Trek Allant+ 8 review

Trek aims its Allant+ electric bike range at the ‘committed’ commuter. The design and specification of its Allant+ 8, which sits one rung below the £5,000 top-end Allant+ 9, ticks all the right boxes for commuters riding any distance.

Most notably, the Allant+ 8 has a high-power motor and an equally high-capacity 625Wh battery, which is promised to deliver a very good range.

Trek Allant+ 8 details and specifications

Trek’s Allant+ 8 has a hydroformed aluminium frame with all the fixtures and fittings you’re likely to need, taking in mudguard mounts, rack bosses, twin bottle cages and even mounts under the top tube for a frame-fitting bag.

The accessory package is equally comprehensive. It comes with tough aluminium mudguards, a minimal rear rack, front and rear LED lights powered by the battery, a kickstand and quality pedals made to grip your cycling shoes without damaging their soles.

The slimline rack is rated to 14kg/30lb. That should be plenty for a trip to the shops, which is when you’ll appreciate the inclusion of a kickstand. A stand really comes into play when the total weight approaches 40kg.

The front light is rated to 180 lumens/60 lux, which I found more than enough to light the way on unlit suburban roads and rural lanes.

The range starts at £3,100 for the Allant+ 5 and tops out at £5,000 for the Allant+ 9, which comes with a Gates belt drive and a high-tech CVT – continuously variable transmission – hub from Enviolo (formerly NuVinci), rather than a traditional derailleur or hub gears.

Trek Allant+ 8 geometry

Trek Allant+ 8 battery and motor

The core of the bike is Bosch’s powerful CX Performance mid-mounted motor. The CX is usually found on high-performance electric mountain bikes and the 85Nm of torque it provides is ample to get you and a fully loaded bike up steep climbs without breaking sweat.

The Bosch system provides four assist modes: Eco, Tour, Sport and Turbo. The Eco setting provides the lowest assistance level but the highest potential range, around 90 miles, and at the other end of the scale, the Turbo setting gives you the maximum power available but shortens the range to around 50 miles.

The big potential range is thanks to Trek specifying Bosch’s largest-capacity battery, at 625Wh. It is housed neatly in the down tube, using Trek’s RIB – Removable Internal Battery – system. Turn the key and the battery pops out of the top. It’s easy to remove and it comes with a handle, which makes remote charging easy.

Charging takes just shy of five hours, which is forgivable when you consider the extended range offered by the high-capacity battery.

The CX motor is controlled by Bosch’s neat full-colour Kiox display and bar-mounted remote controller. This means you have plenty of information to hand and you can also upload routes from cycling apps such as Komoot.

The display is fully customisable through Bosch’s app, and it’s all done quickly and smoothly over Bluetooth.

As with all road-going ebikes in the UK, the Allant’s electric motor only engages when you're pedalling and, more importantly, it will stop providing assistance at 15.5mph according to the current law.

However, the regulations do allow a 10 per cent margin, which could take you a shade over 17mph. The Trek makes use of that margin, the Allant+ 8 rolling quickly on its voluminous 2.4in 650b tyres.

During testing over rolling terrain, and using each mode sparingly, I was able to achieve a maximum range of 93.8miles/150.9km, with a considerable 3,720ft/1,134m of climbing – which is very impressive indeed.

If you don't need quite such an extended range, the Allant+ 7 is £600 cheaper, and its 500Wh battery should still be good for more than 60 miles. Should you want to increase the range further still, you can add Bosch’s 500Wh RangeBoost battery, delivering another 60 miles or so, but it will cost you an extra £950.

Trek Allant+ 8 ride impressions

The Allant’s down tube is offset, which ensures a perfectly aligned drivetrain. This results in slick, reliable and fast gear shifts with no chatter at either end of the cassette.

The gearing pairs a single 42t chainring with a wide-ranging 11-42 cassette, and the 1:1 ratio bottom gear is low enough to pedal up most hills even without the assistance of the motor.

Slowing down and stopping a 25kg bike requires powerful brakes, and the Allant doesn’t disappoint here, with Trek pairing Shimano’s MT200 dual-piston hydraulic brakes and large-diameter 180mm rotors that are more usually found on off-road bikes.

The lever shape works well for any hand size, and though the levers initially feel soft, they offer plenty of bite through their travel.

On commuting and hybrid ebikes, a lot of brands tend to opt for a suspension fork for comfort, which adds both complexity and weight. I much prefer Trek’s approach, which relies instead on a rigid fork in combination with high-volume tyres and excellent contact points for the bike’s road-going comfort.

The Bontrager Commuter Comp saddle is well shaped, and the padding isn’t overly soft or firm, which makes for a great sweet spot. The ergo-shaped grips eliminate front-end vibration well and the huge tyres coped easily with excursions onto gravel tracks, bridleways, towpaths and byways.

The Allant breezes along, taking everything in its stride. Its position is upright, comfortable and very well suited to riding in traffic, because you have a great view from the commanding seated position.

The steering is light and the bike feels nimbler than any bike of this weight has a right to. I found it easy to navigate through bike-path gates and around obstacles on narrow towpaths.

Trek Allant+ 8 bottom line

While the price may be intimidating, the Trek Allant+ 8 is a serious electric bike for commuters who want to broaden their horizons.

The ride is infinitely comfortable, there’s ample range from the large-capacity battery and the bike comes with a comprehensive parts package. There’s a lot to like here.