The $350 Electric Commuter Bike

with gas at $3.50 a gallon, this is a deal, especially with spring here

thanks for the info

So if the battery only lasts for a year, what do you do with it afterwards?

Does the company take the old one back and recycle it? Do they give you another one for free (yeah right) or reduced cost?

About recycling the battery, the company says:

Consumers can call 1-800-8-BATTERY for information on recycling your used Lead Acid battery or go to the RBRC website at www.rbrc.org for additional information.

This seems so cheap! Any hidden downsides here?

Justin:
The hidden downside is that you have to carefully check your local laws before using this. In some places you may have to disable the electric assist just crossing through parts of your commute. These things are totally illegal anywhere in New York State, where they must be individually registered with the DMV, which flat out refuses to do so.

Good video review here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vuk-O6gk-RM

Jensen,

Hidden downsides.... Well, $350 generally buys you a really cheap bicycle. That means components that will fail sooner than a more expensive model. A frame thats made of some generic steel that's heavy and/or flexible.

AND it is, without a doubt, Made in China. So the manufacturing plant may pollute it's surroundings, use questionable labor practices, and deprive local (US) workers of jobs.

There may be others.

Josh

The hidden downside of this bike is the fault of many electric bikes- the "bike" portion seems to get neglected in lieu of newer/different/better(?) motor and battery. The result is an otherwise crappy bike that the components are not durable and will not stay adjusted even if you can find a local bike shop with enough patience to touch the thing. This bike is a good example- A $149 Wal Mart bike with a motor for another $200. Save your money and just buy a nicer bike. After all, the health benefits of having to pedal it yourself are just a part of why its the greatest machine ever invented.

Where can you get an electric bike motor for $200? Kits start at $500 usually.

Weighs 76 lbs so pray that battery doesn't go dead while you're out and about. Loud, high pitched motor (about 75 db). Speed decreases as battery power level decreases.

Frankly, if the Schwinn electric bikes EVER actually materialize, I'd pay the higher price if they can deliver on Schwinn's specs.

oh great, i am looking for a new bike. :-)

I bought a cheap kit from Wilderness Energy for about $400 (i think it has since dropped to $350). However, what I saved upfront, I paid for dearly with their abysmal customer service. I documented my experience over at

wildernessenergytreatedmelikedirt.com

So moral of the story: That cheap bike prolly gonna break and you'll be SOL.

I bought my bike at in-store (Westminster, CO), so some Walmarts have it in stock. I use the bike to commute to work so I don't get all sweaty but I still get a decent workout. The bike is heavy, even without the battery, but is very sturdy. It takes me approx 20 minutes to get to work. On my regular bike it took 30 minutes. I have had the bike for 3 weeks and have been very please so far.

PS. I swapped the mountain bike tires with road tires after the first week and it makes the ride much smoother!

I agree that the price sounds too good to be true. I've seen these types of bikes start at $900-of course they were from bicycle shops. Not saying I wouldn't trust it-I would just trust more to get in better shape so I'm not as burned out by biking longer distances-before buying one in that price range.

Jeff: I am a fit individual who wants to buy this as a substitute for using my car for buying things like groceries or commuting longer distances without getting sweaty. It's not out of laziness. I also happen to be getting my first job out of undergrad, so I'm not exactly rolling in the dough. I do not care how "nice" the bike is, as long as it can take me from point A to point B.

Why would a bike shop refuse to touch this bike though?

I had a conventional bike modified with a kit, so I could get a well made bike and a well made battery system. The lithium battery cost more but lasts longer (life time wise and per charge). It has definitely saved me gas since most of my shopping trips are within a half mile.

We had these for sale over chirstmas here in New Zealand for $350NZD which is about $260USD

Is there a site which will show you how to build your own electirc bicycle easily and inexpensively? I am tired of depending on my car to get to and from work, especially at todays gas prices. I saw a video on youtube showing an electic bike using Dewalt batteries as the power supply, that is what I would like to build but can't find a site that shows that.
I own a green business installing window film (which lowers incoming temperatures reducing air conditioning needs). so I would like to practice what I preach.

