Frank Discussion
New Member
- Region
- Canada
Hello all, new member here from Ontario Canada. I got my first electric bicycle on the weekend. It's one of those little Jetson Bolt Pro "folding" electric bikes. I am 60 yrs old and have been an avid cyclist for most of my life but recently decided to try an electric bicycle. I had looked at bikes in the $1200 - $1900 price range but with limited place to keep a full size bike indoors I opted for this light and small Jetson Bolt Pro. I intend to use it to run local errands or short commutes to our local light rail train system so I can take the Jetson onboard the train. I use public transit to get to and from my work. After riding the bike for about 90 mins on the weekend I felt confident enough to try it for part of my commute to work and back today. I rode the bike this morning to the LRT station, took it on the train until I reached my destination and then rode it to my work. Doing this eliminated 3 buses from my daily commute and it took me about 40 mins from my door to work. It used to take me more than an hour taking 3 buses. Many times the buses are late but the train (when it isn't broke down) is always on time and never crowded.
After riding it so far I have found that I will need a better padded seat and padded cycling gloves but other than that the bike works just fine for me. It's 15mph top speed and 15-25 mile range (if using peddle assist) is also enough range for my needs before the battery dies. I would not want to go much faster on this bike anyway. After todays commute it was still at 50-75% charged and I was probably using the throttle 90% of the time. It handles pretty steep inclines with ease with some help using the pedals but I didn't even have to pedal very hard. There is one hill on my commute on my way home that is steep and long and the little Jetson was a dream to ride up it with no effort. Right now the weather is not great but once summer rolls around I will probably be using this bike daily unless it's raining. Even though it was freezing this morning I just had to take the bike out for a test commute.
All that being said I don't know if I would recommend this bike for someone who has not ridden a bike in a long time. Even though I am an experienced cyclist there is still a learning curve on the Jetson bike. It's small wheel diameter and compact size make it very easy to lose control of if you make sudden movements. Also you have to be constantly aware of ruts or large potholes in the asphalt. More so than on a 26" wheel mountain bike or even a skinny tire road bike. It took me a good 90 mins over 2 days to get used to the handling nature of the bike but once I did I was good to go. Being able to lift and carry the bike in and out of my tiny apt is also a bonus. Also I am small in stature at 5' 5" tall and about 165lbs so adjusting the seat post height properly wasn't a problem for me. This may be an issue for a taller person though. Is this machine for everyone? Maybe not but for my needs this bike is ideal.
After riding it so far I have found that I will need a better padded seat and padded cycling gloves but other than that the bike works just fine for me. It's 15mph top speed and 15-25 mile range (if using peddle assist) is also enough range for my needs before the battery dies. I would not want to go much faster on this bike anyway. After todays commute it was still at 50-75% charged and I was probably using the throttle 90% of the time. It handles pretty steep inclines with ease with some help using the pedals but I didn't even have to pedal very hard. There is one hill on my commute on my way home that is steep and long and the little Jetson was a dream to ride up it with no effort. Right now the weather is not great but once summer rolls around I will probably be using this bike daily unless it's raining. Even though it was freezing this morning I just had to take the bike out for a test commute.
All that being said I don't know if I would recommend this bike for someone who has not ridden a bike in a long time. Even though I am an experienced cyclist there is still a learning curve on the Jetson bike. It's small wheel diameter and compact size make it very easy to lose control of if you make sudden movements. Also you have to be constantly aware of ruts or large potholes in the asphalt. More so than on a 26" wheel mountain bike or even a skinny tire road bike. It took me a good 90 mins over 2 days to get used to the handling nature of the bike but once I did I was good to go. Being able to lift and carry the bike in and out of my tiny apt is also a bonus. Also I am small in stature at 5' 5" tall and about 165lbs so adjusting the seat post height properly wasn't a problem for me. This may be an issue for a taller person though. Is this machine for everyone? Maybe not but for my needs this bike is ideal.
