Testing the Lankeleisi MG740 Plus Near Jackson, WY | Photo Rich Goodwin Mountain Weekly News
The Lankeleisi MG740 Plus is the first e-bike I have tested with dual motors. You get a whopping 2000W of total power with this dual motor electric mtb.
Mike Hardaker, Author and Gear Tester Talks about the Lankeleisi MG740 Plus E-Bike
About Lankeleisi
Founded in 2011, Lankeleisi has been making reliable ebikes and e-mtbs for over a decade. In the past the Mountain Weekly News has tested their full suspension electric bike the RV700 and were impressed with how hard we were able to ride the bike, especially with it being electric. So when the MG740 Plus arrived I was eager and super stoked to get it out on dirt and see if it performed as well as the last Lankeleisi E-bike reviewed by the Mountain Weekly News.
Dual Motor E-Bike
The first thing that stands out about the MG740 Plus E-Bike is the dual motors. The bike comes equipped with a standard 1000w rear hub motor along with a second motor on the front hub. Eah high speed brushless motor puts out 1000W power, so when combined you have a total of a whopping 2000W of power.
Samsung Battery
For the abillity to power 2000W Lankeleisi turned to Samsung for a lithium battery. This massive 48V / 20ah Samsung Battery sits on the down tube as it’s much too large to be encorpated into a frame battery. The trade off with a battery of this size is the potential range of use.
Lankeleisi advertises the MG740 Plus E-Bike’s range to be almost 95 miles or 150km to be exact. Now as the Mountain Weekly News state in all of our reviews, your mileage may very as this number depends on a lot of factors including what level of pedal assist you use most. Honestly, I like to say whatever the brand advertises cut it in half and you should be fine.
How’s the Bike Ride?
Well lets start with the weight. At 75lbs. the Lankeleisi MG740 Plus is on the heavier side for an e-mtb. For this test I rode up and down single track trail and found the weight wasn’t too noticeable on the way uphill thanks to the dual motors. While the the 26″ x 4″ ChaoYang Fat Tires easily handled dirt, tree roots and additional obstacles I encountered on the trail.
Now being a heavier e-bike when going uphill you need to plan your gearing accordingly just like you would on a xc bike or even downhill bill for a climb. When done correctly combined with the power of the bikes front and rear motor you get a nice propel of assistance going uphill and the ability to use the right hand twist throttle for additional power.
On the downhill riding is where you start to notice the bike’s overall weight and momentum that the MG740 Plus E-Bike quickly builds. You’ll most likely be on the brakes the majority of the time as it take a little bit longer to slow down a bike with soo much weight on downhill trails. When riding on the street or pavement the bikes acts like a normal ebike and brakes accordingly. However when on technical trails you really need to be thinking at all times, “hey I’m on a heavier e-bike” and need to be slowing down into turns or technical sections.
- Pros: Dual Motors offer nice assistance while going uphill. Bigger battery = extended range.
- Cons: Handlebar grips are hard plastic which are really uncomfortable while riding downhill trails, lack of rear suspension
A few things that would make this bike ride even better for downhill would be to build it around a full suspension frame like the RV700, and to add traditional mountain bike style grips. There were a few times on the decent where my hands literally bounced off the handlebars as the grip is solid plastic vs rubber.
Who Would Like this Bike?
I think the person that will get the most use out of the bike will be for actually commuting into the city vs riding as a electric mountain bike on a daily basis. In this test I showed the bikes was able to handle trails however there are much better tools for that job even bikes that the same company builds.
Yet the dual motor was unquie and when pedaling felt nice and smooth. The sort of pedal stroke you could get on and easily put longer distance rides on. Especially with their claimed 95 miles range on a full battery.
Lankeleisi MG740 Plus E-Bike Pros:
- Dual Motors: Very powerful 2000W total motor provides excellent hill climbing ability and strong acceleration.
- Large Battery: Samsung 48V/20Ah battery offers a long advertised range of 95 miles (be realistic and expect half that in most conditions).
- Comfortable Pedaling: Smooth pedaling experience thanks to the motor design.
- Fat Tires: Offer good grip on various terrains including dirt, tree roots, and pavement.
- Easy to Use Controls: Simple and intuitive controls for navigating pedal assist and throttle.
- Fast on Pavement: Reaches speeds up to 28 mph, making it suitable for both street and bike paths.
- Great for Commuting: Powerful motor and long range make it ideal for city riding.
- Fun and Unique: Dual-motor design offers a powerful and enjoyable riding experience.
Lankeleisi MG740 Plus E-Bike Cons:
- Heavy: At 75 lbs, it can be difficult to maneuver and transport, especially when folded.
- No Rear Suspension: Can be uncomfortable on rough terrain, especially downhill.
- Hard Plastic Grips: Uncomfortable for downhill riding, especially with the bike’s weight and momentum.
- Not Ideal for Technical Trails: Weight and lack of suspension make it better suited for smoother terrain.
- Overpriced for a Hardtail: At $1899.99, there are better full-suspension options for serious mountain biking.
Overall Impression
For a fun hardtail mountain bike to ride into the city or around town, do a little gravel and dirt riding the Lankeleisi MG740 Plus is a fun and unique option to ride around. Do keep in mind the bikes total weight and lack of rear suspension if buying it solely for riding as an e-mtb.
For all other uses the Lankeleisi MG740 Plus E-Bike ($1,899.99) is a great option for a fun bike for zipping around town and can reach a top speed of 28 mph which allows you to ride on both the street and bike paths with plenty of power output.
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