I ordered the Kent Tandem and it took about 5 days to arrive. I expected this to be a "BICYCLE KIT" and it met my expectations 100%. I removed every component from the frame one by one and inspected/lubed/re-assembled back on the frame and adjusted. The ONLY thing that had even a trace of grease on it was one of the bolts for the stoker handlebar clamp(Seriously). Every bearing was dry. The rear wheel was missing 5 balls on the gear side.I mic'ed the balls on all the bearings and all were within .0001 in. or less difference. Both tires had maybe 10 pounds of air in them. I let what little air out and pulled the tires to inspect the wheels and spokes. The spoke strip on the rear wheel was pushed over and not covering the spokes in two spots so there was a sure flat if I would have just put air in it without checking. The front tire was OK. The front wheel was within .080 in. of true both horizontal and vertical. The rear wheel was out approx .600 in. horizontal and .080 in. vertical. It wouldn't even roll without the tire hitting the frame. I trued both wheels to +/- .020 in.("close enough" for a bicycle) along with setting a little backlash on the spokes in the process. As with everything else on the bike, The brakes and both derailers weren't even close to being adjusted correctly. The return springs on the rear brakes were in different holes. When adjusting the derailers I noticed the rear derailer was bent. I called the toll free # for Kent customer service and told the lady the problem. With no questions asked, she took my name and address and said she would get another derailer in the mail that day and I didn't need to send the bad one back. A close look at the frame and no cracks,bends or dents were found. The welds are not as pretty as they could be but they didn't look bad at all and showed signs of good penetration at the weld edges. While waiting for the new derailer I peeled off about 10 pounds of stickers and installed some aftermarket fenders,a rear cargo rack, two bells (The stoker has to have fun too),rear view mirrors and naturally some streamers on the handlebars. The replacement rear derailer arrived in three days. I'm VERY happy with their customer service. After assembling the tandem "KIT" and adjusting the seats and handlebars we took it out for a "Maiden Voyage" of 31 miles. The bike rode really well. The frame was MUCH STIFFER than our old Columbia tandem. Shifts were smooth, quick, precise and quiet. No "Auto shift" from frame flex on take off or climbs. The brakes worked nicely and took very little finger pressure to stop on the small hills we encountered. I think the supplied Velo seat will have to be replaced for me but my Wife seemed to like her seat OK so far. We managed to hit our fair share of bumps and pot holes along with going down some rough gravel roads so I was wondering how things were holding up. After we got home I looked everything over and all was as it should be. I didn't use the dial indicator again but "eyeballed" the wheels judging with the brake pads and spinning the wheels and they seemed to hold true. We really like the bike. It does just what it was designed for (cruising around the neighborhoods) and does it well. It's just what we hoped for and expected and we think it's well worth the $248.00 shipped. We had a BLAST riding "twogether" through the neighborhoods of three small towns Sunday. If someone is looking for a cruiser tandem and can assemble the "KIT" themselves then I would recommend the Kent. If you are not comfortable doing the work then I suggest talking with a local bike shop, Give them the list I posted here in this review of the things I HAD TO DO to assemble the bike for an example and get a estimate. It might cost more than it's worth if you have to go that route. Even with the missing ball bearings, I give it 4 stars for the style and price. Heck,you can't expect "top of the line" quality on a $248 tandem. 4 stars

It looks like they used a manual for a standard bike and just added the word "Tandem" to the top of it. Which makes assembly a little more difficult since the instructions don't match the bike.

Mine also arrived damaged and with some missing parts. 5 stars

We have put around 100 miles on the bike in a few weeks. The only concerns I have are shifting issues. The shifter doesn't always like to change gears smoothly (maybe due the fact that the front derailer sprocket is warped). I have adjusted the derailers per the instructions 2 times now, when we first got the bike it wouldn't even shift into the highest gear, adjustments were way off. The front shifter cable rubbed on the rear cranks and broke the end off the cable. A pedal started popping pretty bad. Customer service sent me out a new pedal and shifter cable that does not match my other side now. Guess I will have to order the other side so they match and get another front derailer sprocket. Other than the crappy shifting issues the bike is good for what you pay.

Update, it is now mid November, still have shifting issues. Customer service is the biggest joke. Yes they sent out the parts, sent me a used front derailer sprocket. The shifters they finally sent out ended up being the wrong ones, I guess they were from a non tandem bike. Finally got the shifter cable yesterday, it is a universal cable that I had to completely disassemble the revo shifter and make it work, the cable was about 3 feet to long. The rear hub is starting to make a grinding noise when under a heavy load, sounds like the ball bearings are out of grease. Would not recommend this product, if you must buy it buy it locally so you can take it back.. 3 stars

I missed a gold box sale on this bike for $199 but picked it up for $219 a week or so later (with free shipping) which is a bargain either way you look at it. Shipping was fast and delivered right to the door. It's a large box so be prepared.

Assembly was relatively easy - can't comment on the instructions because never even needed to read them. Basically had to install one tire, handle bars, both seats, brakes, pedals, and bottle racks. The shifting mechanism and back tires came pre-assembled which took most of the real work out of the assembly.

The look of the bike is actually very attractive especially compared to most tandem bikes which tend to be very linear and bulky looking. This is much smoother with great lines. The silver fades into a gun-metal grey with a few red accents and black grips, seats, tires, bottles etc... Overall a very pleasing appearance albeit a bit retro.

Shifters are in the handle and smooth enough. One handle does the big shifting and the other handle fine tunes the shifting. The brakes are sufficient but NOT disc brakes but rather those little "v" brakes. Tires are large enough to give a smooth ride and in fact, was surprisingly easy to handle and navigate. You won't be taking quick turns with this as the bike is loooooong but then again, it's not really designed with racing in mind.

Negatives: first, the hand grips. The rubberized hand grips have wedges that tend to become uncomfortable on long rides but that is a minor issue. The seats - this is really a personal preference. I find the seats to be one of the most uncomfortable bike seats I've ever encountered - absolutely intolerable. Spouse finds them great and one of the most comfortable ever. It seems to be how your personal backside is built but for sure - you will love or hate the seats. There doesn't seem to be much in-between. Finally, the front seat and rail tend to be a bit tall for women or those on the short side.

Positives. Smooth ride - much smoother than expected. Both spouse and self have tried other tandems in the past that were hard to get started, difficult to navigate, bumpy and lacked speeds. All of those were non-issues. This tandem was very easy to get started. One false start out of the drive way and then no further issues. Easy steering, very nice ride. We took it out Xmas eve when the streets were quiet and empty to give it a good first ride with the intent to just go around the block. Ended up taking it for a couple mile ride to see the Xmas lights as it was so easy to drive. Great cruiser. Can actually reach a decent speed but be sure to have plenty of braking space and don't take tight corners at the high speeds. All in all, a lot of fun for a couple with a terrific price. 5 stars

This is a one beautiful bike. Everything about it says top quality. It rides very nice. It has fat tires, and hence its ride is very soft. The seats are nicer and more comfortable than many other bikes twice as expensive and are made by La-Z-Boy... Many parts of the bike are made of alloy metals to reduce weight. Everyone who saw this bike loved it. I would recommend it in a heart beat. It is a lot of fun to ride with a loved one.
The only thing I would change about this bike is the white walled tires. The white walled tires makes it look kind of less sporty, and more like a senior citizen bike. It is like diving a mini van vs. an SUV. BUT, if you are driving it for the functionality, you cannot beat the value of this bike. 4 stars