Raleigh Lore iE Electric Bike Review Part 2: Ride & Range Test [VIDEO]

After many miles of testing the Raleigh Lore iE it has proven to be a fast, stable, and fun eBike!

It has a very stable ride feel from its mountain bike platform and super wide balloon style Schwalbe tires. 

The Bosch Performance Line Speed mid drive can assist up to 28 mph and it efficiently climbs steeper hills with ease. 

There is a high quality ride feel from a nice assortment of components from Bosch, Shimano, Magura, and Schwalbe. 

The Lore iE is a good eBike for quickly commuting to work or running errands and it also has some dirt road riding capabilities. 

The Raleigh Lore iE is priced at $4,374.99 but currently on sale at $3,499.99.

In this second part of the full review you will get an idea of the ride characteristics, range test results, pros, cons, and overall thoughts on this electric bike.

Make sure you check out part 1 of this review with large pictures and specifications to get a detailed look at this e-bike.

What you can expect from the Raleigh Lore iE:

To get acquainted with the Lore iE, checkout this video:

Riding the Raleigh Lore iE:

Overall there are some characteristics of the Raleigh Lore iE that really stand out when riding this performance style eBike. To summarize they are: 

• High speed mid drive that can climb steep hills with ease
• Stable and comfortable ride feel from high air volume tires
• Quality ride feel with high end components

The Look & Feel of the Raleigh Lore iE

The Raleigh Lore iE has its roots in a hardtail mountain bike design that gives it a stable ride style and look while provide up to 28 mph of pedal assist.

It has the laid back geometry of a mountain bike when compared to a road style bike that could have been used for a speedy eBike like this. 

The hydroformed aluminum frame has been designed with a sloping top tube for substantial standover height so that each frame size can fit a variety of rider heights.

There are 3 different size options available:

Small: Rider Height: 5’3″ – 5’6″
Medium: Rider Height: 5’6″ – 5’9″ (Bike used in this testing & review)
Large: Rider Height: 5’9″ – 6’0″

Hydroformed aluminium tubing adds style and function to the Lore iE frame with its unique shapes that provide extra strength where it is needed at high stress areas.

The tubing shapes include round, oval, rectangular, and triangular. Please see part 1 for a closer look at these frame details. 

At the higher speeds the frame feels very solid and stable and it transfers your pedal power into the bike for an efficient ride feel. 

Similarly, cornering on the Lore iE feels stable and predictable with the solid frame structure. 

Typical of a mountain bike is the wide and flat handlebar that gives you control and leverage. These further contribute to the stable ride feel of the Raleigh Lore iE.

Another mountain bike feature is the use of the 120mm RockShox Judy suspension fork that has a very smooth and plush feel. 

This suspension fork uses an air spring that can be adjusted to your riding weight and riding style. 

There is the option to lock the fork out to give the Raleigh Lore iE a very efficient ride feel for smooth road riding. 

The front wheel is secured with a 15mm thru axle that provides side to side stability to the front wheel and that is a helpful trait for cornering at higher speeds. 

Similarly the rear wheel has a thru axle for overall lateral stability. 

And speaking of wheels, one of the distinct features and a big highlight of the Lore iE is the super wide 27.5″ x 2.8″ high air volume Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires.

The balloon style tires give the Lore iEa fast and stable look and ride feel. 

These tires are rated for pressure between 20 psi and 45 psi and at the lower pressures there is a bit of built in suspension effect because of the high air volume that these tires offer.

At the lower tire pressures the tread patch on the ground is increased for more traction and a steady ride feel. The tread pattern is moderately smooth for an efficient ride and there is some channeling to dissipate water. 

The Bosch Performance Line Speed mid drive system blends in well with the overall look of the Lore iE and its central and low weight distribution is good for the handling of the bike.

The PowerPack 500 battery is built onto the downtube of the frame with a recess of the downtube that then transitions to a flat area. 

It’s a relatively small detail but it helps to blend in the look of the battery with the bike design.  

The riding style of the Raleigh Lore iE is focused on performance while still offering some comfortable features. 

There is a performance feel with the handlebar height relatively low. This is good for the handling of the bike at the higher speeds and it also creates aerodynamic efficiency. 

The ergonomic grips give you some additional wrist support which adds to the stable and comfortable ride style.

A narrow performance style saddle from Raleigh is all about maximizing pedaling efficiency. It does have a center relief section for minimizing pressure points. 

The combination of the built in “tire suspension” and the Rock Shox Judy suspension fork is a nice way to take the edge off of rougher roads. 

When traveling at the higher speeds at around 28 mph the bumps and cracks in the road can be felt more and a suspension seatpost would be a nice upgrade for the Lore iE. 

The Lore iE is set up very well for quick around town commutes and errand running with its stable and comfortable mountain bike platform and higher speed pedal assist. In addition it can handle some moderate dirt road riding with its large surface area tires. 

Now let’s take a closer look at the Bosch Performance Line Speed mid drive system that gives the Raleigh Lore iE some kick!

