Want an Affordable Electric Mountain Bike? Read This Review of the Kent 27 5″ Pedal Assist First

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 local bike co-op was able to hook me up with the needed parts!) But that was really the only major problem with assembly.

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. Electric bikes amplify your pedaling power and your ability to do and see more.

But to be honest, I see this kids e-bike as a great thing. The V-brakes similarly aren’t incredibly high quality, but kent bayside cruiser then again, they work just fine. This is a $498 kids e-bike after all – not a $17,000 S-Works for lycra-clad dads.

I’m confident if a customer had an issue, they’d quickly try to resolve it. 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. To combat some of the weight issues and to beef up the ruggedness of my bike, I added higher-end front forks and installed new “run flat” tubes. The bike is available in four different colors and is priced at $498 with free shipping in the US.

kent electric bike

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. A 7-speed Shimano transmission may be low-end, but it is at least a name-brand component.

I have a Truckrun motor on my daily rider city e-bike, and it works wonderfully. Cheaper mid-drive electric bikes tend to opt for Chinese-made mid-drive motors like those from Bafang, Truckrun, Tongsheng, and others. If they can swing it, I 100% recommend grabbing a second battery. It’s about the size of a small water bottle and easy to stick in your bag when the family goes on a ride. It can help your kids ride even longer, extending that family Sunday ride even further than 15 miles (25 km).