XPeak Shifting upgrades:

I was surprised to see an 11-28 freewheel used on the XPeak - the same freewheel used on their 20" wheel models.. With the larger 26" wheel diameter this is an obvious application for much lower geared freewheel. The 11-34 Drift Maniac 7 speed freewheel has been a very popular and proven upgrade on 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0 models of Lectric ebikes. Note: Any change where you are adding teeth on low gear be sure to check chain length in the lowest gear (largest rear sprocket) to be sure your bike has a sufficiently long chain to handle the 34 tooth low gear. Test this by turning the cranks by hand, before riding the bike, lest you damage the rear derailleur.

Technical Talk: Lectric has used a 46 tooth front sprocket on the XPeak Vs the 52 tooth chainring on their other 20" wheel bikes. That smaller 46 tooth chainring on the XPeak is to help make up the difference with the larger tire diameter so the bike can still climb hills.  However, even with that smaller chainring, the gearing on the XPeak, out of the box on the low gear 28 tooth sprocket, is about 20% higher than the 28 tooth sprocket on the a 20" wheel Lectric 3.0 bike. So the XPeak gearing is going to be pretty high on low gear and riders may not be able to turn over the cranks to maximize the bike's hill climbing potential and to supplement the motor's power on this slightly heavier bike.  So  it looks like owners who are going to ride on hills are going to need a 34 tooth low gear to have any climbing effectiveness with this gearing and tire size.  If you fit a 34 tooth low gear freewheel on your XPeak it is going to feel virtually identical to the gearing on a 3.0 model when the rider is on the 28 tooth sprocket. 

For you bike techies - A 52x28 on an 3.0 model with 20" x 3" tires is 41 gear inches and an XPeak with a 46x34 with 26"X4" tires is also 41 gear inches. https://www.bikecalc.com/archives/gear-inches.html 

Short of changing out the crank and front chainring - The only other way to get more grunt for hills would be to fit a 2.8 to 3.0 width rear tire to get a 10% lower effective gear ratio. This would drop you to 37-38 gear inches.

From The Experimenters Corner:

We have worked out the details to assemble an 8 speed conversion for the Lectric 2.0 and 3.0 bikes and have installed that on my personal XPeak, as well.  This involves a new 8 speed freewheel and a new 8 speed gear shift lever which can't be a under the bar type of Shimano rapid -fire dual lever due to the throttle trigger unless the throttle is relocated to the left side. There are several advantages to more speeds one of which is the rear derailleur is shifting across gears of more similar sizes so that means smoother shifting. If you look at a 7-speed 11-34 Drift Maniac freewheel, you will see that last jump up to the 34 is a huge 10 tooth transition. An 8-speed freewheel will make that a lot less dramatic for your poor derailleur to accomplish that shift and that will be especially true when shifting under load.  The 8 speed 11-34 8 speed freewheel would have 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34 cogs.  The freewheel  I'm using on my XPeak is the  Drift Maniac 11-34 8 Speed Freewheel and there is also an 11-32 available.  

Shimano OEM freewheel 7 speed  11-13-15-18-21-24-28

7 & 8-speed Drift Maniac Freewheel options

Drift Maniac 11-32 7-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-32 

Drift Maniac 11-34 7-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-34 

Drift Maniac 11-32 8-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32

Drift Maniac 11-34 8-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34

Technical note: The 8-Speed is an easily accomplished conversion on the XPeak. I am using the SunRace Thumb 8-Speed Shifter and it is one of the only 8 speed shifters that clears the Lectric XPeak throttle or other Lectric twist grip throttles on other Lectric models.  So the only parts you need to go to 8-speeds is the Drift Maniac 11-34 8-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34 and the SunRace 8-speed shift lever.

Batteries & Balancers. The XPeak  has a very large motor, similar to the XPedition motor which has a dual battery option. Depending on where you are riding, tire pressure, your weight and how much assistance you are providing at the pedals, you might find you are going to need a balancer and another battery.   Lectric's own distance chart shows the battery could be depleted in as little as 12 -20 miles of PAS #5 riding.   