The Bosch Performance Line Speed system provides pedal assist up to 28 mph while also leveraging the drivetrain to maintain higher speeds on the hills. 

Bosch mid drive motors use a torque sensor, cadence sensor, and wheel speed sensor to detect how much assist to provide and when. 

Torque sensing motors blend the motor power with your pedal power in a very intuitive way by following your lead based on your pedal power. 

If you are soft pedaling the system adds just a little assist, if you really pedal hard the system give you a lot of assist, and everything in between. 

The transitions of adding assist and stopping assist are very smooth and they blend in well with your pedal power.

The Performance Line Speed motor is rated at 350 watts nominal with up to 575 watts of peak power and up to 63 Nm of torque. This is solid spec for a mid drive that leverages the drivetrain of the bike to get up to speed and climb steeper hills. 

Here are the 4 levels of pedal assist with the % of assistance:

• Eco 55%
• Tour 120%
• Sport 190%
• Turbo 275%

As you can see based on the percentages of assist each level gives you a distinct difference in ride feel.

Eco mode at 55% gives you a pretty mellow assist that is good for keeping the speed down in areas where it is better to take it easy. For instance it is useful for when maneuvering through crowded areas or when you want to get the most range.

Tour at 120% is a moderate amount of boost for when you are cruising around town or country. 

Sport mode at 190% gets into feeling more of the zip to accelerate up to 28 mph pretty quick. 

Turbo at 275% assist is a lot fun and it is a good setting for using on the way to work to minimize sweat or when you really need that extra boost after a long days ride. It is also the mode that has the least range so its a good idea to use it when you really need it. 

There is also the walk mode that will power the bike up to a couple mph to help with climbing steep hills as you walk with the bike. For instance if you are walking with the bike up a hill in a crowded area in the city or walking up stairs.

The walk mode button is at the bottom of the display and once it has been activated you add the walk assist by holding the (+) button on the control pad. 

Like many mid-drive motors the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor does create some noise. It is more noticeable at the higher pedal cadences and less when you are pedaling slower. The noise also dissipates at the higher speeds as the wind noise buffers it. 

The combination of your pedal power and pedal assist from the Bosch motor is transmitted to the rear wheel with a KMC eBike specific chain. 

From there it is routed through the Shimano Deore 10 speed drivetrain that has a range from 11 tooth to 42 tooth cogset. 

The Shimano Deore derailleur has a clutch to keep the chain tension tight to prevent the chain from slapping the frame on rougher terrain. This is another feature commonly found on mountain bikes and it is a nice addition to this high speed eBike that can experience more vibrations at the higher speeds. 

Shifting through the Shimano Deore drivetrain is a smooth experience and you can shift up a few gears at a time with the Shimano Deore Rapid Fire shifter.

The Bosch system does notice when you are shifting and will momentarily reduce the pedal assist power to make the shifter smoother. 

The power plant of the Lore iE is the Bosch PowerPack 500 which is a 36V 13.4ah lithium battery that has a 500 watt hour capacity. 

As mentioned before the battery is built onto the downtube of the frame for a clean look and central and low weight distribution. 

The PowerPack 500 weighs 5.75 pounds and it is removed by unlocking it with the supplied key and lifting it up and off the frame. 

Charging the battery takes 2.25 hours to charge 50% and 4.5 hours to charge 100% and it can be charged on or off the bike. 

The Raleigh Lore iE weighs 44.25 pounds without the battery and that makes it a little easier to load onto a car rack. 

Next up is a closer look at the control center of the Raleigh Lore iE.

On the left side of the handlebar is the relatively new Bosch Purion display that also has the control pad buttons built in. 

It is a smaller screen size compared to the long standing center mounted Intuvia display. 

The most prominent info on the screen is the current speed, battery level and one of the following (which can be cycled through with the control pad buttons): pedal assist level, odometer, trip distance, and estimated range remaining.

The estimated range feature is nice because it can really help with planning your ride and adjusting the assist levels as needed to make sure you don’t run out of assist.

The range is estimated based on the assist level you are using, the current battery level, and what kind of terrain you have been riding on.

If you have been riding for a while in a high assist level going uphill the estimated range will be given assuming those conditions will continue. Once you are over the hill and using less assist on relatively flat terrain it will recalculate the estimated range based on the assumption that those conditions will continue. 

After some time with the system you can see the estimated range patterns and be able to estimate how the bike will perform on regular ride routes. 

The Purion display is not quickly removable like the Intuvia which in some ways is nice so that you don’t have to worry about forgetting to remove it when leaving the bike locked up. 

There is a backlight so that it is easy to read the screen day or night. 

Another mountain bike feature used on the Raleigh Lore iE is the Magura Fifty4 hydraulic disc brakes.

These brakes offer some impressive stopping power and that is important for a high speed bike like the Lore iE. 

Big stopping power is offered on the front of the bike with a large 203mm rotor and a 4 piston caliper. The rear brake uses a 180mm rotor with a 2 piston caliper.

The brakes have that solid hydraulic disc brake feel and the modulation between just a little braking to full stop is predictable. 

