2019 Nakto Camel Review

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 new company to me and it looks like they are going for value ebikes at the entry level. When I say value bike, I really mean it. The Camel here has a rear rack, fenders, suspension, headlight, front basket, throttle, pedal assist, and even a Shimano drivetrain all for just $649. Sometimes, I don’t know how these companies are able to do it and make any profit. However some of the more basic parts like the brakes, battery, and motor defiantly shed some light on that. So in a nutshell, the Camel is a step through cruiser going for a relaxed feel with these dutch style handlebars with a little bit of back-sweep to it, basic front suspension fork, and comfort saddle. There is some vibration dampening going on too with the steel fork and steel stem, that helps a bit just like that suspension fork. While you do get some 26” x 1.75” tires with a street tread to them, the crank arms are actually smaller at 152mm (the standard size is 170mm). The bike was originally set for the Chinese market where the average height is much shorter than here in the States. By keeping it unchanged, they save some money and pass that savings down to you. Another unique feature for the Chinese market is the electric horn. Most bikes in the US use a bell, but in China where streets are more crowded, the electric horn does a better job of getting peoples attention. As I mentioned before, there is a lot of utility like the rear rack. This rack is frame mounted with a height adjustment and uses smaller tubing which can fit a lot of different sized panniers. Meanwhile, the front basket is bolted above and below the head tube so it stays straight when you turn. It is made of plastic so it is probably not meant to carry a ton of weight around, but it did just fine with the battery charger inside during my ride. Other features include a full chain guide, battery integrated headlight, and a kickstand mounted in the rear to eliminate annoying pedal lock when reversing.

Driving the bike is a 250 watt hub motor located in the rear. The 250 watt motor isn’t bad, but it may not be a major hill climber. It doesn’t offer immediate power like some other ebikes, but that can be a good thing if the rider is new or intimidated by the jolt of a stronger ebike. It is powered either via the twist throttle or through cadence based pedal assist. Mechanically, the bike has a 6 speed Shimano Tourney derailleur with a 14-28 tooth cassette and a 44 tooth chain ring in the front. The brakes are definitely one of the areas you can tell they went with cost savings. In the front you have a basic rim brake instead of disc brakes, and in the rear you have even more basic with a drum brake. It should also be noted that the brake levers are switched from the US market, so the front brake lever and back brake lever are on opposite sides of the handlebar.

Powering the bike is a 36v 10.4ah battery. Not a bad size given the motor, and I have defiantly seen smaller batteries on more expensive bikes. However, I am not sure who makes the cells on these, I doubt it is Panasonic, LG, or Samsung. The battery mounts behind the seat and is accessed by flipping a latch underneath the saddle which tilts the saddle forward. Charging is done with 2amp portable charger which is appropriate for the size of the battery. 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.

Operating the bike is easy. There is no real display to speak of, just a rocker switch and button on the left for the light and horn. On the right is a tiny little readout with a red toggle switch underneath. When the switch is out, the electric system is not active. When it is in, you have the one single mode of pedal assist. There is not speedometer, but I am told that 20mph is the top speed. The LED dots indicate battery level, but it is highly variable since it reads battery level off of current moment of use. Meaning, when you twist the throttle, the battery indicator will go all the way down to show the lowest level and then back up again to its current charge level. This is an occurrence called ‘voltage sag’ that many newer ebike systems have successfully eliminated so you have more accurate readouts.

So wrapping up the bike, I will recap the tradeoffs real quick. Some things will stand out as odd since it was primarily made for the Chinese market, like the reversal of the brake levers, electric horn, or smaller 152mm crank arms. However, these could just be preferences, and likely won’t bother most people. The real tradeoffs would be the generic battery and motor followed by the very basic brakes. These are areas where even bikes below $1,500 try not to skimp, so I would be interested to see how this bike does over time. But as I mentioned, that $649 price is really going for the competitors jugular. I would be interested to see how this performs against the Ancheer bike we reviewed. I am excited to see the other Nakto bikes and I want to thank them for inviting me out to review them.

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 Other Brands ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)

Pros:

• A new step through ebike from a company looking to take over the entry level market with bikes such as this, extremely competitive price of just $649
• The Camel has comfort via fenders, suspension fork, full chain guide, swept back handlebars, and even a vibration dampening steel fork and steel stem
• Has a good amount of utility too, like this rear rack with thinner tubing to handle most panniers, front basket that stays straight when you turn, battery integrated headlight, and even an electric horn
• The 20mph top speed is gradual, perfect for those one their first ebike or even people intimidated by the jolt of high torque motors we often see

Cons:

• Some things will stand out as odd since it was primarily made for the Chinese market, like the reversal of the brake levers, electric horn, or smaller 152mm crank arms
• This style battery means the keys have to stay in to operate the bike, not a big deal, but they can jingle around or scratch the paint if you have them on a loose key chain, or you could forget to take it out entirely
• The Camel has a generic battery and motor followed by the very basic brakes I would be interested to see how this bike does over time