Common battery balancer questions: 

Do I need a second battery and a balancer?  Many new ebike purchasers discover that they are having more fun and want to ride longer distances and at high pedal assist levels than they ever imagined when they purchased their ebikes. There are a number of studies that back this up with stats that ebike owners are riding more miles and farther and more frequently than their non-assisted bike counterparts.  When you got your ebike you may have thought a 20 mile ride would be all you'd ever want to do. After a few rides you began to hit the limits of the mileage that your stock single battery could provide.  Thus enters the need for a secondary battery and  battery balancer.

Which models can use a battery balancer? This is an answer geared to Lectric bike owners. You can use a battery balancer on any single battery Lectric model including the  1.0, 2.0, 3.0, Lite, XPeak and Trike. The XPremium and XPedition are dual battery bikes with a balancer already built in.  The Lite model uses a very small battery and no extended range battery is available from Lectric so it is a very good candidate for using an extra battery and a balancer.

How do battery balancers work? Battery balancers connect to the bike between your existing battery and the controller. The second battery you use, either an Amazon or other purchased battery or an extra Lectric factory battery using an ElectricAllWheel battery adapter, will also connect to the balancer via a cable with XT-60 connectors on it. The balancer device keeps automatically switching the load to the higher voltage battery. It does this seamlessly so there is no interruption in power going to the controller, dash and motor so no loss of odometer readings.  The second battery must be the same 48 volts as your standard Lectric battery. It can be an different Ah (Amp Hour) capacity.   

Where would I mount the balancer unit?  Your balancer can be mounted inside the controller compartment or externally.  

Can't I just bring along a spare battery to swap?  If you are stopping your bike and switching batteries out manually this takes a few minutes to accomplish. Unlock on the battery from the frame, remove the key, remove the discharged battery, slide in the fresh battery, reinsert the key, turn the key to Lock the battery in the frame and turn the bike back On.  Any odometer trip reading you had will be lost because the dash was turned off during the battery swap.  Contrast that with the battery balancer like the Electric All Wheel 40 Amp Balancer where you charge the two batteries and just ride with no battery swapping hassles. Your battery balancer may be small enough to mount in the same area as your controller or may be mounted behind the seat tube area of your Lectric bike's frame. Some Lectric owners have modified their Lectric lock bracket to hold their balancer behind the seat. Some controllers have a heat sink and others don't require direct air flow. 

Can I ride climb steeper hills or ride faster with 2 batteries? With the battery balancer the rider will experience better performance because there is less voltage drop on hills or at speed. Overall, you have the same number of amp hours available to work with in a swapped out battery situation or using a balancer. Don't expect more hill climbing power or higher top speeds although you may feel some improved snappiness in throttle response. Your whole longer riding experience will be a lot simpler and your odometer will not lose its trip reading for your ride as would happen from a physical battery swap.  

What do I do if the battery balancer fails? A battery balancer failure is unlikely but can be easily handled. If your balancer is externally mounted you can simply remove the XT-60 cable connectors and manually hook them together directly bypassing the balancer and you are back in business on a single battery. If you are installing the balancer internally you can get some extra cables and run the XT-60 connectors externally and that would allow you to do the same cable swap. When that one battery tires out you can switch the cables and you are going again on the other battery. 

Note: Standard Lectric batteries are 48 volts. Normally if you would like to extend your range a second battery, a battery discharge balancer is the best way to accomplish that. Normally you would utilize any amp hour capacity battery as long as the voltage is the same. 

If you want to experiment with using a larger 52 volt battery that can be accomplished with the same balancer using it in combination with your stock 48 volt battery. This is at your own risk and there is always the potential for damaging your electronic components.  Below is a video on a 52 volt battery install on an XPeak.

