Mooncool E350 Electric Trike Review

New trike companies are popping up almost daily. It’s become almost impossible to keep track of all the new bikes coming out each month.

But every now and so, I fire up my trusty laptop and get to good ol’ browsing to see what’s new. This is how I stumbled upon Mooncool and its only e-trike (well, in this case, a trike) - the E350.

The first thing that caught my eye is that it comes with a front-drive motor. Now, that’s something you rarely see - especially on super budget-friendly e-trikes such as this one. I mean, you can’t expect much from a thousand-buck trikes, but for it to come with a front-drive motor - well, that’s something new.

And so I had to pick one up just to check it out. I have to admit that after a week on this bike, it’s not that bad. I mean, it’s not great, but it’s more than adequate for short trips around the neighborhood.

Let’s start with the frame and move on to the finer details later.

Frame

I realized why MC E-350 is so cheap the second it got delivered to my doorstep. You see, instead of one large box, this bike came in two medium boxes. In all my excitement, I didn’t read the disclaimer on the page that it came completely reassembled. 

Luckily, you get all the tools you need for the assembly. However, what I was worried about was all the parts there. Thankfully, they were. But that can’t be said for all the customers; there are quite a few reviews online that claim the package came with a couple of crucial parts missing.

The assembly process is far from easy, and it will take you at least a couple of hours. And if you’ve never worked on a  bike, it will take you an entire afternoon. And even after you’ve assembled the bike, you’ll still have to test it out and tighten everything up for good measure.

As for the frame design, it’s pretty uninspired. It’s your standard trike, with the only notable detail on it being the front-drive motor.

Oh, there’s a pretty big rear basket. It can fit almost a week’s worth of groceries, which makes this e-trike perfect for, you guessed it, grocery runs. 

Although the frame is pretty bare-bones, this e-trike is anything but light. I couldn’t get an accurate measurement, but my gut tells me this bike weighs around 70lbs. This is mostly because the frame is built out of high-tension steel. 

E350 is pretty stable for a trike. Sure, you will still lose stability during sharp turns, but then again, you shouldn’t make sharp turns with a trike - these machines aren’t made for racing.

Motor

So, we’ve finally come to the thing that intrigued me about this trike - the front-hub motor. I’ve never ridden a front-hub bike before, and after testing this bike out, I gotta say it ain’t that bad. 

I wouldn't put a front hub motor on my mountain bike, but it makes much more sense on a trike. You see, putting the motor on the front wheel helps with weight distribution, but it also messes with the traction. Since there’s nothing but the motor pushing down on the tire, if it loses traction, you’ll also lose all your power.

When it comes to specs, they’re pretty modest. The motor can produce 350 watts of power and very little torque. This means you won’t be climbing hills on throttle alone, but then again, this bike is meant for short leisurely rides, not hill climbing.

The controls are all clustered on the left-hand side of the handlebars. There you will find a small but brightly lit LCD screen and the throttle. The buttons for choosing the PAS level are on the LCD screen, and the throttle is located right next to it.

The controls are as simple as they get. You get 5 levels of pedal assist that can take you to the max speed of just 15.5 MPH. Even that is pretty impressive for a motor that can produce just 350 watts of power.

Battery

The battery is the only thing that really holds this bike back. 

E350 comes with a 10.4 Ah battery that provides a measly 25 miles of range. But, then again, you have to factor in that this price is as cheap as they get and also weighs quite a lot.

This is why I said in the intro this bike is perfect for short trips around the neighborhood and grocery runs. Anything more. and you’ll need a spare. 

The battery sits right behind the seatpost and is secured in place with a key. Don’t worry, the battery is waterproof, and no harm will come to the bike if you ride it while it’s raining.

You can charge it either while it’s on the bike or off via the charging port on the battery itself. The recharge time is your standard 5 to 6 hours. 

Taking the battery out is pretty simple. Just unlock it with the key and slide it out.

Brakes

Mooncool E350 comes with no name mechanical disc brakes with 160-millimeter rotors.

For what it’s worth, the brakes are adequate. They’re a bit too squeaky for my taste, but they’ll stop you in just a couple of feet.

The only thing I don’t like about them is the assembly. I just hate assembling brakes on bikes, I always mess something up.

Wheels And Tires

Mooncool E350 comes with two flavors of tires: 24 and 26 inches. I bought the 24-inch version, and I’m pretty happy with it. The tires provide more than enough grip and can even soak up some of the road shocks.

The only thing I’m worried about is puncture resistance. Chinese tires aren’t known for being overly rugged, so I would be careful when riding over any risky terrain.

Pros And Cons After Testing

All in all, Mooncool E350 is a pretty decent e-trike. 

Yes, the assembly process is a real pain in the ass. The instructions are far from straightforward, and that’s under the condition you get all the parts. I’ve seen a couple of user reviews that claim they were missing a couple of critical pieces.

But if you manage to go through the hellish assembly process, you’ll be left with a pretty decent, albeit a bit limited in use. 

This bike is perfect if you have a significant other you want to take on occasional bike rides, but they’re not that into cycling. The ride is pretty comfy, the controls are easy to pick up, and the bike is pretty slow, so they’ll get used to e-bikes.

Advice To Consumers

If you’re strapped for cash or are just looking for a trike you can take around the block, I recommend picking up a Mooncool E350. It’s pretty comfy and stable and comes with a gigantic rear basket that can fit tons of stuff.