Earlier this week I wrote about how the Nicolai’s D1 EBOXX marked the first skirmish in the e-bike power wars. I certainly didn’t expect that the return fire would come so quickly or with such velocity. The recently announced X-1 Enduro from Luna, an electric-motorized bike company out of El Segundo, California, buries the Nicolia with a claimed 2000-watts and then drives nails into the Nicolia coffin with an introductory price of $3550. You could buy almost three Lunas for the cost of one D1 EBOXX e-bike.
Luna seems to understand that it is impossible for land managers to identify the designated class of an electric-motorized bicycle so why restrain a motor to those arbitrary limits? Luna claims the X-1 “will fit in on almost any trail due to the stealthy design and quietness.” The company brags that, “Luna has been hot-rodding Bafang motors for years.” Just how powerful are these motors? “We know running 2000 watts continuous can break things if you ride in the wrong gear up long hills or lean on the throttle too hard,” explains Luna.
When I wrote about the Nicolai earlier this week, I knew its $10,300 price tag would keep its numbers on the trail to a minimum (as is the case with most ultra-expensive, high-performance electric-motorized bikes). The X1’s $3550 introductory price opens up new concerns for every trail user and land manager. The Luna is nothing short of a motorcycle with pedals that plans to sneak its way on to a hiking path or park near you.