Costco is selling the Jetson Bolt Pro Folding Electric bike and, after a strong recommendation from a friend, I knew I had to buy one! Actually, I had to buy two of them because my wife wanted one as well 🙂
I have put a little over a hundred miles (we are at two hundred now!) on my bike and wanted to share the pros and cons of the bike so you can figure out if this bike is right for you!
UPDATE: Costco is now selling the Jetson Haze instead of the Bolt Pro in most locations. Here is the review of the Jetson Haze Electric Bike at Costco.
Specifications
Before we jump into the pros and cons of this bike let’s go ahead and detail the specifications.
The Bolt Pro utilizes a 36V lithium ion battery that powers the bike’s 350 watt motor. The bike is advertised as being capable of reaching speeds of 15.5 miles per hour but the top speed will depend upon the surface as well as the weight of the rider.
The bike is small with the height at the handles only reaching 38 inches. The handle bar can fold down to make it easier to fit in the back of your car. Between the small size, foldable handle bar and low weight (41 pounds) this bike is easy to transport.
The bike has a range of about 30 miles if you are pedaling and about 15 miles if you are using electric power only.
The weight limit for the Bolt Pro is 265 pounds.
Assembly of the Bike
Putting the bike together is incredibly simple. I believe it took me 15-20 minutes to put the first one together and 10 minutes for the second.
You only need two tools to complete the assembly and they are provided in the packaging.
The Left and Right pedals are have different threading and are NOT interchangeable.
The most confusing part of the assembly process is getting the handle bar mounted front reflector properly oriented.
The front reflector on both of our bikes was extremely loose and was sliding all over the place. I tried tightening the clamp but that did not help at all.
I eventually figured that the handle bar is tapered and all you need to do is push the reflector towards the fat end of the bar and then it fits nice and snug.
One last detail about getting this bike setup is how to turn on the headlight. To get the headlight to turn on you need to press and hold the Cruise Control button for 4-5 seconds.
Things I Love About the Bike
These bikes are FUN!
The bikes are not high speed dragsters or off road trail bike beasts but they are perfect for puttering around the neighborhood.
There are plenty of electric bikes out there that are way faster than this one but I typically cruise around at about 10 mph which is just fast enough for me.
I appreciate that the speed of the bike is controlled by the manually adjustable throttle which puts me in complete control of how fast I go. I tried another brand of electric bike which had set power levels that just “kicked in” when you started to pedal and it felt like the bike was in control of me instead of the other way around.
What I really love is that even when you are not using the throttle the motor is providing power in the form of Pedal Assist. When the bike is powered on it is incredibly easy and fun to pedal as the motor is always helping you out.
The Pedal Assist feature is so nice that I routinely go on four to five mile rides and pedal the entire way without even bothering to use the throttle.
Of course, if you do want the bike to do all the work than you can throttle up and enjoy the cruise. Speaking of cruising, the bike even has Cruise Control which is activated by pressing the button on the right side of the handle bar!
I know that this is going to sound stupid but….
One of the things I love the most about this bike is the goofy horn that you ding by flicking a thumb lever. I think it is hysterical to have a “high tech electric bike” with a silly little manual bell that goes “DING!”.
Easy to Transport
It is extremely easy to load these bikes into a vehicle.
You lift a lever to collapse the handle bars and can use the loop at the top as the frame as a carrying handle.
The bike is relatively well balanced and, at about 40 pounds, is easy to lift and load into the back of an SUV.
Where the Bike Could Be Better
This bike is far from perfect. Here are a few things to be aware of before you make the purchase.
The biggest issue is that the bike has small tires (14 inch) and as a result is very sensitive to road conditions. You really have to watch out for any small potholes, uneven surfaces, etc as the small tires do not allow much room for error.
I am not crazy about the positioning of the hand brakes. The grip for the brakes are mounted in a downward position which makes them very awkward to reach and activate. The brakes themselves work fine but the controls could be positioned better.
The seat placement has all of your weight fully supported by the back tire. If you are over 200 lbs this will make it look like the back tire is going flat while you are riding.
What We Learned After 200 Miles of Riding
After 200 miles of use we have found some more flaws in these bikes but still love them.
Simple Upgrades
My wife wanted to be more comfortable on the bike so she added a different seat. She went with a Schwinn seat that was both wider and had more padding than the original seat. When the bike had the original seat her butt would get sore after about three miles. With the new seat she cruises for six to seven miles with no issues.
We also added a small bag to the handle bars so she has someplace to put her keys, phone and a bottle of water.
Small Problems
The more we use these bikes the more little problems we have discovered and some of the more notable ones are:
- Charging Issues
- Build Quality
- Overall Power
Charging Issues
The bikes charge much slower than we expected. I haven’t measured the exact charging time but I am going to guess that it takes at least five hours to fully charge the bike.
The reason this is an issue is that we had plans to go on a long “Out and Back” trip. We were going to ride 15 miles down a “Rails to Trails” bike path to a brewpub. We planned on plugging the bikes in while we ate and drank and then ride 15 miles back to our car.
These bikes charge so slowly that we would have had to spend 2-3 hours at our midway charging stop to make sure we had enough juice to get back to the car.
The other charging issue we discovered is that if the charger is plugged into the wall it continuously draws 3 watts regardless of whether it is charging anything or not. This isn’t a big deal but it is a mindless waste of electricity.
Build Quality
We are seeing signs of poor build quality in some components.
The most notable example is when the rear wheel fender fell off of one of the bikes. At first I thought it had just come unscrewed but closer inspection showed that what broke was the receptive sleeve inside the tube that accepted the screw. I can probably fix this with some SuperGlue.
Overall Power
I enjoy cruising the neighborhood streets at around 10 mph but there are times when I wish I could pick up the pace.
One time I was looking at a storm front blowing in and a few times I was in a hurry and running late. It was frustrating to not be able to kick the bike into high gear and do some zooming.
Another situation that brings out the power limitation of these bikes is going up inclines. If you get these bikes onto about a 15% incline they are not able to manage on their own and you have to do some significant pedaling.
Overall Impressions
These bikes have some obvious limitations but given the price point I absolutely cannot complain.
I am absolutely delighted that we bought a pair of Jetsons!
Nice review. I too had issue with the hand brake position. It’s very easy to fix however. Flip up the lever in the center of the handle bars… the brakes will pop into the proper position for riding comfort.
Thank you! That was so easy!!!
Battery lasted less than 10 miles… won’t charge. 165.00 to replace… good deal?
I am sorry that you got a dud! Take that thing back to Costco for a refund!
Where did the quote for 165 for the battery come from? Is that what the customer service suggested? Did they do any troubleshooting before coming down to the conclusion the battery is failed?
The bike is good the only problem I have at this point when I use full throttle the Hannah balls also moved I mean the pedals also move I don’t understand why
I thought the brake position was weird at first as well but it’s easily adjustable whatever position is more comfortable for you. Just look for that screw tightener the proper Allen key to make the adjustments.
Even easier just flip the latch above the handle bars and they rotate to proper position.
I purchased 3 from Costco for my grandson’s & they love them. Only problem is that one didn’t have the sleeve that the seat post slides into. Emailed customer service one was missing the sleeve. Instead of just sending it they wanted me to box it up send it to them so they could put the sleeve in the box and send back to me so I could take out of box and put on seat post. Seems like this is a typical customer service tactic to not address the problem. It’s a $2.00 piece!!!
Is the sleeve for the seat post or for the rear fender? The picture seems to show a tothreaded bushing that the fender mounting screw goes into, but not sure if it sits outside of the hole in the frame or if it fractured. Looks like it would just need a replacement bolt and a nut to attach more securely.
Thank you for the good review, i just purchased one for my wife yesterday at Costo,
it was very easy to put together, you learn as you go as far as putting it together.
Looking forward to see how is going to respond when she rides it
thank you again
My issue stems from bikes getting flat rear tires and no way to repair rear wheel I don’t think unless they make bike plugs for them. Can anyone suggest to me how to repair flat rear tire.
