Lectric XP Lite 3 Review: Still $799, Now With Real Customization

Lectric’s lightest folding ebike still starts at $799, the same price the original XP Lite launched at back in 2022. That’s rare in a market where most budget ebikes have either crept up in price or quietly lost features to hold the line. The third generation keeps the formula that made the XP Lite one of our go-to recommendations for shorter riders and anyone who has to lift their bike: a 300W rear hub motor, a single-speed drivetrain, 20-inch tires, and a frame that weighs 46 lb without the battery. What’s new is a long list of small refinements and one big one, a 3.5-inch TFT display that lets you change how the motor delivers power. That’s a level of tuning we haven’t seen on a cadence sensor ebike at this price.

Below, we cover what changed from the XP Lite 2, what each of the three price tiers includes, how the frame fits riders from short to tall, and how the bike performed in our throttle, pedal assist, and hill climb testing across all three power profiles. We finish with a side-by-side look at the XP Lite 2 and our pros and cons.

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Lectric XP Lite 3 Video Review

Our video review runs through every change from the XP Lite 2, walks around the components and the new display’s advanced settings, and shows how the bike folds and how the battery comes out. From there, we take it out for first-person riding footage in all three power profiles, put the 300W motor on our hill climb, and wrap up with the pros and cons.

Want to see how it arrives? In our unboxing, we race to assemble the chain and belt drive versions side by side, fold them for the first time, check fit for a 5’5″ and 6′ rider, weigh both bikes, and take them out for a first ride.

Standout Features

3.5-Inch TFT Display and Power Profiles

The display is the upgrade we were most excited to test. It’s larger and far easier to read than the XP Lite 2’s color LCD, and the five-button pad keeps everyday use simple: hold the up button for lights, hold down for walk mode, and tap the center button to cycle from speed to trip data to live readouts of cadence, motor watts, amps, and volts. Dedicated left and right buttons run the new turn signals, pressing both turns on the hazards, and a USB-C port under the screen keeps your phone charged.

The bigger story is in the advanced settings. Beyond the usual class setting (Class 1 or 2, with throttle and pedal assist toggles), you can pick one of three power profiles. Speed limited gives each assist level a set top speed, power limited sends a set number of watts to the motor in each level, and the third profile combines both. You can also tie the throttle to the current assist level or give it full power everywhere, and decide whether it works from a standstill. A cadence sensor only knows whether you’re pedaling, not how hard, so these profiles are the main way to shape how the bike feels. Having three of them on a $799 ebike is unusual, and we tested each one below.

Motor, Battery, and Single-Speed Drivetrain

Power comes from Lectric’s 300W Stealth M24 rear hub motor, which peaks at 819W with 28Nm of torque, paired with a cadence sensor and a twist grip throttle. The single-speed drivetrain runs a 56T chainring to a 16T rear cog, so there’s no derailleur to adjust or bend, which is a big part of why the bike stays this light. The trade-off is that you can’t shift down for hills or up for a relaxed cadence at 20 mph, though Lectric picked a gear ratio that works as a middle ground.

The $799 model gets a 48V 7.8Ah (374Wh) battery, and the $999 and $1,099 models nearly double that with a 48V 14Ah (672Wh) pack. Lectric claims up to 45 miles for the smaller battery and up to 80 for the larger one. Our rough estimate for the smaller battery is around 15 miles on throttle alone, into the 20s in the higher assist levels, and up to about 40 miles in the lowest. The included 2A charger takes about 4 hours to fill the 7.8Ah battery and 5 to 7 hours for the 14Ah. The battery is certified to UL 2271 and the bike’s electrical system to UL 2849. It locks into the frame with a key that doubles as the ignition, so the key has to be in the bike to ride. If you travel with your XP Lite, the battery slides out easily and fits our small battery bag.

