Lectric XP for a child?

[myers830]

The KENT Torpedo from Walmart is in stock with 2 day shipping. $498. Walmart is selling some really good eBikes the last 2 years. Even Kev from Kev Central is impressed with some of them. Its sized and powered right for a child. Getting an eBike that a small child can "grow into" makes no sense because a bike described as that... is an adult bike straight up. Its like buying clothes for a child...buying them something made for a teenager is crazy. The downside is that buying anything for a child (clothes, toys, etc)...will always be for a child.

 

[goldconch]

@evanwhat forgive my unsolicited back-seat wind-bagging, and take in a well-meaning context from a seasoned dad: unless all the smartest grade 2-3er's in your neighbourhood are riding mechanised transport, I'd consider a more versatile all-around geared analogue kid bike so that your child (and their friends) can ride safely when not accompanied by you. Most 8 year olds (and perhaps your child is exceptional) won't have accumulated the miles of experience, hazard identification/negotiation motor skills, maturity, sense of precaution, and general road knowledge that would normally be advisable with amplifying risks to 25mph+ amidst, potentially, other road users and pedestrians, and possibly also possibly sneaking TikTocs on their soon-to-be-screen-smashed phones. I wouldn't want to push my kids to go beyond their comfort, tasking, and skill levels too soon, as there will be some accidents - skinned knees/elbows - during learning curve, as well as potential for undesirable mental stress/fear/phobia. Riding with knowledgeable parents/adults that can safely and comfortably point out hazards, traffic and road rules, when to adjust physical front/rear/side balance, reliably summon a bunny hop, understanding limits of adhesion/physics, that may be obvious to us, but perhaps not automatically to them, in a measured way, is really commendable and the best way for kids to get a good foundation for later while keeping the experience in the bonding fun zone. On balance though, I would look for a reasonable geared-analogue bike of the correct size and craigslist it when it's time to upgrade, while de-tuning your ebike settings for peak throttle speeds of <15mph, so everyone can keep up, and mentally deal. These days, under $900 ebikes often need some de-chintzing with light mods and aftermarket parts, which doesn't necessarily have to be costly. The selection might be limited as it's summer, and bikes have been difficult to keep in stock due to bonanza 'rona escapism.

 

[john peck]

I have a 7-year-old son who I would like to put on an electrically assisted bike so that he can keep up when we go on rides as a family. I've often wondered if this was safe to do and also wondered if there was a bike out there that could work for both a child and an adult (for better resale and so he can grow with the bike). The Lectric seems to fit that bill but I wonder if anyone has done it and whether or not it would be safe to do.

Does anyone know if you are able to manually limit the speed of the Lectric XP?

Eh..., kids don´t need electric; If he can´t keep up leave ´im behind

 

[Stoneyrun]

I have a 7-year-old son who I would like to put on an electrically assisted bike so that he can keep up when we go on rides as a family. I've often wondered if this was safe to do and also wondered if there was a bike out there that could work for both a child and an adult (for better resale and so he can grow with the bike). The Lectric seems to fit that bill but I wonder if anyone has done it and whether or not it would be safe to do.

Does anyone know if you are able to manually limit the speed of the Lectric XP?

Only you know your kid best. But I'd think the person should weigh more than the bike at least. I'd also suggest limiting allowed pedal assist and making him/her study for and pass a home school version of a motorcycle license test. If I were 7 I'd be unlocking 28 mph and sneaking it out soon.

 

[sdbyrd]

Did you end up finding anything, sdbyrd?

This is a great a thread--really appreciate everyone's input and opinions. I stumbled on this thread and forum after googling if kids could ride foldable e-bikes. Looks like a great resource.

Anyways, I'm in the same boat as the original poster and you, sdbyrd--I just bought my wife and I some fat tire ebikes and am looking for the best way for my 8 year old son to keep up with us. Ideally, I'd love to find a fat tire ebike that can be ridden by both kids and adults (so he can grow into it and in case we have friends or family visiting that want to ride).

Budget: as cheap as possible--preferably under $900

These are the options I've been able to find so far:

Kent Torpedo — $500 for a lighter, more affordable bike that would be able to be handled by a kid much more easily, but the range and components look to be somewhat chintzy. Don't think it'd be a good idea for an adult to ride this for an extended period of time.

20

FEATURES Sturdy, Steel Frame Pedal-Assisted Electric Drivetrain 3 Power Levels (small assist, medium assist, large assist) 6 Speed Gearing Front Suspension Easy Assembly 24V 5.2AMP Removeable Battery for Easy Transport and Charging 15 Mile Range when using battery power 180 Watt 24V Motor 6...

kent.bike

Swagtron EB6 Kids Electric Fat Bike — $800 for a bigger, more sturdy setup with a bigger battery and longer range, but would be hard for a kid to handle as it weighs nearly 50 pounds. At the same time, an adult could probably ride this no problem.

SWAGTRON EB6 Electric Fat Bike – Swagtron

swagtron.com

Ecotric 36V Foldable Fat Tire — $800 for an adult-sized foldable fat tire ebike. This is actually one of the bikes I just ordered, the other is the standard frame version that's made by Ecotric. I still don't know if this or any other adult-sized foldable fat bike could fit a child. If the one I ordered actually ships to me (located in Alaska and it isn't easy finding a company to ship oversize items here) I'll post the results of my son's test drive of it.

Ecotric 36V Fat Tire Portable and Folding Electric Bike-Matt Black and blue

The ECOTRIC® White and Blue electric fat bike packs a powerful 500 watt motor and a long range 36 volt 12 amp hour battery.It is is an electric folding bike like no other – it rides like a dream and easily folds in about 30 seconds. Get ECOTRIC®, go further, and have more fun with the price...

www.ecotric.com

Any help or ideas is appreciated, thanks!
-Evan

Evan,

I ended up getting 2 Jupiter XP bikes for my 8 & 10 year old girls and they’re perfect! Even though they’re not fat tires, they’re able to bike along the beach on the packed sand. Highly recommend them!

 

[kmccune]

Evan,

I ended up getting 2 Jupiter XP bikes for my 8 & 10 year old girls and they’re perfect! Even though they’re not fat tires, they’re able to bike along the beach on the packed sand. Highly recommend them!

Evan,

I ended up getting 2 Jupiter XP bikes for my 8 & 10 year old girls and they’re perfect! Even though they’re not fat tires, they’re able to bike along the beach on the packed sand. Highly recommend them!

If you can find some tires with a round profile they will float better in the sand( tires like"Hookworms" come to mind.( the old "Dune Buggy" crowd put Me unto that little factoid.)