Trek has rebooted its urban electric bike line up by replacing its Super Commuter with an all-new, six-strong Allant range.
The new family sees Trek continuing with Bosch's latest Performance Line motors, including a Speed version in some territories, a carbon frame for the top-end 9.9 model, and the option to add an extra range-boosting battery.
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2020 Trek Allant key specs
- OCLV carbon frame and fork on 9.9 and 9.9S models
- Aluminium frame on 7, 8, 8S and 9S models
- Bosch Performance Line Speed 250W, 75Nm, 45km/h pedelec motor on S models
- Bosch Performance Line CX 250W 75Nm, 25km/h motor on all UK models
- Bosch Powertube 625Wh battery on EU models from Allant 8 upwards
- Bosch Powertube 500Wh battery on Allant 7
- Bosch Kiox removable display unit
- Range Boost optional 500Wh battery easily attaches to frame
- Always-on daytime running lights
- Prices start at £3,000 /€3,399 /$3,599 for Allant 7 and €6,599 / $5,999 for Allant 9.9S
- Claimed weight for Allant 9.9S is 22.2kg (including battery); Allant 8 is 25.6kg
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The range-topping Allant 9.9S will no doubt get assisted-speed freaks' juices flowing because it's the first Trek urban e-bike to be offered with a carbon frame and fork.
In some territories it'll be fitted with the Speed variant of the Bosch Performance Line power unit, which will keep you assisted up to 45kph / 28mph.
Below the 9.9 models you'll get an alloy frame, but speedier 'S' versions of each variant are available.
Of course, British riders will definitely not get the S option and will instead have to make do with the Performance Line CX models restricted to 25kph / 16mph.
All of the bikes use Trek's Removable Integrated Battery — RIB — so the power cell can be taken out for charging.
UK e-bikers can still grab a carbon frame and fork, with the Allant 9.9 available for £5,200.
Other than the motor, it's identical to the 'S' with the smart looking 'Active' frame — for a sporty town riding position — housing the 625Wh Bosch Powertube integrated into the down tube.
The range topping carbon machines get 12-speed Shimano XT gearing plus what Trek calls its cable Guidr system. This allows up to 11 cables to be housed internally and a Blendr stem, which integrates the always-on daylight running front light and Bosch Kiox (SmartphoneHub in the US) head unit.
Get your Kiox
Outside of the US, all Allant models from the 8 upwards get the Kiox head unit. This is similar to a GPS head unit in that it can be connected to Bosch's eBike Connect app.
Using the app, the info displayed is customisable. The display is colour and sits behind tough Gorilla Glass, and the data it collects is uploaded to an online portal.
The Kiox unit is also removable and, once removed, the motor is locked so that the bike can't be used until it's reunited with the display.
US consumers get the Bosch SmartphoneHub rather than the Kiox. This does have an LCD display but extra functionality is unlocked if you choose to download the Cobi.Bike app and use your smartphone as the head unit.
Do this and you'll be able to do modern connected things such as navigate, stream music and connect to Strava as you ride.
Home-in on the range
If range anxiety is an issue for you, Trek is offering the Range Boost option on all models. This is an additional 500Wh battery that attaches to the bike's frame and, essentially, doubles the range.
Both batteries are locked to the bike with one key and you can retro-fit Range Boost after you've bought a bike.
Trek reckons that adding an extra battery will mean that a range of as much as 200km is possible. It comes at a cost, however — powering up with a Range Boost will add around £1,000/ €1,000 to the cost of the bike.
Other Allant features
There are a number of standard features that appear throughout the new range.
Integrated mudguards — surely Trek calls them Fendrs? — and rear racks are standard on each model, as are always-on daytime running lights which adapt to ambient light. (They'll keep working for a while even if you run the motor battery down).
A step-through frame is only available on the Allant 7, although each model is also available with a Stagger frame, where the top tube meets the seat tube around halfway up.
Shimano provides the gearing for almost all of the Allant models, ranging from 9-speed Acera and Alivio in Europe and the US respectively up to 12-speed Deore XT. The exception is the 9S which comes with NuVinci's Enviolo CVT automatic hub system.
I spent only a very brief time on an aluminium Allant+ 8 at the bike's launch in Italy in July — the gelato at the end of the short test run was delicious but I didn't get enough of a feel for the bike for a definitive review.
We'll bring you a full test in the near future.
