My first ebike the Jetson Bolt Pro!

[Frank Discussion]

Hello all!

I just received my first "folding" electric bicycle/vehicle this morning. After much research I decided on getting the Jetson Bolt pro which is sold at Costco and I believe it's also sold under other brand names. I managed to find someone selling it locally online but brand new still in the box for less than the Costco price. I live in a small studio basement apt so I wanted something somewhat lightweight and portable for storage and this bike is ideal for that. I must say it was quite easy to put together and comes pretty much all assembled. After unboxing it and setting it up it came 75% charged so I took it for a ride around my neighborhood and it's a perfect little machine! It's quite well built and everything worked right out of the box with minimal adjustments. I can see myself riding it to the light rail train system we have here and bringing it onboard the train for even further distances!

 

[Hoggdoc]

Well to the world of E-Bikes. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as many others here on the forum. Be careful watch the auto drivers especially on your style of bike as it is small.

 

[Frank Discussion]

Well to the world of E-Bikes. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as many others here on the forum. Be careful watch the auto drivers especially on your style of bike as it is small.

Thanks! Indeed I am extra cautious on this bike in terms of interacting with automobiles and try to keep to side streets and not the main busier roads if possible. Also because of it's design it's quite easy to skid sideways so when taking turns I tend to be very careful and not try to go too fast and use the pedals and not the throttle. I did take it on a little dirt/gravel pathway today a short distance and seemed to handle that terrain nicely. Also because of it's small wheels I have to keep a close eye on avoiding any ruts or large potholes in the asphalt which could cause a crash. Luckily I am experienced cyclist so getting used to riding this bike wasn't that difficult but there still was a learning curve on how to do so safely. I have seen videos of people modifying these bikes to do 20-30mph and I can't imagine going that fast on this machine. The 15.5 mph max speed is enough for me.

 

["A"]

For small ebike with short wheelbase & smaller (16" or 14") wheels, the handling characteristics really isn't meant for speed.
Weight distribution on the smaller bikes are important to keep both wheel on the ground & upright.
If you sit back on the saddle and pop a wheelie while going uphill can easily cause the bike flip back & end up on top of you.
Short wheelbase of these tiny bikes makes them quick to change directions, but not so good at holding the line through the turn at speed.
Tiny wheels with somewhat narrow tires doesn't really absorb much road shock, speed really can make a rider feel the road shock.
Sometimes, I feel like a circus bear on a tiny bike when I ride mine, really isn't meant for speed.
25 km/h is the max speed I can reach with 100% battery & my 180 lb., most of the time I'm cruising at around 20-22 km/h.
I can cruise downhill go faster, but the twitchy handling really doesn't feel safe at higher speeds; I just let the regen motor work its magic.

 

[Frank Discussion]

Yes, I am aware of accidentally popping a wheelie on this bike so I keep most of my weight forward while pedaling uphill. I upgraded the seat to a big wide Raleigh touring seat for a little more comfort which has also helped absorb a bit of the road shock on our heavily potholed roadways. I found that the stock seat wasn't cutting it. I really only ride on level smooth ground at speed with the throttle wide open. I see videos on YouTube people riding these Jetsons on snow or ice or loose gravel roads.. No way would I ever try something like that with this bike. I have no intention of riding this bike in rain/snow or in the dirt and will only use it for short commutes to and from the LRT station or shopping errands not far away.
I just wish the weather would get warmer and drier so I can use it comfortably. Right now here it's still freezing in the mornings and raining most of the day with max temps at 45f. When I was a younger cyclist I commuted daily in any weather on either my mountain or road bikes. Now at age 60....meh.

 

[FrankR]

Enjoy. Those look like fun.

 

[okaivehicles]

That’s just great! You have bought a folding electric bicycle but make sure to not use it for riding hills as it can be really uncomfortable. Also, study all the e-bike driving rules to make sure you drive safe.