Is The Jolt An Affordable Folding E-Bike?
Entry-level electric bike aficionados, the electric folding Jolt bicycle is aiming straight at you. But we question, is the Jolt an affordable folding e-bike?
The Jolt, An Electric Folding Bike That Can Be Snatched Up for $499
That is $499 for now…
Sadly for many, when we speak of entry-level electric bicycle prices, we usually mean $1,000 to $1,800. While many lament more affordable ones, usually under the $1,000 range, those electric bikes (e-bikes) don’t always tend to be the best quality. However, if you jump in the early stages of this Jolt Indiegogo campaign, you could own a truly foldable e-bike for $599. Sounds too good to be true? Read on.
The Jolt e-bike is the brainchild of John Madden from Newport Beach, California. If $499 sounds like a good deal, what caught our attention is that the Jolt will eventually go on sale for much more, $1,999. A quarter of the final price is a great deal for any e-bike, however, we have a few reservations.
A Jolt Folding E-Bike
Folding bikes are amazing. Our review of the Gocycle G3 was a revelation. You can have a folding e-bike that is not cheesy, has an amazing feel, and delivers plenty of quality. However, all of this comes in at a price, $4,499, to be exact. We also welcome the newer and more affordable GS.
Technically speaking, the Jolt e-bike comes with a 36V LG battery pack nestled in the frame. It sports a 350W electric motor in the rear hub and offers a decent range of 30 miles. It has a pedal assist mode, which gives you a range of about 50 miles. It also has one of our favorite features in an e-bike, an all-electric throttle mode, ideal for hot weather and guaranteed to get you to your destination without looking like a sweat hog. It sounds as if the Jolt e-bike only has one single pedal assist mode.
You can also get it in white, black, or blue, and it displays all the information through an LCD readout and can go a maximum of 20 MPH. All of this uses a 7-speed Shimano gear system and gets delivered fully assembled. What jumped out at us is that the e-bike seems to have rim brakes, a rarity in that price range.
Who Is The Jolt E-Bike For?
Folding electric bikes are in a niche market of their own. They make perfect sense for city dwellers with limited space. They are great for store owners who just want to ride in and fold it away. And they also make sense for yacht owners who just need a small last-mile electric mobility solution.
However, we do question the campaign focusing on affordability and bringing the price of electric bikes down. Sure, $499 is a great deal on almost any e-bike, but the final $1,999 price for a folding e-bike that has rim brakes will be seen as a tough sell.
Nonetheless, we wish John Madden and the electric folding Jolt all the success it deserves. We need affordable electric bicycles, and those that fold certainly have a market.
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