Small Upgrades That Add Up

Most of the other changes are minor on their own, but together they fix the things that make cheap ebikes feel cheap. The ergonomic grips now lock on, so they won’t twist under your hands. The hydraulic brakes are now Star Union 602s with 180mm rotors, which have held up better for us on other Lectric models than the brakes on the previous generation. The rear light still brightens when you brake and now adds integrated turn signals, and the folding pedals are swapped for Lectric’s quick-release pedals, which pop off for a smaller folded footprint. Lectric also says the main folding latch is reinforced, a change first seen on the XP 4. The redesigned frame moves the mounting points to two below the down tube and three on top, which is a good spot for a bottle cage or folding lock, and there are front rack mounts on the head tube.

Frame, Options, and Fit

Straighter frame lines give the XP Lite 3 a cleaner look than the last generation, and it still folds at the handlebars and the main frame, then rests on a small stand once folded. The rigid fork and 20 x 2.5-inch street tires with reflective sidewalls keep weight and cost down, and the BMX-style handlebars adjust for height. Color options depend on the tier you buy. The $799 model only comes in Arctic White and doesn’t include any accessories. The $999 model adds fenders, Lectric’s Elite Headlight, and a suspension seatpost, and the $1,099 belt drive model adds the new Level Up rear rack on top of that. The fenders and rack come in the box rather than installed, so plan a little extra time for setup.

• $799 (7.8Ah, chain drive, no accessories): Arctic White
• $999 (14Ah, chain drive, fenders, Elite Headlight, suspension seatpost): Arctic White, Blue Mist, Matte Grey, Matte Lavender
• $1,099 (14Ah, belt drive, fenders, Elite Headlight, suspension seatpost, Level Up rack): JW Black, Ballerina Pink

Lectric lists a rider range of 4’8″ to 6’2″, and it holds up at the tall end. Our 6′ reviewer still got full leg extension and, with the handlebars raised to their highest position, sat in a comfortable upright posture, though the frame is clearly built around shorter riders, which is a big part of its appeal. On our scale, it weighed 46 lb without the battery and 53 lb with the 14Ah pack, That’s 4 to 5 lb more than Lectric’s listed 41 and 49 lb, though our bike had the included fenders and suspension seatpost installed. Either way, it’s light enough to lift into a car or carry up a flight of stairs without much fuss, and the payload capacity is 275 lb. Comfort isn’t the priority here. Lectric’s Sleek saddle is on the firm side, and the suspension seatpost on the $999 model takes the edge off bumps without doing much more. If you want a softer ride, a dedicated suspension seatpost is a worthwhile upgrade. Rider heights, seat heights, and folded dimensions are in the geometry table below.

Lectric XP Lite 3 Specifications

Here are the full specs for the XP Lite 3, including what changes on the $1,099 belt drive model.

Real World Performance Testing

Throttle

The twist grip throttle pulled about 800W from a stop and took the bike up to its 20 mph top speed without hesitation. It also modulates better than we expected: a small twist held the motor around 200W, which makes it easy to ease away from a stop or roll along at a walking pace. How the throttle behaves depends on your settings. When it’s tied to the assist level, it also follows the power profile, so in speed limited Eco it stops helping past about 4 mph. We’d unlock full throttle in every level, since the twist grip is easy enough to control on its own, but the limits are a nice option for someone new to ebikes.

Cadence Sensor and Power Profiles

The three profiles feel noticeably different. Speed limited is the easiest to understand: each level pushes you quickly up to its set speed and then the motor cuts out, so pedaling harder only adds what your legs put in. Power limited instead sends a fixed amount of power in each level and lets your speed creep up, so we hit 20 mph on flat ground as low as Tour, and the higher levels mainly get you there faster. Speed and power limited felt the most natural of the three, with a steadier push that doesn’t rocket you to each level’s cap, and it should stretch your range if you ride at lower speeds. Eco is barely there in the speed-limited profiles, which makes the bike very approachable for a new rider. From a stop, the cadence sensor takes a moment to engage with the single-speed gearing, so a quick blip of the throttle helps.

For everyday riding, we’d pick speed and power limited or power limited with full throttle access, depending on whether you care more about range or a stronger push. At 20 mph, there’s still resistance in the pedals, so you can contribute rather than spin out. The cadence is faster than some riders will like, but for a single speed, the gearing is a reasonable compromise.

