Test: The MaxCycles In Lite 2 harness offers a high-quality Bosch drive, comprehensive all-round capabilities and a comfortable, medium-high entry. That sounds like a versatile bike with little to worry about. Also true! But you can think a lot and question your own demands and needs. Why? Read for yourself...
Wouldn't it be nice to get an e-bike that perfectly meets one's personal needs because it was built to one's specifications? That's doable. MaxCycles offers a variety of models where you can not "only" choose the size and color, but also have a say in the equipment. Wheel size and tire selection can also be made individually and if you want, you can have your name in the decor. We tried a variant of the MaxCycles In Lite 2 “as an example”.
The MaxCycles In Lite 2 - a potpourri of possibilities
"Exemplary" fits here particularly well, not only with the In Lite, but generally with all MaxCycles bicycles. Because at MaxCycles, the future owner of the bike already has a lot of say in the ordering process. In general, it is common to choose the right frame size. Often there are also different equipment variants for a bike, which are optimized for different areas of use, for example. A frame can certainly be used for an SUV or a mountain bike, or a trekking bike frame with the appropriate equipment can work in everyday life in the city. With a MaxCycles bike, the options are very extensive. With the In Lite you can not only choose between different hub gears and a derailleur gear, you can even choose between large 28 inch wheels with slightly slimmer tires or voluminous 27,5 inch tires.
In addition to these options, which greatly influence the wheel's properties, you can also choose freely according to your taste for less serious components. For example, a Speedlifter was installed on our bike. With this, the handlebar height can be adjusted quite a bit and makes the bike even more versatile. When it came to the wheels, we didn't use big wheels like in the series, but rather 50 mm wide 27,5-inch Schwalbe Marathon Almotion tires. These really make a lot of sense on the MaxCycles In Lite. The bike feels quite stiff and feels more sporty than overly comfortable. The driving experience can certainly be described as dynamic. Especially those who travel a lot on gravel roads or live in a city center where cobblestones are the norm will appreciate the comfort of thicker tires.
The right choice for everyone
As a rule, the city dweller will also rely on the hub gears, where you can choose between different products. So you can get a Shimano 5-speed as well as 8-speed hub gear or even a Shimano 11-speed. If that's not enough, you can opt for a 14-speed Rohloff Speedhub hub, with which even those circling the world are happy. The Shimano 10-speed XT derailleur gears installed on our tester are functionally absolutely flawless and would probably be the first choice for sporty drivers.
A cyclist who wants to make quick progress or go on longer tours with the MaxCycles would probably choose large 28-inch wheels and a somewhat sportier handlebar. If you value comfort, you would probably choose a suspension seat post, which is also possible. Perhaps a suspension fork would also be a good thing for such a comfort-oriented driver and this option is also available. There are even different options when it comes to lighting, grips, stem and luggage rack.
By the way, "Light" is definitely a suitable name for the bike. Without knowing whether the makers intended it that way, we see the "In" as suitable for a bike with an integrated battery and the "Lite" also fits because it is the bike are already available from around 23 kilos. For a bike with full equipment, a 625 Wh battery and a powerful Bosch motor, that's definitely quite good.
MaxCycles In Lite 2 Conclusion
I told a lot about the bike without naming a real test result. That's because I can't really judge the bike. I can't give a minus point for anything that can't be changed in my desired configuration. The test bike as we had it didn't seem 100% conclusive to me. This is mainly due to the fact that the comfortable handlebars and the more comfortable tires and wheel set were installed on the e-bike with the sporty derailleur gears, which still does not have a spring seat post and a suspension fork. I would probably recommend the larger wheels in combination with the derailleur gears and low weight to cyclists for fast and sporty tours.
For comfort-seeking and city bikers, the thick tires in combination with a hub gear are probably even better. If you plan to take dirt roads under your tires or generally appreciate more comfort, you should take a closer look at the options with suspension fork and suspension seat post. I would like to consider the In Lite harness that we tried and photographed as one possible configuration out of many. I'm sure that almost every cyclist looking for a bike suitable for everyday use can be happy with a variant of the MaxCycles In Lite.
The MaxCycles In Lite is available from €4.699 – including some of the options that were installed on our bike, it would be around €5.000. It has to be said that there is definitely better equipment out there for the money. And everything works great! The Bosch Performance motor is sufficient even on the mountain, has power and is cultivated. The Shimano gears and brakes are beyond reproach. In general, all add-on parts are OK.
And: no one else offers so many optimization and customization options. That costs a little more than a discounter solution. But it's okay, I think. Let's assume that you will ride the tailor-made bike in your favorite color and even with your own lettering if you wish, a little longer than an off-the-shelf product. Both the frame and the components seem to provide a really good basis for this.
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