Charge XC – Rugged E-bike for On-road and Off-Road Use

While Charge Bikes are relatively new in the bustling electric bicycle market, the company has deep roots in the world of two-wheeled transportation. Created and owned by the company that makes Cannondale bikes, Charge was born with the idea that there is plenty of room for innovation and improvement in the eBike market of the 21st century.

Among the three basic models Charge offers, the XC is the eBike with off-road potential built into its design. Starting with mountain bike geometry that places the rider high in the saddle and upright, then adding tall 29″ wheels, makes the XC capable of tackling dirt trails and some unpredictable surfaces with ease. The front suspension fork smooths out the rough spots and the sturdy (but not super fat) 2.25″ tires are ideal for a range of surfaces from pavement to gravel to sand or loose dirt.

Everything about Charge bikes is well thought out and carefully designed, and the XC is no exception. From recyclable packaging materials and carefully avoiding plastic waste to an excellent range of accessories that come standard at no extra cost, the folks at Charge have thought through everything an eBike customer could want. Like all Charge bikes, XC has a hidden superpower that makes it ideal for urban dwellers in tight spaces—the handlebars fold 90 degrees, and the pedals snap up to minimize the bike’s width dramatically for storage.

Key Features

Tall 29″ Wheels

Tall 29″ wheels provide efficient roll on the XC, and a front suspension fork with 100mm travel and lockout lets you easily handle bumps. Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors front and rear give quick and responsive braking power.

Automatic Tire Sensors

Goodyear all-terrain tires protect against flats with a nice all-conditions tread pattern designed for roads and off-road terrains like loose dirt or gravel. In addition, all Charge bikes come equipped with automatic tire sensors—tire air pressure is indicated as green, meaning suitable for riding, or red, showing that air is needed in the tubes.

Mid-Drive Motor

A mid-drive 250-watt Shimano motor provides an excellent weight-to-power ratio. In addition, the 8-speed drivetrain with a Shimano Rapidfire shifter features an optical gear display to easily keep tabs on the gear you’re currently riding in.

Removable Battery for Easy Charging

Integrated battery housing gives the XC a sleek look with a widened down tube concealing a Shimano 36V, 14Ah battery that is easily removable for off-bike charging. A provided 2 Amp Smart Charger powers the battery safely back to full Charge in a few hours.

Three Pedal Assist Modes

Three pedal assist modes give you a choice of power you want with your ride. There’s also a walk-assist mode for times you’ll be walking alongside your bike but want it to continue to be propelled, such as when you’ve got a flat tire, for example. With no throttle, the XC relies on the rider to provide the pedal power to get going, and then the selected assist mode kicks in to add extra power to the pedaling.

PROS

• Mid-drive motor: Shimano is a well-respected name in bicycle componentry, and the 250-watt motor provides plenty of power boost for its small size due to the increased efficiency of having the power where the cranks turn.
• Weight: At 55 pounds, the XC is no ultralight ride, but it's a nice comfortable weight for a well-equipped eBike that the average rider can lift onto a bike rack.
• Accessorized nicely : The XC comes with many little details that might be extra-priced add-ons from other companies; there's a sturdy rear rack for holding your stuff, front and rear headlights, and full fenders for riding in inclement weather conditions.
• Prebuilt: The XC arrives at your door in a big box, almost fully assembled. The only real work left to be done is to ride away is to install the front wheel, which is easily accomplished thanks to the company's thoughtful inclusion of a sturdy cardboard support piece to hold up the front forks. At the same time, you insert the tire, plus a torque wrench that ships with the bike to ensure that the bolts are correctly tightened when attaching the wheel.
• Folds for compact storage : While the XC is not a folding-frame compact, it features handlebars that release and rotate 90 degrees to align with the frame, plus pedal platforms that snap up to decrease total width for storage.

CONS

• Motor: Some people may complain that a 250W is too small for a modern e-Bike, but the efficient Shimano mid-drive motor on the XC gets the job done nicely for a Class I electric bike with three levels of power assist up to 20 mph.
• No throttle: As a Class I eBike, the XC relies on rider power for thrust only, with no throttle to give it the juice. Power is supplemented with a boost from the motor that varies based on how fast you'd like to ride and how much effort you want to put in, and which pedal assist mode you choose.
• Mid-width tires : Unlike a lot of off-road eBikes today, XC comes standard with 2.25" wide tires, not the 4" fatties seen on a lot of rides. This can be a plus and a minus, as fat tires are famous for taking on the toughest terrain, but they absorb some of the energy of propulsion, making each turn of the tires much more difficult. Since XC is more of a hybrid, on-off road machine, made for trails and varying terrain but not a full hardcore off-road monster, the mid-width tires seem to be a good compromise.

Final Thoughts

The Charge XC is a lot of eBike for a reasonable price. True, some bikes seem similar on the surface, available for around a thousand bucks or so, less than half the cost of an XC, but most of them cut corners in ways not seen here.

From the mid-drive motor to the full range of Shimano components, Charge XC is well-built with reliable parts that add up to a solid value. Like all Charge models, the company thinks of including practical features, like a rear rack, front and rear fenders, and integrated LED lights front and rear.