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  Kent Dual Drive Tandem Comfort Bike By: Kent Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 30 More Information not ready to ride  On: 2008-06-19When the bike came my son and I took it out of the box and began setting it up. When we came to airing up the tires part the front tire leaked big time. We took the bike to a local bike shop to have them check out the rest of the bike and they discovered that the rear rim was bent beyond repair. I contacted Kent and they wouldnt do nothing to correct the problem. I then contacted Amazon and told them what happened and they credited my account for the amount of the repair parts. High fives for Amazon and %^&#$*&# to the Kent bike company. Kent Tandem  On: 2008-06-05note to buyer: GET A METRIC ALLEN WRENCH. Nice idea, one size tool adjusts SEATS, HANDLE BARS and BRAKES. They dont provide one and you are going to need one. CONS?:inner tube had an air leak BEFORE I rode it ($2 patch), all reflectors broken (packaged from the factory broken)and instructions are worthless. I wish it had grease fittings to lube sprockets but maybe they dont ever need it??? Delivered in good condition. Forget any support from invisible Kent Bike company. PROS?: Seems pretty stable and well made. Spouse and I have ridden 3 or 4 times, and 50 miles or so, with no problems, though I believe I am doing most of the peddling! Its definitely fun. Would I buy it again?? YES YES YES. Oh, and dont forget to bring along that ALLEN WRENCH for on the trail adjustments. Youre welcome! jcg, tampa Wrong color delivery + bad tire tube  On: 2008-06-03The bike arrived with black body in the center bike frame. Its totally different color that what I expected from the photo, which is silver. After putting the bike together, I rode around the block and the front tire exploded. Bought a new tire tube and replaced it. I didnt bother to return the bike since there is too much hassle in packing and sending it. Overall, the ride is good, but the promised advertisement is misleading on the color. :( Good  On: 2008-06-01You can enjoy the fun when you ride the tandem. While its really hard to install it and I received. Good Value On: 2008-05-09This bike is an excellent value. The price is reasonable and the quality is decent. We purchased one in September 2007 and have just passed the one thousand mile mark on the odometer. The only parts that have been replaced are the tires, due to normal wear. The design is aesthetically pleasing and is amenable to user modifications. The finish and mechanical components seem to be standing up well to moderate use. It has been used daily, weather permitting and generally logs trips in the ten to fifteen mile range. Longer duration trips are planned, now that spring has arrived in our location. If you are looking for a reasonably priced tandem, this is definitely worth looking into. Have it serviced and adjusted by a local bike shop and you will be well pleased with the product. Good for Enjoing, Need to improve packaging On: 2008-05-06I am really enjoying the tandem along with my son who has visual handicap. The tandem is great, when considering the price. I bought it at a very low price, about $180. The packaging, however, needs to be improved. When I received the package, one spoke of the front wheel has been broken. The instruction was not helpful, which needs to be improved too. Assembling needed trial and error, and thus, took several hours.Kent Dual Drive Tandem Comfort Bike Decent Bike - Instructions Suck On: 2008-05-02I saw this last Christmas at $250 but a week later when I decided to buy it was $300. I visited Amazon in April and it was still in my wish list at $176 so I ordered it. It arrived quickly. It seems to be well made. It requires some assembly. The instructions that came with it are terrible. They look like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy. The text is hard to read and many of the illustrations are illegible. Many of the instructions and illustrations are incorrect, omitting steps that must be done and including steps that have either been completed at the factory or simply do not apply to this particular bike. Before I even got past step 1 I realized I would have to toss the instructions aside and wing it. The fat yet fairly smooth tires make for a comfortable ride but roll along pretty easily. The seats are pretty comfortable. The brakes work well. Its my first tandem bike and Im glad i gave it a try. Tandem bikes ROCK! On: 2008-04-19I bought this tandem bike for my 10 year old son who has autism. We havent taught him how to ride a two wheeler, because he doesnt understand things like stop signs or how to cross an intersection safely. He had out grown this trailer bike, and I was looking for something he could move up to. I found this tandem bike on your website and noticed that the top tube for the rider in back was unusually low. This low height allows my boy to straddle the bike with his feet on the ground with no issues. I havent had any of the problems described in the other reviews. It came with all its parts, wasnt damaged, and was easy to assembly. Its a long, comfortable, slightly heavy bike that is perfect for what its designed for: cruising around the neighborhood. We love it! Poor Service  On: 2008-04-06I was very disappointed