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

Kent currently offers three electric models for adults, plus one for kids. Alongside the 27-inch Kent Electric and Kent Step-Through Electric, the Cruiser is more of a unisex offering and is available exclusively from Walmart. For our third kent road bike eMTB trip, I chose a 16-mile gravel forest service road in nearby Helen, Georgia. The first half was mainly uphill and the bikes performed magnificently. Somehow, we made it the whole 16 miles without a flat and with our brains intact.

The New Jersey tiny bike business eventually grew into a larger establishment. The business has been producing excellent electric motorcycles and supplying their parts to retailers across the country since 1947. On my second test ride, I tried out the short 3.4-mile singletrack trail that we ride each week. But I ended up popping both the front and rear tire tubes, probably due to my weight stressing the tubes. Popping a tube wouldn’t be so bad, except I had to walk the bike the remainder of the trail.

Eight-year-olds don’t really need to commute anywhere, so a throttle seems unnecessary. But the pedal assist Kent Torpedo e-bike seems like exactly what a screen-enamored generation of kids need. A “motorbike” that is fun and exciting kent hybrid bike and tricks them into getting in some exercise sounds just fine by me. The motor is mounted in the rear wheel and adds 180W of power in full power mode. There are medium and low power modes that provide even softer assist.

kent electric bike

Most of these buyers probably haven’t ridden a bicycle in decades and are looking for a cheap and non-intimidating way to get back on the bike. Retailing for under $700 (around £515/AU$970), kent road bike the Kent Electric Cruiser was created for them. There are numerous trails in North Georgia with large inclines and several over 15 miles long that we had intentionally avoided.

It held a 155-lb adult flying through the air, even though I was half expecting a pedal to snap off on my repeated landings. But no, the thing is overbuilt for its ratings, just like Kent’s lawyers surely insisted that it should be. With a front suspension fork that isn’t much to write home about but still works just fine, the bike is somewhat sporty. We built a classic front yard ramp and had fun seeing who could get the most air.

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.

The throttle may always function with full control (which is most likely) or it may only perform in one of the assist modes, or it may be limited to the same speed/etc. The kid must still pedal; it only serves as a slight boost. This is perfect because it is a light-assist children’s e-bike instead of a toy motorcycle. Kent’s Electric Cruiser has plenty of limitations, but it’s doubtful the people buying this bike will care too much. If that’s what you’re looking for, the Kent Electric Cruiser will make both you and your wallet happy. The Kent Electric Cruiser’s 350W rear-hub motor was more than capable on the flat roads and bike paths around my home, easily reaching and staying at 20 mph.

Accordingly,  you can extend that family Weekend trip beyond 15 miles (about 25 km). Anyone under 160 lbs will LOVE this bike—my wife (5’7 and 130 lbs) is one of those people who is a perfect fit for this e-bike. I see tons of children riding electric scooters these days, which require essentially zero effort to ride. But pedal assist e-bikes, on the other hand, must still be pedaled like a traditional bike. They simply give you more power to ride faster, longer, or climb hills that were previously unconquerable. And yes, the Lectric XPremium is probably the best game in time now when it comes to mid-drives at affordable prices.

Whether you’re commuting to work or running errands around town, the 700c Kent Hybrid E-Bike is the perfect companion for an efficient and enjoyable ride. At Target, find a wide range of adult bikes to choose from. Their all-terrain tires provide go-anywhere traction so you can ride with confidence. And the quick release seat post makes for easy height adjustment. Browse through other brands like Huffy, Mongoose, Decathlon, Titan and more.