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

To access Community Mode, simply tap the yield icon in the Bird app. It’s safe to say that not everyone’s entirely on board with the idea of children’s e-bikes. However, here in the UK (where legally you need to be over 14 to ride one) a number of firms have been selling them for a while now – including major names like Scott, Cube and Moustache. With Japanese motors, Taiwan-made frames and U.S. assembly, the bikes largely bypass the recently imposed tariffs on Chinese-made e-bikes and other bike products. Just a handful of parts will come from China, Kamler said. Kent State University partners with SPIN to provide shared eBikes and eScooters that are available on campus and within the City of Kent for use by students, faculty, staff, and the community.

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. For our third eMTB trip, I chose a 16-mile gravel forest service road. The first half was mainly uphill and the bikes performed magnificently.

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. Mid-drive motors are one of the two most common electric bike kent hybrid bike drivetrains, with the other being hub motors. Most low-cost electric bicycles use hub motors – or a motor housed in the center of a wheel – simply because they are cheap and easy.

The motor is supplied by an adorable little 24v 5.2Ah battery. The motor doesn’t add any assist unless the rider is pedaling, and the assist cuts out immediately when pedaling stops. There’s even a six-speed transmission that makes the bike extra pedal-friendly even without any electric assist.

Front and rear fenders and a rear rack come standard on the Electric Cruiser, which was a bit of a surprise, given its relatively low price. Most of the people buying this bike will love the wide, padded saddle and upright ride position, but adjusting the saddle angle was next to impossible. If you’re looking for an inexpensive ebike for casual weekend rides, the Kent Electric Cruiser demands consideration. The price means that it lacks some of the advanced features of many electric models, and even more basic ones like quick release, but it looks great and rides well. On my test ride, I chose a 5-mile path that alternated between asphalt and gravel.

We have a huge customer base for electric bikes in Kent. If you have seen one on the street there, it was probably supplied by E-Bikes Direct. We know from experience our bikes are built to tackle the terrain of the Kent countryside & cities, both on and off road, with ease. Our Prices range from less than £500 right up to our exquisite carbon-frame e-bikes at £10000. Please remember our online prices for electric bicycles are the best in and around Kent, actually in the UK! You are welcome to take advantage of our price promise if you locate any model cheaper elsewhere.