Triumph Trekker GT | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news

Like many venerable UK manufacturing names, Triumph has had a turbulent latest historical past. From Victorian foundations as a bicycle producer, it transitioned into making famously dependable motorbikes, then grew to become one the UK’s main motorcycle and automotive producers within the Nineteen Twenties earlier than promoting the Triumph bicycle enterprise to Raleigh in 1932.

Buy the Triumph  Trekker GT Here

The Nineteen Forties and Fifties noticed Triumph rise from the ashes of a bombed manufacturing facility and go on to export massive numbers of motorbikes to the US. A sufferer of Japanese competitors, the corporate grew to become bankrupt in 1983, however advertising and identify rights had been bought which allowed manufacturing to be relaunched from Hinckley.

triumph trekker gt (26).JPG

Triumph are actually on the lookout for continued success with the launch of the Triumph Trekker e-bike. It definitely appears a glossy and sporty design for commuting and leisure use, and notably options Shimano’s newest mid-motor system, the E6100. Again in Might 2019, ebiketips covered the launch of the E6100 and, evaluating it to the motor it succeeded, described it as “smaller, lighter, quieter, extra environment friendly and higher trying”. Principally it’s higher in each approach, and is a stable contender to problem the brand new Bosch Energetic Line motors that had been an actual leap ahead for metropolis bikes.

On paper, Triumph’s first foray into the e-bike world definitely appears good… however will it impress once we put it by its paces?

Full Commuting Package deal

triumph trekker gt (31).JPG

What actually catches the attention is the Trekker’s very prime quality, largely hydroformed body; the one noticeable weld be a part of is across the mid-drive housing space, and on the finish of the rear dropouts. It has inner cable routing and an entire set of commuting options, together with a sturdy pannier rack, kickstand, LED lights and mudguards. You get Schwalbe Energizer Plus 27.5 x 2” (50-584) tyres, that slot in with this mix of sporty dealing with, and have sensible options comparable to 3mm of Greenguard puncture safety with loads of width for elevated consolation.

triumph trekker gt (21).JPG

With regards to consolation, the RockShox Paragon Silver suspension forks with 65mm of journey is definitely one of many higher coil-sprung suspension models on the market; although on a motorbike on the value level, I’d be on the lookout for air suspension (the RockShox Paragon Gold, for instance). Slim, flat profile bars and a stem with solely 7 levels of rise promote a sporty using place, nonetheless.

triumph trekker gt (34).JPG

There’s a petty broad gearing vary (327%) courtesy of ten derailleur gears, with a Shimano Deore Shadow Plus lengthy cage 38T chainring and an 11-36T rear gear cluster. There ought to be loads of braking energy on faucet too from Shimano’s M600 hydraulic system, with a 180mm rotor on the entrance and 160mm on the rear.

It’s fairly light-weight, given the total accent package deal and affordable sized battery, coming in on our scales at 24.23 kg. This features a 3.1kg battery, and even a body lock. Mild weight is in fact excellent news, not only for sporty dealing with but additionally for manhandling the bike while you’re not using it.

On the Highway

triumph trekker gt (17).JPG

Our first impressions are confirmed: the Trekker GT has a quick using place with fast sporty dealing with, easy fast gear altering and nice stopping energy. The respectable high quality coil suspension plus 2” broad tyres offers a luxurious and comfy journey too, and are greater than ample for something your common UK metropolis can throw at it. It will deal with unsurfaced traffic-free path model using simply too, widening the bike’s horizons.

It’s price focussing on the brand new motor efficiency particularly. Visually glossy and compact, it claims to weigh solely 2.88kg and to be 20% extra vitality environment friendly than its predecessor, the E6000.

Don’t be fooled by the comparatively modest torque ranking of 60 Nm (increased performing motors have considerably increased scores) because it clearly rewarded a little bit of rider effort up the hills with loads of motor energy.

triumph trekker gt (12).JPG

Utilizing the excessive energy setting on my common mile-long hill climb gave efficiency figures roughly in keeping with the perfect mid-drives; in different phrases, increased efficiency motors are solely actually wanted for using that requires an actual step-up in efficiency comparable to mountain biking, or repeatedly towing heavy hundreds up steeper hills. On a shorter 1 in 3 hill take a look at, the E6100 additionally matched the perfect mid-drives. These decrease specced motors may have a bit extra human enter than their increased specced cousins however they obtain a lot the identical factor in most using circumstances.