The Magura Fifty4 hydraulic disc brake levers are a 2 finger design that has reach adjustment to fit your hand size and riding style. 

The brake levers have a nice feel and considering how powerful the brakes are you only need 1 or 2 fingers to slow down the Lore iE.

In general the Lore iE has a high quality feel with its higher end assortment of components from Bosch, Shimano, Magura, and Schwalbe.  

That translates into a smooth, solid, comfortable, and fairly quiet ride experience that should last for many years of riding. 

Okay, let’s see how the Raleigh Lore iE did out on the open road!

Raleigh Lore iE Test Results:

Here is the real world information on how the Raleigh Lore iE  electric bike performed on a riding circuit that includes hills, flats, traffic, wind (when available) etc.

While testing these bikes I like to put them through the toughest conditions to see where their bottom line is in regards to range and speed. I tested the Raleigh Lore iE in the highest pedal assist level (Turbo) with average pedaling on paved roads.

Range: As you can see from the GPS info that I recorded, the Raleigh Lore iE traveled 29 miles and did a total elevation gain of around 2,300 ft. Considering that I weigh 190 lbs and I pedaled an average pace this is pretty good range for a 36 Volt 13.4 ah battery pack (~500 Watt Hours) with a 350 watt motor assisting up to 28 mph. 

Watt hours are the total energy in a battery pack and it is based on the volts x amp hours of a pack. This is a way to compare the size of the “gas tank” of electric bikes.

Please keep in mind that if you pedal more, weigh less than me, ride slower and/or you use the bike in terrain that is not as hilly you will get more range. These results are from tough testing.

Speed: The Raleigh Lore iE will assist up to 28 mph with pedal assist. 

Weight: The Raleigh Lore iE tips the scales at 50 pounds which is pretty good for an electric bike like this. Removing the battery brings it down to around 44.25 pounds which makes it a little easier to load onto a car rack.

The weight distribution of the Raleigh Lore iE is good because of the low and centered mid drive Bosch motor and the relatively centered frame mounted Bosch battery. The central weight distribution is good for overall bike handling.

Pros:

Fast Mid Drive: With pedal assist up to 28 mph and a mid drive that can climb steeper hills with ease, the Raleigh Lore iE is a good all around eBike. In the lower assist levels it can still provide an easy going ride while the higher assist levels can give you the speed and strong climbing abilities when you need it. 

Stable & Fun: The mountain bike platform that the Lore iE is based on provides a stable and confident ride feel. The high air volume 27.5″ x 2.8″ Schwalble Super Moto-X tires give the bike a lot of built in suspension and stability for a comfortable and fun ride. 

High Quality: The Lore iE has a high quality feel with its higher end assortment of components from Bosch, Shimano, Magura, and Schwalbe. That translates into a smooth, solid, comfortable, and fairly quiet ride experience that should last for many years of riding. 

Cons:

Motor Noise: Like many mid-drive motors the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor does create some noise. It is more noticeable at the higher pedal cadences and less when you are pedaling slower. The noise also dissipates at the higher speeds as the wind noise buffers it. 

Rear Suspension: At 28 mph the bumps and cracks in the road are definitely amplified compared to eBikes that assist up to 20mph. If the Lore iE came stock with a suspension seatpost it would really round out the component package well. This is an easy upgrade during or after the purchase of the bike.

Conclusion:

Overall the Raleigh Lore iE is a fast and fun ride!

Its a versatile eBike that has the capability to assist up to 28 mph and it climbs steep hills well. In addition it can also offer a mellower ride in the lower assist levels because sometimes its good to take the slow ride.

Another way its versatile is in the way that it is based on a mountain bike platform with the high air volume Schwalbe tires. That provides a stable and comfortable ride around town while making it fun to ride on dirt roads. 

The component assortment from Bosch, Shimano, Magura, and Schwalbe gives the Raleigh Lore iE a high quality ride feel. 

The Raleigh Lore iE is priced at $4,374.99 but currently on sale at $3,499.99.

Make sure you check out part 1 of this review with large pictures and specifications to get a detailed look at this e-bike.

Please keep in mind that this is a relatively short term test. This testing can’t really give you the long term review of durability and reliability. My thoughts on the quality of this bike are from previous experiences with similar bikes. If you own this bike and have some input on the long term durability, please share your comments with the Electric Bike Report community below.

Where to buy a Raleigh Lore iE? Check with Raleigh for purchasing options. 

Do you have any questions about the Raleigh Lore iE?  Do you own a Raleigh Lore iE?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Thanks!

-Pete

Review Note: Each company pays a fee for a review on Electric Bike Report because of the considerable amount of time that it takes to provide an in-depth review of each eBike. A lot of time is spent on the full range test with distance & elevation profile, the wide variety of detailed pictures, in-depth video, and the write up with the specifications, ride characteristics, pros, cons, and overall thoughts. The reviews on Electric Bike Report are focused on providing you with a detailed “virtual” look at each eBike to help you determine if it is the eBike for you.

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