AngieM

Oh, I do like Morph's Izip Zuma too, but the frame seems a bit large (19"). I have a hard enough time with a 15" frame. I'm 5'1" But again, I intend to go through the thread and all suggestions again, so please don't think you're wasting your time sending your info!

morph999 

E-mail currietech and tell them that you like their Izip Zuma but would like a smaller frame. Maybe they can do it for you.

dumbass 

Hi Angie and welcome to the group. You are getting great information for everyone here. I just thought I would weigh in with a few thoughts and conformations for you. My wife and I have a pair of Ezip Trails. We like them but I am not in any way trying to recommend them. I am only mentioning them because one of the problems my wife has it mounting a bike. She is 62 and 5'3" tall (she claims). She had a standard WalMart step through that I converted to an ebike for her. She rarely rode it because she was afraid to get on and off. I say the Ezip at Toys R Us last year and had her try it out. Actually we went to WalMart and she rode it inside the store (without motor). She was happy with the size and how it handled for her. While she does not try to ride with me everytime I go riding because I ride every other day or more for at least 20 t o25 miles each time. But she will go riding at least 2 or 3 times a week for about 10 mile each time. She tells me she feels much more secure on this bike.

I am telling you all this because you were talking about an Ezip that is very simular and you sound a lot like my wife. I highly recommend you avoid any bike that requires you to peddle to a given speed before the motor runs. This is a major problem for us older fokes especially when we get a little tired. as was already told to you the battery is the heart of the bike so look for something better then SLA batteries. If noise bothers you then you whould be better off with a bike with a hub motor. Of course unless you are handy or have someone to help you that is handy it is always nice to buy from a bike shop that will be there when you need them. However, they will always be much higher priced even for something you can buy from WalMart.

Good luck and happy biking. And please keep us informed what you decide on or if you have additional questions.

AngieM

Thought I was doing very well; narrowed down choices to 3 bikes, then got help from a member here to one, a Currie Izip Zuma step-thru. Then I called Currie and asked them to measure the lowest part of the step-through part and it is 17"... a bit too high for me. What a huge disappointment. How do I find a bike for short people? Or do I put 24" wheels on a step-thru?? My inseam is 27" and my preferences are somewhere at the top of this thread.

Angie

AngieM

Oops, no they're not; wrong thread. Here they are:

●―NOT a pedal-first throttle, where you have to pedal up to 5mph before it kicks in. Just want to hit the throttle ‘n go AND pedal too, when I want to.

●―14-15 inch frame, not larger… a frame that’s not too “fat”.
●―My inseam is 27” and I’m 5’1”
●―Definitely a step-through.
●―Less than 50 pounds overall weight.
●―No fat tires… but I’m not sure.
●―Handlebars that aren’t completely straight, a bit curved; don’t have to “lean over” too much.
●―A LifePO4 battery is my first battery choice, unless there’s a better choice (heard there isn’t).
●―Want good power/torque going up hills.
●―25 mile range or more.

Yes, I know, I'm a bit delusional, but close to these specs would be a good start.

nwmtnbkr

Angie,

Have you taken a tape measure and measured 17 inches and then tried lifting your leg that high? I'm taller than you but my inseam is only 30" and I have no problems lifting my leg 17 inches. I'd suggest you give it a try. I think it will be very difficult to find a bike that has that low a profile as well as the other features you want. Bria has an electric version of their easy-board model, but it uses anemic EU street-legal standards and may be limited to pedal assist only--no throttle control. The other thing I would worry about with their easy board model is that the frame is too low and could easily hit pavement on driveways, etc.

nwmtnbkr

FYI--Best Buy now sells e-bikes. If there are any close to you, give them a call to confirm they have them in the store and then go look. On their website, they claim you can take test rides. Good luck.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/Electric...at177200050010

AngieM

I did try one of those in a regular bike at the store and it was a nuisance, especially with a seat that goes only so low, like the Izip Zuma. Our Best Buy doesn't sell bikes. I guess it's back to the drawing board...

