Foldable ebikes are some of my favorite types of ebikes due to their versatility and ability to fit most spaces. For urban living, I think a foldable ebike is a perfect bike to have.Â
Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure to ride the KBO Flip, a foldable ebike that’s perfect for getting around town. I’ve been using it mainly for quick trips and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After using it for a bit, I thought it’d be perfect to share more about this bike.
In this KBO Flip review, we’ll look at the specs behind the KBO Flip, what my experience with it has been like, and how I’ve been using the KBO Flip to do food delivery and gig work.
KBO Flip: Brief Overview
Before we get started, here’s a brief overview of the KBO Flip:
- KBO is an ebike company that offers many different models of ebikes. This post is about their folding ebike – the KBO Flip.
- The KBO Flip is a class 2 ebike with a 500W Brushless Geared Hub Motor.Â
- Uses a removable 15.6Ah Lithium-ion Battery. KBO claims an estimated range of 55+ miles.
- Uses 20″ x 3″ CHAOYANG Tires.
- Comes with an integrated rear rack.
- Overall, the KBO Flip is a good option for someone in the market for an affordable, folding ebike.
Pros:Â
- Very smooth ride thanks to the larger-than-average tires.Â
- Compact and easy to fold.
- The integrated rear rack is great for holding bags/panniers.
- Has a large headlight, which makes it great for riding at night.
- Has a nice, clean look.
- Easy to assemble – it’s probably one of the easiest ebikes I’ve put together.Â
- Includes front and rear fenders.
- Good customer service.
Cons:Â
- This bike is a compact bike, which could make it more difficult to ride if you’re bigger. The recommended rider height is 5’1”-6’2” with a payload capacity of 275 lbs, so if you’re bigger than that, this is not the right bike for you.
- The bike only has three speed levels and maxes out at around 18-19 mph.
- Doesn’t come with a bell.
KBO Flip SpecsÂ
At the outset, I have to say – the KBO Flip is a great-looking bike. The frame is a sleek black and it has a nice compact design. It’s not a step-thru bike, but the bike is low enough to the ground that anyone should be able to get on and off the bike without issue.
In terms of power, the KBO Flip features a 500w sustained brushless geared motor. This gives the bike plenty of power. In my riding, I was able to handle every hill I encountered without issue.Â
For the battery, the KBO Flip uses a 15.6Ah removal battery. The battery is a bit different from the other ebikes I have. To install it, you flip the seat up, then slide the battery into the battery slot that’s under the seat. It’s a smart design, as it keeps the battery out of the way while maintaining the bike’s compact form. To remove the battery, simply flip the seat up, unlock the battery with the key, then pull the battery out.
KBO advertises up to 55 miles of range on a full charge. In a real-world setting, you’ll likely get fewer miles depending on your terrain and how you’re riding it. I typically ride the KBO Flip on the highest power setting and find I get closer to 25 miles with my style of riding.Â
In terms of assist, the KBO Flip is considered a class 2 ebike, offering both pedal assist and a twist throttle so you can move without having to pedal. There are three different pedal assist power levels. If you don’t want to pedal, there is also a twist throttle. I’m a fan of twist throttles versus thumb throttles, as I find twist throttles are more natural to me (but that’s a personal preference).Â
For tires, the KBO Flip uses 20×3 CHAOYANG Tires. It’s a brand I’ve never heard of, but the tires seem fine. I like the 20×3 tires since it makes the bike “sort of” a fat-tire ebike. It makes for a smooth ride and allows the KBO Flip to be used in many conditions.
          
   
For stopping power, the KBO Flip uses standard mechanical disk brakes. These brakes are fine and are more than enough for a lightweight bike like this. Of course, hydraulic disk brakes are preferred, but considering the price point for this bike, it makes sense that they went with mechanical disk brakes.
In addition to the basic mechanicals of the KBO Flip, the bike also includes front and rear headlights, front suspension, front and rear fenders, and a rear rack. All of these make the bike more useful to ride and help to make it a good utility bike.
Unboxing And Assembling The KBO Flip
The KBO Flip arrives in a medium-sized box and comes mostly assembled on arrival. You’ll still need to install the handlebars and attach the pedals, but because it’s a folding bike, it’s able to be packed into a box almost fully assembled.
This is probably one of the easiest bikes I’ve ever assembled and I think most people should be able to set up the bike without needing help. KBO also put together an assembly video that walks you through how to assemble your KBO Flip. I watched this video when I was setting up my bike and I recommend you do the same too.
Of course, if you’re not comfortable assembling the bike yourself, you can also take it to a local bike shop and get their help assembling the bike.
While the bike was easy to assemble, I did have one major issue when it arrived. Once I set it up, I discovered that I couldn’t get the folding latch to lock, making it so the bike was unrideable. Whether this was an issue with manufacturing or something that happened during shipping, I don’t know. The KBO customer service was very responsive and sent me a new latch with directions on how to replace the latch. Eventually, I was able to get the latch working and I haven’t had any issues with the bike since. In any event, while I was able to get the bike fixed on my own, I was happy with the customer service that KBO provided.
