Customer reviews

I absolutely love this bicycle. As a child, I rode my bicycle everywhere. Now, as an adult, I wanted a bicycle again to get more exercise and to enjoy being outdoors. My concerns were the hills in my area and also that I feel so out of shape. This bicycle was the perfect solution.

First, a negative: It's very heavy. The batteries are heavy too.

Now the positives: It's so easy to ride. On a flat surface, I can peddle all day. No straining or discomfort. When I go up the hills, I can peddle until I feel it is too hard to do, then switch to peddle assist or simply use the throttle. The heaviness of the bike feels secure to me when I am riding.

I do wish that I could adjust the speed of the peddle assist. I feel that it moves me along too fast when I am riding with friends who are moving under their own power. It gets me around easily from the first day. I was fortunate to have someone assemble it for me as I think it was beyond my abilities to do.

The batteries lock in place for when I wish to stop and get a soda or dash inside somewhere.

The fun it has brought to me makes me feel like I'm 10 years old again with my new toy. And I feel confident riding it anywhere.

The bike was delivered fast, and in good order. Assembling was pretty straight forward.
Charged the battery with a neat little charger overnight, and bingo all was ready to go, and it worked fine.
Battery can be either locked on the bike, or removed easily, to take inside. It's a nice package - just right.
I wanted a bike for my wife, (retired) as we have steep hills, and for short trips to the library, community center etc, taking the car was not always ideal.

She has been delighted with her first trials, it "zooms" her up the hill no problem. for me, over 220 lbs, it goes well, but I need to pedal up hill, and the 7 gear shift system works OK.

On the pro side:

- Price seems excellent. I definitely did not want to spend 1000$ let alone up to 4000+. What on earth do they put to hike the price that high.
This bike was just rightly priced.

- The motor power is great. Most bikes are 250 watts, this has 450 watts, a clear advantage for our hills.
AND has a dual powering system, being TAG - a Twist and Go, which is like a throttle, and you adjust the power by more or less twist on the handle bar. The 2nds system is PAG, for Pedal and Go, where the power steps in a second or so after you start peddling, and you feel a nice and quite powerful "push" from the motor. The TAG gives you the full 450 watts when fully "Twisted" and apparently the PaG give you half power.
Mind you the half power is what other expensive bikes have, and some dont have the TAG option. I like this bike.

- The Battery is a cheap lead acid, not the expensive Lithium sort (Lithium by the way costs about the same as the full bike and battery put together, and with less power capacity!) which is fine. The lead acid battery is somewhat heavy (16 lbs 7 kgs).
A nice option, is that there is place for 2 batteries, so that you can double the distance, if thats what you want. No hassle, just order the 2nd battery and plug in the other side, all is ready.

- It even has a front "suspension". Not too sure why for a city bike.

- It seems very strongly built, simple, but strong, has the minimum required, and gets you around (at good speed!) I added front and back lights, as well as a basket in front, plus mud-guards, as my wife would definitely not be pleased to get soaked, if it rained, with the wheels showering up at her. Why the supplier did not add these cheap mud guards, or a basic tyre pump is somewhat a question, but it is a cheap bike.

On the Negative side:

- The weight is huge. this is a very heavy bike, and it's not just the battery. Big wheels, tires, huge frame, suspension plus the motor and battery - it weighs a ton ( 35 kgs/ 70lb or so). No way can my wife lift the back wheel off the ground. No going up stairs for sure. Why ? Even to get into the back of the car will require some strong arms and effort.
But you can say, well if the motor pushes you, no problem - agreed. but be warned, if you live on the 2nd floor or higher and need to take the bike up, forget it.( not my case fortunately) Also if you go further than the battery limit, pedaling will be tough.

- my second gripe is the owner's manual: Who ever wrote this? it is the most confusing manual I have ever seen. First,1 manual for about 7 different bikes, and it's all mixed up, quite detailed (which I like) But you are not sure which bike you are referring to.
The The assembly instruction come at page- 59 ! logical ??. Worse, they give misguided info on the batteries ( page 42-43. On page 42 they say immediately re-charge the battery after use. Correct, lead acid batteries dont like being discharged in full, or being left discharged.
Then they say "do I need to break in my batteries ?" yes! what? thats the best way to ruin a lead acid battery. I hope the manufacturer- retailer sees this, and produces I manual for each type of bike, and make a clear distinction between battery types.

The twist control ring is quite small, so it's just the thumb and first finger which are involved. That could become tiring after a while, or if you have some rheumatism. Why not a full handle grip for the power? (which by the way goes the wrong way, you twist away from you to go forward!)

I'll put 4- star if they correct the manuals - and taken off 1 star or a bit more for the weight. Surely they could have a lighter bike, and saved costs at the same time! I am not looking for a super light bike, but 25-28 kgs, without battery is somewhat exceptional.