in the service. When we received the bike the tubes had a very small slit which would not let them hold the air. We contacted the company and after many Emails they said they would replace them. We have still not received the replacements. We had to buy tubes. It was very hard to do this. Product 3, Service-5. great bike hard seat.... On: 2008-03-15love this bike ,however the seat is hard.It was easy to put together nice color .found it cheaper at walmart Tandem Bike On: 2007-12-29It was a big hit once I had a bike shop assemble (an additional cost). Nice color, height is good and shifts smoothly. Draw-backs are that there are too many parts to assemble, like brakes which I know nothing about. Also, the added length of the tandem bike (from that of a regular bike) makes it difficult to load on a vehicle. Adding a quick release front tire would solve that problem. (Another cost to consider if you travel.) All in all we are happy with the bike. Fun Bike! A few negatives but a lot more positives On: 2007-12-27I missed a gold box sale on this bike for $199 but picked it up for $219 a week or so later (with free shipping) which is a bargain either way you look at it. Shipping was fast and delivered right to the door. Its a large box so be prepared. Assembly was relatively easy - cant comment on the instructions because never even needed to read them. Basically had to install one tire, handle bars, both seats, brakes, pedals, and bottle racks. The shifting mechanism and back tires came pre-assembled which took most of the real work out of the assembly. The look of the bike is actually very attractive especially compared to most tandem bikes which tend to be very linear and bulky looking. This is much smoother with great lines. The silver fades into a gun-metal grey with a few red accents and black grips, seats, tires, bottles etc... Overall a very pleasing appearance albeit a bit retro. Shifters are in the handle and smooth enough. One handle does the big shifting and the other handle fine tunes the shifting. The brakes are sufficient but NOT disc brakes but rather those little "v" brakes. Tires are large enough to give a smooth ride and in fact, was surprisingly easy to handle and navigate. You wont be taking quick turns with this as the bike is loooooong but then again, its not really designed with racing in mind. Negatives: first, the hand grips. The rubberized hand grips have wedges that tend to become uncomfortable on long rides but that is a minor issue. The seats - this is really a personal preference. I find the seats to be one of the most uncomfortable bike seats Ive ever encountered - absolutely intolerable. Spouse finds them great and one of the most comfortable ever. It seems to be how your personal backside is built but for sure - you will love or hate the seats. There doesnt seem to be much in-between. Finally, the front seat and rail tend to be a bit tall for women or those on the short side. Positives. Smooth ride - much smoother than expected. Both spouse and self have tried other tandems in the past that were hard to get started, difficult to navigate, bumpy and lacked speeds. All of those were non-issues. This tandem was very easy to get started. One false start out of the drive way and then no further issues. Easy steering, very nice ride. We took it out Xmas eve when the streets were quiet and empty to give it a good first ride with the intent to just go around the block. Ended up taking it for a couple mile ride to see the Xmas lights as it was so easy to drive. Great cruiser. Can actually reach a decent speed but be sure to have plenty of braking space and dont take tight corners at the high speeds. All in all, a lot of fun for a couple with a terrific price. Good bargain tandem bike by: sell5813 On: 2007-12-13 It is a good bike. I assembled it on the evening we received it. Not too hard with the Topeak bike tool also sold on Amazon. The only place I spent more time to adjust is the front handle orientation. If you adjust the handle orientation first, you probably dont have to adjust the brake handle and speed rotator. I did not realize the handle was put in a different orientation to fit the shipping box. Riding this bike is not hard at all compared to a regular mountain bike. You dont have to paddle it hard for it to move fast enough. The extra person on the back does not seem affect much the handling. One thing I like to see the bike manufacture do is to have good safety lights. The only rear reflect light in the package was designed to go unde the rear seat. If you have the rear seat at lowest position, then the light will not be able to be mounted anywhere. People spending $50 to get good quality bike light installed on bikes, why cant the manufacture include some good quality bike light, made using metal instead of cheap plastic, on the bike, that would increase the value of the bike and make bike riding safer. Can't beat it for the price! On: 2007-10-10I agree with many of the other positive reviews...: 1) The style is unique and interesting. Silver & Black w/splashes of Red is eye-catching. 2) The large tires give a comfortable ride. White-walls give it a "retro" look, too. 3) Operation is smooth and quiet. I thought the extra chain/cranks and bulk would make it creak or rattle. 