@ Jenson

Remember that you get what you pay for. You may not care how "nice" it is right now, but when parts are breaking off of it within the first year of use, you will be left with a really heavy bike that needs more money dumped into it, just to make it ridable.

A bike shop would most likely not touch this because of quality issues and all of the headaches they would endure having to repair said poor quality bike.

I'm working on my own DIY version right now that will use a deep cycle marine battery. I can choose which bicycle I want to put it on and a dcm battery should last about 6-8 years. I can't reveal any more secrets about my design, though you can email me if you're really interested :P

Anyhow, aside from the bicycle itself, my design is gonna be cheap-- maybe cheaper than this guy.

how can a moterised bicycle be sustainable in any way?

just use ur legs and peddal

If you think $3.50 for a gallon of gas is expensive you wanna try living here in the UK! It costs about £5 (approx $10) per gallon!!

I think the electro-bike will be money well spent.

I bought this bike a few weeks ago, and I would agree with most of this review that it does help a lot with hills and it does help me get to work in a reasonable amount of time, without being exhausted (I live in a hilly area) and without needing a shower (thought I'm not so sure when it gets to 80 degrees). However, I disagree with the part that says "If you just use it to go up hills, the charge will last for 20-25 miles." I only use it on the up hills - I just pedal when it is flat, and pedal and coast on the downhills - and it barely makes it 14 or 15 miles. Luckily my commute is 14 miles. I also disagree with the statement "It was easy to achieve speeds of 25 mph while pedaling lightly." The motor will only get you up to about 16 or 17 mph. If you are moving faster than that (whether by pedaling, using the motor, or going down hill), the motor will not increase your speed due to how it is geared. I've heard that it is the law in many places that if the motor gets you over 20mph it is considered a moped.

I am very happy with the bike - but I wouldn't count on it for a commute over 14 miles unless it is quite flat.

I work for Currie in the R&D department. The other day I did a range test with this bicycle on relatively flat ground. Here is the data directly from the cyclometer:

Total Time: 39 min
Trip distance: 10.17 miles
Average Speed: 15.4 mph
Max Speed: 20.02

FYI, I did not pedal at all, just throttle, and I weigh 180 lbs. I stopped the range test at the moment I felt any loss of power.

This is our least expensive bike. If you want something better, I suggest our Enlightened Series which come in many different flavors.

I have had this bike for a couple months now and am pleased with it. I live in a hilly area and would often take a car rather that battle the hills, even for short hops. The bike is heavy and seems rugged. If you are not riding long distances and don't like killing yourself riding up hills, this is a good alternative to a car. I think it does not have many stainless components, as I have already noticed some rust on a couple bolts, I therefor am taking more care to dry it off when riding in wet conditions. It took me a little while to understand what PAS and TAG technology meant. TAG (twist and go) the bike acts more like an motorbike and merely twisting the throttle gets it moving while in the PAS (pedal assist system) the throttle kicks in only while pedaling. I usually use the PAS mode these days but ocassionally use the TAG mode just to get going.

These are great bikes for the price. Yes, it's heavy, but w/ the motor it doesn't much matter. The components are good enough, and the brakes are more than adequate. The motor has a definite whine to it when you're using it, but you can't have everything at this price.

I put about $200 more into mine w/ locks, slime for the tires, a computer so you know how far you have gone on a charge, a better seat, adjustable handlebar stem, mirror, lights and the additional battery. I use it to go fetch groceries or, believe it or not, building supplies w/ a small trailer. It zips right up the steepest hills w/ a full load and I arrive at home w/o even breaking a sweat.

Top speed seems to be about 18 mph. Not sure about the range, but I can go over 10 miles w/ just the one battery, so 20 miles is realistic.

The batteries are heavy, but when you price the more efficient ones you will see why they went w/ the lead acid. You could easily spend more than the entire bike for upgraded batteries. As long as you avoid totally discharging the batteries and keep them topped up w/ a full charge I'll bet you can go years before needing to replace them. While I would like a lighter and quieter bike, for the price this is a real buy, and it has plenty of power for hills.

