Biria EZ - 7
 

Please could someone give feed back on the Biria EZ - 7 series. I would like light weight bike to do short distance (11 - 15 km) rides on roads/pavements. Not too many hills. Priced around $555.00 - $800.00 CAD Would this be a good choice?

The bike in question is a 7 speed, easy on/easy off, 31 pound bike. So, it's not light weight but still might be manageable. The bike is best suited for cruising around town with no hills. The gearing is limited because of the single chain ring up front. You don't say where in Canada you live so I can't say for sure if this would be enough gears for you.

Would I buy it as a commuter? No, there are better bikes for that. Something that was just a little lighter, had a double or triple crank set. If you had a bad back, hips or knees where you need the easy on/easy off, then by all means this is the bike for you.

If you live in a city with a Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC), then have a look at their step through bikes. There are a few to choose from. I find MEC bikes to be under the radar bikes but hold good value.

I've been riding a Biria Lite 8 for four years now and really enjoy it. It's the same frame as the one you looked at the difference is the Shimano 8 speed internal gear hub. I need the low step over with my legs. I got that hub because it's pretty fool proof and once adjusted stays that way. I've regreased the hub after two years and will again this winter. Yes, it's a bit heavy but today went on a twenty mile ride with a few small hills no problem. I've got other fancier bikes but this one gets me out the door and that's what matters.

The bike works fine for what it is. Be aware that due to the design (no top tube), the frame is much more flexible than a traditional frame. I don't know that I would describe any form of the bike as "light", but compared to other step-through frames, it's probably a couple of pounds lighter.

That said, we own one (3 speed/coaster), and it is nice for just what you want: easy, short distances. Unless something has changed, it comes with a rack/fenders, too, which is nice.

From an assembly standpoint, they have so-so quality control (compared to main-line brands), so it is really one of the few bikes that I would say to get from a shop--then the QC is their problem, not yours. It was not uncommon when I was selling them (Biria, as a brand) to receive a bike with kinked cables, ill-fitting stems (kind of an important part, no?), and poorly fitting accessories (racks). That said, the company was easy enough to deal with, and would send replacements, but it's probably not something you want to deal with as a consumer.

I sold a lot of the EZ Boarding models when I had my bike shop. They were great for folks with limited mobility. If you can step up on a curb, you can step over the frame. The support from the Biria brothers was great.
There were a few build quality issues from time to time, and the paint wasn't always great, but I could always make them work, and the buyers were thrilled with their purchases.
That said, for me, it would be fine for a cafe runner, or a short commute, but I wouldn't want to do too much distance on it.

Myself, I use a folding bike for some of the low step thru benefits , getting on and off.. :50: