minnmike

I just picked up my E-Zip from Wally World. I really like it. I am not a real bike rider (allgeric to the look of spandex), in fact my last "bike" was a 1200cc Suzuki Bandit motorcycle (semi crotch rocket), but even at15 MPH and less than neck snapping acceleration, I think this little bugger is great. It makes smiles.

A few years ago I built an electric bike with some parts I had on hand. It was crude, but it worked. I thought about what it should be, and the Ezip is close. The one thing that my bike had was regenerative braking - a push button for using the motor as a generator to help you slow down and add a bit of charge to the battery (like the Prius). That would be a nice addition to this machine.

Otherwise no complaints. I can run quite a few errands on this, at little cost, and enjoy them.

Vikas

Hi guys,

This is a great thread - thanks for everyone for posting such useful information.

I got my Ezip Mens Trailz last week from walmart. My order took about 10 days.

The whole box wouldn't fit in my nissan altima sedan - the store manager helped me to open the package and keep all the parts separately. Most parts weren't too big and fit nicely in the trunk. I barely got the main frame on my back seat but it worked - I didnt have to rent a truck.

1) It took me about 3 hours to assemble it - the Quick Start sheet was useful. I spent way too long on adjusting the front brakes.

I had to remove the front brakes to install the front tires. Did anyone else have to do this? I spent quite some time to fine tune them - make sure that they dont scrub against the rim or are too far. Finally, after spending about an hour, I gave up and went back to local walmart's bike section to get them optimized. They are fine now.

2) I noticed that my battery almost never stays at all green. After about a minute into my ride, both the green and amber light come on - is that expected? Shouldnt it be green for the first mile, at least. My weight is 160lbs.

3) The FAQ in the manual said that batteries would reach maximum performance after 3 discharges and charges. I read in these forums that they shouldn't be discharged more than 75%. Did any of you find increased performance after initial charge and discharge cycles.

Some notes for newbies:

When the bike arrives, the pressure of the tires may be lower than optimum. Make sure you keep them between 45-60psi (it says that on the side wall of the tires). I did my first ride at about 25psi and it wasn't good.

Thanks.

toyfountain

1) You don't need to take the brakes apart. Just disconnect the brake line at the brakes where the rubber protector is. No tools are even needed to do this and it should take about ten seconds. Slip the accordeon rubber protector down the line, squeeze the brakes and slip off the line at the lead metal elbow.

2) That's normal when the motor is running. The battery level indicator is for when your motor is stopped. What you are seeing is the rate of consumption when you are running the motor.

3) Not really, but do recharge as soon as possible even if you only took a short ride.

4) Your tires should be inflated as much as possible to reduce friction resistance. I use 60 psi in the tire. Since the rear is heavy you will eventually have a rear flat tire. Be sure to carry the necessary patches and tools to fix a flat on the road. Plus if you find you need to remove the tire , you will need to remove the motor from the frame.

Vikas

Now, I understand what you mean. Ow man, I wish I knew this before. The QuickStart manual should specify this clearly.

Ah. Makes sense.

I wanted to keep it that way but the walmart technician told me that the tube inside might not be able to take 60psi. So, I reduced it. Does anyone know the pressure range of the tube.



Thanks toyfountain.

lynnala

I bought my ezip assembled, the dealer told me to always keep the tires at 60 to 65psi, so I assume that's the pressure he had them at. I had a blowout in the rear tire on my fourth ride, I couldn't find any evidence of a puncture. I think they were overinflated.