You can buy replacement 14 inch tubes on Amazon.
I was told I had to take my bike to a shop and pay $60 – $80 to have my flat front tire fixed. I just put like half a bottle of that green goo into it, aired it up, and boom. It’s like new.
Solution to tires going flat (either rear or front,) get the 29 inch liners and double wrap them (for the Bolt Pro.) It does add a bit of weight, but I have done this for years on my regular bikes, just upgraded my Jetson Bolt Pro after my rear tire went flat to this set up.
This is silly….how do you turn OFF the cruise control? Push the button again?
Just squeeze the brake lever.
I loved it when I got it now I can’t get a battery charger navigate to Fort Lauderdale Florida I can’t even get a mechanic’s down here I asked many times for one now I’m not on the road I’m very upset a lot of people ask me about the bike is great the ride and it’s find but make sure try to get some help see what happens
do not understand what was just said
My problem with the bike is that if you don’t turn off the power button and stop to get off it is easy to twist the throttle and the bike lurches forward and you get smacked in the shins or fall over. I have done this a few times. Very dangerous. I am trying to remember to always turn off tge power when I stop to get off. Also today I was out in a two hour ride. I was using power assist and pedaling. Only using the throttle on the hills. With about 30 minutes left in my ride the power died, it was tough to pedal without assist especially on the uphill. I had to walk it. Really annoying. So not really good for a longer trail ride.
With another brand I had the same problem and fell over and badly scraped myself. NOwhere was it mentioned in the manual but when I went online after I already bought it to warn people on Costco website and then I saw in a review which mentioned that and I wrote a second negative review on that brand Costco which would not print i so when I called the company to ask why, the agent said do you want to file a claim not sure what it was for, I said sure. The bike company did not respond at first, but eventually they did, and they paid me a little compensation, but I told them I had not really expected to get anything as I wasn’t hospitalized but I wanted them to put an insert in the manual (if not reprinting them) which says WARNING when getting off bike and walking it, MAKE sure that you turn off power as bike might lurch forward when you unexpectedly turn the throttle on the grip. At first they were kind of snippy and said of course you would turn it off when you walk it but people may not think if it’s only a short distance (which is why I accepted the money) I just want people to be warned as one doesn’t expect a bike to leap away from you while waking it.
How fast should the pedal assist go when you start pedaling? It seems like mine is not working, because it seems like it does not assist???
The pedal assist does not go at a certain speed. Instead it makes pedaling easier. If the bike is turned on (green lights lit?) then you should be able to do about 10 mph just by turning the throttle.
so the pedaling asistance will not work in uphill, when you uphill the speed will go down, will not have 10mph … is that correct??
The pedal assist does work while going uphill but you will have to pedal a lot harder. Yes, the speed will go down and you won’t be going 10 mph.
At 9MPH of pedaling the motor assist will kick in and as long as you don’t exceed pedaling too fast or over 13-14mph the pace will be stead to keep the bike powered with the assist. Best advice is to install the Blueooth adapter from ebay (from a Jetson Bolt) so you can adjust up to 19mph. The pedal assist is so much easier now that the speed has been adjusted to support up to 19mhz. Prior the cadence was off with how much pedaling you needed to wait for the motor assist. 300 miles on my new Jetson Bolt Pro since last moth. 🙂
I’m a NEW BOLT Pro owner and always wanted an e-Bike.
Believe it or not, my reason for buying was to avoid Uber or rides from friends (Covid) when having my car serviced across Town!
In reality, this little bike will probably grow on me, to the point that my wife is figuring out what She can do with it – uh, oh!
So, I did a lot of research on this little machine – firstly, the price was right, Secondly, it has a huge following (YouTube/Google on any related subject!).
At the price point, I could simply replace it, however – parts are out there!
For those that complain about battery life – consider a second battery mod (YouTube)
Its NOT a Speed-Machine but there is a ‘hack’ to increase the speed to about 20 miles/hr (maybe more?) (YouTube)..
