Riders who like a smooth and stylish ride would enjoy Kent electric bikes. The e-bike features a very straightforward, simplistic design that both men and women may use. Kent bicycles are recognized for being strong and long-lasting. It features an excellent battery and a strong motor, neither of which are visible unless you know exactly where they are located.
Kids should be a certain age before they are mature enough to handle the extra power of an e-bike, even a low-power one like this. It is most likely equipped with a speed-level PAS control, allowing each level to select a different wheel speed as opposed to a different power level. You may confirm this by hand-cranking the pedals while the bike is upside-down while testing the wheel off the ground and checking the wheel speed. You will notice a noticeable shift in speed with each change in assist level if it is speed-level related. If the child uses the 24V 5.2Ah battery’s mode in low power, it can travel 15 miles (about 25 km) without charging. The thrill of driving swiftly in a mode that releases high power is undeniable, however, the battery life is shorter.
Shimano Tourney TX800 8-speed derailleur and shifters are paired with a no-name crank and mechanical disc brakes. Front and rear fenders and a rear rack come standard on the Electric Cruiser, which was a bit of a surprise, given its relatively low price. Most of the people buying this bike will love the wide, padded saddle and kent hybrid bike upright ride position, but adjusting the saddle angle was next to impossible. Of course if the battery ever runs out, the e-bike simply turns back into a standard pedal bike powered by a morning bowl of Wheaties. There’s even a six-speed transmission that makes the bike extra pedal-friendly even without any electric assist.
Everything was going great until I encountered a 11%, 6-degree incline. Even while pedaling and in the highest level of assist, the bike barely had enough torque to push me up the hill. At one point, I smelled burning plastic when it hit me that the smell came from the motor, which was burning hot from overuse. When I sold the CrossFit gym and moved to Gainesville, Georgia, I lost all of my MTB-riding friends, so my bike went into storage.
An LED battery meter is mounted on the handlebars that also houses the power mode selector. In the case of Kent’s mid-drive electric bike, seen above, it’s not clear exactly which 250W motor is used. Nicer (i.e., more expensive) e-bikes tend to use fancier mid-drive motors like those made by Brose, Bosch, Yamaha, and other major German or Japanese manufacturers. While the battery seems to last for a while on low power mode, high mode drains it quicker. I asked Kent Bicycles about the possibility of buying spare batteries to swap in and make for a longer ride, and they’re looking into offering them on their website. With a fun e-bike like this, kids that may have never expressed an interest in cycling could be hopping onto the saddle and discover the joy of life on two-wheels.
I realized we could skip the gym to train a couple times a week specifically for these longer rides or we could buy e-bikes. The motor is supplied by an adorable little 24V 5.2Ah battery with just 125 Wh of capacity. In low power mode, the battery is sufficient for 15 miles (25 km) of range. That isn’t a bad thing, as many riders (including myself) have been very happy with lower-cost mid-drive motors.
Kent Torpedo is not difficult to peddle without the battery, though it is going to feel heavier when compared to a standard kid’s bike. The adjusted motor adds no additional resistance except a few pounds of unnecessary weight. There’s also a 6-speed gearstick to help kids climb slopes in the right gear even when there’s no electricity. In case the battery dies during a ride, this gearstick surely makes pedaling more tolerable. I started riding mountain bikes when I was a teenager in Augusta, Georgia. When I say mountain bikes, I really mean a 90s Huffy 18-speed I bought from Walmart for $60 without a front suspension.
But the motor only adds assist when the rider is pedaling. It appears to be as good as, if not slightly better than, the others. It should be simple enough for most individuals to assemble, as long as you have the proper Allen Key set.
But to be honest, I see this kids e-bike as a great thing. The V-brakes similarly aren’t incredibly high quality, but then again, they work just fine. This is a $498 kids e-bike after all – not a $17,000 S-Works for lycra-clad dads.
The bike comes about 75% pre-assembled, and I only needed to attach the front wheel and fender, handlebars and saddle. Things started off on the wrong foot when I realized some of the seat post assembly pieces were missing. (Luckily, my local bike co-op was able to hook me up with the needed parts!) But that was really the only major problem with assembly.