Lectric XPedition2 Review: The Family Cargo Bike I Didn’t Know We Needed

I live in a beach community in Southern California, close enough to the ocean that driving there feels a little ridiculous, but far enough away that walking with two young kids and all their stuff isn’t always realistic. Parking near the beach is also difficult, with paid meters and limited availability, especially on hot summer days.

When I got the chance to test the Lectric XPedition2, I hoped it could fill that gap. I wanted to ride my 4-year-old to school, get some fresh air instead of getting in the car, and have an easier way to take both kids to the beach. I also liked the idea of replacing some of our short car trips with something more environmentally friendly.

After more than 50 miles with the bike, it has done all of those things and quite a bit more.

There was definitely a learning curve. The XPedition2 is big and heavy, and fully loaded, it can feel a little unbalanced at first. I had a couple of experiences early on that made me question whether I was going to feel comfortable riding it at all. But, once I got used to the weight, something shifted. Now we use it constantly.

I take my oldest son to school on it. We bring both boys down to the beach. We go on family bike rides and ride to dinner instead of driving. I can load the pannier bags with enough stuff for a beach day and still have room for the kids.

There are things I would change, particularly the kickstand, which is easily my biggest complaint. But, if I had known before testing this bike how much freedom it would give our family, I probably would have bought one much sooner.

Lectric provided the XPedition2 and accessories for testing. All opinions and experiences in this review are my own.

Unboxing and Setting Up the XPedition2

My Lectric XPedition2 arrived mostly assembled, and setup was fairly straightforward. Installing the front wheel was probably the trickiest part. I also had an issue with the front fender rubbing against the wheel, so I had to remove it and carefully bend the metal bracket to get everything aligned properly.

I tested the bike with Lectric’s Orbitor, running boards, seat cushions, suspension seat post, Elite Headlight, XL Cargo Pannier Bags, frame bag, and phone mount. I also installed a Thule child seat for my younger son. The accessories took some time, but weren’t particularly difficult to install.

The XL pannier bags might be my favorite accessory. They attach with quick-release clamps, come off easily, and fit an absurd amount of stuff.

The only limitation is using them with child seats. I found a configuration that works with one Thule seat by positioning the pannier around it and securing it to the running board. But, if I needed two child seats, I don’t think I could comfortably use the panniers at the same time.

Getting Used to an 83-Pound Bike

I also own a Lectric XP Lite, so I wasn’t completely new to e-bikes, but riding a small e-bike and riding an 83-pound cargo bike loaded with children and gear are two very different experiences.

During my first few rides, I was intimidated by the weight. The bike feels especially back-heavy when loaded, and if it starts leaning while you’re stopped, there is a lot of weight to hold up.

I learned that the worst possible place to figure this out was my sloped driveway.

On one of my early rides, I stopped there with both kids on the back and couldn’t get going again. Trying to balance the bike while getting enough momentum to start was stressful, and it made me nervous about stopping on hills afterward.

Thankfully, that feeling has improved dramatically with practice. We live at the top of a hill, so going pretty much anywhere requires riding down a substantial hill and coming back up it. After more than 50 miles, that doesn’t scare me anymore. The bike feels stable while riding, even when fully loaded.

Tight turns are another story. The XPedition2 has a wide turning radius, and I still don’t love making U-turns. If I turn too sharply at low speed, the bike can feel unstable, so I make turns wider and more deliberately than I would on a regular bike.

The Motor and Throttle Make a Huge Difference

One of my favorite things about the XPedition2 is how smooth it feels when starting from a complete stop.

The bike has five levels of pedal assist (PAS) and a torque sensor that responds to how much effort you’re putting into the pedals. I didn’t realize how much I would care about that until I compared it with my Lectric XP Lite, which can feel more abrupt when the pedal assist kicks in.

When I’m riding alone, I’ll usually start around PAS 2. When the bike is loaded, I generally start at PAS 3. On the biggest hills, I go all the way to PAS 5 and still need to pedal.

The feature I rely on most, though, is the thumb throttle. I use it to launch from almost every stop before I begin pedaling. That little bit of momentum makes me feel significantly more stable. I also use it on hills, and I don’t think I could comfortably get up some of the hills near our house without it.

The throttle is easy to control and doesn’t feel aggressive. Occasionally, on a flat bike path, I’ll even use it without pedaling when my legs need a break.

It Handles Hills Better Than I Expected

Before riding the XPedition2, one of my biggest concerns was going downhill. Between the bike, passengers, and whatever I’ve packed into the panniers, there can be a lot of weight moving downhill. The hydraulic brakes feel smooth and controlled, however, even on the large hills around our house. Occasionally I have to squeeze the levers fairly hard when descending or coming to a stop, but I’ve never felt as though the brakes weren’t capable of stopping the bike.