dumbass 

As I mentioned I have a problem fitting bike to my wife. One of her problems is as you now commented on (the seat is to high). On her old bike I cut off the clamping part for the adjustment and drilled 4 holes through the upright post and the seat post and put in a removable pin. this gained her an extra inch downward movement. On her new Currie she is OK with the seat in the full down position. One of the problems you maybe having is the seat post. Most of the upper price bikes including the pricier Curries use a suspension post and this will raise the seats lowest limit 1 to 2 inches. So when you find a bike the you can step through but have a problem because the seat is to high check the seat post. You can always have it changed even to test the bike out you could change it.

morph999 

Angie, what about the Go Cycle? Has 20" tires so the bike is probably easier to handle than one with 26" tires. Looks like overall, it's a smaller bike.

https://gizmodo.com/5206123/gocycle-b...g-and-electric

leamcorp

Lots of people are throwing different bikes and advices on this thread which are all good - so I'll go in a slight different direction.

How handy or mechanically incline are you? Can you change a bike tire? How about changing the tire on a bike that is 60-70lb. Do you think you could turn the bike upside down or handle it while its laying on its side? Do you have any background or if you don't, have a desire to learn electricity?

At current state, an ebike is not quite there as car/scooter replacement. Sure lots of people do ride and commute on ebike (community is still quite small) but these people spend inordinate amount of time fixing/modding their bike. And most people that is using these as transportation do have more than one ebike (I do and it seems most others too).

This is not to discourage, rather, its to set up an expectation according to current state of ebiking. You may buy a bike that will last 3-4 years (most don't keep it that long) with nothing more than charging the battery, but it could also break down quite quickly - and this is not something local mechanic can fix (usually).

If I have to recommend a bikes that is above and beyond what was already offered - A2B bike and Sanyo Enoolop as these have fantastic warranties that will save you lots of money in the long run (these are more expensive but have similar support as scooter dealers).

Lastly - Morph, not sweating while riding because you are going fast? Have you ever rode a motorcycle? At 80mph, you sweat when sun is blaring at you and its humid (85+ degree will do it). I've been commuting for few years on ebike now and you sweat - sure not as much as manual pedaling but enough to want to take a shower.

hope that helps

nwmtnbkr

I have to say that the Sanyo's are over priced for what you get--basically an under-powered bike with poor torque that's street-legal in the EU and parts of Asia that have strict restrictions on power and demand pedal assist rather than throttle control. In fact, most ready-made e-bikes are over priced. That's why I went the conversion route and I would expect that the majority of e-bike owners in North America have gone that route. I also think e-bike owners are like many other bike owners--they hold on to their e-bikes and convert more. E-bikes aren't really any more intimidating to fix than a regular bike (and yes, I'm a woman--we can use tools just like the guys).

leamcorp

If you can fix or build ebike - great. But can she? Thats why I asked, to put it in proper perspective. She did say she is coming from a scooter side of transport and sounds like she might not be hands on type (yet). Owning a Ebike is nothing like owning a scooter/motorcycle.

There's nothing wrong with "under powered" bike. I would take 20mph 36v A2B or Sanyo any day for my daily commuter. Unless you live in super hilly San Francisco type of places, these bikes will handle what most people will run into - reliably. I own several Ebike's that could match scooter in speed (53mph) but I still commute on my light/slow speed ebikes as these are easier to handle and more reliable (by the way, I use same handle on ES).

Um, I have a problem fixing tires when my bike gets a flat and I'm a 200 lb male that do 800lb leg press. Don't mean squat (literally). Its really pain in the ass to fix tires on these bikes - first you need to carry a full complement of tools (full size wrenches, screw driver, etc) in addition to flat fix/tube kit because you will need to un-do any zip ties, take out torque arms, unscrew wheel and work on the flat fix while handling all the cargo (battery, tools, lunch) and a heavy frame. And typical tire used on these bike are super wide and I sometimes have a problem just to get it on the rim. Got nothing to do with being male or female, rather - per my 1st question, how capable are you and understand, you may need to do these thing. Again, based on what she said, bike get more flats than a scooter, so this type of stuff has to be considered. I'd own a 250cc scooter/motorcycle long ago and when it break or get a flat, I call AAA.

