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.
Mid-drive motors, unlike hub motors, actually power the bike through the standard gears on a bicycle. E-bikes have become the favorite transportation method of hunters these days. The reason is that e-bikes have a lot to offer as benefits.
The medium power mode seems like a nice happy middle ground. Now before I start getting disgruntled comments, let me start by saying this isn’t a small motorcycle – it’s a pedal-assist kent hybrid bike e-bike. The Shimano drivetrain shifted flawlessly between its eight speeds, and the mechanical disc brakes on the front and rear worked capably in dry conditions.
Instead of providing various speeds for each assist level, a “torque simulation” controller should (if it is what it is typically termed) supply a distinct current level. As a result, it is very likely that you will need to change the controller in order to add a throttle. There are currently very few e-bikes designed specifically for kids available (in the US).
And at just $498, it’s easier for parents to afford than a typical adult e-bike. The Kent Torpedo is the first electric bicycle that I know of designed specifically for children. And it’s so much fun (even for me as a full-fledged adult) that it surely won’t be the last one. Once, the gears got caught, but a short spray of WD-40 got them moving again.
For just a bit more at $1,799, the dual batteries, significantly higher power/speed, hydraulic disc brakes, and a pile of other features blow this Kent bike away. But Lectric’s model is also a folding fat tire e-bike and won’t fulfill kent road bike the trail bike role that Kent’s offering here claims to satisfy. Walmart has long offered an interesting array of low-cost electric bicycles. Some of the bikes have even dipped down into ultra-budget territory with prices below $400.
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.