by After the success of Hero Lectro F2i, the company has now introduced the Hero Lectro f3i. F3i is the second edition that comes under the same genre but with minor changes. With this new F3i, the company has introduced a new sleek and sporty MTB frame design with new color profiles. So let’s take a deep look at what the new F3i provides to its customers.
Design And Build Quality:
F3i is an electric mountain bike that comes with a sleek and sporty MTB frame design. The geometry of the bike is designed for rough terrains, and due to this, the off-roading performance of the bike is really good. Even the all-new paint job with a matte finish and printed graphics make this bike looks premium. There are two color options to choose from- Red and Black. The bike has a 19″ frame made of 6061 aluminum alloy. The frame is sturdy and light in nature. It weighs around 22.4 kgs with a loading capacity of up to 100kg.
Motor And Its Torque:
F3i runs on a 36v/250w BLDC rear hub motor. The motor is capable of generating up to 40nm of torque and that ensures a good pickup mostly on steep. The top speed of the bike is 25kmph as per government regulation.
Battery And Its Range:
The new F3i is powered by an integrated 6.4Ah concealed battery pack. This is a highly efficient battery made by Panasonic. There is a new magnetic charging port that can be seen on this new F3i that is easy to use and also it helps to prevent the entry of dust. With a 2A standard charger, the battery takes 4 hours to charge and once it gets charged fully you can ride this bike around 18km – 25km on throttle mode. Whereas, on Pedelec mode this will give you a range of 30km – 35km. Please note, that the actual riding range may vary for every individual due to body weight, road condition, level of assistance, and acceleration.
PAS And Riding Modes:
F3i comes with 12 magnets PAS and has 3 levels of assistance that can be controlled with an analog LED display. The company is also providing a silicon protective case for this LED display to prevent dust and rain. As for the riding modes, it has a total of 4 modes including throttle, pedelec, manual, and walk mode. On the Pedelec mode, you will get a maximum of 90% assistance from the motor.
Wheels And Suspension:
F3i is a 29er e-MTB which means it is equipped with 29″ wheels and combined with 2.1″ MTB tires. The tires are good in quality, and suitable for off-roading purposes. The bike comes with a front fork suspension by ZOOM that has a travel of 100mm, and for moderate off-roading, 1000mm travel is quite enough. Also, it has a mechanical lock-out system. So when needed, you can easily lock out the travel of the suspension. Even while riding on a flat surface or while climbing a steep hill, it helps minimize your energy loss.
Gears And Brakes:
F3i is a 7-speed geared electric cycle that comes with an SRide or Tourney rear derailleur based on availability. The shifting of gears on this bike is smooth and quick. The bike comes with 160mm dual mechanical disc brakes by Promax. The stopping power of the brakes is great and performs well even on wet surfaces. But the good thing is, that these are electric brakes, which means it comes with an electric cut-off system. So when applying the brakes, it immediately cuts off the motor from accidentally surging ahead.
Additional Features:
Additionally, the bike comes with a headlight, a solar power-operated taillight, and Bluetooth connectivity like smart features that helps to monitor your riding data on your smartphone. To avail of the smart feature, you need to download the Hero Lectro app from the app store(Android/iOS). It is also equipped with an RFID lock for security, which means without the key no one can start the bike in your absence.
Price And Availabilty:
The F3i is priced at ₹40999, and the same can be bought from the company’s official website or your nearest Hero Lectro stores. All the electric equipment comes under 2 years of warranty, but to avail of the warranty, you need to register the bike on the company’s official website.
Verdict, The Final Thoughts:
The specs and features of the new Lectro F2i are quite impressive, and the new sleek and sporty MTB frame design with the all-new paint job with matte finish make this bike looks premium. The bike comes with a front fork suspension by ZOOM that has a travel of 100mm, also the geometry of the bike is really good and truly designed for off-roading. It has great build quality, comes with a 7-speed gear system, an RFID security system, powerful disc brakes with a safety cut-off feature and moreover, it’s a smart Bluetooth-connected bike. So it comes with most of the basic features which an ebike should have. But still, you need to compromise with a few features if you consider the new F3i. Considering the price range, the range is not satisfying at all, on Pedelec it gives around 35km of riding range and which I believe is very less. Secondly, there is no digital display and has only 3 levels of assistance. Also, the position of the stand is not good, it comes between the pedal, and using this is not convenient at all. So these are the things you may need to compromise with, otherwise, for off-roading, city commuting, fun riding, or for office goers this can be an ideal choice to consider. So if your daily commute is limited to 30km – 35km, and if you are brand conscious then you should definitely consider this electric cycle
