Before Triumph started producing motorcycles in the early 20th century, the company was already making pushbikes, but that was almost 150 years ago, 1884, to be precise and a lot has changed since then.
The Trekker GT is the company’s first pedal electric bike, and it’s not a bad performer at all. It’s beautifully crafted with a sleek gray and matte black finish and well-ridden. Triumph turned to respected Japanese components maker Shimano and the result is an electric bike with solid, if not spectacular, performance.
While it isn’t the most powerful electric bike in the world, it does offer a great range, certainly around 100 miles in Eco mode. There are also ‘normal’ and ‘high’ if you want a smooth ride, more thrust when going uphill.
It is also a pleasant and quiet ride, so you will pass other cyclists who do not know that you are being assisted by a motor. But there is only one problem, it is really quite expensive for what it is. If you love the Triumph brand, you will most likely love this electric bike. If you’re not a huge fan, you can probably get a better and cheaper alternative elsewhere.
Price And Release Date Of Triumph Trekker GT
The Trekker GT was released in June 2020 and is available in the UK, the US, and Europe excluding Germany and Austria at a suggested retail price of £ 2,950.
Design Of Triumph Trekker GT
It is inevitable that even the best e-bikes are heavy and this one is no exception. There are three different frame sizes to buy: Small (450mm) for riders between 155 and 165cm tall, Medium (500mm) for riders from 165cm to 180cm tall, and Large (550mm) for 180cm.
For those who opt for the mid-size frame, the e-bike including the lithium-ion battery weighs around 24 kg, and the Shimano motor itself weighs almost 3 kg which is actually much less than the old-style engines of the company.
That sounds like a lot, but the Triumph Trekker GT isn’t much heavier than many of the other e-bikes and, thanks to its slim design, it looks a lot lighter than it is.
At first glance, you cannot tell that it is an electric model as the battery is perfectly integrated into the aluminum frame. A key is included just in case you need to remove it. Double paintwork: Matte Ice Silver and Matte Jet Black which gives the Trekker GT a really stylish feel, just like the Triumph branding, including the Union Jack-inspired emblem on the front.
Although the Trekker wouldn’t be called a racing bike as it looks more like a fancy touring bike, it comes with a more sporty-looking SelleRoyal Vivo saddle which luckily is more comfortable than it sounds.
Less sporty, but perhaps more practical, is the darkened rear rack for stowing your shopping. Other useful features are the integrated Abus Pro Shield safety lock, full-length mudguards, a stand, LED lighting front and back, and an old-fashioned hood! In short, the overall feel is that of an extremely stylish electric bike that you would expect from one of the UK’s top motorcycle manufacturers.
Performance Of Triumph Trekker GT
Even if the Triumph Trekker GT at first glance looks like an ordinary bike with a fairly standard Shimano 10-speed cassette, of course, nothing is further from the truth. Power is supplied by the Shimano BT8035 504Wh battery.
To charge the electric bike, simply plug the supplied bulky AC charger into a socket on top of the pedals. Alternatively, the battery can be removed for charging with the key delivered, but this is of course a bit trickier.
If you charge the bike for a few hours, the charge is sufficient for up to 160 km of assisted pedaling, although the amount depends on your riding style, weight, etc. There are three levels of assistance that should be provided i.e. “HIGH” full power for maximum support, “NORMAL” for gradual support, and “ECO” less support for longer journeys.
To select the level of assistance you want, simply press the up and down buttons on the left handlebar controls. Pressing the center button of these controls changes the black and white screen in the center of the bike to change the Shimano front windshield. Here you will find various options such as speed, distance, travel time, clock, gear steps, and battery. The display can also be used to turn the bike’s power and lights on or off.
The bike’s electronics are supplemented by a 10-gear system that can be controlled using the up and down levers on the right In terms of performance, the Triumph Trekker GT is more decent than outstanding, the good thing is that a full charge does not take longer than a few hours and the battery does not run down even after a few hours of riding. On the flip side, however, it’s certainly not the most powerful electric bike ever ridden.
While Eco mode is great for cycling on flat terrain, if you’re going uphill or want to get away from the lights quickly to avoid motorists, you’ll need to use normal or high mode for extra performance. The Shimano motor only produces a fairly modest “torque” (60 Nm) compared to some much more powerful e-bikes.
Other than that, if you don’t ride up and down mountains regularly, it’s probably more than enough. It’s also more comfortable to ride than you’d expect from a fairly narrow, sporty-looking saddle.
Conclusion
For those who like the Triumph brand and are looking for an e-bike that looks good and is reasonably powerful, we definitely recommend the Trekker GT. However, for those on a budget or looking for really high levels of performance, it is probably best to stay away from its handlebar. This is also where you’ll find the pretty, chic bell that you can use to tell people to stay out of your way.
