Great news, I've taken delivery of the Allant+9.9 early, day after my birthday. A lovely present to myself, so chuffed with it.
First, there are a couple of things I wish I knew before buying the bike. As this is aimed at commuters, it's not unreasonable to expect that it will be left outdoors. Since most people are likely take their battery with them to deter theft, it would have been nice if Trek included a rubber contact cover to protect the frame's internal battery contact from the elements. When the battery is removed, the inside of the frame and the contacts are exposed, over time the contacts will oxidise. Maybe not a huge issue in places with 365 days of sun, but in the UK, we don't want to expose the contacts to inclement weather unnecessarily. I've stuffed my cycling buff into the frame this AM as a temporary fix. The rubber covers by Bosch only cost a few pounds, so it's not a huge deal, but now I have to make a special trip to my dealer to get one which is annoying. Trek, it's the little things that count! Please include these!
The carbon frame and paint job is a thing of beauty, a rela head turner, but it's impossible to get my large U-lock through the seat stays and wheels/tyres because they are HUGE 2.4".
Again, not a big deal. I'll need to use a cable to loop around the wheels, and just put the U lock around the top tube. I've got a cable loop in the garage somewhere. Also, when leaning the bike against a Sheffield stand, it's picked up several scratches immediately. I'm not precious about my paint work, but I do fear that after a few months in the work racks and clumsy colleagues, the frame might start to look a bit shabby. A more durable finish would have been nice on such an expensive bike. I do wonder if this is a drawback of carbon paint jobs, compared to my steel stead which seems more tolerant of scuffs.
The top of the line Kiox display is worth every penny. it can be a little harder to read smaller text like battery levels with rain droplets on it, but that's not worth moaning about as a quick cycle through the various pages will give you the same info in a larger format. The input controller is intuitive, and easy enough to use even with winter gloves on. I'm sure it will be even easier still in the summer when my fingerless gloves come back out and you can feel the button locations without even looking. I can't wait to put it's through its paces in the daytime, it's just seen dark commutes so far. But the integrated light system is incredibly bright, which came into its own during sections of unlit paths, they are like car headlights. I've added a cheap blinker to the seatpost, just for extra visibility, not that the rear mudguard mounted light isn't plenty bright enough, it just doesn't seem to flash.
I have not ridden any ebikes before I got my hands on the Allant+9.9, but my experiences of riding the bike are nothing but positive. the Cube had front and seatpost suspension, but honestly, being used to commuting on a rigid gravel bike with slick tyres, despite the extra speed, this bike isn't jarring and suspension does seem unnecessary for paved commutes in my view. The 2.4" tyres guarantee a comfortable ride. That said, I do have to slow down on the few short stretches of cobbles, but that's hardly unreasonable. The motor makes more noise than I expected, which makes me feel a bit self-conscious as I pass others, but then that all fades away as I leave my muscle powered compatriots in my wake.
The 625W battery is giving me about 30-40 miles range, blasting turbo all the way. Just great fun! Pictures may follow. I'm one happy camper.
Tell her she can have a play as all the best girls ride a trek Mrs 73 loves her fx.
