With the maximum exemption set at $200, Washington’s 6.5% sales tax rate means e-bikes priced up to around $3,000 could be purchased without paying any sales tax, if the bill passes. Bike Rumour carries news of a new speed pedelec helmet kent mountain bike from Endura. It is certified to speed pedelec standards (designed for greater speed impact and covering more of your head than a regular helmet) and features tilting visor and Koroyd Core honeycomb structured shock absorbing material.
The bike comes about 75% pre-assembled, and I only needed to attach the front wheel and fender, handlebars and saddle. Things started off on the wrong foot when I realized some of the seat post assembly pieces were missing. (Luckily, my kent mountain bike local bike co-op was able to hook me up with the needed parts!) But that was really the only major problem with assembly. Speaking of steps, the step-thru frame comes in only one size but should fit most riders five feet and taller.
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 geared motor doesn’t provide any extra resistance other than adding a couple pounds of needless weight. There’s also a 6-speed shifter that makes it easier for kids to climb hills in the proper gear, even without electric power. If the battery does die on a ride, the shifter definitely makes it more manageable to pedal. A new partnership with SPIN, an electronic bike and scooter service, will provide 100 electric bikes and 100 electric scooters within the city of Kent.
Simple front and rear suspension offer a bit of spring without costing an arm and a leg. A 7-speed Shimano transmission may be low-end, but it is at least a name-brand component. 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. Then one day, a fellow mountain biker asked if I wanted to ride his bike around the parking lot. After a few seconds of strenuous pedaling, the bike suddenly took off with explosive force. It was an e-bike, an electric pedal-assist MTB with a motor that engages when an internal sensor encounters a hill.
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. 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.