Is the cheapest folding e-bike worth it? $350 Jetson Bolt Pro from Costco w/ performance tests
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
- Take a look at the performance tests to see if this bike would work for you. It could either be the deal of the century or a waste of money depending on your needs.
For cruising around the neighborhood or at the beach this little guy is so worth it.
Those are perfect uses for the Jetson. 15mph is fast enough to get a lot of cool air while riding.
If you need to go a mile to shop and this thing goes 15mph that means it would take you about 4 minutes to get to your destination. How much quicker do you need to arrive than that? This bike isn’t gonna set Anyones world on fire but it’s $350, small, runs well and is fun as hell to ride and I’m a 42 year old fat dude. This bike is great. I love mine
Money bags should get a Ferrari he would probably complain about the Ferrari
How big are u??
I'm a trucker and it fits under the bed in my truck. Its been cool and useful and couldn't beat the price. I have ordered a bigger more powerful bike so my 12 yr old will get it,
I have 2 of them, they're tons of fun. Your knocking it cause of the performance and it can't do the hill. But honestly I see some of your crazy builds and those don't exactly rip that hill either.
It’s like a 30% grade so I wasn’t surprised this didn’t make it up at all. In fact I doubt ANY hub bike would make it up that hill. For me it was more top speed and geometry that I didn’t like. But what a killer price!😀
@@JohnnyNerdOut Buy two build as one, twin hubs, then see what you got for $700
Forgot to mention, consider the Jetson Bolt for those who can ride but not peddle
@@ancientstigg3970 🤔
My wife loves hers
It's perfect for my needs. I wouldn't trust it on grass or sand. I use it to commute four miles roundtrip, 70% flat 30% hilly, on asphalt and cement roads/paths. I'm 6'2" 275lb. and it works great. It's also small enough that I can bring it into my office and wall charge it while I'm working. Just remember it's a pedal assist so it does require some pedaling uphill, but nothing major.
You are able to get all that function at your size? That is impressive. I don’t know if you are fine with the speed you are getting, but possibly a higher watt hub motor can be swapped in the wheel’ heck while you’re at it add one in the front to and look out.
😱 THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY! I’m 6’2 280 and was concern how it will not support my frame and weight. I’ll give this a try!
I weigh 215# and I live in Santa Fe (lots of hills and grades) and mine pulls a lot better than I expected & the pedal assist works well I haven't really had any problems.
I'm 6'2 myself and appreciate the comments because Im researching for my first E bike the Jetson is a work horse and very reliable per a delivery guy who put many miles on it I love reliability more than anything price to get your foot in the E bike door.
This isn't a dirt bike
As a small folding bike it's perfect.- especially for beach bike paths (flat) and tooling around areas you may be using a golf cart or camping. It doesn't take up much space and can fit in a trunk or hatchback (will fit in a Prius without even folding). I don't think you can expect this little bike to perform like a mid drive E bike or geared mountain bike.
Everyone I know who has one loves it. $350? I mean what do you expect? It works to roll down the road.
It's pretty decent ebike for the price but yes, I had it speed hacked to about 18mph . I road off road to M.A.S.H Site and it was fun! To turn light on or off just hold the button on the ride side of handle bar under battery indicator for 5 seconds .
How to speed hack?
How u make it go faster
@Gregory Burkhead you must to have Bluetooth from Bolt to be able to make the speed hack. I posted video
There’s another option out there with a board and no Bt required.
Looking forward to trying it.
I'm 5' 4", 135 lbs and although it is small, for a folding bicycle I find that it is perfect for some of my needs. I have a
much, much larger Benno Boost with an after market diy front hub motor because I like to go bicycle camping with a
weighted down trailer. I also have Pulmoanry Fibrosis so my cardiovascular health is deteriorating, so for an around town
beater and winter bike (saving my much more expensive Benno wear and tear and in salty. slushy weather, this checks
all of the boxes!) doing small errands. As far as climbing hills, unless you have a considerably higher wattage motor
you are going to have to pedal to help the motor along which if you're out and about, I don't think that that is much of
a sacrifice especially for this price point. It's not a huge battery either so if you are out in the middle of no where then
you have to figure it out. I generally like to be close to transit routes when I go out for longer distances. I on the other
do think that it is a fun bike, but I don't care about higher speeds and for what it is, I love it! There is very little maintenance
as well which leaves more time fro riding and enjoyment which is another bonus!