The torque sensing on the Shimano E6100 is nice and responds effectively to heavy strain, and never a lot to mild strain and excessive cadence (different methods do). Personally I prefer it that approach round as I often need the facility after I step on the pedals arduous, not when spinning alongside underneath simpler circumstances.      

Equally, a very nice shock was how straightforward it was to journey with the facility off. I might trundle alongside on the flat with none headwind at 15-20mph pretty comfortably, and the transition between energy and no energy at 15mph was fairly easy, on the decrease energy ranges a minimum of. Hit a slight headwind or gradient and clicking into eco helps you to breeze by these obstacles, with regular and excessive reserved for harder challenges.

triumph trekker gt (43).JPG

The toggle button by your left thumb could be very ergonomically environment friendly, with raised surfaces on the outer edges so you possibly can simply press the button when wanted rapidly and precisely, even with gloves on.

triumph trekker gt (33).JPG

The allied central LCD show is among the bigger ones on the market, particularly when in comparison with Bosch’s LCD choices, the Purion and the Intuiva. It’s slender, lengthy form and central mounting retains the bars fairly muddle free and the benefit of its portrait format is that it might record all three vary estimates without delay (exhibiting projected ranges on Eco, Regular and Excessive settings), which I discovered fairly useful. There are additionally odometer, journey distance, cadence, common velocity and most velocity display shows to toggle by plus common display fixtures of clock, speedometer, energy supply meter and battery capability graphic divided into 20% increments (blocks of 5).

Speaking of vary estimates, I discovered the computer-generated efforts to be fairly correct for my 68kg body. The primary of 5 bars on the show (at 20% capability per bar) went down after 15 miles of fairly straightforward using, suggesting a spread of 75 miles over gently rolling terrain, toggling between off, eco and regular energy degree settings with no actual want for the excessive setting. 

Areas for enchancment

triumph trekker gt (14).JPG

Triumph’s Trekker is an actual looker and a sporty performer. Maybe Triumph have missed just a few alternatives right here, or maybe the possibility to characteristic some ‘extras’ in an upgraded possibility. A metropolis oriented e-bike like this may have been an amazing alternative to check out Shimano’s 5 velocity hub gear unit, designed particularly to go together with Shimano mid-drives. Its 263% gear vary is lower than supplied by the Deore derailleur setup – and it will little question add a little bit of weight – however the broad gear steps on hub gears work significantly effectively with motor energy, and are an amazing ‘match and overlook’ possibility.

triumph trekker gt (21).JPG

Triumph additionally appear to have ignored the option of a larger 630Wh in-frame battery, which was introduced pretty just lately (maybe too late for this explicit mannequin). In any case, this may have turned what’s a succesful metropolis and leisure bike right into a sporty all-day touring machine, particularly because it comes able to go together with a rack, lights and kickstand. Personally I additionally a lot choose frame-integrated batteries that elevate out of the highest of the downtube, fairly than drop out of the underside because the Triumph design does. The latter possibility means the battery can catch on the highest of the forks, and is simply all-round fiddlier to get out and in of the body for my part. 

Through-axles and a heavier rated rack would even have bolstered its credentials as a tricky performer in all kinds of circumstances. A USB C port might have been added to allow you to cost gadgets on the go.

Lastly, as a premium model utilizing a premium motor system it might need been an excellent alternative to check out the Bluetooth and/or Ant+ connectivity choices of the E6100 system; however Triumph haven’t gone down this route on their first e-bike. This may be for good purpose it’s nonetheless a creating space, and I get the sensation, based mostly on bikes I’ve reviewed to date, that actually good {hardware} and software program choices that marry collectively effectively are solely simply now starting to fulfil their undoubted potential. And, in fact, such choices would almost certainly have simply added to the fee.

Abstract

triumph trekker gt (10).JPG

Maybe a ‘plus model’ with all these additional options I’ve instructed might need proved widespread, however regardless of these quibbles this can be a nice first e-bike from Triumph, and one which continues an amazing British two-wheeled custom into the realm of e-bikes.

triumphmotorcycles.co.uk