tpreitzel

I want to elaborate here, but removal of the rear tire is actually quite simple at least on the 2007 model of the e-Zip. Remove the two nuts and washers on each side of the rear axle. Remove the hex bolt, nut, and washer on the motor plate which keeps the motor from dropping. Also on the bottom of the motor plate, another adjustment keeps the motor plate from dropping and you simply loosen it. After the hex bolt is removed and the adjustment on the bottom of the motor plate is loosened, the motor and its plate will automatically swing away as one piece. To remove the wheel, you simply remove the remaining nut on the motor side of the rear axle which adjusts the tension of the motor's chain. Actually, the hardest part of replacing the rear tire is getting the motor's chain tension correct and that process isn't even really hard. You shouldn't be removing the motor from its plate at all . A windshield repair stick (plastic) is a great tool for removing the tube and they can be found at most glass shops. Actually, Currie's drive design is pretty well done and replacing the tire on the road can easily be done with minimal tools. IIRC, a set of hex wrenches, a 15mm combination or socket, a 10mm combination, a 17mm or 18mm combination, a spare tube, a plastic repair stick, and a pump should do the job. Good luck!

donob08

Post #269 of this thread gives a complete procedure for changing the back wheel. This note has some missing elements. Some of the needed additions are in italics.



BTW (By The Way) IIRC in the parts list stands for "If I Remember Correctly". I think this would get a 7/10. Importantly, the 17mm wrench has to be a cone wrench (very thin) from a bike shop, otherwise it won't fit between the frame and the axle.
I guess the point is toyfountain was right. The motor, with its mount have to be removed from the frame as he stated.
The procedure in post #269 tells how to adjust chain tension and the spec for it (per users' manual).

CKnDave

Just dropped in to say Hi! We have been busy and on the run since our two week trip and have taken a few more trips out of state. Our bikes are working great still. Everyone has one now. My husband rides his to work. My son and I are riding them to the gym. I got my trailer but have not put it on the bike yet. Husband wants to figure out a way to make the floor more solid and how to keep things from falling out.

All is well. Drop in later....CK

toyfountain

I just checked the Walmart ezip today and notice they raised the prices from $348 to $398 and the small folding bike went from $699 to $789.

tpreitzel

"Problems:
---The packaging is insufficient. It was all beat up when I got it via site-to-store. Thankfully, the bike was ok. It had some slight cosmetic damage. No big deal.

---fixing a flat on the rear tire will cost you OVER $35!!! Because of the wiring, fixing a rear tire flat is a two-man, labor-intensive job on this bike.

On most bikes, it would cost you no more than $15 even at an expensive bike shop.

All Currie needs to do to fix this is to add a detachable wiring connector near the motor. It would only cost an additional $0.10 per bike."

I was looking through some of the reviews on Walmart.com's website, and this one was basically favorable.
Although adding a connector to the motor might seem like a good idea, it's not necessary. Unfortunately, this owner didn't think through the process of removing the rear tire properly so mechanics at a LBS took financial advantage of his ignorance. Fixing a flat on the rear tire will actually cost an owner little if done properly. What's even more disturbing is the implication of a LBS in this fiasco.

lynnala

Gee, I'm glad I didn't know this when I fixed a flat on the rear tire by myself. I thought it was not all that difficult, I guess I did it all wrong! I should have gotten a two-man labor force to do it for me. (BTW, I'm a 51 year old female, with NO bike repair experience)

hatesnow

But as far as the 2007 model vs the 2008 model, my 2007 model has the controller and battery switch directly below the seat on the seat post tube. If you have two batteries, it's easy to switch back and forth while riding. On the 2008 models, they moved all this to the very rear of the bike, so you now have to stop and get off the bike. Must have been a genius in the design department with nothing to do but go backwards with the conveniences.

hatesnow

Currie is no longer calling their bikes "Ezip" but are now calling them "Izip". I just checked their site and the Mountain Trailz is now $859. The exact same bike that I paid $150 for (clearance price at Walmart) but had a retail of $299.99 at the time. That's a big jump to say the least. Maybe Currie's capitalizing on the current wave of popularity of all bikes and want to increase their revenue.

Solar.110mb

I still see $398 and Ezip. The I-Zip from Walmart is the Urban Cruiser which is up there at $1484.

Vikas

I am trying to open up my 24V 10AH battery pack. I notice there are 5 screws - 4 on the edges and 1 in the middle. I could open up the ones on the edges using a standard philips screwdriver. However, none of my screwdrivers work with the screw in the middle - I tried philips, slotted ; neither worked. Maybe, Currie is using a non-conventional screw to stop people from opening their battery packs.

