eZip Trailz - Excellent "starter" eBike
No where near the quality of the $1000 eBikes!
But!
About $400 for a complete eBike
6 years of USA sales
6 month warranty (usually)

Keep an eye out for "sales"!
I just got a 2013 for $308 ... with free shipping!

Continuously updated price tracking!

Amazon.com





Choose Color : Blue


Amazon eZips

Click on picture

Amazon eZip Trailz

Walmart Prices

Click on picture

Walmart eZip Trailz

I'm sorry, but I don't see how a bike whose wheels are so poorly built that they have to be completely replaced before it can be ridden is an excellent anything.

The worst thing is that a lot of people form opinion about ebikes based on Ezip type department store bikes
Starter?
Why not to just buy quality ebike righ away
Why to waste money?
Unless you want educate yourself

Most people look at eBikes in the $1000 + range.
They have no idea what they are looking at.
A "starter" eBike is a learning experience. A chance to learn, hands on, what they need-want.
Keeps them from a costly mistake, gives them a informed chance to decide what they want.

Personally I am very fond of the eZips.
One of the very few that is capable of re-gearing, and friendly to over-volting.
Oem is ~16mph capable.
16T mod will move that to 20mph.
or 12T motor mod pushes to 21mph+.
Combined will provide reasonable assist toward 30mph.
Of course, you can go the other way - 22T mod drops speed and ups torque.

Then ... you will probably want to regear for higher pedal assist speed ... no problem!
DNP 7 speed 34-11T freewheels spin right on and allow near 30mph@90rpm-(crank).

44 Magnum
44.4V through a 16T mod helps me jump ahead of, and stay ahead of, local traffic.

Even better ... the bike is adaptable to being motored through the 7 speed!
The equivalent of a 7 speed motorcycle with the option of pedal assist!
3x the torque ... off the line, with long legs, right through 30mph.

Oh, the "poorly built" wheels?
Might work just fine for the typical user.
I "used" (overvolted, abused, romped, tromped and stomped) my eZip Mountain Trailz for 2000 miles before I broke my first spoke.
Yes, I re-built some wheels, definitely "more-better."
Always looking towards "more better"!

Oh! My over-volted, over-torqued Winter bike has logged 4 years with narry a spoke problem! 3500+ miles at 150% of oem torque on the oem wheel-spokes.

That is an excellent bike if your goal is to work on bikes.
If functionality is a concern, pass that bike by.

My favorite eZip, at the moment is a 2008 Trailz.
Bought it 5 years ago for about $250.
Sold the battery pack and charger, to a neighbor, for $110 and his old pack.
Added the 16T mod ... about $20.
Recycled a pile of old laptop batteries and the "old pack" into a 25.9V 31.2Ah pack. - About $30.
Run it about 5500 miles so far, cruises at 20mph with some assist to 25mph.
Good for ~50 miles@16MPH - motor only! (range trial)
+30 miles @ 20 mph with some assist - more typical. I have reduced peak charge voltage and raised minimum discharge voltage.

So, for ...
$250 - 110 + 20 + 30 = $190 I have a durable eBike that outspecs and outperforms almost everything on the market.

OK! ... it did require work, ingenuity and thought ... but well worth it ... IMHO! Now that I have trailblazed materials and methods, my upgrades take mere minutes ... recycled battery build does require an extended period of occasional observation - testing components.

Oh ... modified Meanwell power supplies into a 5 and 10Ah quick charger.
About 3 hours for a +90% charge. - Total cost? About $10.
Possible to reduce that time to 1 hour, but 2-3 hour is probably better for best battery durability-lifespan.

most people would never see $2000 ebike for sure, not even $1500 ebike , where can they see them in person?
In bike shop, do you compare amount of people in bike shop and Wallmart - no comparison.

Wallmart and Canadian Tire and other dep. stores - that's where crowds shop and where crowds see ebike not in LBS.

Maybe your idea of quality is very low for sure.
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2FQO8JI6VHHL6
And you do not tell all truth about your experience.