These are great bikes for the price. Yes, it's heavy, but w/ the motor it doesn't much matter. The components are good enough, and the brakes are more than adequate. The motor has a definite whine to it when you're using it, but you can't have everything at this price.

I put about $200 more into mine w/ locks, slime for the tires, a computer so you know how far you have gone on a charge, a better seat, adjustable handlebar stem, mirror, lights and the additional battery. I use it to go fetch groceries or, believe it or not, building supplies w/ a small trailer. It zips right up the steepest hills w/ a full load and I arrive at home w/o even breaking a sweat.

Top speed seems to be about 18 mph. Not sure about the range, but I can go over 10 miles w/ just the one battery, so 20 miles is realistic.

The batteries are heavy, but when you price the more efficient ones you will see why they went w/ the lead acid. You could easily spend more than the entire bike for upgraded batteries. As long as you avoid totally discharging the batteries and keep them topped up w/ a full charge I'll bet you can go years before needing to replace them. While I would like a lighter and quieter bike, for the price this is a real buy, and it has plenty of power for hills.

I ordered one of these bikes from Walmart as an entry level bike. I have not received it yet. My question is can I put a better battery in it for greater mileage and the motor is claimed to be 450 watts is that a peak watt rating.

I paid $150 for this bike new at Wal-Mart on clearance. Quite a deal. I've been riding it daily for about 4 months and the bike is very sturdy. I'd say the range is no more than 14 miles on the battery, maybe less. My only complaint is the loudness of the motor. If you thought ebikes were silent, think again. This is absolutely the best bargain there is for an electric bike.
Regarding bike shops, many are rather snobby about bikes not bought at their shop, even though most of their bikes are also made in China. If I ran a bike shop, no matter who's bike I was working on, it all pays the same, so I don't know why they're so anal retentive.
My advice on recycling the battery is this: Keep the case that mounts on the bike carrier. Remove the two small 12 volt batteries from it and recycle those. You can order these batteries online and save some money instead of buying a new unit from Currie, which is well over $100. The sealed batteries are 12 volt 10 amp. Easy to find.

I bought one of these bikes using Walmart's ship to store. It appears they are now off the website (except the woman's model, and I expect that to run out soon). Hopefully they will be replaced by a comparable model. Northern Tool, Amazon and Toys R Us also appear to carry the bike. There are no dealers in Pittsburgh, but hopefully that will change.

I seem to have messed up my battery, but Currie Technology is sending me a replacement. When the battery did work my experience was as positive as anyone's here. The motor is not terribly loud, but it gives a fine boost. Top speed does seem to be limited, probably because of the weight, but I find I can maintain a higher cruising speed. Overall the riding experience is fine.

The box is really, really heavy. It took me a while to put the bike together, but once I did I find the brakes actually work better than my other bikes. This bike seems like a fine alternative to a car for commuting.

I just bought a E-Zip mountain trail through Walmart, which is almost identical to the Trailz version. For the price, I think it will be better than buying a used top of the linebike that's old. I wanted a brand new 2008.
I think it is improper to scorn the E-zip:. Currie makes this bike. Also, those pricey bikes are getting alot of criticism. People have complaied that
their $1,500. plus purchase has not lived up to factory specs. poor customer service, etc. Go ahead and ridicule the cheaper bike, but beware that the top of the line bike may end up to be a bigger nightmare. Search the web and see for yourself.
Plenty of negative reviews for other electric bikes!

I am considering buying this bike. My only concern is will it be able to handle my steep hill. My commute home includes gradual incline and then steep (maybe 40 degree angle) for the last mile. I weigh 130 pounds. Will the bike handle it? I don't want it to poop out half way then have to lug the thing the rest of the way. I'd appreciate hearing your experience!

As of July 3, 2008, these bikes are back in stock at Walmart, at $348.

These are out of stock at Walmart again.

Where can I find if in my city an electric bike is considered as regular bike.? Augusta - GA
Normally to ride these electric bike we need to have drive liscense?

Regarding whoever said that if it's cheap, it will fall apart. I've driven my Ezip Trailz for about 5 months now in a very small town, full of paved streets resembling moon craters and dirt streets and roads with large chunks of gravel, bad dips, holes and sand. My bike was preassembled and I never even checked the nuts and bolts. It has held together perfectly with no problems. It's by far the most reliable transportation I have since my only other wheels are a 1987 Yamaha Riva 200 scooter and a 1980 Honda CT110, both with various mechanical problems all the time. You can spend $3000 on a bike that you THINK will give you status, but you will most likely NOT get any more range or get any more reliability. My bike averages 15 mph. It will only do 25 mph under full electric power and heavy pedaling and going downhill as hard as you can go.
On the other hand, Currie's customer service is practically NON-EXISTENT. I've called countless times to order an extra battery and not once has anyone answered the phone. They are a very poorly run company. And from what I've read on forums, the people that did get through have been given excuse after excuse why the battery isn't available "at this time". All we can do is make our own 24 volt battery pack and jury rig it somehow.
And yes, the motor is very loud. The only turnoff for me.

I like riding bikes, and I've been looking for electrics for a while. I tried out this bike, and didn't like it, because when the motor is on you can't feel yourself pedal, so it's kind of like a "ride a bike, or have a motorbike" experience. They have more expensive models that handle it much better, but their a lot more money. And other electric bikes perform better also. It might be good for some people, but I didn't like the feeling of it at all.

My wife is considering buying an e-bike for me for Christmas, and she and I are considering the Currie E-Zip entry-level model. I am a medically-retired middle-aged man, who is mentally disabled and cannot drive an automobile, and I think the E-Zip would be a WONDERFUL way for me to get around. After seeing a news story about electric scooters on TV, I've been considering a scooter, but here in Florida, one MUST carry a driver's license in order to ride even an ELECTRIC moped. But the E-Zip (and all other bikes like it) is a STREET LEGAL BICYCLE with an electric HELPER motor, as defined by Florida law, so as far as I know, an e-bike is the ONLY motorized vehicle that I could operate on public streets and roads WITHOUT a driver's license, because the E-Zip's top speed is just UNDER 20 miles an hour, so it would be the PERFECT thing for me! And you can't beat the price, either! Now, even poor schmucks like me can afford to get a motorized bike, so that I won't have to sit at home, bored out of my mind, but could instead get out of the house, hop on my bike...."get my motor running", and hit the open road in search of adventure! I can't wait to get my first (and hopefully NOT last!) e-bike, and start riding for the first time in so many years. WISH ME LUCK! ;-)

Does anyone know the weight of the battery? I would like to ship this overseas but the USPS limit is 70 lbs.

THE WEIGHT ON THE 12 V BATTERY PACK IS AROUND 20 LBS. THE BIKE WOULD ONLY WEIGH APPROX 55 LBS WITHOUT BATTERY PACK.

Does anyone know the decibel level of these bikes? Some people make it seem like it sounds like a chainsaw, but it's electric so I'm having a hard time understanding how noisy it could be. Any ideas?

The bike isn't overly noisy - at full acceleration it sounds like angry bees buzzing.

Umm...on second thought, I think I'll PASS on that bike, and just settle for good, old-fashioned WALKING. I'll save my money that way, and be much safer on the road, thank you very much! :-)

Those are loud and obnoxious, not to mention the brushed motors going through the chain is very inefficient.

I bought an ampedbikes.com front kit and the brushless motor gives me about 30% more range than my wifes izip, plus its silent.

I have been commuting to work on my new hybrid electric bike for about 2-3 months now. Finally gas prices dont bother me anymore..

Good luck and try to stay just a little green

The advantage of the IZIp bikes is the price.

The kits that Amped Bikes sells are good. But you pay $380 + batteries + shipping for the batteries + the cost of a bike to put it on. You're look at about $1000 total, instead of $350 total for the IZip bike.

I just got my e-zip and I love it. It makes a nice trip when you don't have to do all the work. I would recommend the bike to anyone.

