Kent has a decades-long history of producing innovative and quality hybrid bike for ladies and men. If you’re looking for a good and affordable entry-level city cruiser, everybody seem to love the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle.
Do you think it’s something you need? To know what you’re buying, read this article first.
Table of Contents
Features and Specifications
Lightweight Aluminum Frame with Front Shocks
With its sleek black finish and gold decals, the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle is definitely something that you can be proud to take around town. And, oddly enough, the brown seat and handlebar grips seem to match the whole look.
The frame material is an important consideration when buying hybrid bikes. For the Northwoods Springdale, Kent used aluminum alloy to make the frame lightweight and stiff, allowing it to support up to 250 pounds of weight without flexing. The frame is designed to work with a front wheel suspension to absorb the imperfections in the road.
Alloy Quick-Release Seatpost
The Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle doesn’t come with quick-release wheels. However, it has a quick-release seatpost to adjust the height within a few seconds. The right seat height gives you better control over the bike, which in turn makes you feel more confident to go faster and have fun throughout the ride.
27-Inch Wheels with Skinny Tires
It has 700 x 32c pneumatic road tires (2-inch wide) that are mounted on 27-inch wheels. These tires aren’t meant to withstand the harshness of rocky and uneven terrains and have less traction on wet surfaces. They’re more suitable for city commutes and touring on smooth, hard surfaces.
21 Gear Speeds and Linear Pull Brakes
The Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle is designed for climbing up a few light hills and riding on paved roads. Similar to the KENT Men’s Avondale Hybrid Bicycle with Sure Stop Brakes, this hybrid bike has linear pull brakes for a slightly more stopping power.
Additional Details
Accessories:
- Rear rack
- Front fender and rear fender
- White reflectors
- Water bottle mount
Dimensions:
- Overall: 69 inches (length) x 42 inches (width) x 24.5 inches (height)
- Front and rear wheels: 700c/28 inches
- Seat tube: 20 inches
- Weight: 36 pounds
Specs:
- Suspension with 63mm travel
- Front and rear brake systems: linear
- Tire type: knobby, pneumatic tires
- Pedal material: resin
- Seat material: vinyl
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Tourney
- Care and cleaning: spot or wipe clean
- Intended use: trail riding, recreational, city commuting
The Good
Responsive Front Shocks and Seat
The seat is not that comfortable, but it does prevent your lower back from getting sore. As for the front wheel suspension, it responds great to speed bumps or speed humps, uneven surfaces, curb jumping, and other imperfections in the road. Plus, it gives you better control of the bike’s handlebars.
Brakes and Shifts Smoothly
Once fine-tuned, the linear pull brakes perform really well, although the rear brake is a bit soft. This is not completely a bad thing because it increases cycling safety by working similarly to an anti-lock brake system, which prevents skidding.
Learning to shift the gears is a bit tricky and will require time. However, once you figure it out, it shifts smoothly and pedaling feels easier.
Good Tires and Fenders
For the price, the tires provide good traction and grip on most paved roads, whether smooth or slightly bumpy, even or uneven. The fenders don’t perfectly align to the wheels and frame, but they do the job of keeping the rider clean and dry when riding through small puddles.
Travel quickly and safely with the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle. Try it today!
The Bad
Pedals Don’t Fit Well
There were quite a few people who shared the same issues with the crank arm and pedals of the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle. One of the two crank arms fell off after a few uses, while the pedals don’t fit well.
Be sure to double check the crank arms and pedals before using the bike. If the pedals won’t thread properly, with little or no resistance, don’t force it.
A Heavy Bike
This men’s hybrid bike weighs around 36 pounds. This is the same weight of a female American Pit Bull Terrier, which weighs around 30 to 50 pounds.
A heavy bike is not completely a bad thing, as long as you don’t encounter a lot of steep hills. But if you want a lightweight men’s hybrid bike, the Montague New Boston Folding 700c Pavement Hybrid Bike Matte Black is a potential alternative.
Offers Only a 6-Month Warranty
A short product guarantee is nothing to be ecstatic about, especially if you have to pay for the shipping, labor, and other associated costs. Then again, most brands of budget hybrid bikes have the same issue, so don’ forget to check the manufacturer’s guarantee before buying.
Who Is It For?
The Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle is intended for males age 14 years old and up, who walk or cycle to work or school, commute short distances, work as a package or food deliverer, or love going on leisure rides. It’s also a solid purchase for those who don’t want to spend a fortune on a basic cruiser hybrid bike.
Conclusion
As with any hybrid bike, regardless of the price tag, the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle has its flaws and limitations. We highly recommend checking and tightening the bolts and nuts before taking it out for a ride.
Also, the 6-month warranty is a downer. Then again, this costs really low, so this isn’t completely surprising.
Other than those things, the Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle is a good entry-level city cruiser for the low price. It looks classy, works well for commuting and leisure riding, and has a rear rack for your stuff. Just don’t expect it to ride over mountain trails and rough roads, such as the Retrospec Critical Cycles Barron Hybrid Bike 21 Speed.
The Kent Northwoods Springdale Men’s Hybrid Bicycle is always ready for your two-wheel adventures around the city. Click here to check it out.