Ebike with lead batteries cannot be quality, shoddy fork, shoddy wheels, etc. , etc. cannot be quality.

read here about people experiences.
https://sebassh.wordpress.com/tag/ezip/

excellent quality = $$$$$ right?

I don't understand the hatred towards the eZips?
I must assume that people fear what they don't understand! .. ???
Of a certainty, I've had much more first hand knowledge than anyone who's tendered an opinion.

Spring of 2008

Bought my first eZip, a 2008 eZip Mountain Trailz.
Then quickly bought a second - about $300 each.

Played with eZip #1.
Built a 7Ah, then a 14Ah NiMh pack.
Then jumped up to a 36V SLA pack - went from 17 to 23mph cruising.
After about 1000 36V miles the controller stopped supporting 36V - still worked with OEM 24V, but set it aside anyhow. About 3000 miles total.

Put a 36V controller in eZip #2, built my 1st homemade (recycled) 37V Li-ion packs and cruised for "couple" years - which bumped up the HP, torque and speed to 150%!!!. Got a clearance eZip Trailz #3 for $250/shipped, so delegated #2 to Winter duty - homebuilt my own studded tires! - 3500+ ... so far

Upgraded my Trailz #3 with the 16T mod and homemade 25.9V Li-ion pack, which moved cruising speed to 22 mph, and have been cruising for +5500 miles, rebuilding the rear wheel with a better hub and SS spokes a couple 1000 miles ago. Added comfy grips, suspension post and 32-11T 7 speed freewheel. 31.2Ah "homemade" battery pack gives me about 30 miles@20mph, add my second 9lb pack for double the range.

Went a whole nother way with eZip #4, a 2009 Womens. Picked it up last-last Spring for $258, shipping included.
I did a 16T mod and 11-32T mod, of course, added big 2.125" "cruiser" whitewalls, suspension post and big comfy seat. I usually lower the seat, mock pedal and let the PAS system carry me along at 16mph - my comfort cruiser!
Ran it through much of last Harrumph ... Winter - snow on the road for about 7 days ... total!



Just picked up eZip #5 - a 2013 eZip Trailz LS - Low Step - sounds better than Womens.
$333 delivered!.
Wanted to check, first hand, for improvements.
Nice to have another spare battery to sell.

click on picture



I did pick up an iZip Trailz a few years ago, the Cadillac version, Aluminum frame, better quality components disc brake, "proper" alloy rear hub, etc.
Waiting till I have enhancements perfected before I put it on the road.

5 fully functional eZips with over 15,000 miles on the first 4.
=
1000 hours bikin' @ 15mph
or
6 trips from NY to California!
1 hub failure and multiple broken spokes ... few flats ...

I would say that sound pretty good! ... ?
Given the condition of our streets I'd say that is ... remarkable.

PS Damaged battery contacts on one.

I agree with DrkAngle that a bike like the Ezip could be great starter bike & a good way to get into the hobby & learn about E-bikes for many people & get a taste of it & see if it's for them. I bet you could spend $ 1200- on a dozen or so different Chinese bikes or even some that tout " Made in America " with cheap Chinese components like I did & have a bike with the same quality as an Ezip without having to take a $ 500- hit like I did .
Take a Student for example or someone who's working & cant afford a car right now, they certainly cant run out & spend $ 2500.00 on an E-bike. I do often tell people to get a quality E-Bike from my learning experiences as they pay for themselves quickly , These eZips look pretty hard to resist for such little coin.

I'm just saying it is not a great starter bike. Especially if one does not have the time or inclination to bring the bike up to a rideable condition. $400 is just the start of their cost.
Currie also does not have a reputation for customer service. If something is amiss then it is up to the owner to fix it on their own (more to add to the cost).
Building a battery pack from scratch is not something that takes mins (add that cost and time). Nor does rebuilding the wheels take mere mins (and if you don't know how to lace a hub--yet more money to add to the cost of the bike).
All the remaining components are, in your own words, bottom of the barrel, so longevity there is limited.

