Purchasing an electric bike should enhance your ride, not cut it short prematurely. My experience with Nakto e-bikes, however, has been marred by unexpected failures, leaving me questioning their reliability, especially for anyone considering them for regular commutes or recreational use in varied terrains. Having encountered not one, but two Nakto e-bikes succumbing to the same issue, I’m compelled to share my experience and raise concerns about their durability.
Living in Keene, New Hampshire, nestled in a valley, I wouldn’t consider my local riding environment excessively challenging. My intention was to use the e-bike for extending my range and boosting my speed, primarily on downtown streets and established paths, avoiding strenuous hills. Surprisingly, both Nakto bikes failed on level ground. Weighing around 180 pounds and actively losing weight, I utilized the pedal-assist feature, typically level 3 out of 5, in first gear. The expectation was for the electric motor to supplement my pedaling, not to be overworked. Yet, both bikes experienced critical failures under these seemingly moderate conditions.
The most recent bike malfunctioned shortly after receiving a message regarding the return of the first one. The vendor’s communication suggested a refund, but confirmation has been pending for over 36 hours, adding to the frustration.
For context, I own a well-maintained 26″ cruiser, a classic three-speed internal hub bike that I prefer to keep as is. Converting it to electric seems counterproductive, potentially compromising its inherent charm and simplicity. My preference for internal hubs stems from an engineering perspective and past negative experiences with derailleurs. Ironically, the Shimano derailleur on the Nakto e-bike was one of the few components that appeared robust. Shimano’s reputation for quality components generally holds true.
Across approximately 40 miles ridden on these two Nakto bikes, the throttle proved useful for quick starts, especially when forgetting to downshift before stopping – a common occurrence for someone accustomed to internal hub systems. My long-held skepticism towards derailleurs, rooted in teenage mishaps and a belief in their mechanical complexity, began to soften with the Nakto’s Shimano setup. It had been over two decades since my last derailleur bike, and the Nakto’s performance in this area was surprisingly smooth and reliable. I had anticipated mostly riding in a high gear and relying on the motor, expecting chain issues to be frequent.
However, the reality of pedaling a dead e-bike eight miles home at 10 pm, utilizing the full gear range out of necessity, brought the reliability concerns sharply into focus.
This experience is pushing me towards considering a DIY e-bike approach. My inclination towards “buy cheap and upgrade” might be better suited to building an e-bike from the ground up. The appeal of starting with a solid foundation and customizing components is growing. Humorously, I already possess an extra battery, initially intended to augment the Nakto’s range, which could now be repurposed for a DIY project. The search for a suitable base bike to begin this conversion is now underway.
