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Nakto Camel 250 Review

If range, comfort, and carrying capacity are important to you, this is a reasonably priced Class 2 e-bike to consider
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Nakto Camel 250 Review (The Nakto Camel 250 is a simple and affordable way to enjoy the benefits of an e-bike.)
The Nakto Camel 250 is a simple and affordable way to enjoy the benefits of an e-bike.
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $690 List
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Manufacturer:   Nakto
By Jeremy Benson, Joshua Hutchens  ⋅  Jun 7, 2023
68
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 4
  • Ride - 25% 8.0
  • Range - 25% 7.0
  • Power - 25% 6.0
  • Interface - 15% 6.0
  • Assembly - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Nakto Camel 250 is a reasonably priced Class 2 electric bike that we feel is a decent option for commuting or running errands. It may not have the most sophisticated pedal-assist system or user interface, but the 250W motor can go 20 mph using the throttle or pedal assist. The 360Wh battery also gives this bike a surprisingly good distance range. This cruiser-style bike has a low step-through frame and comfortable upright seated pedaling position, and it generally has steady and predictable handling. It also comes loaded with useful features like fenders, a headlight, an electric horn, a bell, a sturdy rear rack, and a covered basket. If you are in the market for one of the best budget electric bikes with all the bells and whistles, the Nakto is a great option to consider.
REASONS TO BUY
Feature packed
Long distance range
Comes ready to carry lots of cargo
20 mph top speed
REASONS TO AVOID
Only 1 pedal assist level
Basic display and controls
Editor's Note: The Nakto Camel review was updated on August 19, 2024; this bike is now called the Nakto Electric Bike for Adults and is being shipped with a 350W motor capable of 500W at peak power.

Compare to Similar Products

 
nakto camel 250
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Nakto Camel 250
Awards Best Buy Award
Another Great Value
Best Buy Award
Best Budget Folding Electric Bike
Editors' Choice Award
Best Budget Electric Commuter Bike
 
Price $690 List
$399.99 at Amazon
$999 List$1,295 List
$1,095 at Ride1up
$509 List
$409.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
68
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74
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A simple, comfortable Class 2 electric bike with loads of featuresOne of the more useful and versatile bikes we have tested, especially at this low priceAn incredible value for a Class 3 bike that is so powerful and easy to rideA serviceable mountain bike style Class 2 model with respectable power output and range
Rating Categories Nakto Camel 250 Lectric XP 3.0 Step... Ride1Up Turris-XR Ancheer 27.5-inch B...
Ride (25%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Range (25%)
7.0
7.0
8.0
8.0
Power (25%)
6.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
Interface (15%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Assembly (10%)
6.0
10.0
7.0
7.0
Specs Nakto Camel 250 Lectric XP 3.0 Step... Ride1Up Turris-XR Ancheer 27.5-inch B...
Wheel size 26-inch 20-inch 27.5-inch 27.5-inch
Battery Size (Wh) 360 500 614 374
E-Bike Class Class 2 Class 3 Class 3 Class 2
Motor Power (torque) 250W 500W 750W 350W
Number of pedal assist settings 1 5 5 5
Top speed throttle 20 mph 20 mph 20 mph 20 mph
Top speed pedal-assist 20 mph 28 mph 28 mph 20 mph
Measured Distance Range 19.6 miles 24.5 miles 22.1 miles 20.3 miles
Frame material Steel Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum
Weight Limit 250 lbs 330 lbs 300 lbs 330 lbs
Measured Weight 61 lbs 62 lbs 8 oz 60 lbs 8 oz 49 lbs 5 oz
Folding? No Yes No No
Drivetrain Shimano 6-speed Shimano Tourney 7-speed Shimano Altus 7-speed Shimano Altus 24-speed
Brakes V-brake front, Coaster rear Hydraulic Disc Brakes Zoom Hydraulic Disc Brakes Mechanical disc
Additional features Basket, headlight, cargo rack, horn, suspension fork Fenders, rear rack, front and rear lights, folding design, front suspension, mounting points for front rack, kickstand, IP-65 rated for water resistance Fenders, front light, 100mm suspension fork, kick stand Bell, headlight, tools, digital display
Warranty One Year One Year One Year Two Years on frame, One year on battery, motor, and components

Our Analysis and Test Results

Nakto is one of many small brands producing reasonably priced electric bikes. The Class 2 Camel 250 caught our attention with its positive user reviews and wealth of included features. We tested the Nakto against a diverse field of similarly priced competitors to see how it compares. While its simple pedal-assist system underwhelmed us, we were impressed by its distance range, 20 mph top speed, comfort, ride quality, and user-friendliness. We feel the included basket and rear cargo rack make this bike an excellent option for commuting and running errands around town.