4) It has great shock-absorbing seats...by La-Z-Boy, no less! 5) The drive train components are good quality. Shifting is accurate. 6) Most important, the brakes in conjunction with the larger tires have excellent stopping power. ...And some of the negative comments...: 1) Welds are complete and adequate, though sloppy. A minor detraction you have to look closely to see. 2) Its not meant to race despite 21-gears: the weight, tires and posture are designed for leisurely cruising. 3) Its LONG! I couldnt fit it in my SUV without the rear hatch ajar. It needs quick release hubs! 4) Curved frame makes mounting a pump awkward. 5) Many have mentioned shipping damage and mine was no exception. This is probably due to its cumbersome size. 6) Customer service has been mentioned by others to be great. I havent gotten a response after a week and a half...and the receptionist has changed to an answering machine. This could be either from faltering service or bike popularity overwhelming their service capacity. ...But for the price, beginners like myself could not find a better deal, not even second-hand! I wanted to kindle my joy of bicycling in my wife, who has very little time for exercise. I dont think she ever felt completely confident in her ability to control the bike. Now she can get the exercise, the freedom and exhilaration of the outdoors and forget about shifting, steering, braking and, to some extent, balancing. I can have help peddling (sometimes!?) and we both get to share the experience. So if your interested in all the benefits of tandem biking and need a bike to start you off, you cant go wrong with this one. Ive given it 5 stars, not for its being the epitome of the tandem genre, but for its outstanding value. Ok bike for the price On: 2007-10-08By now you know this is one of the most inexpensive tandem bikes you will find. What you get, is an inexpensive bike on par with the cheap bikes youd find at Walmart. What do I mean? It will work, but you wont be impressed. Examples: It has 21 gears, but I doubt youll get the front shifter to go through that range. The wheel will be warped after your first ride, so you have to put up with some wobble and/or it will hit the brakes every time around. With all that said, Im happy with the purchase. I take my kids on it and they like it. Its got big fat tires which is nice. (Although one of them developed a bulge so I had to deflate and reinflate to reseat the tire.) Again, all the parts are cheap so assume youll have to replace and/or adjust settings along the way. May not be the best for people that have no idea how to tweak a bike. Not bad for $219, functional but a bit crude On: 2007-10-08Bought the bike with low expectations as every review seems to have some different aspect of an issue with bike, as does mine. My issue is that the front fork is bent, requiring the front wheel to sit at about a 10 degree angle from vertical and the front brakes being adjusted to be skewed with the wheel to avoid scraping the wheel all the time. Went out and put 20 miles on her, bike did fine. The kickstand was an unexpected feature and it works great. Met my expectations, I would not spend over $250 for one though. Ok bike for the price On: 2007-10-07By now you know this is one of the most inexpensive tandem bikes you will find. What you get, is an inexpensive bike on par with the cheap bikes youd find at Walmart. What do I mean? It will work, but you wont be impressed. Examples: It has 21 gears, but I doubt youll get the front shifter to go through that range. The wheel will be warped after your first ride, so you have to put up with some wobble and/or it will hit the brakes every time around. With all that said, Im happy with the purchase. I take my kids on it and they like it. Its got big fat tires which is nice. (Although one of them developed a bulge so I had to deflate and reinflate to reseat the tire.) Again, all the parts are cheap so assume youll have to replace and/or adjust settings along the way. May not be the best for people that have no idea how to tweak a bike. kent tandem bike On: 2007-09-13just to let everyone know I bought this bike and it was great. Better than bikes double the price. Buy this bike. Kent Tandem Bicycle On: 2007-09-05We have put around 100 miles on the bike in a few weeks. The only concerns I have are shifting issues. The shifter doesnt always like to change gears smoothly (maybe due the fact that the front derailer sprocket is warped). I have adjusted the derailers per the instructions 2 times now, when we first got the bike it wouldnt even shift into the highest gear, adjustments were way off. The front shifter cable rubbed on the rear cranks and broke the end off the cable. A pedal started popping pretty bad. Customer service sent me out a new pedal and shifter cable that does not match my other side now. Guess I will have to order the other side so they match and get another front derailer sprocket. Other than the crappy shifting issues the bike is good for what you pay. Kent Tandem Bicycle On: 2007-09-04We have put around 100 miles on the bike in a few weeks. The only concerns I have are shifting issues. The shifter doesnt always like to change gears smoothly (maybe due the fact that the front derailer sprocket is warped). I have adjusted the derailers per the instructions 2 times now, when we first got the bike it wouldnt even shift into