I'm retired in Florida, and I bought this bike to take me to the bus stop and back, which is a little over a mile away. I can take it on the bus with me. Any where the bus routes go, I can go, and have mobility with me at all times. The doctors office is three blocks from the bus stop, that I don't have to walk. Hallelujah !
First review that pretty much highlighted the negatives of the bike all other reviews said it was a good buy @ $300.
Speed hack/boost it, my bolt pro does 19mph with ease and I weigh 250lbs.
Add a 20ah battery, and it will get you anywhere and back home again.
Isn't the battery captive on the frame tubing?
I think this is a very fair review. He called it as he saw it. I bought mine for $249 refurbished. The things that I liked best about it were the low cost, portability, the ability to hack it so it can go faster and farther, low-cost replacement parts and the fact that so many people mentioned in reviews that they liked it so much. They bought a second one. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is a large online community of people who are modifying this bike or adding batteries to increase the speed or distance, plus many videos and articles on accessorizing the bike. Did I mention the $249? Also, there are tons of reviews. I was wondering if this would fit in my Toyota Corolla and I found a person that did a review of one that puts his in his Toyota Corolla. I am 6 foot tall. I was wondering if I would be too big. I watched a video of a guy in California who is 6 foot three and 220 pounds. Ride it comfortably and even more importantly saw him go up a small hill on a city street while pedaling and using the throttle. The funny thing is, this bike was at the top of my list of bikes that I did not want to buy because I was afraid it would make me look like the circus is coming to town. I still think that but it managed to tick the box of so many other requirements. I no longer care. I will just get some dark sunglasses and a hat and hope nobody notices.
I live in a place with no hills and my commute is just 4 miles from home. This is a perfect bike.
I work at Costco (5’4) and it’s 3 miles away. I think it might be good for me. Thank you
Just picked one up yesterday for $330 minus a $70 promotion for a net cost of $260 now. Just needed something to load in the RV that was small. Was a lot of fun for my first ebike. Seems to be well built and lots of videos on this model for mods.
The Jetson Bolt Pro is a steal at $350. I bought it for $275 at Costco Canada. You can sell it for $400 on Craigslist everyday of the week.
The size allows you to take it and ride it anywhere. I take it on the subway and ride it no problem on sidewalks or pedestrian paths without anyone ever bothering me. If you try doing that with your other full size bikes you’ll be arrested.
Just so you know if you use pedal assist at the same time as the throttle you can make it up any hill. Even steep hills. (but not grass or sand) It’s ideal for local neighbourhood riding and running errands up to 5 miles away. Also better for smaller riders under 5’6”.
I also have a Lectric XP 2.0, The Lectric XP is obviously a better bike. But not 4 times better.
I would never get rid of my Jetson Bolt Pro but I would consider selling my Lectric.
I just got one...for the price it's killer...uprgrade when you have the $, it's faster than you think and it's easy to pedal, perfect for non hardcore bikers or rehab...
Johnny: "Is is for me or not? Am I going to be returning it."
Narrator: He returned it.
Got one after seeing a ton of positive reviews and custom mods on other channels.
I came to your video and… I’m kind of glad I didn’t get to yours first. Would have made me doubt getting this.
As something you can cruise a boardwalk with it's totally worth it.
As a mode of transportation I think you'd be better off saving up for a DIY kit.
Watching it on a hill makes me wonder if that's 350 watts max.
From dead stop if you’re considering the steepness of the hill it makes more sense. I think Johnny said once the grade was 20%. Also as we know hub motors do not have good torque. Flat ground it completely fine, but once the slightest of incline is required the fun stops.
If you pedal at the same time as using throttle it can make it up even the steepest hills.
@@gimpman1357 If you have to pedal a tiny toy size bike isn't optimal.
