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. Now I ride mostly for recreation/activity (health), and when possible I commute. The Kent Torpedo kid’s electric bike is an excellent pick if you want something economical yet top-notch for your little ones. With its 180W motor, 6-speed gearing, and LED display, your kids can enjoy a smooth and tailored ride. Cheaper mid-drive electric bikes tend to opt for Chinese-made mid-drive motors like those from Bafang, Truckrun, Tongsheng, and others.
Speaking of steps, the step-thru frame comes in only one size but should fit most riders five feet and taller. To turn on the bike, you need to first hit a button underneath the battery, then another on the LED display. The battery’s on button isn’t in a highly visible place but is slightly raised so you can find it by touch. Having not ridden Kent’s new e-bike (yet, but hopefully that changes), it’s hard for me to judge it too hard on the spec sheet alone. But for the $1,498 price, it’s at least an interesting addition to a slew of Walmart e-bikes that so far haven’t taken a shot at such higher-end (or perhaps even midlevel) markets. Vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians should be aware of the increasing eBike and eScooter traffic on campus.
The rest of Kent’s mid-drive e-bike fits more in line with the other budget models in its class. A 36V and 10.5 Ah battery claims a range of 20 miles (32 km) from its 378 Wh of capacity. Simple front and rear suspension offer a bit of spring without costing an arm and a leg.
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. Mid-drive motors, on the other hand, are more costly to produce due to their more complicated design. That complication also makes them a bit more touchy, at least for new riders that aren’t used to shifting a bike. Reviews often mentioned bad batteries, broken bike parts, or other annoying setbacks, and having a 90-day return policy was extremely important for peace of mind.
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. On my test ride, I chose a 5-mile path that alternated between asphalt and gravel. On the gravelly bits, the ebike performed well, kicking in enough power to keep the momentum going on the climbs and cutting off on the downhills. Everything was going great until I encountered a 11%, 6-degree incline.
I wish the bike came standard with thru-axles or quick-release skewers for the wheels. If I ever got a flat on the road, it’s going to be that much more kent bikes difficult to change the tire. The Kent Electric Cruiser is a very pretty bike, with the removable Samsung lithium-ion battery integrated into the frame.
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