Actually for the ampedbikes.com kit, which is really high quality , the kit is $360 + about $80 for batteries.

It is silent, not loud and clunky like izip it gets around 30% more range and its still my high quality bicycle!

Regarding legality. It is 100% legal everywhere a bike is legal. Recent Federal Law preempts any attempt by the states to make them illegal. Your city/state can still say no bikes on the sidewalk, but they cannot say bikes ok, e-zips not ok. Everywhere in the U.S. a bike with peddles

No, My ampedbike batteries were only $80

I paid $360 for the kit. its very high quality, I get 30% more range than the Izip.

so $360 + $28 Shipping and $80 for batteries= $468 for something that is very high quality.

Our neighbor has a $3000 something or other electric bike. Mine is just as good + its still "my" bike.

The Izip is really poor quality. Read on the forums about them, I wish I had read about the quality beforehand.

Its ok for my wife to make it around the block 2-3X but that's about it.

My batteries for my ampedbike kit cost me $84.

I spent a total of about $445 for a high end conversion.

I used my old Trek Mtn bike, so now I have a high end bike with a high end kit. Im happy with it

I have an e-zip as well; got it at k-mart for AU$300 which was down from 400 down from 450... there were 3 left only at one store and they don't have them any more. That's at least $500 less than anywhere else, and $1000 less than other bikes, but even though the bike is fun, it's not really practical.
That's partly because maximum legal power in Australia is only 200W; on flat road top speed is about 22kph (15mph). Pedalling of course increases speed but the motor only revs out to about 24 (16). Any faster and you are pedalling a very heavy battery and bike around.
It's also partly because the motor only has one gear, and I've been wondering if it is possible to take the cog that the motor turns, off the hub, and put it on another one. If it can be done, then you could replace the standard hub with one of those kinds that has three speed gears, still leaving the derailleur as well. Then the motor would have three gears, and I would have 21! Usually a three speed hub is 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2, which would give about 12kph (7mph) in first gear, 24 (16) in second, and 48 (32) in third! 200W won't do that, but at least if I want it to, the motor can always help at least a bit. Anyone have any ideas?
Also, batteries here are $170, but I have 20 NiMH Rechargeable D cells in a pack that also has 10 Ah capacity, but only weighs about a third of the lead acid dinosaur that currie use. All up cost was $200. NiMH don't mind high drain either; the lead acid battery may be ten amp hours, but that's only true if you draw 0.5 amps (12w), which will last 20 hours. Draw 10 times that, 5 amps (still only 120W), and you won't get 2 hours; perhaps about 1 hr 15m. Draw 8.5 amps (200W) and the battery will be flat in 25 minutes. That is an effective capacity of about 5 Ah! NiMH seem to give 10 amps for one hour or one amp for ten hours, which means that the effective capacity at normal current draw is still 9 Ah, versus about 6.

FYI- Walmart decided to "rollback" the price up to $398.

My husband and I both commute on our ampedbike's conversion kits. My commute is about 21.5 miles each way. I recharge at the office and ride home.

I have been doing this for over a month and feel incredible.

Everyone should try it as a change of pace and as a way to get outside, get more exercise and feel great!

I am suprised to see TreeHugger recommending a Lead Acid battery as these are very very cheap but also have the great cost to the environment.

We all need to ask ourselves very carefully... Why is this bike so cheap..

And what is the total cost to the environment, from production, to use, to disposal...

Forgive me for "waffling," but who am I trying to kid, here?! Of course, I'll reconsider getting an electric bike once again, and reconsider the EZip Trailz or the Mountain Trailz (its mountain "brother"), even though the price is a "little" higher now. I think it's still a good bike for the money, and still a good fit for me, even if I only use it to ride just up and down the street 2 or 3 times a day. At least I'll get some exercise, and have some "fun in the sun," here in Florida, especially during the coming "dry season." ;-)

I have been riding the e-zip bike for about 3 weeks and love it. I split 20 miles commuting to work between my car and the bike. I recommend that you use the motor for hills only and you will definately increase your range. I zipped past all of the macho riders who are pumping up those steep hills with their expensive bikes. The look on their faces is worth the price of the bike as they are amazed at how easy you pass them. They may be faster on the flat surfaces but when the hills come, youv'e got them beat.