@@michaelsprinzeles4022 Agreed. It’s not a good bike for fat lazy people.
@@gimpman1357 Not a good bike for someone wanting to bike either. I'm frankly unsure who this bike is targeted at. Might make a good kid's toy.
I think you a bit too critical of this little guy. I have two of them, my parents have two, and they are an absolute joy around town. For the price I paid, $369 CAD, It would be difficult to find an ebike, let a lone a regular bike (new), that folded as easily and fits in the back of my hatchback.
I tried to not be too critical of it, but for me it was not going to fit my needs. Your right, great price for an entry level ebike👍
My 105 lb girlfriend loves hers and she rips up hills too.
What I hear you saying is Jonny is to heavy 🤣
Its like that old saying back in the day, mopeds are fun until one of your friends sees you on it! haha, Slam a BBSHD kit in that little demon and you are rocking!
The Jetso Pro bike is a great bike for your youngsters 8-13 years old to rip around on under adult supervision. Our kids love them. Would be good for a retired couple, stroll on the boardwalk, or maybe in you sailboat for when you hit land. 😉
It would be a blast to turn one of these into a kids emotorbike.
Well I mean idk why you would expect a small electric bike clearly designed for the city to go uphill on grass, that may not have been the most fair test or expectation for what it is.
It’s the same test I give to all the bikes.
I just bought my 2nd Jetson Bolt. The first one was the original without peddles. It was left out in a freezing rain for several days and it killed it. My bad. I have a New Rad Runner Plus that is 8 months old and I have taken it off the back of my travel trailer twice and it maybe has 2 miles on it. It’s big, it very heavy and clumsy. If I’m going to go someplace on two wheels and the Rad makes sense, I’ll take my motorcycle. The bolt is fabulous for zipping around Campground or RV Park. The truth of the matter is I would also rather lose 350 if someone steals it than almost 2000 on the Rad.
See these all over the place on movie sets and at the studios. Looking into getting one myself just for the quick transpo around the lots
Dude you build ebikes and its like you didn't even pay attention to what this bike can do lol they can only go up certain inclines. Its not meant for off roading its meant for commuting.
To be fair I did point that out in the video. It’s just part of all my bike reviews that I do the same performance test.
peddle assist helps on hills on the road
for 1 it's not a off road bike
I've looked through most channels with videos on the jetson bolt pro and its kinda an untapped market. With your knowledge on ebikes, I think that would be a cool video series. You might be able to come up with an interesting custom build and help boost your channel. Just a thought!
6'6" at 220 lbs .at $350 I'm going to buy one . That hill you tried that was steep . . I need it for a 4 mile round trip. And I think I could make it work for me. I already do it on my 24 I nch manual bike with the 21 speed gear permanently lock in lowest gear .
Ya you should be good then👍
Love you videos I think you should experiment with it put a bafang motor on and a back rack with 48 battery attached
I would have liked you to demonstrate folding and unfolding it. Additionally, I would like to know how much it weighs. Thanks for the basic review though.
Its 40lbs, folds to half its open size.. I just bought a second one for my brother. Its worth it
@@oliverwells8011 thanks, I appreciate the added info.
How about knowing how much he weighs. That makes a difference.
The extent of its folding ability of just folding the handle bars down to reduce height, and lowering the seat.
It doesn't actually fold in half like all other folding bikes do, wheelbase is fixed.
Now you're playing with power! Be safe!
Hold the horn button for 3 seconds to turn on the lights 😊
Who's saying it won't go a mile fast 14 mph is like a mile in 4 minutes
This dude is so negative i love this thing it's fun fast and it beats walking a few blocks to run errands this dude judging skills are trash 🗑️ get the bike y'all it's worth it
Just purchased today, my first ebike, and yeah I'm guessing this is a good first E Bike for somebody who just wants to get to a few places a little faster than the bus would get me there since I wouldn't have to worry about the bus schedule for places that are close enough to comfortably bike to. I guess my only issue right now is confidence in riding it in traffic, such as to Church on Sunday mornings. It's only about a mile away, but it's a big leap for someone who hasn't had a bike in years and has dealt with rude drivers in traffic while just trying to get home.