the highest gear, adjustments were way off. The front shifter cable rubbed on the rear cranks and broke the end off the cable. A pedal started popping pretty bad. Customer service sent me out a new pedal and shifter cable that does not match my other side now. Guess I will have to order the other side so they match and get another front derailer sprocket. Other than the crappy shifting issues the bike is good for what you pay. Update, it is now mid November, still have shifting issues. Customer service is the biggest joke. Yes they sent out the parts, sent me a used front derailer sprocket. The shifters they finally sent out ended up being the wrong ones, I guess they were from a non tandem bike. Finally got the shifter cable yesterday, it is a universal cable that I had to completely disassemble the revo shifter and make it work, the cable was about 3 feet to long. The rear hub is starting to make a grinding noise when under a heavy load, sounds like the ball bearings are out of grease. Would not recommend this product, if you must buy it buy it locally so you can take it back.. Kent Dual Drive Tandem Comfort Bike On: 2007-08-25Very nice bike for the money , one problem was that the rear wheel bent with no bumps or exceeded weight. Kent Dual Drive Tandem Comfort Bike On: 2007-08-24Very nice bike for the money , one problem was that the rear wheel bent with no bumps or exceeded weight. Great for cruising the neighborhoods ! On: 2007-08-22I ordered the Kent Tandem and it took about 5 days to arrive. I expected this to be a "BICYCLE KIT" and it met my expectations 100%. I removed every component from the frame one by one and inspected/lubed/re-assembled back on the frame and adjusted. The ONLY thing that had even a trace of grease on it was one of the bolts for the stoker handlebar clamp(Seriously). Every bearing was dry. The rear wheel was missing 5 balls on the gear side.I miced the balls on all the bearings and all were within .0001 in. or less difference. Both tires had maybe 10 pounds of air in them. I let what little air out and pulled the tires to inspect the wheels and spokes. The spoke strip on the rear wheel was pushed over and not covering the spokes in two spots so there was a sure flat if I would have just put air in it without checking. The front tire was OK. The front wheel was within .080 in. of true both horizontal and vertical. The rear wheel was out approx .600 in. horizontal and .080 in. vertical. It wouldnt even roll without the tire hitting the frame. I trued both wheels to +/- .020 in.("close enough" for a bicycle) along with setting a little backlash on the spokes in the process. As with everything else on the bike, The brakes and both derailers werent even close to being adjusted correctly. The return springs on the rear brakes were in different holes. When adjusting the derailers I noticed the rear derailer was bent. I called the toll free # for Kent customer service and told the lady the problem. With no questions asked, she took my name and address and said she would get another derailer in the mail that day and I didnt need to send the bad one back. A close look at the frame and no cracks,bends or dents were found. The welds are not as pretty as they could be but they didnt look bad at all and showed signs of good penetration at the weld edges. While waiting for the new derailer I peeled off about 10 pounds of stickers and installed some aftermarket fenders,a rear cargo rack, two bells (The stoker has to have fun too),rear view mirrors and naturally some streamers on the handlebars. The replacement rear derailer arrived in three days. Im VERY happy with their customer service. After assembling the tandem "KIT" and adjusting the seats and handlebars we took it out for a "Maiden Voyage" of 31 miles. The bike rode really well. The frame was MUCH STIFFER than our old Columbia tandem. Shifts were smooth, quick, precise and quiet. No "Auto shift" from frame flex on take off or climbs. The brakes worked nicely and took very little finger pressure to stop on the small hills we encountered. I think the supplied Velo seat will have to be replaced for me but my Wife seemed to like her seat OK so far. We managed to hit our fair share of bumps and pot holes along with going down some rough gravel roads so I was wondering how things were holding up. After we got home I looked everything over and all was as it should be. I didnt use the dial indicator again but "eyeballed" the wheels judging with the brake pads and spinning the wheels and they seemed to hold true. We really like the bike. It does just what it was designed for (cruising around the neighborhoods) and does it well. Its just what we hoped for and expected and we think its well worth the $248.00 shipped. We had a BLAST riding "twogether" through the neighborhoods of three small towns Sunday. If someone is looking for a cruiser tandem and can assemble the "KIT" themselves then I would recommend the Kent. If you are not comfortable doing the work then I suggest talking with a local bike shop, Give them the list I posted here in this review of the things I HAD TO DO to assemble the bike for an example and get a estimate. It might cost more than its worth if you have to go that route. Even with the missing ball bearings, I give it 4 stars for the style and price. Heck,you cant expect "top