Anyone know how to open the middle screw? And where I can get the screwdriver for it.

PS: I am trying to open it so I can connect a 12V 10AH in series to get a 36V battery.

hatesnow

Mine has a regular Phillips screw in the middle so Currie must have changed it. It may be some type of star bit. Take it to a hardware store and look for a bit that matches it. They make bits for everything. How in the heck are you going to squeeze another 12 volt battery into the case? There's no room.

hatesnow

I'd kinda like to avoid the hassles of a flat tire if at all possible, so the first thing I did when I got my bike was put Slime in the tires. About 8 months now and no flats yet.

hatesnow

Here's another battery source. There are many different sizes, so you'll have to measure to figure out which ones you need.
https://www.powerstream.com/BB.htm

El_Heffe

Hi guys ... new poster here.

I'm really happy to find these forums and this thread in particular. Im contemplating moving house and I'm considering that after the move I will need/want an electric bike for daily commuting (7-8 miles one way), but i was wanting to try to get in a little better shape (my BMI is north of 50 ) and get a feel for the gear and a chance to work out any bugs while my commute is still only 3.5 miles (I've been car pooling but that wont work after I move).

I was just getting ready to save my pennies for an Izip Urban Cruiser (non-enlightened because I need detachable batteries for recharging at work) when I happened upon this thread.

I had a couple of questions and an idea of my own to throw out.

Question 1: Being a fat man (~365 lbs) how long is it realistic that an ezip from walmart will hold up under daily commuter use. I realize that batteries will need to be replaced periodically even with proper maintainance, but with my commute eventually averaging 3k - 3.5k miles per year (assuming a 15 mile round trip 200-220 days a year) would it be reasonable to expect the the rest of the bike hold up for more than a year? (though hopefuly I will weigh substantially less after a year of riding to work )

Question 2: Has any one successfully tried solid tires on an ezip? were you able to find solid tires that worked on the stock rims or would new rims be required? and how much did the solid tires affect the performance? keep in mind im not interested in performance for performance's sake ... I just want to get to work without risking flats.

About 5 years a go my wife won a pair of trek mountain bikes (a ladys and a men's) in a contest at her work and I was constantly getting flats. I assume that my size was the primary cause because they were usually "pinch flats" not from thorns or nails or what ever. I figured that maybe i was riding on under inflated tires but when i increased the pressure i had tubes failing... eventually I gave up riding because of all the flats ( never did try the slime though). And with the rear flat necessarily being such a hassle on an ezip (and with me having such an aversion to flats from my previous negative experience) I want to head that off by going straight to solid tires if I can.

ok here is my idea ... Ive read about the switch that allows you toggle to a second battery and how some folks have rewired their ezips to use both batteries at the same time ... but has any one considered changing to a multi position switch that would allow a toggle from battery A to battery B to both all on one switch (maybe even a toggle from both battery packs in series to both battery packs in parallel ... though i dont know that much about electronics so that may be a bridge too far).

any way its good to be here and thanks for reading along through all of this.

regards

El_Heffe

El_Heffe

I realize that its been months but is there any update on this?

toyfountain

Yes, I still use the Amerityre, but I did have to switch to a steel rim for a proper fit with the tire the shop sold to me. I don't belive Amerityre makes one wide enough in the aluminum rim tires. After commuting for most part of the summer I can say that the tires do ride harder when you hit bumps and cracks in the road compared to inflatable tires. With the knowledge I have now, I would try the Schwalbe Marathon Plus instead of the Amerityre. I also notice the Amerityre is starting to wear down in a flat line alond the center. This is not a flat spot from breaking hard, but the general wear of the tire.