Best little e-bike out there just bought myself one love it the cruise around the beach
Is it possible to change the gearing on these things to allow pedal assist at higher speeds than 15mph?
I'm 56 and lost my car earlier this year, so I've been desperate for transportation and hoping for something electric. If I'm able to purchase this bike, can the battery stay charged if I pedal the bike some of the time? Also, could you please recommend any baskets or cargo carriers for the front and back? Thank You :) Happy New Year to You and Your Loved Ones.
Pedaling will greatly range👍 however it’s a very small bike so spending long periods on it might be uncomfortable
Walmart sells a bike rack that attaches to the seat post for $20 and the jetson j5 is the same but includes a rack that is attached securely to the frame
My litle 20in wheel carbon folder rips up hills it has a bafang bbs02 on it.
Good for you Keith.
Definitely new to the scene of ebikes i have a es4800 bird scooter that i like but man seeing these new machines nd what you personally can do dude thats wicked much respect thank you for what you do from testing to building thank you for sure have to look into a custom fat tire ebike payment installments or something but go you bud :)
As a truck driver I was curious in this since I could fit it in the cab of a Kenworth T680 but honestly using a bike like this in most urban and industrial environments seems like a bad idea. Not to mention there isn't any storage compartment so runs to Walmart to restock probably wouldn't go so well and lots of businesses will flip out if you bring in a back pack inside they usually think your stealing.
You could get an IKEA blue bag folded up into your pocket and carry almost a kitchen sink with it slung over your shoulder. Those things seem to have limitless carrying capacity.
My main ebike is a Rad Rover and I just bought one of these at a Costco returns auction for $230 CAD… it’s hilarious! I’m thinking of buying a full clown suit and driving around downtown with it.
So you build bikes? why don’t you put another hub motor on the front wheel and figure out a place to put the extra battery and then see if it’ll climb the hill?
Install a BafangHD on that one and good gear ratio it's a little ripa.
Thanks for posting.👍
A sleeper for sure. Although the high speeds may not be the most safe as the length of the bike is not that of an average size bike. It depends on the individual riding it. A kid would be great on the bike, but a tall adult for sure it is sketchy on turns.😟
Thanks man. I need something for a 1 mile trip daily but it's up grade; you answered that point. No way Josè. I'll do that Ancheer 500w.
The Matt black paint job, and the spokes are cool as they give the wheels extra strength while making the bike look better too. If you live on flat grounds, and will only travel a few blocks it would be great for the price in store price as twice the amount is dumb especially if you know the difference from online to the in store price.
This bike is perfect for event parking like Sofi stadium. Don't need to pay $100 on parking and you get to enter / exit faster than all the cars in the traffic jam.
Disneyland, I don't need to compete with other park guests who need to use the bus to get back to their cars, or walk the tram route as there are no trams.
This bike paid itself off and allows me to exit crowded events / theme parks faster.
Pimp that thing. Do duel drive 1500 watt hubs at 60 volts.
Thanks
I love mine it goes a long ways add a battery i goes even farther hold horn turns on light
Is there any way to make it faster?.u have to hold the light button for about 5 seconds to turn on the light in the front.
You still have this bike? If so you should play around with it and add a middrive or much powerful hubdrive motor to it with added strength supports where needed.
Since you a Ebike builder this will be no problem for you to do. I see a girl on RUclips has a bbso2 on her one she built as a school project awhile ago.
I ride one of these 4 miles to work.. bought it refurbished on their website for $260
First e-bike
Downtown Vancouver to delta park
@@nicholaskinsey7779what’s your terrain like? I’m looking at this one. 2 miles each way (4 miles a day). But some of my terrain is rougher due to construction and being downtown. Wondering if this would work.
Is this the same bike as the dyu?
it's probably to weak for my daily commute but it's cheap & that's why I felt I should at least look at it.
Ignore this review. People love these bikes in San Francisco of all places.
