The FLX F5 is designed for adventurers seeking a powerful, efficient, and comfortable ride over rough terrains. As e-bikes gain popularity among urban commuters and outdoor enthusiasts, the F5 has positioned itself as a contender for those who need a bit more muscle on the trails.
Key Highlight: Its sleek frame and high-performance motor make the FLX F5 an enticing option for thrill-seekers.
The FLX F5 Trail is the budget e-MTB. And we tend to have worries when we hear that word often.
Budget can sometimes mean ‘cheaply made’, littered with problems.
So, the FLX FX Trail doesn’t fall in that category-it bucks that trend by providing decent-enough quality without costing you an arm and a leg.
Mainly an enduro bike, this also does a great job being an e-MTB – so basically it’s a perfect opportunity for many to go on adventure trips.
Is it enough to be relied on on a touring adventure?
Let’s see on the FLX F5 Trail Review.
Our Verdict
For the price, this FLX F5 Trail is one great e-MTB. Power from the motor, battery range is also pretty huge; still, it gives off decent touring bells and whistles such as a luggage rack and comfortable geometry.
You also have a pair of brakes you can trust.
However, it is a heavy brute, does take a long time to charge back up, with absolutely zero playfulness attached, and limited in its simplistic suspension - there is also a problem or two within the drivetrain.
Under $2,700 buys you nothing. Not perfect, not rubbish.
Peaks:
- Motor power
- Range
- Powerful brakes
- Touring capable – luggage racks fitted
Troughs:
- Weight
- Battery charge time
- Drivetrain
- Suspension
FLX F5 E-Bike Review
Best e-bike for hunting
Good for – Off-road enthusiasts seeking adventure.
Price – $2,699
Weight/Frame
The FLX F5 is a heavy-duty touring e-MTB, which delivers bags of stability and lots of robust features.
It’s aluminum-framed and with that comes quite a bit of weight – the bike totals on the scales at 27.67kg.
Obviously, that’s quite a hefty beast and it loses a lot of maneuverability as a result – the bike isn’t made for technical or close combat style riding amongst the trees.
This suits better on open trails, forest roads, and dirt tracks, whereby you sit hours churning through the kilometres.
Its design is quite geared toward adventure, a luggage rack fitted to the rear end of the bike; it holds an immense load-bearing capacity.
That means the bike comes in handy with longer distances of touring or more fun filled the camping trip, angling, or such other adventurous trips, as a useful equipment for hybrid commuters too.
It’s a big machine though, so if you want to take on high complexity-style trail riding, this isn’t the e-MTB for you.
Battery
There are two options at point of sale on the FLX F5 Trail for a battery, and that’s a 650Wh or an 840Wh.
During our review rides we used the more expensive of the two models – the 840Wh model.
The Samsung-made battery is Lithium Ion. It is not one of the more highly developed batteries out there and is one of the major factors that contributes to the weight of the bike overall.
If you are wondering what is the range of the FLX bike? It does achieve a decent distance – we found we could push out over 80km on a flatter route and less than 80km on hillier terrain.
That allows for some decent days out in the saddle, but there is a downside – the battery takes around 6 hours to charge back up to full.
So if you are to go on a touring-style, which the bike is made for, then you might find yourself scratching your head if you get out in the middle of the woods and need to juice up for 6 hours-a long sit at a pub or café.
Something to definitely be aware of if you’re out touring and we would definitely recommend planning ahead for that – making sure you have good overnight stops with electricity where you can recharge back up to full juice.
Motor
The FLX F5 trail is an absolute monster in the motor department.
It comes with a 500Wh Bafang M600 motor, throwing out a quite frankly ridiculous 120Nm of torque.
That‘s a fair bit more than what many normal e-MTBs have and certainly offers a lot more kick than many bikes of similar weight.
The sizeable motor helps reduce the overall weight concern and it‘s got the power to push you up some really steep inclines.
It‘s really suited for long straight inclines–the weight and monstrous power of the bike simply can’t cope well when things get technical on the trail, far too heavy.
The overall figure of power is staggering, however, and something to celebrate for sure.
Though strong, it isn‘t the best-designed motor – only offering one setting, which I suppose we can describe as raw power – and not so great at all for trying to manage one’s effort or tweaking the assistance mode to suit the terrain or battery health.
Also Read Related: Velotric Summit 1 E-Bikes: Perfect Gateway to Biking
ℹ️ Be cautious with your assistance use on hazardous technical sections – the bike’s heavyweight, combined with its immense power, could lead to a nasty accident if you aren’t careful or don’t have the strength to cope with it.
Motor Display
The C240 Bafang Display is simple yet it gets one thing right, namely:
You do get the battery life left in percentages shown and that’s a great relief to us.
This is helpful for the rider as they can plan and manage the effort and the assistiveness exactly and it comes handy especially when riding in distance tour style.
Your speed is also shown along with your distance covered data.
No thrills, but it gets one important thing right.
Suspension
This model is the FLX F5 Trail, which is the only hardtail e-MTB in this review. It has 130mm of travel in the Suntour XCR forks.
Suntour XCR
The hardtail is critical in helping the bike ride a bit smoother over longer distances since it will be used during touring.
A spongey suspension at the back-end, often saps energy that is why the FLX did not suffer from this factor.
Again, the front end is acceptable regarding travel but once again shows nowhere near enough give, allowing you to cop with lumpy terrain, but of course, loses traction and pace accordingly.
The forks aren’t quite anything to get excited over – the set-up can only be said to be somewhat okay at best and would come as part of the purchase price for the package,.