Here is a list of parts that are on my XPeak for anyone wanting to get the links to these on Amazon and other places. I am an Amazon Associate and make a small fee on these parts. Of course, I spend a considerable amount more on the parts I'm purchasing than the very small promotional amount I'm given by Amazon.

7 or 8-speed Drift Maniac freewheel options:

Drift Maniac 11-32 7-speed 11-32

https://amzn.to/3AfQaVs 

Drift Maniac 11-34 7-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-34

https://amzn.to/3HQDjtq

Drift Maniac 11-32 8-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32

https://amzn.to/42xlwBh

Drift Maniac 11-34 8-speed 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34

Currently out of stock.

8-speed Sun Race M96 shifter operates with Shimano Tourney Derailleur and OEM XPeak chain

https://amzn.to/3VQuGan

170mm crankset with 104 bolt circle to accommodate dual chainrings (crank includes a chainring that I found was not as quiet running as the other ones I’ve listed)

https://amzn.to/4afPZ8U

Dual 144 bolt circle chainrings 42-32 (this gearing is designed for hill climbing - other ratios available)

32 tooth black round

https://amzn.to/3URcZa2

42 tooth black round (OEM chainring is 46 teeth)

https://amzn.to/4dvVTFZ

 dual battery (Lectric battery sourced from XPedition or other similar battery)

USB Accessory Adapter (DC-DC Converter) (10-55V, 5V 3Amax)

https://electricallwheel.com/products/usb-accessory-adapter-dc-dc-converter-10-55v-5v-3amax?sca_ref=6691002.VoodIxXYGu  

Lectric 14Ah slide in battery

https://lectricebikes.sjv.io/ZQa3OR 

Battery slide in mount XT60 connector

https://electricallwheel.com/products/battery-plate?sca_ref=6691002.VoodIxXYGu  

Adapter Bottle Cage Bracket Aluminum - Adapts EAW battery slide mount to water bottle nutserts 

https://amzn.to/3C3Eruw 

40Amp Electric All Wheel Battery Balancer

https://electricallwheel.com/products/40a-universal-dual-battery-balancer-kit-bullet-t-plug-xt60?sca_ref=6691002.VoodIxXYGu

30Amp Electric All Wheel Battery Balancer (New miniature style)

https://electricallwheel.com/products/datex2-30a-universal-dual-battery-dual-output-discharge-balancer-kit-bullet-t-plug-xt60?sca_ref=6691002.VoodIxXYGu

EAW thumb throttle and grip kit

https://electricallwheel.com/products/thumb-throttle-conversion-kit-lectric-fit?sca_ref=6691002.VoodIxXYGu 

Suntour NCX seat post 31.6mm (Lectric bikes including XPeak have 31.8 seat posts so this is a soda can thickness undersized)

350mm long 31.6mm https://amzn.to/47VWKM6

400mm long 31.6mm https://amzn.to/48RfiP1

Suntour NCX seat post 27.2mm (Used with a precision Cane Creek seat post shim to achieve exact 31.8 seat posts sizing) Note: Suntour does not recommend using the 400mm 27.2 seat post if you are extremely tall and heavy and plan to run the seat super extended - the 31.6 is a beefier post for you.

350mm long 27.2mm https://amzn.to/3SDEqCR

400mm long 27.2mm https://amzn.to/3WAEuFX

Cane Creek Seat Post Shim 27.2mm - 31.8mm

https://amzn.to/3SubRYJ

Bontrager Boulevard Saddle 280mm x 225mm (Also, available in Trek bike shops)

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/comfort-bike-saddles/bontrager-boulevard-fluid-bike-saddle/p/23594/

90mm rise x 720mm or 780mm width handlebars

https://amzn.to/4d5LznN

XPeak from a bike mechanic’s perspective. Part 1

Be sure to watch the Lectric first ride video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dEoIvWh06A

Many of these items are covered in that video but I’ll repeat some here.

