Kent Electric Cruiser E-bike review: affordable e-cycling

This year, I introduced my wife Haley to some local beginner singletrack in our new town of Cleveland, Georgia, and she loved it. I installed new front forks on my bike, purchased her a ride, and we started making the weekly trek for a short 30-minute trail excursion. Electric bikes amplify your pedaling power and your ability to do and see more.

Although this is a kid’s bike, it is doubtful how it would perform on trails better suited for adult riders. There have been criticisms involving consumers complaining that the bike has a very weak frame and breakable gears thus weakening its ability to travel in long hikes. The 10.4-amp hour battery promises around 1 hour 20 minutes of run time, or around 25 miles, using the electric assist at varying levels over the course of the ride. The Kent Electric Cruiser is a very pretty bike, with the removable Samsung lithium-ion battery integrated into the frame. Given the fire-engine red color scheme, 26-inch whitewall tires, and swooping handlebars, I felt like a fatter, hairier Pee Wee Herman pedaling around my city. If you’re looking for an inexpensive ebike for casual weekend rides, the Kent Electric Cruiser demands consideration.

Its 24V 5.2Ah battery is adorably small yet provides up to 15 miles (25 km) of range if the kid keeps it in low power mode. The item is exaggerated for its rankings, exactly as Kent’s lawyers undoubtedly insisted. It works well as an electric bike because it provides enough help to boost confidence through an electric push, to assure kids that kent road bike they can tackle anything. Its finest application is that it helps to get kids away from screens and back to the outdoors, thus witnessing more children growing up on the streets like in the past. Although you can connect the throttle to your current controller, it’s conceivable that in order for it to function, you will need to be pedaling.

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.

The perfect choice for riders who are looking for a comfortable, and efficient ride. Crafted with a step-thru aluminum frame, this bike is lightweight and easy to mount and dismount. The removable semi-integrated battery ensures that you can charge your bike wherever and whenever you need to, and it’s lockable with a key to prevent theft. The 8-speed drivetrain provides a plenty of gearing range for hilly terrain, and the trigger shifter is easy to use.

It can be a good option for those that want the utility of an electric bicycle but don’t have a lot of spare cash. But while Walmart is known for its super cheap e-bikes, the company has never offered higher-end e-bikes with nicer features like mid-drive motors. At least, not until now with the launch of Kent’s new mid-drive electric bike. Many individuals are concerned by the concept of a youngster riding an electric bike because they imagine kids racing down the street without even pressing a pedal. While this is absolutely possible, it is not likely, nor is it the aim or design of children’s e-bikes.

kent electric bike

I have a Truckrun motor on my daily rider city e-bike, and it works wonderfully. Cheaper mid-drive electric bikes tend to opt for Chinese-made mid-drive motors like those from Bafang, Truckrun, Tongsheng, and others. If they can swing it, I 100% recommend grabbing a second battery. It’s about the size of a small water bottle and easy to stick in your bag when the family goes on a ride. It can help your kids ride even longer, extending that family Sunday ride even further than 15 miles (25 km).

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.