# FLX Trail 17.3Ah 27.5 hardtail...any thoughts?



## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

I originally wanted to get a hub drive conversion for my first e-bike. But never pulled the trigger due to many reasons. A lot of adapter problems on a bike never designed for the slightly wider hub, freewheel-based rear hubs (yuck), broken fork dropout problems with front hub motors, etc. 

So I started looking at complete mid-drive hardtails. Over and over again online, the FLX Trail 27.5 bike just looks so nice to buy. It's between $1900-2200, depending on the battery size. 'Only' 350 watts, but 750 peak watt power and I think 350 watts is plenty, especially if the range is roughly 35 miles. Weight is around 50 lbs, 1-year warranty. Three drive modes: pedal only, pedal assist, full throttle. That's really important to me because I want to do pedal assist up inclines, throttle on fire roads, pedal only downhill. I don't want a half-assed one that's pedal assist all the time, that would be horrible. 1x9 drivetrain, 40t up front. Obviously you need e-power to go up inclines with that many teeth in the front chainring. I may modify that down to 28-30t later, and maybe add 2x. 

Has anyone else rode/owned this bike, and what is your opinion of it? Is this 100% legal in California?


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

You will need to gear it so that the top speed on the flats on motor alone is 20mph. If the throttle is removed it will then be Class 1 legal, leave the throttle connected and it will be a Class 2. BTW, I have never heard of anywhere a Class 2 is legal to trail ride in CA, it's a Class 1 world out there if you want to be legal and you want to ride with bicycles and not dirt bikes. 
I always unplugged my throttle when I entered the park and plugged it back in when I left, that way I could demonstrate it was inoperable if asked.


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## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

WoodlandHills said:


> You will need to gear it so that the top speed on the flats on motor alone is 20mph. If the throttle is removed it will then be Class 1 legal, leave the throttle connected and it will be a Class 2. BTW, I have never heard of anywhere a Class 2 is legal to trail ride in CA, it's a Class 1 world out there if you want to be legal and you want to ride with bicycles and not dirt bikes.
> I always unplugged my throttle when I entered the park and plugged it back in when I left, that way I could demonstrate it was inoperable if asked.


It 'says' in the description that the throttle is limited to 20 mph to keep it class 1 in California. Maybe that's wrong...


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## Zinfan (Jun 6, 2006)

richj8990 said:


> It 'says' in the description that the throttle is limited to 20 mph to keep it class 1 in California. Maybe that's wrong...


That is wrong, a throttle assist bike limited to 20 mph is a Class 2 bike, only pedal assist bikes limited to 20 mph are Class 1.


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