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(More customer reviews)If you have looked at electric bikes, you know there is more than one model. I believe you can choose between models and brands based on what you want the bike to do. For example, if you are only interested in commuting by bike, you are heavier (which I am), you want a motorized boost because the terrain where you live is hilly (and to arrive not too sweaty at work or home), you can charge the battery at work, you want a cheap bike but a reputable company and your commute is five miles or less, the Trailz model (available on Amazon at around $400 and [...]) is a good choice. On the downside, it weighs 75 lbs, tough to take up and down stairs, and the sealed lead acid batteries are not supposed to be run down below 80% or they will not recharge properly (limiting range) and you are supposed to recharge them promptly after every ride. So the Trailz is not good for rides to the grocery store or gym, it is really just for commuting. Plus, although the batteries are relatively cheap (at $129 or so), they would likely last at most six months of workday use (rated for 150 to 300 charges).
The Eco Ride (the bike I am supposed to be reviewing) can do shorter commutes, but with a range (in my experience) of near twenty miles, it could also do longer commutes. The Eco Ride uses a lithium battery pack, so it is more forgiving of waiting to recharge the batteries after several rides (up to the twenty mile limit cumulative). The Lithium battery is supposed to be good for 1500 to 2000 charges, which if you use it for six months of the year and only charge it every couple of days like I am, means it should be good for up to four years. By the way, Curie does not show the Lithium battery pack on its website, but my best estimate is that it might cost four to five hundred dollars to replace, and it is a custom shaped battery pack (as far as replacing the batteries inside the pack, you are on your own, although that should be cheaper).
This bike is still heavy, being part of Curies' cheaper eZip line. The bike frame is steel and it weighs 50lbs; total weight even with the lighter lithium battery pack is 60lbs, still pretty heavy. But this bike rolls well, so the weight is not much of a factor. The motor works when you pedal, you can not use this bike as a motorcycle. But that's OK, I think you should pedal a bicycle and anyway pedaling saves on the battery, stretching each charge. The pedal assist from the motor runs at 50% of the motor's (potential) power, which means you get a considerable push from the motor when you start out. There is a throttle for additional power if you need it. I rarely use the throttle, only occasionally to get out of the way of an approaching bus or something. There just isn't much need for it.
My commute is somewhat hilly, and the weather here has been warm and humid. But this bike has allowed me to arrive at work or at home only slightly sweaty. As it happens, I could shower at work if I needed to, but so far this bike has allowed me to avoid the hassle of having to carry (clean, dry) clothes or keep them at work. That makes this bike attractive not only to the environmental set, but also those who would otherwise find bike commuting too inconvenient.
Now it happens I work at a University, and there is free (car) parking around a mile away from my office. So this bike does not save me that much money. But if you pay for parking and if you use this bike for short trips to the grocery store or the gym or the movie theater or to visit friends, it might pay for itself in six months or so. And in most cases, the battery should be good for multiple years (rated somewhere between 1000 and 2000 charges).
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Currie EZip Eco Ride Electric BikeBicycles are a terrific mode of transportation, but sometimes you just need a little extra push while getting around town. Enter the EZip EcoRide electric bike, which is equipped with a 250-watt DC Earth magnet motor and a removable lithium-ion battery pack. Far cleaner than gas-powered scooters but zippier than a traditional bike, the EcoRide will get you from point A to B in no time at all, but won't guzzle gas or belch pollutants in the process. The battery offers a range of up to 15 to 22 miles per charge, so you can make it back and forth to the grocery store multiple times without running low on power. And once you're on the road, the EcoRide boasts a top speed of 15 miles per hour (contingent on rider weight)--plenty fast enough for most bike-friendly city streets. Is the market too far to walk but close enough that a car seems wasteful? Turn to the EcoRide, which comes with a rack on the back to carry groceries or other gear.
The EcoRide is powered by both the electric motor and good old-fashioned foot power, with an easy-to-use TAG-PAS pedal assist system helping propel you forward. The TAG-PAS system allows you to power the bike without pedaling at all, or you can use your legs to significantly increase your range and vary your speed. As a result, you can get as much or as little exercise as you desire (in hilly terrain, pedaling may be required). The bike is also extremely comfortable, with a suspension fork, suspension seat post, and comfortable saddle to soak up the bumps. Plus, recharging the battery couldn't be easier. Just park and lock the bike and carry the battery pack indoors. Other features include wide comfort street tires, alloy linear pull brakes, and SRAM grip shifters.
Specifications:
Motor: 250-watts DC Brushed Earth magnet motor
Battery: Lithium-ion, rack-top-mounted, 24-volt/10 Ah pack, 3.7-volt (7) rechargeable cells, advanced BMS
Charge system: UL-listed lithium-ion Smart Charger with LED status display
Top speed: 15 miles per hour (contingent on rider weight, rider input, and terrain)
Range: 15 to 22 miles with normal pedaling (contingent on rider weight, rider input, and terrain)
Drive: Patented Currie Electro-Drive system, Shimano Altus rear derailleur, SRAM grip shift, Shimano 7-speed freewheel
Brakes: Alloy linear pull brakes with alloy brake inhibit levers
Wheels: Alloy front QR hub, alloy 26-inch rims
Tires: Currie Comfort tires, 26 x 2.0 inches
Handlebars: Low-rise bar and alloy adjustable angle stem
Fork: Suspension with fender eyelets
User controls: On/off switch, easy-access charger port in removable battery pack, twist throttle with PAS function and battery gauge
Saddle: Comfort design, alloy micro-adjust suspension seatpost
Frame: Exclusive Currie aluminum, bottle bosses, fender and rack mounts
Crank and pedals: Alloy 44T crankset, double chainguard, resin dual-sided pedals
Size: Low step thru (unisex)
Rider age: Young adult to adult
Weight limit: 240 pounds
Weight: 54 pounds
Warranty: 1 year
About Currie Technologies Dr. Malcolm Currie, the former chairman of Hughes Aircraft and Delco Electronics, founded Currie Technologies Inc. in 1997 based on his conviction that someday, in the near future, hybrid and electric vehicles would become increasingly important for fundamental economic and environmental reasons. Ten years of sustained experience makes Currie Technologies an acknowledged leader in the business. Its battery technologies include everything from sealed lead acid to nickel metal hydride to the newest and lightest weight lithium-ion battery systems. Currie Technologies utilizes its own factory and design team, who work in conjunction with an international research team to constantly create new designs and respond to market needs.
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