Hey man! been subscribed since the solar boat and Kawasaki Versys days! Really enjoy the videos, keep up the good work! have you had a look at the "new" BBSHD? the m625? Looks interesting I want to get my hands on one and open it up!
Hey! Back when the vids were total crap?! Thanks!
I’m in process of getting them in currently actually. Weird thing is that you have to buy the motor as a kit with the battery. At least it’s a huge battery but your stuck with only one size for now.
@@JohnnyNerdOut That's a pain! I think Bafang are trying to move to be more like the other ebike manufactures
I'd be curious how well it climbs hills if you do the speed mod
You're 100lbs too heavy for this bike. I bought one for my daugher who is 100lbs and it will climb hills.
All I can say is that It's not worth it for Jetson's online store price tag at $600 + tax. I got it even cheaper than this and it's flaw's that it has shouldn't be there given the price tag for what they value this at. At costco; good price though
Hmmm, weak may be a relative term.
What if you live in flat as hell South Bend and you have less than 1 mile to work 5 days a week?
Absolutely. That would be just fine for the right person.
It doesnt have a Bafang mid drive so I know before watching you wont like it. But I will watch anyway. lol Just kidding man.
That price though! Almost had me.
I wonder if you can slap a mid-drive motor on this thing?
Uh, your not climbing hills bro, take your heavy bikes then, geez
Light weight! This thing is heavy as hell at 41LB. As a person in NYC it's not MTA friendly... when I first got it had to lug this up 2 floors into the house to charge it. I had my hands at the bars to raise it up, then use my legs and hips to to lift it up each stair. It's a damn workout on its own.
🤣 someone needs to workout more
@@therealrealshocker nah I got a ninja 400 lol
@@adelgado8917 nice! 🤙🏼
Would it be better if I spend about $600 and just get a conversion kit for my road bike instead of getting this Jetson bike?
I would always vote yes
Its called a micromobility scooter. Gets around the neighborhood to buy grocery
You went to Astoria Queen, NY?
Is it worth to use the bike for 30 - 60 minutes in my flat neighborhood streets than indoor stationery at home for the purpose to loose weight. Note I live on second floor in an apartment building in Portland.
possibly. Buy it from Costco, they have a great return policy :)
This would be a great bike to buy and put a small dirt bike 2 stroke engine on. Imagine this bike with a 100cc dirt bike engine.
That would be fun. Frame might disintegrate
Could you please share the link to where you get it for $350 ? Because I cannot find it.
costco.com
Johnny for president
No dude. City manager. They have ALL the power
For how much it cost compared to how it performs has given me, at 72 yo, 1000 miles (GPS computer) of dependable transportation. As for looking like a kids bike, strange as I have received an inordinate number of positive comments and inquires from all ages without a single negative one. Obviously prejudiced, pretty lame review sir!
It definitely depends on what you are needing out of a bike. Certainly glad you found the bike that suits your needs though 👍
saw one of those the other day, or very similar, would you rather have a scooter over that thing ? they go for a similar price.
These are more comfortable riding than scooters on any rough payment. My Ninebot scooter with the small hard wheels are jarring on the bumps, but goes 21 mph and can outrun the bike in speed and distance. But once the power runs out, you're stuck walking/dragging the scooter, while you can still ride the bike. No range anxiety 🙃
Honestly I would strongly NOT recommend the gotrax scooters because I had mine for no more than 4 months and the disk breaks broke and the battery began to rapidly decrease in performance
That was a lousy test in the grass. Most people ride on streets and sidewalks. Your test should have been on the street and sidewalk, not your mind in the grass depression. The money comes easy to you, you seem spoiled. It is comparing something that cost 75% more. You are right about getting what you pay for. You should do a real world ride.
folding bikes are a fad imo, my first ebike an aventon sinch I got over the folding gimmick in a month. Its a heavy girl and lifting that thing up into my van, when its all awkwardly folded, is not that convenient or useful. You still have to be careful that it stays standing upright when folded, or the disc rotors/derailleur can get all bent up. Quick release wheels seem more convenient for transport than a folding bike.
