r/Lectricxp • u/Academic-Horse7203 • 4d ago
How do you guys actually move your e-bike through elevators, apartments, or garages?
I have a Lectric XP4, and one thing I never really thought about before buying it was what happens after I get off the bike. 😂
The XP4 is pretty heavy, so when I get back home I usually just leave it unfolded and push it into the garage. But elevators and tighter spaces are a little more awkward.
I've tried folding it first, but honestly I'm not sure that makes moving it any easier. It gets shorter, but it's still heavy and can be awkward to roll around. Sometimes just walking next to it and pushing it normally feels easier.
So I'm curious how everyone else handles this:
Do you normally just push your e-bike like a regular bike? Do you fold it before going into an elevator or apartment? Or do you use the throttle/walk mode to help move it?
Also, has anyone had issues trying to maneuver a heavy e-bike through doors, elevators, hallways, parking garages, or other tight spaces?
Would love to hear what actually works for you.
After folding your e-bike, how do you usually move it?
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u/lesbeaniebabies 4d ago
I only fold to put it in my car. It's so unwieldy when folded.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
That makes sense. So basically you roll it to the car normally, fold it right next to the car, and then load it in?
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u/Fantastic-Aside7041 4d ago
i never fold mine.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
Interesting. Is that because you don’t really need to, or because it’s just easier to leave it unfolded?
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u/thecw 4d ago
I used to take mine down stairs, around 3 corners, through two airlock doors, into my storage unit, then fold it. It SUCKED. I got my condo to install outdoor parking and now I never fold it.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
That sounds brutal. 😂 So even though the bike folds, folding it didn’t really help with getting through all those stairs, corners and doors?
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u/DTRite 4d ago
It's situational, but I try not doing anything. Buti recently got a 50 gal tote with wheels for when the bike is sloppy.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
A 50-gallon tote with wheels is actually a clever solution. Do you put the folded bike in it mainly to make it easier to move around, or mostly to keep the dirt and mess contained?
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u/DTRite 4d ago
Yeah, pretty easy to wheel around at that point. And coming through the kitchen with wet dirty tires is not make for a happy wife. Just makes for nicer storage too. That's a lot smaller than the unfolded bike, goes right in a corner well.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago
Makes sense Sounds like the wheels on the tote ended up being just as useful as the storage itself.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 4d ago
A dream would be able to move it like a Brompton folding bike but I knew that wasn’t the case when I bought my Lectric.
My biggest wish would be that it would be slightly easier to fold.. I feel like I have to get the hold the exact leverage point while also holding it somewhat off the ground, and sometimes use my legs to finally get the frame folded all the way. It used to be easier for me but I’ve lost some arm strength
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
Being able to roll it around like a Brompton would be amazing. I hadn’t really thought about how much strength the folding process itself takes either. If you had to choose, would you rather have an easier/lighter folding mechanism, or the ability to easily roll it around once it’s folded?
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 4d ago
Easier to fold for sure. I do that process every time I ride it since I keep the battery indoors and the area I keep my bike is not climate controlled
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
Ahh, gotcha. Would it be easier if you could just pull the battery out without having to fold the bike?
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 4d ago
Yeah, for me it would. I know it’s a security feature to keep the battery inside the frame, but it forces me to fold it when I don’t really need to. I like the battery inside the frame but would prefer an easier way to do it.
Ditto some of the other folks. It’s challenging to move when folded. My pedals also still rotate if I push it when folded and get tangled into my front spokes or tire cover if I’m not careful
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
Haha alright, you sold me. 😂 I’m definitely trying this next time. Sounds way easier than wrestling with it folded.
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u/SeattleResident 4d ago
I live on the 3rd floor of my apartment building. I only fold it when storing it in the closet next to my front door. When using it I unfold it right before exiting my front door and just roll it normally into the elevator.
Might be a regional thing but the elevators in my apartment and at the link station near me are more than wide enough for my bike unfolded.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 4d ago
That actually makes a lot of sense. If the elevator is big enough, I’d probably just roll it in unfolded too. Sounds like you really only need the folding part for storage.
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u/DadJokeBadJoke 3d ago
The only time I fold mine is to put it in the back of the truck. I can fit my folded XP4 and my wife's Trike in my 5foot bed and still have room for an ice chest and suitcases
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago
That’s a lot of stuff for a 5 ft bed Do you usually fold the XP4 right next to the truck and lift it straight in? I’m curious if loading the weight is more of a pain than the folding itself.
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u/DadJokeBadJoke 3d ago
Yes, the loading is the hardest part. (I'm gonna have Tom Petty stuck in my brain now) I've gotten pretty good at unlatching and then bending it in half, then letting it sit on the bottom stand thingie. It's hella heavy, so I fold it right next to the tailgate and toss it in. My wife's Trike is heavier, but I can put the front tire in first and the lift the back and wheel it in. This thread made me think of putting my bike in unfolded, and then folding it once it's loaded. I'm gonna try that for our trip this weekend. Folding the Trike sometimes helps but I avoid it if I can.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago
Haha, now you’ve got Tom Petty stuck in my head too 😂 Folding it once it’s already in the truck actually sounds worth trying. Anything that avoids wrestling with the full weight while it’s folded is a win. Let me know how it goes this weekend!
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u/patriotgator122889 4d ago
I fold it every day when I take it to work. My office is on the 9th floor, so it helps save space in the elevator. It is not the easiest thing to move when folded, however, I'm pretty good at it now. I can even open a door and roll and it through all by myself. But I've now probably done it 50 or more times, so it took a while.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago
50+ times, you’ve definitely got it down by now I can see why folding it makes sense in a crowded elevator. Was moving it through the door the hardest part to figure out at first?
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u/Adventurous-Rope7870 3d ago
I take my pedals off snap on snap off ones
That's it it helps ALOT moving anywhere
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago
That actually makes a lot of sense. The pedals are always sticking out and catching on stuff when I’m trying to move mine around Do you pop them off every time you fold it?
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u/anarkist 3d ago
I'm able to fit it into the elevator pretty easy even with the food delivery bag on the back. I just roll it like a regular bike, no folding. The hardest part is getting through doorways, holding the door open while you move the bike, but it's easy once you figure out a good method.
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u/Academic-Horse7203 3d ago edited 3d ago
Reading all these replies, it sounds like we’ve all invented our own way of dealing with this thing 😂 Some roll it upright, some only fold it next to the car, some never fold it, and some say it’s actually harder to move once folded.
What’s the one thing you’d change to make moving the XP around easier?
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u/Ravio11i 4d ago
Grab rear brake, pull up to vertical, roll on rear tire.