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.
We ask that you return your bike to the same place it was purchased. If you purchased on our website, we can accept the return. If bought at an outside retailer, be sure to have your receipt. If bought on our website, please have your order number on hand. For a little more money, the Schwinn Coston DX provides a more complete spec list and a more powerful motor.
But after going to the gym and completing several CrossFit workouts each week, the rides became harder and more tedious. Each hill burned out our already fatigued legs and around the 4-mile mark, we’d head back to the car with stiff, cramped muscles. Most days, one or more of us would be forced to walk our bikes back to the car due to a broken chain, flat tire or bent wheel. We never wore helmets, of course, because we were teenagers—and teenagers are invincible. There will undoubtedly be trolls claiming e-bikes are going to make kids lazy.
Research the Kids Bikes Sizing Guide if you’re unsure of the wheel size your youngster need. Mid-drive motors are one of the two most common electric bike drivetrains, with the other being hub motors. Most low-cost electric bicycles use hub motors – or a motor housed in the center kent road bike of a wheel – simply because they are cheap and easy. They cost less to produce, and they are basically bulletproof in terms of user error. Regardless of whether the battery dies, you can still ride it as you do with pedal bikes, thus making it very convenient for the rider.
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.
And the mechanical disc brakes are likely plenty for a 250W bike that isn’t going to get up to 20 mph (32 km/h) very quickly. The advantages of mid-drive motors, though, mean that you’ll usually find them on higher-end electric bikes, whereas low-cost electric bikes tend to favor hub motors. Without the battery, the Kent Torpedo is easy enough to pedal, though it will definitely feel a bit heavier than a typical kid’s bike.
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.