What you have done with your bikes is commendable. Good work there. But that is the very reason why I say these are poor starter bikes. One has to put lots of work into them just to be able to have them on the road. Reliability, exactly what a student or the working poor need, is absent in Currie bikes.

Very "rideable" as oem. I just prefer "more better".

While under 6 month warranty, Currie will replace any failed component ... no problem! Tho they sometime charge for shipping ...

Lithium packs are available from Currie! They merely offend my frugal spirit, when I can recycle-build my own, at a fraction of the price.
If!, you have any problems, LBS should, "properly" (in my opinion), relace your wheel with quality SS spokes for about $30-$40 ... so ... what's the big deal?

I believe I said, "No where near the quality of the $1000 eBikes!
But!
About $400 for a complete eBike "

Oops! I did also say, "Budget components"
Please! ... If you are going to misquote me ... please ... try to be a little more ... reasonable!

2009 eZip Trailz - 5500 miles, only problem being some broken spokes ... sounds pretty reliable to me ...?

You posted a picture of the hub with the spokes just hanging in place, no tension on them whatsoever and said one side was laced in the wrong direction. Everyone wants more better than that. No wonder you are breaking spokes right and left (yes, breaking a spoke every few thousand miles is right and left). Given that I am suspect of every part of that bike.

Sorry you are upset that I won't praise this bike as a good starter bike. I am one of those that believes in quality over quantity.
It's like saying a MGB is a great starter car. It's not. It's a great car if one enjoys wrenching and has the time to do it. There are better options for a first time vehicle. A used good quality bike and a hub motor kit would be better for a starter bike IMO.

I was really tempted to go with a hub motor ... at one time.

Being a cyclist for 5 decades.
I planed on adding a geared front hub to my road bike.
No drag during pedal only.
Sadly, gearing tended to be limited to assisting at sub 20mph speeds.
No regearing possible ... limited, and warranty voiding, over volting was an option ... but never recommended.

Rear hubs weren't much better. Even worse ... most were limited to a pitiable 5 speed freewheel ... with an even more pitiable 14-28T.

The only eBikes I felt reasonably desirable, were mid-drive powered through the multispeed freewheels.

Then I found the eZips.
Proven, simple, reliable brush motors.
Simple - durable controller, you can even run direct battery to motor, in a pinch.
Under or over volting for speed, watt, Horse Power output.
And simple to regear for higher assist speed or down and dirty torque.

Best of all I get to play. ...
Sorry, I'm addicted to improving enhancing.
With side orders of inspiring enlightening!

Totally understand. I quit buying complete bikes years ago and started building up frame sets because I would always change out everything anyway.

So, what's the skinny on your battery build? How did you go about it?

When I buy a bike, any bike, I don't buy it as a bike. I buy it as a set of components that just happen to come somewhat put together with each other, its not a bike its a "bike kit with pre-selected components". Which bike to buy and what components I buy separately to swap out for the components in the kit I don't care for is part of the buying decision. Usually when you buy a "bike kit" the cost is lower then the cost of all the components purchased separately so all you are doing is getting those set of components for a cheaper price because you are buying them altogether. I buy components to put together to make the bike I want, or more correctly, as close to what I want as possible while still keeping cost within reasonable limits.

The only reason I would buy a bottom of the barrel e-bike (which I think of as a bike kit of pre-selected components) is if the components I would use in that kit can be had for a lower cost by buying the whole kit then if I bought them individually.

Gotta be more specific ...
I've mentioned several ... ?

36V 11Ah SLA test


36V 11Ah SLA Toolbox


24V 7Ah Nimh too small for 450w motor so ...


Doubled it up. worked great till accidental short detensioned the springs.
Now I always build in a fuse.
24V 14Ah Nimh


37V 10.4Ah Li-ion My first Li-ion build.
Proved too small for 450w motor 35A controller.


37V 20.8Ah Li-ion 2008 vintage build.
Still use on my Winter eBike.