Performance Comparison


nakto camel 250 - the nakto's pedal assist system may not be as sophisticated as some...
The Nakto's pedal assist system may not be as sophisticated as some of the competition but it works well enough, and this bike comes loaded with all the features.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ride


The Nakto Cargo has a good, predictable, and smooth ride quality, earning an 8 out of 10. This cruiser-style bike has a low step-through frame and a comfortable, casual upright seated position. It also comes equipped with most of the features you'll ever need, enhancing its versatility and user-friendliness.

We found the overall handling of the Nakto to be relatively good. It felt predictable and steady, making a variety of turn sizes and shapes at a range of speeds. Our only gripe with this bike's handling was that it could feel a little twitchy when making very sharp turns at lower speeds. We attribute this twitchy feel to the somewhat compact geometry of the frame and steep head tube angle. Otherwise, this bike felt nice and smooth in the turns and plenty stable at higher speeds. We found the brakes to perform well, but the rear drum brake took a short break-in period before it felt powerful enough. Similarly, the shifting worked well once we made a minor adjustment to the cable tension.

nakto camel 250 - handling is relatively steady, calm, and predictable.
Handling is relatively steady, calm, and predictable.
Credit: Laura Casner

The Nakto is a pretty comfortable bike. While the version we tested with the low step-through frame is technically a “women's” bike (they make a men's version with a step-over frame, too), our male tester found it to be agreeable, with plenty of adjustability to suit his 6' tall frame. The step-through frame is very low, making it easy to get on and off the bike. It has a cruiser bike look and feel, with a comfortable upright body position. The seat post has approximately 10 inches of height adjustability, and Nakto claims this bike can fit riders between 5'4" and 6'5". The upper end of that height range might be a stretch, but our 6' tall tester with a 32" inseam fits on this bike quite well. The stem and handlebar can also be raised and lowered several inches to dial the height to your preferences. It also comes with a nice wide, cushioned comfort seat that we had no problems with during our range and handling tests.

nakto camel 250 - fenders, basket, headlight, rear rack, the list of features goes on...
Fenders, basket, headlight, rear rack, the list of features goes on...
Credit: Laura Casner

What we really like about the Nakto is how many features it has. Sure it might take a little extra time to assemble this bike because of them, but it's well worth it, in our opinion. Front and rear fenders will help keep you dry and make this bike suitable for riding in wet climates or splashing through puddles. An electric horn and a standard bell mean that you should always have some way of notifying other cyclists or people on foot of your presence. The headlight runs off of the battery, and while it isn't the brightest, it does cast a nice wide beam for riding at night. The covered basket was also a nice touch and a perfect place to carry items on your way to work or while running errands. A sturdy rear cargo rack rounds out the extensive list of features and adds to this bike's carrying capacity (check out our review of the best bike panniers). If cargo space is high on your list, the Nakto has you covered.

nakto camel 250 - with a solid distance range, the nakto has more than enough juice...
With a solid distance range, the Nakto has more than enough juice for running errands around town or even longer commutes.
Credit: Laura Casner

Range


We came away from our distance range testing somewhat impressed by the Nakto. Thanks to its 360Wh battery capacity, it went the distance and proved to be among the top performers in this metric.

The Nakto comes with a 360Wh battery, the average for the models in this review. The company claims a 20-25 mile range when using pedal assist, but we found that you can travel nearly 20 miles using full electric/throttle mode. We performed our range test using the throttle-only, with no pedaling input from the rider, and we traveled 19.6 miles with 1,032 feet of elevation gain/loss. With a fairly impressive average speed of 15.4 mph, the test took an hour and 17 minutes to complete. Our rolling test course is far from perfectly flat, but we feel one could likely travel a bit further on less hilly terrain. Likewise, we think that a little pedaling effort from the rider could also help to increase this bike's range significantly.

nakto camel 250 - you don't need to pedal the nakto. its throttle can cruise along at...
You don't need to pedal the Nakto. Its throttle can cruise along at 20 mph on flat ground. It's not the zippiest bike, but its no slouch either.
Credit: Laura Casner

Power


With a straightforward pedal-assist system and average acceleration, the Nakto didn't impress us too much with its power output, but it still managed to earn a 6 out of 10 for this metric. This bike does get up to 20 mph under throttle or while using pedal-assist, but with only one pedal-assist support level, it just seems a little basic. We aren't saying it doesn't get the job done; it's just a bit less advanced than models with more pedal-assist levels.

