Trek Allant+ 7 eBike Review

In-Depth Review

Frame

The Trek Allant+ 7 is built with a high-performance, hydroformed aluminum alloy frame. It’s quite the mouthful, but the end result is that this is a very sturdy bike frame designed with eBike motors and wires in mind. The Trek Allant+ 7 does a great job of integrating as much of the wiring into the frame itself as it could, ensuring that the occasional crash or fall won’t cause critical eBike components to be damaged. While not the lightest eBike model on the market, the Trek Allant+ 7 does weigh just 54 lbs for its L/medium sized frame option, which is quite a few lbs less than many of the other eBikes we’ve had the privilege to review.

Something else we appreciate is that, unlike quite a few eBikes we’ve reviewed, the Trek Allant+ 7 actually comes in multiple frame sizes! While it won’t accommodate every adult rider out there, those who fall within the 5’0’’ to 6’6’’ height range should find a frame that’s comfortable for them, especially with the customizable handlebars and seat options. It is a bit disappointing that such a premium eBike is only available in one color option. Given how great the Nautical Navy looks, we don’t think it’s more than a minor issue, especially because of the great frame size customization.

As a side note, if you are someone who is 5’4’’ or shorter, the Trek Allant+ 7 is also available in a lowstep option. While it has a different product page, the traditional Trek Allant+ 7 is the exact same model outside of a few components being moved around in order to make the low step frame better fitting for shorter riders. Those who are 4’8’’ to about 6’2’’ will be able to enjoy riding on the S, M, and L Trek Allant+ 7 low step style frame. If you are interested in the Trek Allant+ 7 low step, everything that you read about the Trek Allant+ 7 traditional frame will apply equally to the Allant+ 7 low step model.

Motor & Battery

The Trek Allant+ 7 is a class 1 eBike with both pedal assist up to 20 MPH.

The Allant+ 7 relies on a mid-gear drive motor, consisting of the Bosch Performance CX 250 W/85 Nm motor. In optimal conditions, you can travel up to 120 miles with motor assistance, though in most environments we expect you’ll get about 60 to 80 miles with your eBike motor. This is a class 1 eBike, so motor assistance will automatically kick in up to 20 MPH, at which point the motor will turn itself off. Some people make the mistake of thinking the 20 MPH is the speed limit, but by pedaling manually you can go even faster with the Trek Allant+ 7.

A powerful 4Amp charger is used to recharge the Bosch PowerTube 500, and will take 5.5 hours to recharge fully from 0% to 100%. The PowerTube battery is easy to swap out, so if you do have a second battery you can travel even further with the Trek Allant+ 7 without losing motor assistance. The swappable battery also means that you can take your battery into the office with you, recharging it at your desk if you don’t want to recharge the battery while mounted on your eBike. In fact, plugging it in and recharging it on your eBike is somewhat awkward, as outside of having to struggle to just plug it in the cords easily get tangled up with the pedals if you have to move your eBike. It’s a minor problem, but moving the charging port to the top of the battery instead of the bottom would be preferred for easier mounted battery bike charging in the future.

The last component we want to highlight is the mid-drive motor. Mid-drive motors provide a riding feel more similar to natural, unpowered bicycle riding when compared to jerky hub-drive motors. Mid-drive motors are also less likely to break down, and as long as it isn’t mangled you can still ride your eBike like a traditional bicycle even if your mid-drive motor is dead. Mid-drive motors are the more expensive eBike motor option (which is partially why the Trek Allant+ 7 costs as much as it does), but the performance benefits provided along with the overall feel make it a great motor system.

Display/Assist Modes

Mounted on the handlebars is the small, easy to read backlist Bosch Purion controller. This controller is rather simple, to the point it may be a bit underwhelming for those interested in an advanced display, especially with USB phone charging or Bluetooth speakers. However, the Bosch Purion display still provides you with the most important control features and display metrics, and its compact size and basic functions ensure you won’t get nearly as distracted while riding.

The 1.75’’ Bosch Purion display will help you monitor and control the following riding the Trek Allant+ 7:

Bosch Purion Display Metrics and Control Settings:

• Current Speed
• Assist Level (Four Levels and Walk Mode)
• Battery Level (Five Levels)
• Trip Distance
• Total Distance Traveled
• Estimated Battery Range
• Headlight Control

The four assist levels are Eco, Tour, eMTB, and Turbo. The power output increases with each mode, and while it will drain your battery faster and limit your overall range, it will help you get up to speed quicker at a higher setting. We recommend Eco mode for city cruising, tour mode if you are rushing to work, eMTB if you are doing some light trail riding or mountain biking, and Turbo mode if you want to push your motor to its limit.

Overall, the Bosch Purion display is a simple system, but it should provide more than enough control for the vast majority of riders who are interested in the Trek Allant+ 7 eBike.

Handling

• On Streets- The Trek Allant+ 7 is primarily designed with city riding in mind. The Schwalbe G-One 27.5’’ x 2.25’’ tires might not be as quick and nimble as dedicated city or racing tires, but their larger size do provide extra support when riding over less than stellar streets. Coupled with the suspension system, the Allant+ 7 is a great eBike for riding not just over your typical road pavement, but over cobblestone and patchy road sections as well.
• Turn Radius- Overall, we expect that the Allant+ 7 is a largely easy enough eBike to turn, even with its larger tire size. While it might not be able to pivot around a narrow alleyway, the Allant+ 7 will be more than able to dodge light posts and other bikers you may encounter while you’re riding through the city or on back mountain trails.
• Low Speed Handling- The Trek Allant+ 7 comes with a Eco mode, for minor motor power assistance, and a walk mode, for motor power assistance even when you’re off the bike. The Allant+ 7 is good for handling at low speeds, especially given the frame is lighter than many other popular eBike models. However, be aware you can’t backpedal with the Allant+ 7, so walking it backwards can lead to some trouble if you don’t lift the eBike.

Gears/DriveTrain

The Trek Allant+ 7 drivetrain is made up of a 9 speed Shimano HG200 11-36 tooth cassette, with a ProWheel 40 teeth chainring and KMC E9S chain. The cassette teeth are spread out extra wide to minimize chain accidents when you shift with the Shimano Alivio T4000 derailleur and M4000 shifter. An alloy guard protects the chainring, and high quality integrated plastic fenders protects the rest of the drivetrain in order to minimize mud, rocks, and other debris from banging up the components. With Bosch motor shift detection, the need to finetune your drivetrain is further reduced, with mashing gears or your chain slipping off becoming a truely rare occurrence.

The Trek Allant+ 7 drivetrain is designed to require minimal maintenance, but when something does go wrong it can be a bit tricky and difficult to actually service the eBike. There’s no quick release system, the integrated wiring does limit what electric components you can work on, and the chainring doesn’t cycle backwards if you reverse the pedals. If you want to service the drive train, you basically need a maintenance stand or some other way to lift the eBike off the ground, even if you want to just lubricate the chain. As a result, this is an eBike that you may just want to rely on professional support if you need to get it serviced, or take your time and carefully work on if you want to try to finetune or make a repair to the Trek Allant+ 7 yourself.

Brakes

Powerful Shimano MT200/RT26 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes are incorporated into the Trek Allant+ 7. While we haven’t tried them specifically on the Allant+ 7, our experience with these brakes on other eBikes have been great. The 180 mm disc brakes provide a quick but steady stop, reducing the jerkiness that you often feel with less fine tuned braking systems. The speed sensor has also been mounted directly to the disc brake rotor, allowing for even more precise braking, especially when used in conjunction with the Bosch eBike motor system. With comfortable three finger brake levers, the incorporated Shimano braking system is stellar from top to bottom.

Suspension

While it may be an eBike designed for city commuting, you can have quite a lot of fun riding on light mountain trails and off roading thanks to the spring coil SR Suntour suspension fork incorporated into the Trek Allant+ 7. The suspension fork is more than enough to soak up bumpy cobblestone roads and the occasional bad patch of road alike, with 50mm of travel and progressive lockout, preload, and rebound adjustment to further finetune your riding experience. While we wouldn’t try to challenge the suspension system to a steep mountain biking trail, the included system is definitely going to provide better shock absorption and support than your city bike with no suspension at all.

