I got to walkways and bicycle paths I found that the ride quality improved and turned out to be substantially more agreeable. To be reasonable, the ride was okay out and about as long as the surface quality held up. Yet, this was a torment test all things considered and I wasn't taking this bike on the simple streets.
I unquestionably appreciated the pneumatic tires – such countless organizations are going with airless tires nowadays. While that forestalls punctured tires and the cerebral pain of evolving tubes, it implies that the bike better have some other type of suspension. If not, air-filled tires are almost a need for anybody arranging street riding in a zone with not exactly amazing roads.
However, enough about suspension. The ride wasn't astounding however it was entirely fine – nothing for me to gripe about. The following test was slowing down. The bike has a blend of circle brake in the back and regenerative slowing down in the front. Both were shockingly successful. The regenerative slowing down doesn't slow you as fast as a mechanical brake, however it's okay for typical slowing down.
For harder slowing down, the back plate brake is enacted with an odd foot pedal-like thing in the back. It took some becoming acclimated to, however it functioned admirably once I got its hang. It's not as instinctive as a hand brake, but rather GOTRAX in reality delivered another form of this bike with a handbrake. It costs somewhat more, however in the event that you like the bike style brake switch, at that point you may incline toward that model.
The speed of the bike began incredible yet gradually dropped as I kept on riding. That will be normal and is regular in pretty much every bike. While I began at 16.5 mph (26.5 km/h), I was down to around 12-13 mph (19-21 km/h) when the battery indicated only one bar.
Before long I was arriving at the finish of my ride and the speed dropped much further. Throughout the span of around 60 seconds the speed dropped down to around 7 mph and I called it. I pulled out my telephone to check and found that I had voyaged 12.7 km (8 mi). I was about a half mile (0.8 km) from home so I figured I'd simply see what occurred in the event that I asked the bike for additional.
As it ended up, the GXL obliged. It wasn't a lot, yet it hurried me along at around 5 mph (8 km/h). I even felt somewhat remorseful about killing the GPS as of now.
It was painfully slow and getting pretty exhausting, so I chose to help it out by kicking for a piece. When I made it home the bike was overseeing around 2-3 mph (5 km/h) under its own force – so, all things considered I couldn't actually adjust any longer and kicking turned into a need.
So while the bike may give its 12 miles (19 km) of reach in Mode 1 on smooth roads and warm climate, I found that in the most horrible conditions it will in any case give somewhat more than 8 miles (13 km) of reach. Furthermore, for no reason in particular, I chose to scrutinize my Li-particle battery building abilities and make a custom helper battery pack to twofold its reach. Despite the fact that for a great many people, even 8 mi (13 km) of reach is sufficient for every day city trips.
My decision
I was really shocked by how well the GOTRAX GXL electric bike dealt with the maltreatment I put it through.
It skiped off checks and potholes, flew through puddles and skated over brief patches of slush, day off ice.
Is it the awesome most fun electric bike I've ever ridden? Most likely not.
Is this bike going to hold up to long periods of this sort of utilization/misuse? Who can say for sure. At the point when conceivable I attempt to do long haul reviews like this new 500 mile (800 km) follow up of another electric bike. So maybe I'll be back in a couple of months to perceive how this bike is holding up. Up to that point, it's difficult to say anything terrible regarding a $299 electric bike that does precisely what you request from it – no more, no less.
What's your opinion about the GOTRAX GXL electric bike? Tell us in the remarks underneath.