There’s no doubt that one of the biggest trends in the world of mountain biking right now is the increasing popularity and sophistication of electric bikes. Having a power boost available when you need it can extend your epic days on the bike; you can ride further, harder and for longer than ever before.
Trek might have been late to the party, but they’ve caught up fast. With the third generation of the Powerfly model, Trek has beefed up the parts package and redesigned the frame to offer an eMTB that can really take a beating.
Long travel for long rides
The Powerfly is still offered as three distinct families: Hardtail, Full Suspension and Long Travel (LT).
The 2019 Powerfly LT 9 is a true trail bike, with the performance and the ability to go further, faster and bigger than you ever thought possible on an eMTB. The frame makes use of Trek’s well established and highly capable Re:Aktiv rear suspension, and with 160mm of travel at the front, a SRAM Eagle drivetrain, along with Bontrager’s wheels and tyres you’ll be sure to have a plush ride whatever terrain you hit.
Power when and where you need it
Designers of the latest eMTB models are going to great lengths to integrate the battery into the downtube. While this undoubtedly improves the look of the bike it can have its drawbacks – the battery can be hard to access and the area can be prone to a lot of muck ingress. Trek’s neat solution places the battery for the motor in a recess on the drive-side of the down tube, well secured with a click-to-lock mechanism. It’s easy to use, functions really well and removes that annoying need to flip the bike over to gain access to the battery.
The stalwart Bosch Performance CX motor is the eMTB motor today, and for good reason. It has huge amounts of power on offer: with a maximum torque of 75Nm it’s one of the strongest motors on the market. A unique feature of the motor is the tiny chainring, that turns 2.5-times as fast as you are pedalling.
The motor has four assistance levels: ECO, Tour, Turbo mode, and the brilliant eMTB mode. This progressive option varies the power output based on how hard you are pedalling and how much effort you are putting in. In eMTB mode the assistance ranges from 120% to 300%, a large enough range suitable for most everyday riding. The clever motor also detects changes in rider input – on steep uphills you get the full brunt of the motor when you pedal hard, while it dials down the oomph on flatter sections. This Optimized Trail Control system provides traction, grip and just the right amount of support from the motor at all times.
The ride
Trek’s Powerfly LT feels at home on even the most extreme trails. The suspension and Bontrager’s 780mm bars swallow up rough terrain and give you all the control you need on twisty sections.
On the climbs the long chainstays and central position over the machine means it’s easy to stay seated and maintain your balance, while the at 2.8†Bontrager XR4 plus tyres dig into loose ground and find grip. Hitting the downhill, the 160mm of travel up front from the Fox 36 Float fork offers great performance and control, while the RockShox Deluxe RT3 and Trek's Re:Aktiv kinematics provide plenty of plush beneath your tush. The Shimano XT brakes provide more than enough bite without having to really throttle the lever. Last but not least there's the revamped Bontrager Line Dropper post that makes it easy to adjust the ride height on the fly for perfect control.
Trek Powerfly LT9 at The Bicycle chain
We currently have the aluminium framed Trek Powerfly LT Plus in store. We’re sure that after testing it out you’ll see for yourself how much fun you can have with an eMTB.
Also in the range are the carbon framed Powerfly LT 9.7 Plus and the range topping carbon Powerfly LT 9.9 Plus. Give us a call or pop into one of our stores to chat about these amazing bikes to see for yourself what all the excitement is about!