...BUT, on the OTHER hand...it would be a WASTE of TIME and MONEY for someone like me to just ride the Ezip...or ANY e-bike, for that matter...up and down the street and too close to home, when just a REGULAR, PEDAL-ONLY bike will do! By NOT going electric, I'll save money...and STILL get the exercise I SORELY need! So....I'll just get a regular SIMPLE bike, ride it, be happy...and REST MY CASE...at least for now! :-)

Would it be possible to substitute lithium ion batteries in the ampedbike kit? Where could I get them?

I am planning to get this bike, instead of a regular one, for the following reasons:

1. I'm out of shape. I have tried riding a regular bike, and it tires me out. An electric bike will allow me to build up my stamina so that I can ride for longer distances.

2. I don't have a car. This will get me to most of the places I need to go without too much hassle.

3. My town's public transportation sucks. Most of what I do is within 7 miles of my house. To get to the furthest destination, about 7.5 miles away, I would have to travel about 1 hour by bus. This will get me there in half the time.

4. Although the SLA batteries make an environmental impact, it's a MUCH smaller one than either a car, a motorcycle, or a moped. Nothing's perfect, except walking, and I ain't walking 7 miles to nowhere if I don't have to.

5. It's a LOT cheaper than other electirc bikes. Although Wal-Mart is the devil, I can't afford anything more than this price.

And finally,

6. If I can get a pre-assembled electric bike, for the same price or only slightly more than a conversion kit, and NOT have to worry about my unmechanical self screwing things up, I will do it. For my safety, and the safety of others.

Well, I just bought an Ezip bike and looking forward to it. I have done a lot of research on eBikes and I think for the price this bike is hard to beat. Will post some more info, after my bike arrives.

I would say price is the only real good thing about this bike. I wouldn't buy any bike with a SLA battery or brushed motor though, the combo especially is very inefficient.

I have a fairly hilly, 7 to 8 mile commute to work. I recently bought an electric bike from R Martin based out of Texas. It cost me a bit over double the above talked about bike though. 799, plus 100 for shipping. It came mostly assembled except for the handle bar, pedals, front brake/wheel.

The bike quality itself is decen but not greatt, but better it comes with a LFP battery pack and a brushless motor. With battery, it weighs about 50 lbs.

So far I'm loving it, and it's still cheaper than buying a decent quality bike, plus the expense of a motor/battery kit. The LFP battery should hopefully last about 3 years with constant use.

I've been doing a lot of research on eBikes and for the price the eZip bike is hard to beat. I purchased the bike from Walmart for $398 (free shipping) and received the bike in 5 days. Just started using to for work (one way 7 mile commute) and so far I love -- it's a sweet ride.

Granted the bike could have been made with better parts, but then that would lead to higher cost. The only minor issue I have is that the gear shifter is not smooth and tends to skip over a gear. Also, the bike is very heavy, without the battery it's not too bad, but the SLA batery adds about 15-20lbs. Overall very pleased with the bike!

I was just wondering if I could buy the motor speed controller and battery and install it on my own bike?

Wilderness Energy and other companies sell electric bike kits.These kits work well and are easy to maintain, but you need the correct type of bike with steel forks etc. Check out their website.

I test rode the Izip trailz model at Biclyle warehouse and really liked it. Although I didn;t buy it. That model was $780 at the bike shop. This morn I found the Ezip Trailz comfort bike for $323 on amazon.com. So, I just bought one. Looking forward to it. I've ovwned several scooter with currie technologies parts in them, and they stood the test of time. I've also had a bad experience with an Ebay high powered scooter that, while rocket fast, kept blowing controllers. It only lasted a week. After a year or two, I threw it awat =(.