It does enough to take some bumps on the trail, but if you want to take your new FLX Trail to some wilder terrain, the bike will soon struggle.
The suspension offers enough to cope with the extra weight you might attach for a touring or weekend adventure – aside from that, it’s a bit lackluster.
Wheels/Tyres
The FLX F5 Trail features 27.5-inch wheels at both the front and rear.
The rims are bespoke and a very simple fixture, so they’re a little weighty, and the tires are Maxxiss, with their Forekaster Cross Country models fitted as standard.
These feature a toothy tread, which works hard in unstable conditions and they give you the firm footing you need while out in all weathers.
They also have a fair degree of shedding ability so you do not feel slow when pedalling over long distances.
Wheels stability, as well as the capacity to hold a fairly heavy load – which again is important for touring.
Brakes
The FLX F5 Trail has Magura MT5 Hydraulic Disc brakes on it.
Magura don’t do rubbish brakes – it’s a solid piece that works with all the efforts you throw at it within this e-MTB.
Really responsive, good heat dissipation and durable, it all boils down to everything you needed to do on the trail you were on.
Drivetrain
It features a 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain on the FLX F5 Trail.
The only problem of the bike, really with the heavy weight is that at times you feel like you’re churning pretty hard just to get over a rise on a hill because of the lack of an 11th and 12th gear.
However, this pain is relieved by that monster motor if you’ve got battery left.
It’s another averagely good component, doing exactly enough, without being remarkable.
Price: $2,699
It’s very cheap for a capable e-MTB and though there are places that are decidedly average overall it’s not terrible and there are some good features in the mix.
It’s a fraction of the price of most other e-MTBs and you can still get a good length of ride out of it, you have a powerful motor and it’s adventure-ready thanks to its luggage racks and touring features.
It’s a stable bike, and while it doesn’t exactly present fireworks, it isn’t bad.
For $2,699, we believe it gets the job done.
Also Read Related: Best Electric Mountain Bikes Under $4,000
FLX F5 Trail Facts & figures
| GEOMETRY & FIT | |
|---|---|
| MEASUREMENT | |
| SEAT TUBE LENGTH | ≤ 160 |
| STANDOVER HEIGHT | 582 – 681 |
| REACH | 380 |
| HEAD TUBE LENGTH | 562 |
| HEAD TUBE ANGLE | 66.5° |
| SEAT TUBE ANGLE | 66.5° |
| WHEELBASE | 75° |
| CHAINSTAY LENGTH | 435 |
| BOTTOM BRACKET HEIGHT | 1.135 |
| SEAT STAY LENGTH | 584 |
COMPONENT GEOMETRY
| SPECIFICATION | |
| DRIVETRAIN | Shimano Deore 10-Speed Derailleur |
| CRANKSET | 170mm 40T Front Chainring |
| PEDALS | KX005 Wellgo |
| BRAKES | 203mm Magura MT5 Hydraulic Disc |
| GRIPS | Velo Flat Rubber with Lockers |
| SADDLE | Velo FLX Branded |
| SEAT POST COLLAR | 31.6mm Aluminum Quick Release |
| SEAT POST | 300mm / 31.6mm (Length / Diameter) |
| FRONT FORK | Suntour XCR |
| SPOKES | 13 Gauge Stainless Steel |
| TIRES | Maxxis 27.5′ Forekaster Cross Country |
Full Specs
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION | |
| BATTERY | 48V 17.5AH Samsung Lithium Ion Cells |
| RANGE | 50+ Miles |
| CHARGE TIME | 6 Hours @ 4AH |
| MOTOR | 500W Bafang Mid-Motor |
| SPEED | 28+ MPH |
| LCD DISPLAY | C240 Bafang Display |
| DISPLAY FEATURES | Speed Display, Range, Odometer |
| PEDAL ASSIST | Torque Sensor |
| GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION | |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 61 lb (27.67 kg) |
| BATTERY WEIGHT | 10.5 lb (4.76 kg) |
| RATED WEIGHT CAPACITY | 275 lb (124.74 kg) |
| FRAME | 6061 Aircraft Grade Aluminum |
| ACCESSORY MOUNT | Bottle Cage, Fenders, Rear Rack |
| GRAVEL READY | Yes |
| WALK ASSIST | Press and Hold |
| CUSTOMIZABLE | Wide Selection of Accessories |
How Does it Compare?
When stacked against rivals like the RadRover 6 Plus and Specialized Turbo Levo, the FLX F5 holds its own with superior battery life and a competitive price point.
Here’s how it compares:
| Feature | FLX F5 | RadRover 6 Plus | Specialized Turbo Levo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Power | 750W | 750W | 565W |
| Battery Range | Up to 70 miles | Up to 45 miles | Up to 40 miles |
| Suspension | Dual | Front | Front |
| Price | Mid-Range | Budget-Friendly | Premium |
Final Thoughts
The FLX F5 Trail is a budget style e-MTB touring, which can be said to have some parts from the low-cost design it has.
Still, at least there are some things to speak well of: the motor has a very good power reserve, the touring abilities are respectable in terms of frame conception and robustness, you also get a decent enough pair of brakes.
It’s a bike which knows what it’s made for and does not try to let you stray away from that, even remotely.
Not suitable for lumpy and bumpy terrains, it is still comfortable on flatter open trails for long hours of ride, carrying luggage or essentials for adventure, strapped on the rear.
If you have a more limited budget, it’s well worth considering for any type of e mountain bike touring, although it is far from perfect. But when compared to most other options available out there, this option can be considered significantly cheaper.
Time for you to saddle up and prefer for an adventure.