Using The KBO Flip For Food Delivery And Gig Work
The main reason I wanted to use the KBO Flip was to see how well it worked as a food delivery bike when working for apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. For a food delivery bike, the KBO Flip is amazing.Â
To begin, the price point is excellent. The price for this bike typically hovers around $1,000 or less, which means it’s an affordable ebike. I can almost guarantee you’ll make your money back if you get a bike like this for doing deliveries.Â
To really increase the utility of the bike, I recommend adding a few things as well. I added some panniers to the rear rack to hold my orders, but you could also use a basket if that’s how you prefer to hold things. I also recommend adding a phone holder and a cup holder to your handlebars (I recommend the Quad Lock for a phone holder and the HandleStash for a cup holder).Â
What makes the KBO Flip work out well for food delivery is its compact size. You can fold it up if you need to, but it’s also compact enough that you can easily bring it inside buildings if needed. It’s also low to the ground, which helps with getting on and off the bike easily.Â
The 20×3 wheels also make for a smooth ride. The KBO Flip isn’t a super fast bike, but I’m able to ride at between 15-20mph, which is plenty fast in an urban environment.Â
The most important thing to consider when using an ebike for food delivery is battery range. The KBO Flip is great in this area, as the bike offers up to 55 miles of range. If you’re conservative with your battery usage, you’ll get close to that. But even if you’re on max power, you should still be able to get 20-25 miles of range, which is still plenty of range to cover a lunch or dinner shift in an urban environment.Â
In short, as an investment, the KBO Flip might be the perfect bike. At under $1,000, the KBO Flip is an affordable ebike that’s able to cover plenty of distance, get you around quickly, and has the capability to carry plenty of cargo.
Storing And Folding The KBO Flip
The main feature of the KBO Flip that differentiates it from other ebikes is that it’s a folding bike. This makes it extremely versatile for city living and for multi-modal transport (more on that later).
To fold the KBO Flip, you unhook the latch located in the center of the frame, then fold the front and rear wheels into each other. You then fold the handlebars down. It can be a bit tricky when you do it the first time, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll take you seconds to do this.Â
Below is a picture of what the KBO Flip looks like once you’ve folded it up. As you can see, it doesn’t take up much space. If you live in an apartment, you could easily place the bike in a corner somewhere.
When folded up, the KBO Flip also fits into the trunk of a typical car, making it possible to take the bike with you on car trips. This is particularly useful if you want to do some trail riding somewhere. Another useful scenario is if you need to have some work done on your car. You can take the KBO Flip with you, drop your car off, then ride home with your bike.
Some Things That Could Be Improved With The KBO Flip
In the interest of completeness, I also like to share some of the things I don’t necessarily like about the bike. These are more nitpicky items, as overall, I think the KBO Flip is an excellent bike, especially considering how affordable it is. That being said, here are a few things worth mentioning:
The Bike Isn’t That Fast. If you’re someone that needs to really fly on an ebike, the KBO Flip might not be the best choice for you. I found when I was riding it that I typically could get to about 18mph. This is a bit slower than some of my other bikes, which clock in around 20mph or more.Â
That being said, 18mph was plenty fast for me, but be aware that because this is a fairly small bike, it’s not going to be as powerful as other bikes you could get that have larger, more powerful motors.
The Bike Might Not Be Good For Tall Riders. Because this is a small, compact, folding bike, it could be less comfortable if you’re particularly heavy or tall. Bigger riders may want to consider heavier, more powerful bikes.Â
That being said, I have a friend who is 6’3″ and was able to ride the KBO Flip without any issues. But still, it’s something to think about.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike.Â
Folding bikes are great bikes to get and if you’re in the market for a good, entry-level folding ebike, I can highly recommend the KBO Flip. The specs for the bike are good, it’s a durable bike, and it’s a lot of fun to ride.Â
I hope you found this review helpful. If you have any questions about the KBO Flip, feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email. You can also check out the KBO Flip on the KBO website.
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More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:
- Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
- Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
- Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
- Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
- Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
- KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
- Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
- Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
- Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
- Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Webull (20 free stock shares) – Webull's current promotion gives you 20 free shares valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free shares using Webull.
- Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- SoFi Money ($325) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $300 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
- Upgrade ($300) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $300 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $300 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($175) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- US Bank Business ($800) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
- Fifth Third Bank ($200) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of those states, you won’t be able to open an account online but you can still open an account in-branch if you happen to be visiting a city that has a branch. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, especially since there are plenty of data points showing what will trigger the direct deposit requirement. In addition, you can open the Fifth Third Momentum Checking bank account, which comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Read my guide on this bonus here.
- GO2Bank ($50) - GO2Bank is an easy bank bonus that I recommend people take advantage of if they have an easy way of meeting the direct deposit requirement. I like that it’s easy to open the account and that the bonus pays out quickly. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your GO2Bank $50 referral bonus.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link. Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
- 5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
- US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $800 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
- Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
Love the bike posts, I’m old school and hadn’t ever tried an eBike, they seem really cool. I live in a rural area, so it’s not as customary to get around via bike, but I do like the exercise. Perhaps I can find a place to rent one before making the dive into a purchase. Thanks for sharing this. Love your blog, BTW!
Glad you enjoy these posts! I’m sure there are bike shops that will let you test ride or rent them. Otherwise, most major cities have bikeshare systems with ebikes in their fleet. That’s how I first discovered ebikes and got hooked on them. If you live near any city with a bikeshare system, that’s a good place to try them out.