- on a lesser side, It was a bit of a bother to have to go get a pump for the tires, and mud guards + lights. I also had to go back and ask for the battery terminal cover, which they mention but did not supply. a bit mean ! But maybe I am being difficult, as with a low cost bike, cant have it all, and these items dont cost much.
I ordered separately a helmet and locking device with my order, which I expected.

I'll come back if I have problems after some time.

After reading every review out there I purchased this bike from Amazon. It arrived in 2 days. Packaged well. Assembly was reasonably easy but I paid $20 at the local bike shop to check the breaks and adjust the shifter. HAVE bike grease on hand for assembly. It is indeed heavy and what you would expect from the least expensive electric bike you can find. I live in the mountains and bought it to commute up steep hills. The motor struggles with the steepest hills but gets you there eventually.

Beware: The manual says and the company confirms "Don't get it wet". This is a big drawback for a commuter bike and was a surprise to me.

Otherwise it is nice to ride and is a good entry model.

Bike Report

Month Purchased: January 2013

Purchase Price: $379.00

Packaging, Shipping, Receipt: The bike was received in a timely manner with no damage visible on the package.

Assembly: I easily unpacked the bike utilizing only half the floor space of my two car garage, and assembled it in less than 90 minutes.

Quality: Although I purchased the bike for my wife, I assembled it myself and took it out on three test runs of about 15 miles each. I live near the coast on mostly flat land. The bike appears to be sturdily built and should offer years of trouble free enjoyment. Whether riding the bike in the (1) regular bike, (2) PAS, or (3) TAG mode the 7 speed shifter operates smoothly. And the brakes were adjusted to provide a comfortable and commanding stop. I feel confident that my wife will enjoy this bike when the weather warms.

Transportability: I used my bathroom scale to determine the approximate total weight and weight distribution carried by each wheel in the following configurations: (1) Bike without seat and without battery installed - front wheel load was 16 pounds, rear wheel load was 29 pounds, total weight 45 pounds; (2) Bike with seat and with battery installed - front wheel load was 17 pounds, rear wheel load was 46 pounds, total weight 63 pounds; (3) the battery alone weighs approximately 13 to 15 pounds. I transported the bike around town with it lying down in the back of my pickup truck and found the derailleur guard to be very useful in protecting the chain and gear shifter from damage. Although I could easily lift the bike in and out of my truck alone, you may find a two person lift helpful. If you require two people to lift the bike, try removing the seat and battery before lifting the bicycle. In doing so, the person lifting the handle bar end will only need to lift about 17 pounds and the person lifting the rear carrier end will need to lift about 29 pounds.

Added Comments: Because I did not want my wife to have any excuses for not enjoying riding the bike with me, I made a small but "significant" modification by replacing the rigid seat post with (1) a 27.2 mm diameter M-Wave Alloy Bicycle Suspension Seat Post, combined with (2) a Problem Solvers Shim #STO214... the ride is now nearly as soft as sitting on a pillow (smile).

Rating: For my family's purpose, I rate this bike a 5 of 5, as I do not believe there is an electric bike on the market with the same quality and technology for the price I paid.

PROS:

1) Relative low price to competing bikes. You will not find an e-bike this cheap from the same or another brand. I tried.
2) Can squeeze out 50 mi/charge w peddling.
3) Heavy, rigid construction ensures machine does not crack at seams.
4) Cost-efficient for ~15 miles of battery only operation. You can recoup the bike cost by staying away from paying for municipal transportation for ~1 yr.
5) Electricity is "green" and considering that my electricity comes from a nuclear plant, which is the epitome of clean, the bike does not leave a carbon footprint anywhere along the infrastructure chain of energy supply.
6) Up-gradable and expandable. I can upgrade to a dual Lithium-type batteries and still get a net mass reduction of the default unit coming out of the factory by ~2 lb! All the while increasing my range by many-fold.

CONS:

1) Truly heavy for average females, children, and lazy folk : ~65 lb.
2) Carrying up stairs will be a chore if no ramp, or elevator could be used. You will have to detach the battery and carry it up separately as the Lead-type comprises most of the unit's mass.
3) Entry-level, cheap components: flaky pedals degrade quite quick with reflectors tending to fall out; rubber handles slide off too easily during each ride and have to be screwed in again; after some distance you will begin to lose foundational bolts due to vibration - my first lost bolt was the one connecting the rack to the bike frame.
4) Battery lock/key mechanism is default on every bike. I can walk up to your bike right now and nab the battery with my own key. You must rip out the battery whenever you lockup the bike on the street. Otherwise you are looking to throw away ~$120 on new Lead-type.
5) Lithium-type batteries are more expensive than any reasonable-priced stand alone mechanical bike or even this complete unit (as shipped). Again, they are highly desirable but at >$1000 for 2: impractical!

ADVICE:

Buy the bike.

