TOP SPEED:28 mph (45 kph)

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Nakto. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Nakto products.

Nakto is a considered a price leader in low cost value bikes under $1,000. For example, we recently reviewed the Nakto Camel which came in at just $649. So what happens when they show off a little and put some fancier stuff on a bike? Such is the case with the $1,299 Nakto Super Cruiser, the bike we are reviewing today. The Super Cruiser is a fat-tire hub drive with a throttle and some name brand components. Despite the name though, it’s not exactly a cruiser by North American standards. No swept bak handle bars or wide saddle and approachable frame. Rather, it is a high step frame with a slightly forward leaning geometry for an aggressive ride. It is still comfortable however, for example, the gel saddle does a decent job and the fat tires add some vibration dampening. These are CST BFT tires (CST is the parent company for Maxxis Tires) and measure about 26” x 4”. These add some comfort and are mounted on the weight saving punched out rims. In the front, there is a suspension fork, with about 90mm of travel that adds to the comfort as well. I love these wide plastic fat-tire specific fenders that help keep you dry as well. Just a lot of little details here and there that come together. There is a battery integrated headlight that turns on and off with the push of a button on the handlebar controls which is neat, and I love that you also get locking ergonomic grips on the handlebar too. So decent components for the price, including the motor and battery, so let’s get into those.

Driving the bike is a hub-drive motor from a company called Aoma. This is a 500 watt motor that is driven either by the throttle or cadence based pedal assist. Aoma is new to me, so I have yet to see any long term testing being done on these motors, but it felt like it was working just fine for my test ride. The pedal assist varies in levels 1-5 and felt responsive. Mechanically, the bike has a 6 speed Shimano Tourney TZ system with 14-28 tooth cassette in the rear and a 52 tooth chain ring in the front. Not the largest range for pedaling, but I would imagine you would throttle this bike a lot like I did. For stopping power, you get 160mm Shimano mechanical disc brakes. Mechanical disc brakes are easy to maintain as well as adjust, however, they lack the immediate stopping power that hydraulic brakes offer. Mechanical brakes are still quite capable, but they take a little bit more hand actuation compared to hydraulic brakes.

Powering the bike is a 48v 12ah battery pack located behind the seat post. 48v is pretty powerful and that 12ah is a good rating for distance riding, so the pack should last a bit more than other value priced ebikes. I love that it has a handle and keeps the weight centered by mounting behind the seat post. It is secured via lock and key, but I do think you have to keep that key in while the bike is electrically operated, something that could be annoying if it jingles around a lot. Charging is done with this 2 amp charger which is lightweight, but may take a while to fill that higher capacity rating. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.

The cockpit controls are great, right in the middle of the handlebars is the large and easy to read display. The display does have an adjustable angle, but is not removable which can sometimes leave you feeling insecure when parking it or leaving it to the elements. The display is grayscale and features a backlight for night-time riding. To start the bike, press power on the battery, hold the M button to turn on display. The large display offers a wealth of information starting at the battery levels. The battery infographic is shown in 10 separate 10% intervals which does a better job of leaving guess work out compared to other bikes with 33% or even 20% steps. You can scroll through several modes of pedal assist (1-5) and can use the throttle on any as long as you get that pedal rotation in. Other display options include odometer, trip A, trip B, battery voltage, and a timer. Also, if you hold down the down arrow, you can engage a walk mode. There is a deep dive menu if you want to play with other various settings. Hold up and down arrows for a couple of seconds to initiate this menu of settings. Once inside, you will have access to backlight settings, unit readout, wheel size configuration, and top speed. The top speed is really nice since since out of the box it is a Class 3 bike. If you want to lower it to a Class 1 or 2, you could change some of the settings and even extract the easy to remove throttle to comply with certain jurisdictions. To exit this menu, hold M to leave.

The Super Cruiser proved to be a great bike during the review and I love that they manage to keep that super affordable pricing while still using Shimano gearing, brakes, and some other good components. The tradeoffs would be that it is made primarily for the Chinese market, so you do have a smaller 150mm crank arm. If you are a taller person, pedaling could feel like tip-toeing. Also, the bike isn’t exactly a cruiser with its more forward riding handlebar position, high step through frame, and somewhat narrower saddle. That being said, if you know what you are getting into ahead of time, I think the bike combined with the price can offer a lot of value to a potential customer. I want to thank Nakto for letting me check it out and I look forward to working with them some more in the future.

As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Nakto ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)

Pros:

• Nakto is a company making waves with value priced bikes at low prices like $649, the Super Cruiser is a great example of what they can do with a slightly larger budget ($1,299) and I think the fat tires and brand name components do well here
• A lot of comfortable considerations like the 90mm of travel front suspension fork, 4” wide CST knobby fat-tires, and even extra wide fenders to keep you nice and dry
• I love the battery here, 48v is pretty powerful and that 12ah is a good rating for distance riding, so the pack should last a bit more than other value priced ebikes, I also think it is great that it has a handle and keeps the weight centered by mounting behind the seat post
• Aoma is a new motor to me, but it did well, I think 500 watts is great especially since you typically see 250 watt motors at this price point

Cons:

• The bike is made primarily for the Chinese market, so you do have a smaller 150mm crank arm, so if you are a taller person, pedaling could feel like tip-toeing
• the bike isn’t exactly a cruiser with its more forward riding handlebar position, high step through frame, and somewhat narrower saddle
• A couple of little annoyances, like the keys must stay in when riding, so it could get jingled around, and the crank arm can strike the kickstand when reversing with it down