Trek Allant+ 6 review: ideal e-mountain bike for city traffic
As a model, Trek does not instantly remind me of e-bikes. As a biking fanatic (do not hesitate to say biking fanatic) I do know the model exactly from sports activities bicycles, resembling mountain bikes. Nonetheless, it now has a good vary of electrical ones commuting bicycles, together with the Allant+, District, Verve and Loft ranges. For comfort, we now have chosen Trek’s current addition to the Allant vary, the Allant+ 6 (2023).
An e-bike that will be appropriate for whizzing to work and exploring gravel paths, in response to the bicycle producer. Since we frequently discover ourselves on the (bicycle) monitor and generally even dare to go off the overwhelmed monitor, we generally dared to place these claims to the check. We coated nearly 280 kilometers earlier than beginning this assessment. Time for the ultimate rating: will you additionally must whiz away on Trek’s Allant+ 6?
‘Sporty luxurious’
When unpacking the Allant+6, we instantly seen that Trek clearly leans on its sporty aspirations. The body is similar to that of a mountain bike with tires that provide further grip and a derailleur on the rear. We do not usually see that with electrical bicycles, which are sometimes praised for his or her hub gears and their toothed belt.
For the lively amongst us, this design definitely suits the image of an ideal bike. Personally, I am extra of a fan of the luxurious metropolis bikes, such because the Gazelle Final C380 HMB. Across the similar worth level, that bike merely appears to be like a bit extra luxurious and refined. That is most likely additionally because of the battery hid within the body. Trek has positioned the battery on the body and that really appears to be like a bit unusual.
The tight body line is only a bit interrupted. Nonetheless, this makes the battery very straightforward to achieve, whereas it appears to be like extra trendy than the batteries on the bags service (e-walkers). I may be temporary in regards to the construct high quality of the body: it feels very strong when biking. The paint on the body additionally appears very scratch resistant, as you’ll anticipate at this worth stage.
Lively(er) metropolis bike
As talked about, the bike appears to have some sporty DNA from Trek mountain bikes. We really feel that instantly after we get on the bike, with a bent ahead sitting place. Which sitting place you favor on a bicycle is private; our desire is for a extra ‘upright’ place when biking. Though that produces slightly extra air resistance, in our view it feels extra comfy for longer rides. My again definitely did not thank me for sitting bent over for 3 hours throughout a check drive.
Which place you favor could rely in your age, the kind of rides you need to make and the mannequin of bicycle you’ve gotten grow to be accustomed to. Our motto is subsequently to check bicycles with a number of sitting positions, each extra bent ahead and upright, after which decide about which place is the popular sitting place.
Suspension within the entrance fork
By the way, we should say that the sitting place will not be uncomfortable attributable to an undersized suspension. Quite the opposite – the air suspension generally actually makes driving a motorcycle really feel like driving on clouds – with out getting soggy. Average pace at massive thresholds. Though the bike can simply soak up bumps, we observe {that a} (too) excessive pace usually results in the top cease of the damping being hit and that produces a substantial thump within the handles.
The saddle can also be on the laborious facet – maybe rather less laborious than on the E-Silento Professional from Cortina. Tremendous for rides of as much as an hour and a half, however for longer rides you favor to seek the advice of the supplier a couple of completely different, extra comfy saddle. Right here too we discover that Trek places the sporty options first; a selection that doesn’t come with out problems.
Cycle path devourer
The development of the bicycle means that the bicycle should be extraordinarily appropriate for the sports activities fans amongst us. Follow confirms this suspicion. Partly attributable to its low weight and low level of gravity, the Allant+ 6 is by far the best to maneuver e-bike we have examined so far. The electrical bike requires devouring the cycle and gravel paths we encountered.
The stiff body additionally gave us sufficient confidence to get into that and hunt down larger speeds. Even above 30 km/h we seen no torsion or vibration within the body, even as soon as we let go of the handlebars. We did not dare to method corners at such a excessive pace. Due to the decrease weight, the bicycle doesn’t stick as firmly to the highway as we seen with bicycles from Gazelle and Cortina. Luckily, with slightly braking you’ll be at a decrease most pace inside a couple of seconds.
Braking can also be silent with the entrance and rear disc brakes, which provide spectacular stopping energy. In case you are going out with the Allant for the primary time, it actually takes some getting used to. We may nearly throw ourselves off the bike with the brakes. By the best way, they’re hydraulic brakes, as may be anticipated on e-bikes, in order that the braking power may be simply dosed.
(Too) a lot traction
That braking energy can also be mandatory with an e-bike as highly effective because the Allant+ 6. For the drive, the e-bike is supplied with Bosch’s Efficiency Line CX motor: some of the highly effective e-bike motors in the intervening time, with about 85 Nm of torque (and 250 watts of energy). We may be temporary about that engine: it excels in flexibility. Acceleration is clean and as quickly as you require further energy, for instance to climb a mountain or hill, we do not have to attend for it. With 85 Nm of torque, the engine can also be appropriate for steep(er) hills and mountain climbs. We put it by way of its paces on a steep mountain bike course (in Turbo mode), and the bike saved up simply positive.
Turbo is typically overwhelming
For metropolis rides, that Turbo mode is de facto not mandatory and we want to decide on Tour to avoid wasting battery and make the pedaling expertise really feel extra pure. On a flat highway floor, the 85 Nm torque generally feels a bit overwhelming. That ‘overwhelming’ side will not be the rocket feeling that some e-bikes provide with no power sensor. Due to their rotation sensor, they shoot ahead at full pace on the site visitors gentle. Luckily, that isn’t the case with the Trek Allant+ 6, which is supplied with each power and rotation sensors, in an effort to additionally dose the power of the bike sufficiently when accelerating.
What we’re much less happy with are the gears. The switching mechanism feels a bit dated however in any other case works positive. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of gears are a lot too gentle. Solely within the prime three gears we weren’t pedaling midway all over the world to get forward. That is actually only a case of ‘too unhealthy’, and actually ought to be higher. Cortina’s E-Silento Professional was the instance of this.
Battery for commuting
After all, the vary can’t be missed both. We all the time learn that on the Kiox 300 ‘Sensible show’ from Bosch. Our copy had a 545 Wh battery (the Bosch PowerPack 545). Trek doesn’t provide actual vary figures.
When it comes to our check outcomes, the Allant+ 6 lasts on common as much as 75 kilometers on a single full cost when set to Turbo. That features rides with tons and little wind. In Tour mode, this will increase to nearly 100 kilometers. Nonetheless, whether or not you get that too relies on the kind of journey you are on. Many city kilometers end in a decrease vary attributable to frequent acceleration.
Total, in comparison with earlier e-bikes we have examined, the vary proves to be fairly first rate. Charging can also be very quick: the battery may be charged from 40 to 100% in lower than 3 hours. A full battery takes about 5 to 6 hours. Nice for the nightly hours, so.
Closing verdict
It is a pleasure to whiz round on the Allant+6. The engine is extremely highly effective, the suspension takes care of bumps within the highway floor and the inflexible body offers the bike a sporty and agile character (with out torsion). Wanting on the gears, Trek nonetheless has some work to do there. We’re not instantly a fan of the looks, however that’s primarily a private matter.
Under the road, the Allant + 6 for 3,899 euros is a really attention-grabbing choice and Trek beats rivals resembling Gazelle’s Final C380 HMB. The one factor we ‘favored’ higher on that bike is the dealing with in corners, the place the Gazelle merely clings to the highway floor.
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