I enjoy riding our bike. I do get some exercise but not as much as my standard bike. We live about four miles from our little village. The road is relatively flat so it is good bike country. I bought the bike for my wife but she has trouble with the weight and I think a powered bike scares her some. I had motor scooters and motorcycles so I am used to different types of two wheeled vehicles. There is one complaint and that is the two mode switch. One mode is supposed to let a person ride without pedaling constantly. On our bike there is no difference in the switch position. I don't mind as I want to get some exercise. All things considered, I am satisfied with the purchase. I am in my late seventies so sometimes I need a little help.

I bought this in June 2014 for my teenage son and he and I both really tried to love it. Unfortunately, there are so many basic flaws to the design and mechanical problems that I really cannot recommend it. First off, the bike is just ridiculously heavy. I've read many reviews where people have said the bike is so great for them because they are impaired in some way and can't ride a regular bike. How on earth are they even MOVING this bike around? With the battery on, the bike falls over constantly. It's hard even just to move it a few feet without the motor on. My son had to ride it a few times when the battery died and he said it was like riding a bike with flat tires. Furthermore, the bike I purchased here died after about 2 weeks. I could not get through to Currie Technologies and both their manual and website are utterly useless. Since Amazon could not get through to them either, they offered to send me a new bike. They were out of stock so instead they gave me a full refund (Yay Amazon!). Later on I was able to determine that there was a loose connection with one of the breaks and got the bike moving again. Several weeks later it conked out again. I'm not getting any power and I assume that it is, again, a connection issue. There are no service centers anywhere near me in the north east so I think we will just junk it. If it was easier to ride (lighter weight) it might be worth it to get it fixed but my son is back to his regular bike and satisfied with that. If you really want an electric bike I would suggest paying more and getting something with more advanced technology and, most importantly, lighter weight.

I LOVE this bike! I did a lot of research on E-bikes before I decided on this one. The thing that influence me the most were the reviews...and price. I have no regrets. I am 49yrs old and haven't been on a bike since I was a young teenager. Assembly made me nervous. Operating it made me nervous. On the box it showed tools needed to assemble it and I didn't have all of them. I was completely overwhelmed and the unassembled bike laid in my living room floor for weeks. Finally, I decided to have some patience and take it step by step. Long story short; the only tools I needed came with the bike. I took my time, read the instructions and watched a few very helpful youtube videos. I was nervous about my "maiden voyage" but once I got on the bike my nerves subsided in a few seconds. I had so much darn fun on this thing! The only thing that was uncomfortable was the seat. I have ordered a gel seat that I saw on the youtube video.

I own the eZip now for a few months. I am a senior and ride the neighborhood for exercise and fun. When the going gets tough I revert to the electric mode and it does the job easily. Pedaling the bike, especially on grades, is a bit of much as the bike is heavy and even with seven speeds it's not exactly a cake walk. I chose the low step to maintain better control when I come to a stop. You can't just stop this bike without planting your two feet firmly on the ground as the weight of it will throw you off balance and down you go, it happened to me once. If you do pedal for over, approximately, five minutes, the battery goes into a snooze mode (it cuts out) so you have to dismount and turn the
switch off and on to reconstitute the snooze time. I periodically trigger the control to keep the battery "awake". I think they could have placed the on/off switch on the handle bar rather than have to dismount to trigger it. What were they thinking. But overall, for the money, it's a beautifully manufactured bike and if your using it mostly on the motorized mode you're gonna have fun. It's gotta be great for commuting and distant trips, especially up hill.

I got my first Currie eZip in 2010 june. I used it to go the 1 mile to the store and back every week rain or shine (and a lot of the time in the snow). All the way up to this week when it was stolen off my porch. I immediately ordered a new one. That brings me here to the Amazon review page. I think, knowing so much about the bike, I should probably take a moment and extol it. There is already info about the weight of the bike and yes that is true. You shouldn't be troubled unless you have to lift it into a car or up stairs though. I always kept it on level ground. I used the bike almost like a wheelchair, I am handicapped and I can't walk very far, I used the electrical motor on the bike almost exclusively. These are some of the facts I would like to relay about the bicycle. The motor is VERY waterproof and weatherproof, I have ridden in slush snow and soaked it over and over, it is very durable, I have left it outside in -20 weather for weeks. The range is quite limited in comparison to their 15-22 mile estimate if you are using electric assist continually. I would say its more like 1-3 miles (I only had to go 1-2 and it was wearing thin a lot of the times by return). You can expect the default battery they send you with the bike to expire inside a year with 1 use a week - so maybe after 200 miles? The replacement battery you buy for 115$ (still lead) is a lot higher quality, its almost like the crummy generic batteries you'll get with a remote control, that you eventually replace with duracells or something. I think anyone can agree with some shopping that this is a good deal, the best, I can confirm the motor is powerful and sturdy and weatherproof and if you did something like buy x2 of the NEW lead batteries and use them both you could go 3 miles there and 3 miles back without pedaling once at 8-12mph I take it 3/4 of a mile to walmart in 7 minutes. There and back is 1/2 a drain on a solid new lead battery. The one they send you is pretty much crap. I love it, it's my "car", it's my "moped" its all I need. I use basket and pannier and light.