Again, my question is, how capable are you and understand whats it like to own a ebike. I did consider these things and at best, ebike is my secondary transport. Still a blast though.

nwmtnbkr

I live in the far northern US Rockies so I need good torque. That's one of the reasons why I decided to go the conversion route, the other major factor being price. So many mass-produced e-bikes have fairly unimpressive specs so they can be street-legal in those world markets that have fairly severe limits on power and demand pedal assist rather than throttle control. I believe that's why so many e-bike enthusiasts in North America have turned to conversion kits. I have to applaud manufacturers like Currie and Ultra Motors, which do make more e-bikes available that will perform well for those of us who aren't flatlanders (and that's a lot of North America). I also have to applaud Currie for making many of their e-bikes affordable, including some of the new models stocked with Lithium batteries.

I think you may underestimate yourself. I bet you can tackle a lot of repairs and maintenance on your e-bike. A lot of routine e-bike maintenance is the same as for regular bikes, like cleaning and lubing your chain and gearing. Even building an upgraded Lithium battery isn't too bad. There certainly are a lot of online resources that you can tap into and learn from before undertaking projects.

dumbass 

I agree with most of what you say. Most people can do far more then they give them selves credit for....especially women because many times they had a hubby to do it for them. But in many cases they (the woman) were the more capable and adapt person and would likely do as good or better job. As for you my dear (nwmtrbkr), your an extream handyman/woman (person). From what I've seen Your willing to jump fearlessly into most anything with both feet........God Bless Ya Gal !!

What I was wondering is if our new friend Angie wouldn't be better off finding someone in her area that she can trust to help her put a kit onto a bike of her choosing. That way the search is limited to a well fitting bike first and secondly to it acceptablity to a motor and batteries. Some local bike shops will mount kit and this way tere is somewhere to take it for anual service too.

Angie if you live in the Chicago area I'd be willing to help you build a bike of your choosing.

leamcorp

I hope you're not talking about me. I build all my batteries - I have a thread open right now on ES "how to build cylindrical pack for dummy". Again, this isn't about you or me, its about putting right expectation so one can make proper decision.

nwmtnbkr

I read that thread. That's a very elegant and simple solution for building a battery with cylindrical cells. Good idea and thanks for sharing it with the community.

leamcorp

This is precisly what I was talking about. Not everyone is nwmtnbkr. Even if someone build it for them (my local LBS built 3 last year - none of them are riding now), if they don't have the aptitude or desire to learn, then it will be a fun toy for short while (and great find for rest of us on Craigslist later on ).

It isn't a question of whether if someone can learn - they all can. The question is, if they want to - not everyone do or know whats involved in maintaining a Ebike.

I didn't think this was going to take the direction it has, sorry for littering the thread, I'm done. cheers.

)

AngieM

"On her old bike I cut off the clamping part for the adjustment and drilled 4 holes through the upright post and the seat post and put in a removable pin. this gained her an extra inch downward movement. On her new Currie she is OK with the seat in the full down position. One of the problems you maybe having is the seat post. Most of the upper price bikes including the pricier Curries use a suspension post and this will raise the seats lowest limit 1 to 2 inches. So when you find a bike the you can step through but have a problem because the seat is to high check the seat post. You can always have it changed even to test the bike out you could change it. "

Funny you said that (above), dumbass, because just today I went to a local shop where he builds bikes, custom frames, the whole thing, and he said he would do exactly what you said. Only he would take off the Currie seat and post altogether, give me a much flatter seat and that would bring the seat down quite a bit. Just wondered how I'd like losing the "springy" post and cushy seat. What bike, exactly, does your wife have?

