The $350 Electric Commuter Bike
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 05. 5.08
I've been testing the E-Zip 2008 Trailz bike by Currie Technologies. This electric bike is quite inexpensive -- other electric bikes range in price from $700 up to $3000 in the U.S. For half the price, this is a solid bike with good range and power. My bike arrived partly-assembled in a box. It took me about an hour to attach the seat, front wheel and pedals. The lead-acid battery took about 2 to 3 hours to come to full charge. The weight of this battery and the motor make the E-Zip a heavy bike.
Using the electric motor on this bike is simple -- once you've started pedaling, you can turn the throttle, and the motor kicks in, giving you an immediate boost. On hills this really makes a difference -- you can speed up most hills with ease.
I've found that the range of a fully-charged battery is about 10 miles -- that's if you make liberal use of the electric assist. If you just use it to go up hills, the charge will last for 20-25 miles. The battery detaches so that you can charge at a cafe or an office. You can also add a second battery for $120 from Currie Technologies, that will double your range (but also increase the bike's weight). Unfortunately, the bike's manual says that the lead-acid batteries are only good for one year.
If you use this bike for a commute that is 20 miles or less, you could definitely arrive at the office without breaking a sweat. I was pleased by the power of the motor. It was easy to achieve speeds of 25 mph while pedaling lightly.
So while bike is heavy and lithium-ion batteries would be nice, it's certainly an inexpensive way to enter the world of electric biking.
The 2008 version of the E-Zip Trailz is sold by Wal-Mart for $348. It's only available online - but shipping is free if you pick it up from a local store. If you can't bring yourself to shop there, it's also available from Toys 'R Us and Northern Tool for $399.
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.
@ 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