Li-ion vs SLA


37V 20.8Ah Li-ion #


25.9V 31.2Ah Li-ion 2009 vintage build.
Used till 2011 - relegated to reserve status or doubled range for trips.
eZips are designed to carry 2 packs.


25.9V 31.2Ah Li-ion 2011 build.
Made use of recycled eZip RMD battery cases.


37V 26Ah 1kWh Lipo Lico
Prototype: 120 - 2160mAh cells 10s12p.


37V 26Ah 1kWh Lipo Lico
Used tinned copper braid as flexible - durable conduction media.
Laid in a 7/16" layer of waferboard as stable-protective base.


Several of the builds are packaged in insulated bags.
Or at least are padded with closed cell polystyrene or foam.
Packs exhibit markedly reduced performance when cold!

The recycled Li-ion and lipo builds are constructed from laptop technology cells, of a Lithium Cobalt formulation, about 2x the energy density of LiFePO4 ... but designed with a low "C" rate.
Built to expend at .33 to .5C a maximum 1C surge is recommended.
30Ah pack recommended for a 10 - 15A continuous output, surges above 30A for brief periods only.

Still ... 30Ah pack is the size of a 15Ah LiFePO4 or a 6Ah SLA ...

Continued

Laptop Lipo 25.9V 26Ah
Going strong after hundreds of cycles.
I did include balance connectors with all Li builds.
After proven reliable, I typically "bulk charge" and occasionally "balance charge".
I did re-design MeanWell power supplies as rapid Bulk chargers.


25.9V 22.8Ah RC lipo


37V 17.1Ah RC Lipo


Got tired of crappy cordless tool batteries
14.4V 1.2Ah Nicd > 14.8V 5.2Ah Li-ion


7s 25.9V 5A charger build


I "modularized" for maximum adaptability.
2x = 7s 25.9V 10A build

28.9V??? Yes battery capacity mapping showed efficient battery usage to be at a lower peak charge. A "full" 4.2V per cell charge added needless damage for minimal capacity increase!

Every "type" cell has a different voltage range of maximum and most efficient energy storage.

I have mapped several types but mostly the ones I've recycled.

Regarding the wheels on ezip and similardeartment store bikes .... I consider them completely usable for people my size (130lbs), but would also caution people that after 5 years the wheels and probably many other parts of the bike will be unusable. The brakes and shifters on the other hand are probably good for a year or two if used in dry conditions only... and a month or two if used primarily in wet weather.

If you are okay with a bike that is junk after a few hundred uses you are good. (Quite possibly less than a dollar per day of travel... beats public transportation on price

He said the drive side spokes were laced in the wrong direction and the image he posted showed spokes hanging loose with no tension. Those wheels won't last 5 months much less 5 years.

Loose hanging Spokes???
What are you talking about???
Spokes are bending with tension!

No loose hanging spokes. ... ? Properly tensioned, trued, etc!
"Poorly supported" ... definitely!





Winter eZip has lasted, oem ... except for - over powered to 37V - 5 years, 3500+ miles, ... so far!

No failures, no broken spokes ... No Problems!
All set for this Winter too ...

Oem, except for:
Large comfy seat
Over volted-over torqued to 37V - 675w = 23mph
Fenders
Homemade Studded Tires

Then what was all that about rebuilding the wheel on a new hub?

IMO - "needing improvement ..."

"More better" ...
Top quality ...
Indeestructableee ... !

I wouldnt go for any electric bike because its cheap. With electric bicycles you have to understand there are so many parts that can fail and break down. Usually the cheaper bikes, use cheaper parts. And companies selling cheap bikes wont be around after 6 months, because they wouldnt be able to fix their cheap bikes under warranty! Its definitely worth getting a good brand

Currie - eZips has been marketed in the USA for 7 years!
2007 > 2013 models
Expanding every year.

Want better?
They also produce a line of iZips, their "Cadillac model".
Starting at + 50% in price, component quality and higher quality control are readily evident!

"Need" to pay top dollar?