of the line" quality on a $248 tandem. Nice deal On: 2007-08-16The Kent Tandem shipped quickly and it assembled relatively easily. My wife and I have ridden about 100 miles in the last month. She really likes the tandem. She doesnt feel like she is struggling to keep up with the riding pace. She also likes the large seats and upright seating position. I like the bike as well; however I am dissapointed with the front and rear derailers. I have tried several adjustments, and I have not been able to set the derailers to use the full range of gears. But the money we saved on the Kent Tandem over the other tandems can be used for better components. great bike! On: 2007-07-14I wanted a tandem that would work with my disabled 10 year old. this one is perfect! i had it professionally assembled at a local bike shop and they commented on the quality. I would buy it again in a heart beat. Love the Kent tandem bike On: 2007-07-12I ordered a Kent tandem bike online and it was delivered two days later. The bike was packed well in the box and there was no damage. A friend and I put the bike together in less than an hour and the fun began. We use the bike at the beach and now my wife and I can bike together in tandem. The bike is well built and the 21 speeds and brake system work well. I highly recommend this tandem bike. Tandem On: 2007-07-07Overall its a good quality bike. My only complaint is with the assembly. The front tire didnt seem to fit with the fork and I had to modify the front brake assembly just to get the wheel to fit. Even then the front brake and fork still seem too small (not wide enough) for the size of the front tire. The rest of the bike is fine except I only wish the seats could be adjusted with a quick release mechanism that most bikes have these days. Using an allen wrench every time you want to adjust the seat is tedious. But for the price, I guess its worth the trouble. Value for the Price On: 2007-07-03I bought the Kent Dual Drive Tandem Comfort Bike on line after trolling the net for the best tandem available under $300...and there was nothing even close to this product. Altho I was a bit apprehensive not having seen and inspected this bike personally, I took the risk and was pleasantly surprised when I finally got the package and assembled it. True, this was manufactured in China and yes, the accessories were not exactly top of line....but given the price I paid (total of $299 including shipping costs), this was great value for the price!!! Excellent Tandem Bicycle On: 2007-06-11An excellent product. Received bicycle undamaged and on time. Packaged by manufacturer to be easily assembled.I do recommend others to purchase this productin the future. Happy in San Diego, CA On: 2007-06-08I purchased the "kent dual drive tandem" with the intent to just cruise the boardwalk. Its turned out that everyone I run across loves the idea of riding tandem. The price is right and the bike is comfortable, you wont win any races with this bike but it worth every penny spent. My first bike came crushed, but amazon quickly replaced it. Kids love the bike, I also purchased the tow bar for a childs bike. Works well together. Happy in San Diego, CA On: 2007-06-07I purchased the "kent dual drive tandem" with the intent to just cruise the boardwalk. Its turned out that everyone I run across loves the idea of riding tandem. The price is right and the bike is comfortable, you wont win any races with this bike but it worth every penny spent. My first bike came crushed, but amazon quickly replaced it. Kids love the bike, I also purchased the tow bar for a childs bike. Works well together. Outstanding Bike at an Outstanding Price... On: 2007-06-03This is a one beautiful bike. Everything about it says top quality. It rides very nice. It has fat tires, and hence its ride is very soft. The seats are nicer and more comfortable than many other bikes twice as expensive and are made by La-Z-Boy... Many parts of the bike are made of alloy metals to reduce weight. Everyone who saw this bike loved it. I would recommend it in a heart beat. It is a lot of fun to ride with a loved one. The only thing I would change about this bike is the white walled tires. The white walled tires makes it look kind of less sporty, and more like a senior citizen bike. It is like diving a mini van vs. an SUV. BUT, if you are driving it for the functionality, you cannot beat the value of this bike. Awesome surprise! On: 2007-03-24I have owned MANY expensive bikes. What could I expect for a mear $254? I was amazed at the quality of the frame welding... yes it is only steel and yes it is a human doing the welding, but the fit and finish was way above expectation! This is a high five for a GREAT entry level bike into tandem fighting ( I ride with my spouse). This bike will serve us well until we are ready to drop the dough for a "expensive" bike... but I am unwilling to wear the multicolored, skintight, look-at-me suits. BOTTOM LINE - Great bike for the money and quality!!! Poorly written User Manual On: 2007-01-19It looks like they used a manual for a standard bike and just added the word "Tandem" to the top of it. Which makes assembly a little more difficult since the instructions dont match the bike. Mine also arrived damaged and with some missing parts. |
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