For me, its CONVENIENCE and FUN – buy a rear carrier for your stuff, buy a helmet, buy a water carrier, buy a front clip-on bag – VISIT a BIKE SHOP and just be a Kid Again! (shh I didn’t say that…
Terry/Canada
Im A 53 Y/O Woman,And Totally Agree,I Live In A Very Rural Area,Amish Country,I Love This Little Thing,Have A Rack On The Back,Brain Bucket.Some Lights On The Tires, And Light Bars On The Frame😂Thow My Telescope On My Back,And Im Off To Find A Quiet Spot To Watch The Stars,A Little Utility Trailer Will Be Next,lol..Its Great To Be A Kid Again Sometimes❤️😁❤️
When I got this bike it could only travel 3 miles. When I tried to return it they asked if it had touched water. This means that this bike can’t even handle water. I didn’t enjoy that experience.
Well at first i thought it was great saves gas then used it for about a month then the whole thing just stopped working .got a new controler and throttle and still nothing.really disapointed on why it wont. Work any more
I left mine in a shed last winter. Im so upset. Buying the replacement battery is confusing and expensive. I rode it once.
Why do you need to buy a replacement battery, just recharge I sometimes do not use mine for months and months and it still works.
Just got one from Costco. I’m not sure if mine is like everyone else’s but the bike turns direction too quickly if I nudge it to the side too much or when I’m turning. It just jolts to the side which is dangerous. It’s probably the small wheels but I was wondering if anyone know how to increase the turning resistance on the main stem.
Is the battery detachable from the bike to switch in and out. What happens after 300-500 charges u throw it away
This was so awesome. Because of the chip shortage, the prices for used cars have increased more than it has ever been. So now I am left with the option of being in the market for buying an ebike. This left me weary for I am a first time buyer. Glad I found your article because it put me at ease
Seems several comments here have way too high expectations. You’re buying a BUDGET bike with a relatively small motor and battery and expect it to go on long or hilly journeys? Get real. And no, it’s not meant to be in water or heavy rain. Again, it’s a budget bike, plus electric. Also, customer service has to ask that. I was asked that even though I’d just opened the bike.
Speaking of which, CS was excellent. I couldn’t get the seat post in the bike and contacted them. Ended up sending a video of the issue and they sent a new one. Ironically, the original one ended up fitting when I tried it again when the new one arrived. Not sure why.
The bike has some flaws for sure, but for the price (and I got my remanufactured from the company, so it was even cheaper than the Costco price in the article), I’m happy. I’m disabled and I live in the country with tons of hills. Walking my dog has gotten difficult on bad days and I can’t ride a normal bike uphill. Now it’s no problem! It struggles on certain steep hills and a 4.7 mile ride (30 minutes) left maybe 5 minutes of battery because of all the hills and me being weak and using the throttle a lot, but I repeat that it doesn’t have a powerful motor or battery and the terrain here is rough even on pavement. The fact that if I’m left without a ride, I can now bike home or to work without waiting for someone to drive me, and that’s great.
Just curious as to why the company has so many remanufactured options available? Are folks really returning them after a few months of usage? The comments here indicate that folks have overall liked the bike and it functions pretty well. I’m thinking of buying a remanufactured one and wanted to know if getting the extended protection plan is a good idea?
I Didnt,and Have Had Mine A Cpl Months,My Only Issues Were The Pedals,The L Wouldnt Go In,Jetson Wanted Me To Send The Whole Bike Back,I Ran It Down To My Friends Tires Shop😁It Needed Cleaned,There Were Metal Shavings In It Like It Wasnt Completly Bore Out From The Factory,He Didnt Charge Me,He Got $20 Anyway..Friends Are Great to Have..And No Issues Since,I Really Like Mine Living Out In NWPA ,Around Amish,And Some Telescope Nights At The Damm Up The Street,As Far As The Extention,Thats A Personal Prefrence I Would Think,Hope You Enjoy Your Bike,Happy Riding
Does this bike turn off automatically when you aren’t using it for awhile? Can’t figure out why the battery is dead a week later when I haven’t used it at all. Don’t think I turned it on but not sure. Can’t find any info on this subject.
I think it stays on.