I'm pretty handy; I've put together SO many complicated things in my life and learned how to do just about anything and everything. My daughter used to say, "My mother could build a house from the ground up with a hammer and a fork." So I guess I could learn easily how to take care of a bike and not just ride it around. This guy is going to get a bike in the end of next week that is very similar to the Izip. He'll put it together just like he'd fix an Izip for me so I can get on it and see if it's the right size.
I had no idea all these comments were on this thread...many I haven't read 'til now. All of you are great and I'm learning SO much from all your comments.
I especially thank nwmtnbkr for narrowing down my search to the Izip Zuma (tho I wish it wasn't so expensive). Problem is, there is NO bike shop here in Missouri (I'm in Jefferson City... very small town) that has an electric bike on hand and won't get one in because they've all said the manufacturers won't let them order just one; they'd have to order a minimum of three(!) So, I can't just get on one and check it out. I do remember trying one out many years ago and it was awesome then, so I can imagine how much MORE awesome they are now. Keep the comments comin', I'm hearing all of you and trying to be patient.
Again, dumbass, I'd like to know the exact bike your wife has, if you don't mind.

miro13car

Be careful about Bionx ,
it does NOT accept third party batteries.
BIONX battery is propertiary.
Ask how much is batt replacement for BIONX and they are going to tell you big $$$$, because it cont6ain electronics.
mc

nwmtnbkr

Angie,

Why not start out with a less-expensive option for your first e-bike. That way you won't have a lot invested if it doesn't meet with your expectations. (Unfortunately, the value of e-bikes falls steeply after purchase, just like new autos when they're driven off the dealer's lot, so most buyers don't get their money back if they're unhappy and try to resell right away.) If you found a shop that's willing to work with you, why not consider buying a reasonably priced step-through bike that fits you and a conversion kit, then have the shop install it? As I've said before the Currie conversion kit is very reasonably priced at $279.99 (with free shipping) from the SuperKids site. It comes with a SLA pack and you can build a LIFEPO4 pack fairly easily. The torque on the Currie is great--I've got a number of steep mountain hills to tackle here with 18% grades (or worse) and it helps me get up them without a problem. There are also hub motor kits out there too, although many hub kits don't have any type of batteries included in the intial price. Good luck.

dumbass 

Hello again Angie, My wife has a LADIES EZ TRAILZ ELECTRIC by EZip. I mesured the height of the step through bar on it and I think it is going to be to high for you. The step through bar is 19" and the top of the EZip standard seat is 31 1/2" in it's lowest position. I bought it at Toys R Us for $240 in August last year. The Toys R Us still sells these bike in my area as does the local WalMart (Only some WalMarts have ebike though). So you could go to one of these places and try one on for size.

Again, if you really feel handy you could buy a bike that fits you perfectly and then buy a hub motor kit and install it. A hub kit is not dificult to install and maybe a good match for you. However, should you decide to do something like this I would recommend taking it up again on the forum so you know you are getting what you need. Not every bike is a good match up for a front hub motor but a lot are (especially if they are a steel frame). You could buy a good but inexpensive bike at Costco, WalMart or your local bike shop for $150 to $300, A motor kit for $300 to $500 and batteries (Thunder Sky 20AH 12 packs for $120 *3 for 36v = $360). Your total is $810 to $1160.

AngieM

Very interesting, nwmtnbkr and dumbass... I copied your comments and will take them with me to the bike shop next week, see what he says. Thank you both!

in-control

I spent $170 on the bike and accessories. The kit is under $1k with a Lifepo4 battery and 36v 500w motor. I have been very satisfied with the whole experience and truly get 20 miles per charge in a hilly terrain going ~20mph. I would not want to go slower, 20 mph is a good speed for a MTB. See below setup.

https://www.e-bikekit.com/

AngieM

I just went up and saw that Biria again... it looks perfect for me--the step-through, that is. Wish I could get that as a basic frame. Also, I just got the following in an email from someone not identified. I LOVE the simplicity of this person's answer and I LOVE the link. It shows everything you get, a lot of info AND a couple videos to help-- excellent! Whoever sent that (I don't see it on this thread), THANKS A LOT. I am taking a folder of many of these comments to this dealer and if we can't figure something out with all this info, I'm going back to a scooter... 'course, then I don't get the exercise, which is the whole idea for me.
Here's what I just received:

"I spent $170 on the bike and accessories. The kit is under $1k with a Lifepo4 battery and 36v 500w motor. I have been very satisfied with the whole experience and truly get 20 miles per charge in a hilly terrain going ~20mph. I would not want to go slower, 20 mph is a good speed for a MTB. See below setup."



https://www.e-bikekit.com/