Frame and Fork
Like its stablemate, the Globe Haul LT features an aluminum frame and steel fork. Because this is Specialized, the frame and fork carry a lifetime warranty, which is no small matter considering this e-bike is meant to carry heavier loads than the average e-bike.
The Globe Haul ST features a design that does a better job at accommodating a wide range of riders than any other one-size e-bike we’ve reviewed, and the Haul LT uses these same design elements. First, the seat tube is very short and features a telescoping design (a seatpost within a seatpost) that can be adjusted from as little as 20.4 in. to as tall as 33.5 in. The stem can also be adjusted up or down (it uses a design that lost favor but makes lots of sense for e-bikes) from as low as 41.4 in. above the ground to as high as 46.9 in.
A long-tail e-bike needs a reinforced frame if it is to carry more weight than its short-tail counterpart. Specialized didn’t just extend the cargo deck and chainstays and push the rear wheel back. Yes, the cargo deck is longer, but Specialized added a tube behind the seat tube running aft from the bottom bracket to the tubes of the cargo deck. They also added two tubes per side running from the chainstays to the cargo deck. No word yet on the weight capacity, but the capacity for the Haul ST was 419 lbs. and because so much of the frame design is similar and the fork and wheels are the same, it seems likely that the Globe Haul LT will have a similar, if not greater, weight rating.
Motor and Battery
With the Globe Haul ST, Specialized equipped the e-bike with a 700W brushless, geared hub motor and a 772Wh battery that took up most of the room between the head tube and seat tube as well as the top tube and down tube. While Specialized could choose to go with a larger hub motor, in our previous test of the Globe Haul ST, we found it to be one of the best-climbing e-bikes we have ever reviewed. This is a Class 3 motor capable of assisting riders up to 28 mph (and there’s an optional throttle).
In our testing of the Globe Haul ST we saw real-world range numbers of 38 mi. (PAS 5) and 54 mi. (PAS 1). The longer frame of the Globe Haul LT will increase overall e-bike weight of between 5 and 15 lbs., depending on what accessories are mounted, which will bring the range down some, though not dramatically.
One of our favorite features of the Globe Haul ST was the torque meter that gave it the ability to accelerate the moment someone began pedaling and to respond to changes in the rider’s effort.
Componentry
Like the Globe Haul ST, the LT comes equipped with a motorcycle-style dual-leg kickstand that will hold the e-bike upright while it is being both loaded and unloaded. This is as handy for dealing with kids as groceries.
In our many years of reviewing both bikes and e-bikes we don’t think we’ve ever encountered anything with as many mounting points as the Globe Haul LT. It features two sets of water bottle mounts, one on either side of the head tube along with mounts for a rack or basket on the front of the head tube. The fork includes mounts for both a rack and fenders, and more.
Behind the rider, the frame includes a dozen mounting points per side as well as a set of foot pegs, and that leaves out the mounting points for the rear rack, which could conceivably be replaced with another sort of rack.
Specialized shows the Globe Haul LT configured in a few ways, including with six panniers that look like large oval buckets and with running boards and an aluminum enclosure that not only gives kids a place to hold on, but will keep all but the smallest of Houdini from escaping mid-ride.
To further allow riders to adjust the Globe Haul LT to their comfort, it comes with the same aluminum riser bar as found on the Globe Haul ST. And as we mentioned earlier, it features the same stem found on the ST which can be raised and lowered with a single Allen wrench.
In addition to the rear rack, Specialized also includes front and rear fenders as well as front and rear lights.
Drivetrain, Brakes and Wheels
Many of the component selections on the Globe Haul LT are likely to be carry-overs from the Haul ST. Why do we think that? In many cases, Specialized made upscale choices, such as the Tektro 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 203mm rotors.
The Globe Haul LT appears to be spec’d with the same 9-speed Microshift drivetrain as the Haul ST. It is equipped with an 11-36 cassette to give riders a more than 300 percent gearing range, making it a terrific option for riders who have to negotiate hills on their daily runs.
We expect the Globe Haul LT will roll on the same 36-spoke wheels found on the Globe Haul ST, and they will be shod with Specialized’s Carless Whisper tires, which measure 20 x 3.5 in.