So anyway, I was impressed by the IZIP i rode. Although I only rode it on flat ground around an oval indoors. The local parking enforcement at the beach has one to patrol the area on and it seems to work great for them. I'm just not looking forward to lugging the thing up and down the stairs when I want to ride. Of course I'll detach the battery for the trips on the stairway, but it's still gonna be heavy. Small price to pay for the 1/2 mile long 12 degree incline coming back from the beach 2 miles away =)

bitch bitch bitch what do u purists want for three fifty? as the cheap components break (which doesnt happen with a little maintainance.) just replace them with those rediculiously expensive (alloy-its ALUMINUM for craps sake) quality bike parts. the bike willl last till ur save enuff on gas to buy one of those expensive bikes u purists are always touting as so great.

FYI on Amazon the 2008 Ezip Men's Trailz has been reduced to $225 including shipping as of December 12, 2008!

I just purchased one for Christmas to give to my son to ride to work and to his friends houses. It cost me less than $190 at K Mart in Australia.

I will get my Brother to make an Alternative Battery pack, he is a electronics Technician and his best mate Builds Custom Electronic Wheelchairs between them they should be able to work out an efficient and cheap and lightweight system for him.

My wife bought one (Walmart - Ship to Store). I read owner's manual front to back. First completely charge battery for 24 hours. Then completely use battery until red indicator stays on in stopped position before recharging. This is tricky because the battery does not discharge evenly the first three uses. I had the light go back to yellow after resting for two minutes.

As I understand it, this is the break-in procedure for the new battery. I used to own a laptop that I had to "burn in" the same way. (Yes, I'm that old :) )

After the first three days you can charge the battery no matter what the indicator says. However, if you don't use your bike (like during really cold or hot weather) you should charge your battery once every month.

My wife and I both tested the range on TAG the first three days. We live in a city in the mountains, so it was not on level roads, and also on a hiking/biking trail which is paved. We got a little more than 10 miles on a single charge.

We also have a very steep hill almost (40 degrees) to climb to get home. Could not climb hill on motor alone had to pedal.

Motor noise is about 5 decibels under load. A playing card stuck in the spokes is louder than that though.

To others adding a second battery to this bike:
Note: MAKE SURE rear tire is centered between batteries.
The rack on ours was not welded on properly so we had to adjust rear wheel to compensate.

There is a rubber cover for battery contacts, if you lose you can use petroleum jelly to protect unused battery contacts if you plan to leave bike in rain while charging battery inside.

Things this bike needs:
For commuters: Flashing rear LED red light, Front LED/Halogen headlamp. Cargo Box with strapping to carry supplies safely. NOTE: standard Bicycle trailers are difficult but do mount to rear.

For security: Cable locks and/or motion sensor alarm (alarm I found at walmart meant to hang on doorknob but works great for bicycle)

FYI Walmart has "rolled" the price of the Ezip Trailz ebike (both Men's and Women's models) BACK UP to $398.00.

Update: Walmart price for the Trailz now down to $299.97.

Hi, I recently bought two (March 09) of these Currie electric bikes for just under $300 bucks + sales tax, each, plus ninety-seven cents delivery to my door from Walmart.com .

What a bargain. The Currie conversion kits cost more than that. The battery pack alone is retailed at $129. At this price a guy could buy the second bike for parts and the extra range that another battery pack would provide if he wanted. Or have another bike available for the wife or friend.

I noticed it was drop shipped from a Southern California bike store and came to me within a week. One box had a slight hole in the cardboard box, but the bike was just fine. The other box was in perfect condition.

I would not hesitate recommending this bike at all. It is a bargain. I bought a Currie bike years ago when the bike was a cross bike with 700c wheels and was called a Freedom bicycle and cost $600.
I still have this bike and it runs well. I have used this bike for commuting, and hunting and has served me well. When I got the Freedom bike, it had a warrantee. Back then the planetary gears broke. I called the warantee service company which was out sourced to a company called LEV. and got a replacement without hassle. The technician said that they did have trouble with the planetary gears and that they came up with a beefier version of the gears.

