Hero Lectro F2i review

The Hero Lectro F2i looks like any conventional city electric cycle. One glance over the Hero website and you’ll be surprised that Hero is calling this India’s first e-MTB which is misleading. Firstly there’s no rear suspension on this thing. It’s as rigid as any standard e-cycle and secondly, the cycle height is excessive for an eclectic mountain bike. That said, as a conventional electric cycle, it gets a few things right. Especially the design and weight distribution. 

It is heavy as a mountain which is fine because you get a massive 6.4Ah battery as a trade-off. You won’t be able to lift this thing with ease and uphill acceleration will not be effortless. This means the Lectro F2i will not be suitable for any mountainous terrain or offroad with rough patches.

On the tarmac, the Hero Lectro F2i absolutely flies! The power delivery from the BLDC 36V/250W motor is gradual but once you hit 10kmph, the top end of the acceleration is quick and nifty. This is actually superb because it completely avoids the jerkiness that comes from some unrefined electric motors. It’s not the most nimble at manoeuvring through the curb, but it is a lot stable.

Hero says you can get about 27km from a fully charged battery while using the thing on full throttle. We got somewhere close to that figure as well and pedal-assist mode will take you up to 35km. The non-removable battery takes about four and half hours to juice up fully so you can go a couple of days without the need for charging depending on your use.

As an everyday electric cycle, the Hero doesn't offer the ride comfort we were hoping for. The seat is easily the most uncomfortable part of the ride. It’s like sitting on a rock. The Hero website says that it’s a ‘PU Sleek MTB type saddle’ which means that Hero has really committed to envisioning this as a mountain bike, which it clearly isn’t. The bike is also massive so you’d have to really bend forward to grab the handlebars and the absence of horizontal seat adjustment doesn’t help either.

That said, the front lockable suspension is good enough for city roads. The stiff rear can really bash your back if you try to go offroad on this. So stick to the tarmac and you’ll be rewarded with great speed and a fun city riding experience. The tyres are one of the best you’ll get. They have a proper grip on the tarmac and even on some off-road patches.

Obviously, you get a 7-speed Shimano gear system as well. So whether you’re serious about cycling or just want to cruise through your routine, the options are at your fingertips. The rubberised grips are of nice quality. Although our unit’s grip area tends to move while cycling which is not good.

There are also tech bits that Hero has added to make life easier but in reality, they don’t do much. In fact, the RFID is a bit of a nuisance. You cannot use the bike’s motor without the RFID tag, which makes you wonder why it exists. Obviously, someone can steal your bike if they wanted to, so security is not the best solution. And if you lose any of the two RFID tags provided with your cycle, then you’ll need to contact Hero for assistance. And if you power down the cycle in the middle of a session, then you must use the RFID again to allow you to use the thing which means it’s necessary to carry the RFID with you while cycling.

The RFID needs to be scanned on the plastic display that has a toggle for powering up the cycle, shows battery level, lets you adjust the level of pedal assist and has a toggle for the LED headlamp. On the other side of the handlebar, you get the Shimano shifter and a button to switch off the accelerator. 

Although this Hero is under the smart series lineup, there are no smart features that use smartphone NFC to unlock the cycle. The Hero app also is half baked at best. We never got the thing to work with our cycle and it’s better you use a smartwatch or a fitness tracker to track your workout progress.

As an everyday local commuter, the Hero Lectro F2i is a great option. It can get you really far, really fast. It's also got 7-speed gear control for purists who want to indulge in the activity of cycle and not just for salad dressing. 

Everything else is just padded faff. It’s definitely not an e-MTB nor will it be comfortable unless you change the seat. It might also be for folks with a wider posture because the cycle has wide handlebars, is heavy in the middle, and the top tube puts a significant distance between the saddle and the grip. It's got an upright seating position which is good for activities, but the heavy battery weight might not be for everyone.