I agree. Lightweight mtb is the way to go
You declared folding bikes to be a fad or gimmick and then you close-by relating that you have personally gotten over the gimmick well that's circular reasoning and straw man logic I mean you are taking a position that is not necessarily borne out by fact I honestly think that the reviews this guy was providing would be pretty much trying to measure the performance of a Honda Civic after being accustomed to riding a Lamborghini I mean they are just for two different purposes you're not going to expect to take steep hills Cruise across highways and byways in this bike what you are expecting to pay at most one third the price that's what the thing is for so cheap mode of transportation for local easy riding and everybody who enjoys it knows that and I don't believe it is a fad contrary to your assertion to that position
@@ThomasFromTN thx for that wall of text. I don't think that's circular reasoning, its forming an opinion based on my personal experiences owning and riding a folding ebike for years. I'd much rather have a bike where I can take off quick release wheels. The jetson bike is so small it doesnt even need to fold. Its a gimmick toy.
If you bought it at Costco just take it back for a refund… they have a lifetime refund policy on most items in their store….
Hack it! They can go 22-23 mph, see if that makes it worth it!
Are you in Warrenton Oregon
Salt Lake City
They can be unlocked or hacked to go 18
How
@@lazybp9996 going to need to buy some hardware and hook it up to a computer to program it. There are videos up of guys who specialize in these
@@wakawaka1976 around how much will it cost
@@lazybp9996 should check out the videos it’s been over a year since I watched it and you will need to see how it’s done anyhow to make sure you want to. Looks pretty easy though. Pretty cheap I believe but not sure if prices are the same
I have a 46mm bb got bafang M325 750w mid drive kit. Does anyone know what adapter I need to get it to fit ?
Check my website under adapter page
@@JohnnyNerdOut I looked on your webpage but couldn’t find an adapter page. I booked a 15 minute consultation tomorrow evening but if you can send a link or tell me what I need to buy so I can order before our meeting I’d appreciate it. Anxious to get out on it ASAP. I’d still like to talk for the 15 minutes. Looking forward to meeting you watching tons of your videos
@@russelltherealestateguy7527 www.johnnynerdout.com/product-page/pf30-to-bsa-adapter
👍 I also have bb30 in a secret stash….
Review after one day.Almost as bad as "unboxing" videos for learning
Buying this bike to go a couple of blocks is ridiculous, I would just walk as it’s better exercise for you. Plus you can’t carry anything like groceries in it.
You could put a little trailer on it
@@JohnnyNerdOut
You better not have any hills! 🤣
I think you should just build a set and store them at my house for when you are in the PNW
@@Dirtfilm am I allowed back?
@@JohnnyNerdOut you may have to change your name and assume a different identity
Will not climb a wet, long grass, uphill with a full sized adult......
It'd be good for a kid.
ya
I would so buy this for 350🤣 but not 600
36v single speed lacking power?…. what do you expect!
I take it 9 miles everyday
Would it be worth it to upgrade it?
Probably not
Many people have, I use mine for fun, I love it.
Worst review I have seen. Of course it’s not going to go uphill on grass!! Duh!! This is the only negative review I have seen on this bike. Need to work on your reviews!! Just an fyi.
I do that test for every single bike I review. that would be biased and unfair if I did not include this bike in that.
You are just way too big for that bike. I would say a person up to 150 lbs. would do good with it. What do you want, a dirt bike? Get a dirt bike. You want to go fast? Get a pocket bike.
are you going to stick a mid-drive in it Johnny 😅😂
I already returned it, not worth it :(
@@JohnnyNerdOut I was joking my friend now that would be a video to watch
Those things are probably built for the small Chinese people but I do wonder if you could try a different battery in it and get more torque
Nope Jr. but thanks for the input.
bro it is a kid bike
Disposable toy. Not a sustainable tool. Who is it designed for? All the worst features, doing what you didn't need done in the first place.
More like the Escooter illusion of utility, not the American Brompton.
Why not a simple folding bike for the tasks you postulate? lighter, more portable better balance of features.
Maybe useful question are "Will I be using it in 5 years?" "What am I learning?"