Pedals

The oversized plastic pedals have a steel core, which should provide a feel and level of stability that will closely approximate your oversized pedal platform. The Trek Allant+ 7 has a recommended weight capacity of 300 lbs, with heavier riders encouraged to go with the Trek Allant+ 7 XL model if they are close to that weight capacity. Outside of just stability and support, the pedals feature orange reflective lights all around the perimeter of the pedal. The more reflective lighting on a bike, the more visible your rider profile will be, reducing the chance of suffering a collision with someone else while riding the Trek Allant+ 7.

Grips and Saddle

Starting off with the grips, rubber Bontrager Satellite Elite grips are included with the Trek Allant+ 7. These ergonomic grips are comfortable enough to grab onto, preventing your palms from feeling irritated even as they get sweaty from a long, high intensity bike ride. The grips also incorporate a lock-on clamp design that provides a secured and fastened grip to the handlebar, preventing sliding and slipping, while making them much easier to replace than glued on grips. With high quality Bontrager aluminum alloy handlebars, coming in two size options depending on whether you go with a smaller or larger frame, the Trek Allant+ 7 is designed with comfortable riding in mind.

This is also true thanks to the Bontrager Commuter Comp bike saddle. The air foam, dual-density shell is durable and weather resistant while feeling quite soft to sit on. The saddle is designed to provide the comfort of a full cut-out saddle, but with the support and adjustability important for city riders and commuters. Sitting on a 70/90/100 mm stem depending on your frame size, you can further configure a riding stem position best suited for you. Consider the suspension fork that is also incorporated into the Trek Allant+ 7, and you will have a commuting, fitness, and nearly all-terrain eBike that will be a joy to ride wherever you are.

Wheels and Tires

The Schwalbe G-One tires are definitely built with all-terrain use in mind, with a 27.5’’ x 2.25’’ size that makes them suitable for pavement, dirt roads, and everything in between. Holding the tire together are Alexrims MD35 32 hole aluminum alloy double wall rims, with stainless steel 14 gauge spokes. Able to be inflated from 26 to 54 PSI, these tires offer great versatility that will allow you to really change how your riding experience feels when travelling on soft or hard terrain. Overall, it’s a good tire system, but it isn’t great due to the lack of a quick-release system, so if you need to service your tires you need a 5mm and 6mm hex key wrench. While the incorporated system makes the eBike lighter and harder to strip parts from, it does mean that servicing the tires is a bit harder and more time consuming if you need to stop on the trail.

Accessories/Upgrades

There are quite a few accessories already incorporated into the Trek Allant+ 7 eBike out of the gate. With an aluminum rear cargo rack, plastic fenders, a rear-mounted kickstand, and powerful 180 lumens headlight and 2 LED integrated rear light, you certainly don’t lack for accessories with the Trek Allant+ 7. However, if you are hoping to add a bit more functionality or protection to your Allant+ 7, you should consider the following accessories:

• Bontrager Water Bottle Bat Cage
• Bontrager Flare RT Rear Bike Light
• Bontrager City Shopper Pannier
• Bontrager Comp Multi-Tool
• Bontrager Pro Flat Pack

Recommendation

*For up-to-date pricing on the Trek Allant+ 7 click here

The Trek Allant+ 7 is a great eBike option for those who need a city bike that will still support them if they want to take it off of pavement and onto mountain trails and off road patches. The high quality aluminum frame is well designed and sturdy, coming in three different size options to accommodate most adult sized riders. The powerful motor and easy to replace battery can travel up to 120 miles in optimal conditions, controlled by the simple but intuitive Bosch Purion display. The drive train, suspension, brakes, and even handle bar grips and saddle all feature a great design while providing solid, consistent performance that minimizes the maintenance required to take care of the Trek Allant+ 7. The lack of quick release wheels, along with the inability to backpedal and less than easy access to the electronic wiring means this isn’t the easiest eBike to service when something does go wrong. If you’re the type that takes good care of your bike, and intend mostly to stick to the city with a more challenging trail ride here and there, you will definitely want to consider going out on the 2021 Trek Allant+ 7 and 7 Lowstep eBike.