Console programming changes: A personal preference item here are 2 settings I changed. They are the P08 Speed Limit and P22 Assistance Level settings. These alter the top speed of the bike to Class 3 (check your trail regs) and make the throttle fully available from stopped and not governed by the PAS setting. This would let you easily pull the bike away from a stand-still with throttle at any PAS setting of 1 or above before you have to concentrate on pedaling.

P08 is P08 Speed Limit Setting default value is “32” for Class 2. If you want Class 3 28MPH speeds on PAS and have validated your bike’s handling and checked local trail regs, that setting is “100” for Class 3.

P22 Assistance Level default is “0” which means the throttle will be linked to the PAS level you have selected which gives you limited throttle available on PAS 1 and more on PAS 2, etc. If you want to have 100% of throttle available from stopped (similar to 2.0 model) then “2” setting will give you that. Note there is a “1” option that allows an interim setting. Check your manual for details.

Pedals: Lectric has used thread locker on the pedals of previous models but this one does not have it. The pedals on my XPeak were fairly loose so there is definitely a need to use your 8mm allen wrench to check the pedal tightness. Also, it is possible to install the pedals and they may appear to be locked in but aren’t. Be sure that you check they are locked after you install the pedals in the QR socket that stays on the crank ends. I made it about 100 yards before one of my pedals fell out. It was obviously not fully engaged.

Tires: It is possible that the tire sealer has plugged up the valve stem – It had this on mine and it preventing me from inflating the tire. Removing the valve core and wiping off any sealant debris will help this.

Rear Derailleur guard: The guard on my bike was touching the rear derailleur when in 7th gear. This may have been bent slightly while in the box. Be sure that your derailleur does not touch the guard in any gear.  If it does bend the guard clear.  

Brake Rotors:  The rotors come with a sticky protective coating that will negatively impact braking. Use 90% rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth to clean the rotors. Lesser percentages than 90% may contain ingredients that can cause brake squealing. Don’t spin the front wheel by hand or use the motor to turn the rear wheel to accomplish rotor cleaning. Those rotors edges are very sharp!

Seat Post Clamp Adjustment: On my bike it was extremely hard to get the seat clamp to hold the seat post in the frame. I had to tighten the adjuster nut very tight to get it to clamp down and secure the post. I know some people are buying 31.6 undersize suspension seat posts to fit the 31.9mm XPeak size. I’m just not sure how the clamping action that is already tough on a 31.8 post is going to work on 31.6 undersize post.

Rear Rack Issues: The rear rack is supported by four 5mm allen bolts. There are already owners who have seen those smaller diameter bolts sheer off in the frame if the rack is heavily loaded. It a bolt head breaks off at the frame you will have to use various screw extraction techniques to remove the broken off part. Owners who are planning to load their rear rack significantly should replace these 5mm bolts with hardened bolts. Alternately, if they have the DIY skills, they can enlarge the hole and re-tap the frame for 6mm bolts which, incidentally, is the same size used on other Lectric models on these same bosses. The rack bolt holes would likewise need to be enlarged if you go to 6mm bolts. You may want to contact Lectric to see if they are addressing the rack mounting bolt issue.     

Optional - Rack and fender removal: Removing the fenders and rack is a bit more difficult than it would appear due to the access to the rear fender screws being obstructed by the rear tire. Using a 90-degree angled screwdriver will let you get access to the 3 Phillips head screws that hold the rear fender to the bike frame (2 screws) and rear fender (1 screw). You may need to let the air out of the rear tire to remove the screws so you don’t have to remove the rear wheel.  

Wobble Thoughts:  If you are going to use a front rack and basket, try to keep the load closer towards the handlebars. By putting the load way out over the front wheel, you are asking to introduce wobbles in any bike – not just the XPeak. If an important part of your usage scenario was carrying significant weight in the front rack and you can’t live without that, contact Lectric to see what your Plan B options are for credits, refund or exchange.