Electra Unleashes a Zappy City Rider With Retro Styling for the Frugal Masses

As you might know, Electra is an offshoot of Trek Bicycles and was born as an idea around 1993. However, it wasn't until 1995 that the first machine with Electra styling would hit the market, and once it did, it remained unchanged for five years. What made it so dang special and popular was that it brought the whole beach cruiser fad back into play.

Over the years, quite a few models have been crafted and even put to rest, and these days countless designs are still offered under the Electra name, and yes, this family is still growing. The newest addition is the Loft Go! lineup, which includes two new city-ready buggers that seem to stray away from the whole beach cruiser styling.

One of the machines is the 7D EQ Step-Over, an electrified two-wheeler designed to be a lightweight, fast, and even affordable solution to getting around town. Let's take a look to see if the 7D has what it takes to end up in your garage.

I'll be honest, upon seeing the Step-Over for the first time, I felt as though I was transported back to a time when cycling was first beginning. You know, the sort of design we often see in old black-and-white flicks, even before all that cruiser stuff. Come to think of it, I could very well see this EV on the streets of a French town, zipping around Holland, carrying Focaccia through Italian alleyways, and up and down the hills of San Fran. Considering the whole retro look of things is hitting hard in a number of industries, it's no wonder we're seeing it applied to bicycles too.

A few features that give off this look are that extra-long head tube, slim and sleek fork, clearly the handlebars, and the way those fenders hug those 40c tires. The seat follows a similar feel too. Nonetheless, with all that retro feeling, this EV is just that, an EV, and that means a very modern approach in all senses of the word. For example, all wiring is routed internally, the down tube is beefy as hell – it hides a battery array – and the split top tube blends into the seat stay in ways engineers of the early bicycle era would never think possible.

But things take a bit of a turn for the uncertain once we start to analyze the electrical components of this fresh two-wheeler. In case you haven't been keeping up with Trek's movements as of late, all you need to know is that it seems they're exploring e-system manufacturers other than Bosch. Those changes are extending to the Electra brand too. What does this mean for you? Well, it could be good, or it could be bad.

For instance, Electra makes no mention of the motor manufacturer that is supplying the 250-watt rear-hub motor. We're told that you can now "dodge traffic" with speeds upwards of 20 mph (32 kph) and a torque output of up to 40 Nm (29.5 ft-lb). Still, I'd love to know the brand name behind this little powerhouse, and if I use deductive reasoning, I will probably reach the name Hyena, a Taiwanese crew already supplying several Electra vehicles. Still, this is just an assumption, and until details are released, we may never know.

The same holds true for the battery pack; no brand name is given. Nonetheless, we're told that a range of up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) is possible on a full charge. It may not seem like much, but it's well within the daily range that folks travel even with their cars. Heck, have you ever ridden more than 20 miles on a bicycle saddle? If you have, then you know the feeling of trying to double that range; your butt won't love you for it.

For the remainder of the systems that help you move around town, Electra has chosen to use an amalgam of teams to create a 7-speed drivetrain. Here we can find Microshift shifters moving a Shimano Tourney derailleur on a brandless chainring and cassette. A KMC chain is also thrown into the mix. Luckily, a torque sensor is thrown into the mix, helping you achieve a balanced feel between pedaling and motor output.

As a final trick up its sleeve, the Step-Over is suitable for accommodating a rear cargo rack. While it may not be a very big deal, this latter feature can prove priceless in an urban setting, and Electra knows this. Throw on your backpack, briefcase, or some groceries, and off you go. Overall, this two-wheeler weighs 21 kg (46 lb) and can be loaded up to 136 kg (300 lb), rider, bike, and all.

But how much are we being asked to dish out on this new trinket? I feel that Electra has done the market research and has priced this 2023 version at a solid $2,000 (€1,840 at current exchange rates). Just on the border of how much folks like you and me are willing to pay for something like this. I wonder if the same lifetime warranty Trek bikes come with is present in Electra machines too. If it is, this EV may just be a steal.