From your weight, I doubt you'll be able to get to work with only one battery pack. A second pack will add about 20 pounds to the rear. Plus you will have to be able to recharge at work to get back.
I commute to work 30 miles per round trip. Started at 250 pounds (now 235). I added a second battery and because I can not recharge at work my batteries are weakening some. I barely make it back now and the new batteries had plenty of power left over before. I strongly the inevitable sulphation is the culprit. I say I'm only at or near 50 recharge cycles. I am now beginning to switch to lithium ion batteries for the lighter weight and they don't need to be recharged immediately after use. I'm planning to use the lithium on the 15 mile commute to work and to use the SLA on the way back. This way they will get charged immediately once back home.

Overall this has been a good experience. I costs more than anticipated in spring. Probably even more than running the car since we still have to keep it anyway. The added health benefits will probably someday compensate largely for this added cost. Good health can't be bought with money, only more exercise. I know I would have never started to commute by bike without the electric assistance.

Hope this helps and good luck.

El_Heffe

thanks for the update on the tires toyfountain. I think im gonna go ahead and try the solid tires mentioned in this thread.

I figured a second battery would pretty much be mandatory.

as I think about it if I can get a full year of service out of the ezip I will have to take that and be happy about it ... its not like anyone out there is designing and building bikes, of any kind, for the over 350# set.

toyfountain

One more update on the tire. One of the spokes broke and the rim is untrue at that spot now. It rubs against the brake pad. I don't know if this is related to the hard tire, but I suspect it is.

edited to add: I'll be replacing the Amerityre with a Schwalbe Marathon Plus next week. I ordered it when visited my local bike shop for a replacement spoke. I'll let you know how the ride is compared to the Amerityre. The shop owner says the ride is super smooth with the Schwalbe. Compared with the rock hard Amerityre this should feel better.

hatesnow

El_Heffe, besides the battery running down quicker, the main issue that comes to mind will be the wheels, especially the rear. Don't know how the spokes will hold up, probably not well. You could possibly take the bike to a shop and have it laced with the heaviest spokes available. The bikes do have a weight limit and it's way below 365, so I'm sure this will be an issue. I would tell you to consider just getting an electric scooter but you wouldn't be able to pedal it and get any exercise if that's the plan.
I haven't had any flat problems so far, actually no flats at all, but as you mentioned, it could be a problem with heavy riders. I weigh about 200 and I feel that's even too much, but my ezip does average 15mph on flat roads. I'd definitely go with the solid tires. The ezip rims are the standard size, so you shouldn't have any problem getting the right size. I'm sure the ride is different than regular tires, but I'm used to bumps anyway.
I doubt most people would want to try this, but I have actually filled tires with styrofoam insulation. The kind that comes in a spray can that you insulate cracks with. I've never done it with a bike, but have done it with riding lawn mowers and wheelbarrows. It makes a nice firm tire and feels just like an aired up tire. And of course, it's impossible to get a flat. You just put it in the way you would with Fix-A-Flat. Messy as hell though. Better wear gloves or you'll be real sorry.
El_heffe, as far as the switch configuration you mentioned, anything's possible. But I'm a bit puzzled on how some are running the two battery packs at the same time? This would be 48 volts. The ezip runs at 24 volts. I know it can handle 36v but 48? If I could afford it, I'd sure get lithium batteries. Also keep in mind that Dewalt now makes 36volt battery packs for it's tools and some bikers are wiring several of these in series. They are extremely light weight and are good for several thousand charges and don't develop memory. Pricey though.

toyfountain

If your into Canada, looks at the 20V Yardworks lithium batteries (from Canadian Tire) wasp posted about. They are pricey, but the bike can take two connected together in series to make a 40V battery without any mods to the controller or motor. I've went as past as 38km/hr and cruise at 32km/hr with these (while pedalling ).


Looks like my local bike store is out of the Schwable Marathon Plus for the season. Unless another dealer has one in stock I'll have to wait to next spring to try it. I have to finish my season with the solid Amerityre.
edited to add: found the marathon plus i stock at biketiresdirect.com for about the same as locally once shipping in included. They shipped in two days and are on their way.