The 250W rear hub motor has average feeling acceleration when using the throttle. It isn't particularly quick off the line, but it has no problem getting up to its top speed of 20 mph on flat ground, and we were relatively impressed by the Nakto's average speed of 15.4 mph during our range testing. We also liked that it didn't have an abrupt power cutoff feel when we hit the bike's top speed.

nakto camel 250 - with just one pedal assist level, the nakto is a bit simpler than...
With just one pedal assist level, the Nakto is a bit simpler than most bikes we tested. That said, it still supports pedaling up to 20 mph.
Credit: Laura Casner

We found it interesting that the Nakto has only one pedal assist level. You can ride this bike with the pedal assist on or off. It has a cadence sensor to regulate its power output, and we found that it lagged a little bit compared to other models we tested. It typically took about 2-3 complete rotations of the cranks before we could feel the assistance come on. Once the assistance was on, it ramped up to full output and never felt jumpy and lingered for about a full second after the pedals stopped turning. The assistance level felt reasonably strong, and if we had to guess, we'd say it provided around 80-90% support. We found it to be relatively easy to get up to its top speed of 20 mph while pedaling, though it was challenging to go much faster due to the bike's weight. We found that this system was quite simple, and it worked just fine, but we prefer having a couple more assist levels to choose from.

nakto camel 250 - the interface is relatively basic. the battery indicator reads like...
The interface is relatively basic. The battery indicator reads like a fuel gauge, and there is a simple button to turn pedal assist on or off.
Credit: Laura Casner

User Interface


The Nakto lost a little ground to the competition in this metric for its relatively simple user interface. It earned a 6 out of 10 in this metric, and while it isn't particularly impressive, it is still perfectly functional and gets the job done. The seat-mounted battery is also easily removable for charging or security.

The power of the Nakto is turned on by putting the key into the battery and turning it to the on position. Unlike some bikes that allow you to remove the key once the battery is locked and on, this system requires the key to stay in the battery. Once turned on, the display mounted by the right grip on the handlebar lights up with three colored LEDs on a small screen to display your battery charge as full, half, or empty. All three lights illuminate with a full charge, and they turn off progressively as the charge depletes. A twist throttle is integrated into the right grip, which controls the bike in full electric/throttle mode. Below the battery charge indicator is a small red button that turns the pedal-assist on or off. Push the button to turn it on and push it again to turn it off. Since this bike only has one pedal assist setting, that's all you need. There is a switch on the left side of the handlebar to power the headlight and a green button that controls the electric horn. This bike also comes with a bell, so you get to choose which way to alert fellow riders.

nakto camel 250 - the battery is very easy to remove thanks to the handle and flip-up...
The battery is very easy to remove thanks to the handle and flip-up seat.
Credit: Laura Casner

The battery slides into a slot behind the bike's seat tube and locks into place securely. The battery has a handle at the top, and the seat folds up and out of the way, making it very easy to remove for charging or security. The charging port is hidden under the handle of the battery, and charging time is claimed at 4-6 hours.

nakto camel 250 - it took a little longer to assemble the nakto due to the...
It took a little longer to assemble the Nakto due to the installation of things like the front fender and basket. A tradeoff for its useful features.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Assembly


The assembly of the Nakto was a little more time-consuming than most, with a few extra steps in the process. It wasn't particularly difficult and was easily completed at home with the instructions and tools provided, but the additional steps add a little bit of time. In all, it took a full hour to get the bike from the box to ride ready, and this bike earned a 6 out of 10 for assembly.

Our test bike arrived in a standard-size bike box in good shape and didn't show any signs of damage from shipping. The bike itself was packaged well with loads of padding to keep everything protected. Once we removed the bike from the box, we removed all the padding and zip ties and located the included instructions and tool kit. Despite being printed on both sides of a single sheet of paper, the instructions were thorough, detailed, and easy to follow. The bike comes about 80% assembled, with standard steps like attaching the front wheel, handlebar, seat post, and pedals remaining. The additional steps of installing the front fender, headlight, and basket added about 20 minutes to the process. Again, none of these steps are that difficult; it just takes a little extra time. The assembly can be mostly finished using the included tools, although you will also need additional tools like an adjustable wrench for some of the steps.

Should You Buy the Nakto Camel 250 Cargo?


If you're looking for a reasonably priced electric bike and comfort, distance range, and carrying capacity are high on your list of performance attributes. We feel the Nakto is an excellent option to consider. While it doesn't have the most advanced user interface or pedal-assist system, this simple, comfortable, cruiser-style bike can easily do 20 mph using the throttle or pedal assist. It was also one of the top performers in our range testing. Add a laundry list of useful features, and it is easy for us to recommend this bike for running errands.

What Other Budget Electric Bikes Should You Consider?


Interested in something a little zippier and more powerful? The Ride1Up Turris costs a bit more, but it's the most powerful model in the test with a 750W motor capable of Class 3 (28 mph) speeds. It's also got a very clean design including a downtube integrated 614 Wh battery that gives it a great distance range. If storability is high on your list of priorities, the Lectric XP 3.0 is our top choice. This folding model collapses down small for storage or transport but still delivers high performance. The 500W motor provides quick acceleration and can support speeds up to 28 mph with pedal assist, while the 500 Wh battery provides a great distance range. It also comes equipped with features like fenders, a rear rack, and lights.

nakto camel 250 - if comfort, distance range, and a wealth of useful features are high...
If comfort, distance range, and a wealth of useful features are high on your list, the Nakto is a reasonably priced option to consider.
Credit: Laura Casner

Jeremy Benson, Joshua Hutchens