I really like this bike more than I thought and might buy another. Only a few days on it though.
My main use:
I use it on college campus. I drive to campus and have to park about a mile away. So I chuck it in the back of the car, park, then ride around from class to class. I don’t really peddle and just cruise with motor, which I like, so I’m not a fat hot sweaty mess when in class.
I’m 5’10 about 165lbs, so keep that in mind I guess when reading my pros/cons
The good:
It’s a great size.
It feels sturdy to me.
I feel safe when riding at full speed.
Its fairly easy to break down and small enough to put in the trunk or a large bag.
Its comfortable to ride even with a large heavy backpack on, great seat.
Battery life is great.
Cost is great for what you get.
I like how the battery is built in so I don’t need worry about it being stolen and it looks more like a normal bike.
I see people complain about how hard it is to peddle. I don’t think it’s terrible. Its basically like a bmx, maybe a bit harder. Not sure what others expect with no gears. That said I wouldn’t use it just to peddle though, unless i was stuck.
It has very very basic components. I actually love this as it means low and cheap maintenance.
Brakes work great for being simple.
Battery life seems to be excellent as stated, about 15 miles.
The bad:
Its on the edge of being too slow. I do probably get about 10-14 mph. I wish it did 15-20. On hills it slows down more, sometimes where I need to peddle to reach a reasonable speed.
I have a feeling I’d be in trouble if it snowed while I was in class and I had to get back. (will try to update when I get into winter)
I wish it came with a bag so I could bring it inside a bit easier, or carry if I had too.
Its a little heavy. I have seen some people say its no heavier than a bike. I mean its 36 lbs. I wouldn’t want to carry this far.
Its a little awkward folded as well so carrying around is not extremely easy when folded. I might try to get a velcro strap for this.
My friend didn’t like the way the motor engages when peddling. It comes on at like 80% or something. From a dead stop it’s a little jarring at first, but I got used to it.
Summary:
I think for $500 its a great bike for campus or around town/city. Anything more than that I feel like I would be disappointed in speed, comfort and range. I might buy another for a friend. I definitely wouldn’t commute too far on it. I’d rather ride my manual road bike. I might even try putting a rack on it for my books or groceries. I’d give it one more star if it was just 5mph to 10mph faster.