Going uphill has also been surprisingly good. With PAS 5, the throttle, and some pedaling, I can get the fully loaded bike up the steep hills near our house.

I still respect the weight of the bike, though. On one family ride, we encountered a particularly steep section of bike path that was also sandy. Going up was manageable, but I didn’t feel comfortable coming back down with the kids aboard. My husband carried the baby and my older son walked while I rode the bike down alone. Could the bike have handled it? Maybe, but part of riding a cargo bike with your children is knowing when something doesn’t feel right and not pushing it.

The Kickstand Is My Biggest Complaint

If there is one thing I could change about this bike tomorrow, it would be the kickstand.

With an unloaded bike, I can manage the folding dual-leg stand. When the bike is loaded, getting it on and off the stand can feel nearly impossible for me. I originally assumed this was something I would learn with practice. After more than 50 miles, I don’t think that’s the case.

On one ride, I didn’t move my foot out of the way quickly enough, and the bike came down onto the top of my foot with the weight of the bike and both children. It was extremely painful.

The stand also complicates parking. Putting it down moves the bike backward substantially, while taking it off moves the bike forward. When I’m trying to line the bike up with a rack to lock it, I often have to reposition the whole thing.

Lectric says riders should hold onto the XPedition2 while loading cargo or passengers and warns that the kickstand isn’t designed to independently stabilize the bike during loading. In practice, managing such a heavy bike while loading young children can be challenging.

Two Kids and a Lot of Stuff

This is where the XPedition2 really shines. My younger son rides strapped into a Thule child seat while my 4-year-old sits inside the Orbitor, and both boys love riding on the bike.

The kids notice bumps more than I do. My older son will sometimes complain about a bumpy section of road, although I haven’t found the ride unusually harsh. My bigger comfort complaint is the saddle. After about an hour, my butt starts to hurt, and I’d prefer more padding for longer rides.

The cargo capacity has been one of the biggest surprises. With the panniers attached, I can take beach gear, bags, and everything else that seems to accompany two small children.

I’ve even put my older son’s small bike into one of the panniers. The handlebars and wheels stick out, but the bag keeps it contained. If he gets tired while we’re out riding, his bike goes in the pannier and he hops onto the XPedition2 for the ride home.

The Dual Batteries Give Me Plenty of Range

I haven’t attempted to replicate Lectric’s advertised maximum range, since I’m frequently carrying a heavy load up significant hills, usually with a fairly high level of pedal assist.

What matters more to me is whether I’m worried about getting stranded. So far, I’m not.

My longest rides have been around 15 miles, and I’ve ridden for more than two hours at a time. On flat bike paths, battery use can be surprisingly minimal. Hills, extra weight, and higher pedal assist drain the batteries noticeably faster.

I charge every few days depending on how much we’ve been riding. Having two batteries means I can charge whichever one needs it while knowing I still have plenty of power available.

The Size Is Something to Consider

The XPedition2 works well for both me and my husband despite a substantial height difference. I’m 5 feet, 7 inches and keep the seat at its lowest setting because I feel safest being able to put my feet securely on the ground. My husband is 6 feet, 4 inches and can adjust it high enough to ride comfortably.

The bigger issue is storage. We keep ours in the garage, but it takes up enough space that we now park one of our cars on the street. I’d think seriously about storage before buying one if I lived in an apartment or had to bring it inside.

It’s also not something I would personally attempt to lift onto a conventional bike rack. Ironically, this huge bike is much easier for me to handle once I’m actually riding it.

In My Expert Opinion

When I first started testing the XPedition2, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it.

It was heavy. Tight turns made me nervous. I had a bad experience trying to get moving on our sloped driveway. The kickstand drove me crazy. Then I kept riding it, determined to get used to the weight.

Now I take my son to school along a bike path that runs beside the ocean. We head down to the beach without thinking about traffic or where we’re going to park. On weekends, my husband and I can get on our bikes with the kids and go somewhere together instead of automatically piling everyone into the car.

---

It’s not perfect. I really dislike the kickstand. It’s extremely heavy, tight turns still require more concentration than I’d like, and I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who doesn’t have enough space to store a large cargo bike, or isn’t willing to spend some time getting comfortable with the weight.

But, those things have become relatively small compared with what the bike gives us. Knowing what I know now, I would absolutely spend my own money on it.

I wanted an easier way to get my kids around our community, spend more time outside, and use the car less. Instead, I got something that has genuinely changed the way we experience where we live.

And, both of my kids think riding on the back is the best thing ever. That’s a pretty big win.