Customer Reviews

Kent Sierra Madre Men's Comfort Bike

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My men's Sierra Madre shipped extremely fast (via "free" ground) and arrived with only minor damage (broken front reflector, paint/words of right handlebar shifter rubbed off by friction with box enclosure). Although the packaging is not very protective, the bike does come with a 6 months warranty for parts and I'm happy (replaced both reflectors with head and tail lights; never notice rubbed off paint on shifter when riding).

I ride on 3/4 mile of dirt road and grass to get to a paved road. Although no bike is totally comfortable, this one is surprisingly so. Note that the rear suspension pivot is behind the crank so that one's feet are insulated from shocks (and the distance from seat to pedals remains fixed). The tires are large (26 x 2.125) with 50 psi max with no kevlar and with cheap tubes (plan on replacing these to prevent flats). The other components are inexpensive but name brand and they look good. If I didn't have to go uphill on grass, I might not need the granny gear. One poster mentioned the quirk shifting from 1st to 2nd chainwheel. FYI, there is no problem shifting between 2nd and 3rd chainwheel, and from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st. On paved road I use 2nd and 3rd chainwheels only. I will drop to the granny gear (1st chainwheel) while going uphill on grass. The rear sprockets shifting system works perfectly.

Walmart has a sort-of similar model named the Next Avalon (same manufacturer). The frames are practically the same, but the gearing (21 speed vs. 7 speed), brakes, shifters, etc., are different (more toy-like, as on their other below $100 bikes). I also bought an Avalon for my wife recently. These two bikes have the same frame features and the same seats. The rest of the components are different and I can see and feel the quality differences. I'm tempted to return the Avalon and get another Sierra Madre (for the better quality, not the extra speeds which my wife doesn't need).

I found Kent International very responsive to my questions. Should I decide to change bikes in the future, I will surely consider their products for purchase.

This is a solid, nice bicycle. The frame and resultant bike is very light weight, the seat is very comfortable, and the whole thing comes together fairly easily. The wide tires make for sure handling on unpaved park paths, the brakes are shockingly (literally almost flung myself off the bike once or twice) good, and the handlebar/seat alignment make for comfortable upright riding. The box showed signs of the shipping company's rough handling, but nothing was damaged.

I knocked off a star because it isn't exactly the smoothest shifting bike I've ever been on. I've fiddled with it quite a bit to try to resolve that, but it's still a bit of the twist, rattle noise while the chain fights for purchase, and then (usually) shifting. I might take it in to a "professional" to see if it's something I've goofed up or if it's just the type of shifter involved.

Still, for the money, I'm very happy with this bike.

I've owned this bike for about a month. I haven't had any problems with it and overall I like it a lot. I researched a lot of different bikes before choosing this one. Considering the features of this bike and the price, this is a great deal.

My husband is 6' tall and about 260lbs. He fits on this bike just fine and he finds the ride comfortable. The handlebars are adjustable for reach and height which is perfect. The shocks worked great on the mean streets of New York as well as on the bike path. He's had this bike for about 8 months now and it's holding up to his size just fine.

I decided that I could use a little more exercise and that a bike might be fun. I'm a 66 year old grandpa and not inclined to strain myself very much. I chose this Kent bike because it looked like good value for the price. I was right, it is a very good bike. However, putting it together requires a little bit of mechanical ability. A good career choice for any young person might be to become a technical writer because help is needed in that field if this instruction manual is any example. Overall, Im very happy with this bike. It's good looking and functions very well.

I bought mine at a local Northeast chain called Benny's, for $50 less than it's listed here. I'm very out of shape, and miss riding a bike to stay active, so I was looking for something easy and comfortable, but still sturdy enough to go on flat woodland trails with my young daughter. This bike is perfect. It's sturdy, very comfortable, easy to use, looks good, and is very light (easy to put on a bike rack). It's the perfect beginner bike to help get you out and active again.

I'm very pleased with the bike. Quality components, easy assembly, great looks. I love the very low 1st gear (like granny-low), will be good for pulling a trailer bike. Brakes are amazing - very short stops. Assembly instructions were only okay, but it goes together like any other bike. Good metric allen wrenches, a philips screwdriver, and an adjustable wrench made for easy assembly (not included). Well-packaged, no damage to the bike, I think I spent more time unpacking than assembling. Click shifter works well on rear, front shifter needs to be coaxed (like most front deraillers). I look forward to longer rides.

I bought this to replace my mountain bike since I find I trail bike more and needed something lighter and less heavy duty. This bike is a breeze to ride, light, easy to peddle, and a great riding position. The dual suspension and comfortable seat are great and make for a smooth, effortless ride. The gears came adjusted from the factory and didn't need any changes. The brake adjustments were easy, although repositioning the brake levers required a bit of work.

The bike comes mostly assembled, but do yourself a favor and take it to your local bike shop and let them put the thing together. The instructions included are useless. I absolutely could not get the handlebars mounted on the stem and when I finally did they wouldn't turn the front wheel. Save yourself several hours of sweating and cursing and let a professional do it.

Overall I'd say it's a great deal, especially with free shipping. Only the assembly propblems kept me from giving this 5 stars.

After the chain slipped of the alleged "men's" Next Power X mountain bike I purchased from Wal-mart, I decided to follow the advice of someone who posted a review of that bike and return it for a Kent mountain bike. Really sound advice, and a major difference! This bike was clearly built for a man of a taller statue. Unlike the previous bike which had to have been designed for a man no taller than 5'7"; I can sit comfortably & upright. I don't have to jack the seat all the way up so my knees don't hit the handle bars. And the bike can be adjusted to custom fit your size if you take it into a bike shop for assembly. Which you should be doing anyway. Partially assembled my ass! It took this guy 40 minutes to put this amazing vehicle together, and when he rolled it out he was still making adjustments to ensure a proper fit. Have a professional put it together, you'll love the bike more later. Makes the last bike feel like I've been riding uphill this entire time.

The "partial-assembly" on my bike was done very poorly, I ended up finally just taking it to a bike shop to get it all tuned up and put back together correctly. Mine managed to arrive without too much damage but it's obvious where it could occur due to packaging. I'd recommend picking this up from a bike shop over purchasing it online.