Hill Climb

Our test hill asks a lot of a 300W motor, and on throttle alone, the XP Lite 3 made it to the top, just slowly. The motor held around 795W the whole way while speed dropped from 11 mph into the single digits and bottomed out at 3 to 4 mph near the top. The motor is audible under that load but not loud. Pedaling made a big difference. With speed and power limited selected, every step up in assist added more power, and Turbo pegged the motor at the same 795W as the throttle. Combined with our leg effort, that kept our minimum speed well above the throttle-only run, though the single-speed gearing meant a slow, heavy cadence. If you live somewhere steep, plan on pedaling in Turbo. On flatter routes, the motor has plenty for a bike this light.

Lectric XP Lite 3 vs Lectric XP Lite 2

The XP Lite 2 shares the same motor, wheel size, payload capacity, and chain drive pricing, so the hardware that decides how fast and how far you’ll go hasn’t changed. What it lacks are the refinements: its color LCD doesn’t offer the power profiles or throttle settings, the grips can slip, the pedals fold instead of popping off, and there are no turn signals. It did offer a cheaper way into a belt drive, at $899 with the smaller battery, which the new lineup drops in favor of a single, better-equipped $1,099 belt drive tier.

At the same price, the XP Lite 3 is the easy pick. If you find an XP Lite 2 meaningfully discounted while stock lasts, it’s still a solid, light folder, as long as you don’t mind the simpler display. If you want a quieter, lower-maintenance drivetrain, look for our upcoming XP Lite 3 belt drive review, and if you need gears, more power, or Class 3 speeds, the Lectric XP 4 is the step up.

Pros and Cons

Lectric XP Lite 3

Electronics (Battery, Motor, Display)

8.7

Components (Drivetrain, Brakes, Lights)

8.2

Frame/Geometry/Sizing

8.3

LECTRIC XPRESS LITE Pros

Same $799 Starting Price: You get a better display, branded hydraulic brakes, turn signals, and locking grips for the same price the XP Lite launched at in 2022.

Customizable Ride: Three power profiles and adjustable throttle settings let a cadence sensor ebike feel gentle for new riders or punchy for experienced ones.

Easy-to-Read TFT Display: The 3.5-inch screen adds live watt, amp, and volt readouts, turn signal and hazard controls, and a USB-C port.

Light and Easy to Carry: At 46 lb without the battery, it’s far easier to lift into a vehicle or carry upstairs than most ebikes, and quick-release pedals shrink the folded footprint.

Wide Rider Fit: A 4’8″ to 6’2″ rider range and height-adjustable handlebars make it one of the few ebikes that works well for shorter riders without leaving taller ones cramped.

Low-Maintenance Single Speed: With no derailleur to adjust or damage, you just hop on and ride.

Strong $999 Package: Nearly double the battery plus fenders, the Elite Headlight, and a suspension seatpost for $200 more.

LECTRIC XPRESS LITE Cons

Slow on Steep Hills: The 300W motor got up our test hill but dropped to 3 to 4 mph on throttle alone, so it’s best suited to flatter routes.

No Suspension: The fork is rigid, and the suspension seatpost only comes on the $999 and $1,099 models.

Class 2 Only: Top speed is 20 mph, which makes sense for a single speed but rules out Class 3 commuting.

275 lb Payload: Heavier riders or anyone hauling a lot of cargo should look at a sturdier ebike.

Budget Touch Points: The Sleek saddle is firm, the kickstand could be sturdier on soft ground, and the $799 model only comes in Arctic White.

8.4

Lectric XP Lite 3

Check Price at Lectric

Final Thoughts

Can a $799 ebike still feel like a good deal four years after that price was set? Lectric’s answer is to hold the price and keep adding, and the new display alone makes this a more interesting bike than the one it replaces. The 300W motor and single speed mean it’s happiest on flatter ground, and there’s no suspension beyond the seatpost on the upper tiers, but those compromises are exactly what keep it light, simple, and affordable. For shorter riders, RV owners, college students, apartment dwellers, or anyone who needs to lift their ebike regularly, it remains one of the easiest recommendations we make, and the $999 model is the one we’d buy for the extra range and included accessories.

Ready to ride? Check current pricing and included accessories on the Lectric XP Lite 3.