Yeah, I have used the Freedom bike for hunting...Mounted rear rack and baskets for gear, placed powerful headlights, rear view mirror, AM/FM radio, Pack Rat gun rack on the handle bars. E-trek GPS...Two stackable floating plastic 2 x 3 foot tubs on the back rack for floating duck decoys and gear across the pond for waterfowl hunting.

One time, when I did not have the Cycle Tote trailer, I strapped a 150 lb wild boar on top of the bike frame and rode it 3.5 miles back to the truck.

I also pulled a Cycle Tote trailer with my little girl inside and had lots of fun trips around the city with her.

I also have extra battery packs because I think the average range for me is only about 10 miles around my area. And also I don't have to worry about down time charging,... I just swap batteries. With the bike wheels trued, and tires inflated to max pressure and brakes pads tuned I got a GPS measured top speed of 18 mph on the flat with no pedaling. I weigh 165 lbs. Not to many steep inclines where I live. And ten miles is plenty for just going to the store for most errands for me in my neighborhood. If not I stap on another battery to the rear rack. The Freedom came with a 24v 14amp hour batter packs. I bought extra battery cases on ebay and loaded them up with generic SLA batteries. So I have 4 battery packs that fit my Freedom bike.

So far the E-zip seems to be just as reliable as my Freedom bike. I use it to go to work. I am lucky, not much of a commute. I come home for lunch and don't have to eat out for lunch much. My office is only 0.80 miles from my house. I can get there by bike just as fast as my car. No backing out my driveway. Hit the remote garage door opener on my bike and I am half way down the street before I even would be getting into my car and starting the engine. The other advantage of biking to work is that I don't have to worry about parking. I just drive up to my door, lock the bike to the post, take off my helmet and go to work.

I like the idea that the rack on the new Currie E-zip is designed to carry an extra battery pack. And the mountain bike version is probably better for hunting as the tires are much wider for ruggedness on non-asphalt roads. I think that the newE-zip has a slightly more powerful motor than the "silver can" on the older model Freedom bike.

Very good comments by the wide range of people and their experiences...worth reading if on ehas the time & interest.

Overall, this is an excellent choice for someone on a limited budget, who doesn not need a lot of power & range, and does not need a machine for daily commuting. However, if you are mechanically inclined (on bicycles) this could be an exceptional value.

For someone who can do their own mechanical work, wheel bearings, bottom bracket, chain cables, and brakes it'll last for a good long time.

My understanding on the battery is to make sure to always keep it charged, and don't use more than 80% of it's capacity at any one time (it will not recover well from repeated draining).

Otherwise, for around $300 (US) it just mich be a great deal, exspecially for those who need a little extra push.

Finally, if you or someone you know needs good beginner - intermediate level knowledge on bikes and electric bikes please visit the electric bike blog community - www.velorep.com/velochef

I have had my schwinn branded I-Zip for just under a year and it has worked fine. I got a Burley bike trailer (kid carrier with custom made aluminum "pickup truck" box and added 3 26 ah Genesis batteries for a 36 volt pack. After a 12km ride the motor isn't even warm. Using the stock battery I ride 6-7km each way to work with no problems, but one day a week I want to ride out to the airport (about 36km round trip, including going to work) so the "extra range fuel tank" was required. Mooes along at 32kph with no effort and according to my GPS I hit 40.2 kph at least once. If the 36 volt pack doesn't get me all the way home I have 14 ah of 24 volt power in the "reserve tank"

I just saw one at Toys-R-Us. This looks better than any of the normal bikes sold there, that's what attracted me to it. While I was checking it out i saw ezip on the side, and then I found out it was electric. The rims were special and the tires were gummy areo shaped, slick with one tread molded in the center. The chain around the pedal had a big thick metal guard on both sides.. I would pay $300 for it without the motor. Actually I'm going to get one. It's worth checking out.

Ok, this is crazy. Walmart's selling the EZIP Trailz Women's & EZIP Mountain Trailz for $298.00 now. They're decent quality, have a 450 watt motor and decent range.

On the one hand I think that's great. More people out of their cars and into more eco-friendly transportation. On the other hand, how can we compete with that sheeeeeet... lol...