Advice with Izip & Battery and a new bike in general please.

[LongbowArcher]

Hi all... my first post...

I recently decided to buy an electric bike for my workers and I (mostly for me to try and lose weight and get around more with but if I let the workers use it then I can class it as a business buy) for going back and forth between my workplaces/premises...

Anyway I think I may have made my first major cock up in that I have bought an "Izip Downtown" online... its brand new but old stock...

I have since found out this was a really bad choice for use by me as it wont hold my weight according to the manual (I am 20kg over the 100kg carrying capacity) but as its brand new and cheap I bought it thinking it will do till I find out whats a good one to buy...

I received it ok, its new and never been opened but it has been stood for a couple of years so I suspect the battery might not be any good...

Before I assemble the bike I was wondering is there any way I can check the condition of the battery ?

I have wondering if the battery is no good should I resell it as "brand new but needs battery" and put the money towards a good one that will get me up hills better as I have read this one isnt very good for the larger person (IE Fat bloke)...

If the battery is no good I have seen someone reconditioning them on ebay for about £120...

Is this a good idea to keep the bike and get the battery done and keep it for the missus?

Also does anyone know any other options...(its an SLA battery a big rectangular thing)

I was wondering if this would be a good bike to keep for the missus bearing in mind that even if I have the battery reconditioned it will still have only cost me about £300 total...

I suspect the advice would be to sell it or send it back and get us both a decent one as I have the option of sending it back and getting a refund for the next few days only ( I bought it mail order and you get 7 days to decide whether to keep the item under the distance selling regs )... I paid about £260 for it...

I dont want to even take it out of the box until I decide whats the best thing to do as it would be unfair to the seller for me to send it back all opened and unwrapped...

Any advice would be gratefully received...

For my own bike I have now been looking at a 36v one, I have seen a few I like... I nearly bought a Cyclematic but think I think I will avoid the Cyclematic... its so tempting as its only £400 and will hold my weight (120kg) but it seems there is only one dealer and two models... a folder and a fixed frame with removable front wheel...

I like some of the AlienOcean bikes and have looked at Freego which looks good but at the top end of my price range...

Could anyone recommend any good deals on at the moment for something that will my weight up a hill to work ?

As I say my budget is £400 to £1000 if its something amazingly better but I would rather spend under £800... the longer the warranty on the battery or the cheaper they are to replace the better as from what I can see batteries losing their power is one of the main problems with electric bikes...

Its a shame you cant just get "refills" for them or something but some batteries seem to cost up to half the price of the bike...

I would be happy spending more on an electric bike if I knew the battery wasnt going to cost me £250 every couple of years...

Thanks for reading... as I say its my first post and my first electric bike and I know very little so I am glad I found this forum as I am learing reading other posts also...

 

[JuicyBike]

I'd be surprised if the SLA battery in your new bike isn't working. You should find it will accept charge well, perhaps needing an intensive charge at first in the worst case (take it to a garage).

In the longer term that battery probably will need replacing after about 300 charges. But they are cheap to replace (if you can find a source). Others will refine with their own takes on SLA shortly...

I think you'd be happier and more impressed by the performance of "industry standard" 36V 10AH Lithium batteries that most modern electric bikes now provide. There is little variation really, give or take a few AHs here and there.

I'd be interested to hear your reaction to our range of bikes...

 

[flecc]

If they do turn out to be needed, you can get the batteries to fit inside your case from a number of suppliers. There's two 12 volt ones in there, just get them the same dimensions as the present ones and connect as before. Make sure the ones you buy are high discharge ones suitable for vehicle use, some who use these will probably post some links for you, but here's one example supplier.

As far as the loading is concerned, bikes usually have a generous safety margin so it may well be ok for you to use it, especially as you will probably lose some weight with added fitness.
.

 

[muckymits]

You should be able to buy 2 of those SLAs on ebay for under £50, but I think a Ping battery will fit so its half the size and about 1/4 of the weight. Snag is its almost £200. If you go and fit the SLAs your self give me a PM and will explain a mod I have for the wiring.

 

[LongbowArcher]

That sounds hopeful thanks for the tips... I will get it built up for the workers if thats all the batteries cost... By the time I have claimed back the VAT on it through the business it wont have cost me a lot.

As for my own bike I have been looking at the AlienOcean Typhoon as there doesnt seem to be a folder that will take 120kg, that also writes off the Freego brand.

I looked at the Juicy bike "Sport" but it doesnt say the weight capacity.

The Synergie/Alien Typhoon looks good but is at the top of my price range... it holds a massive 140kg which will make me feel it has a bit of strength extra to it plus with the panniers on it doesnt look like an electric bike at first glance... do I go for the black or the white though...

Thats the highest weight capacity I have seen so far...

Still looking though... I havent decided yet...I wanted a folder originally so I can get it in the car but they look a bit too much like womens shopping bikes and there isnt a folder that will take a 19 stome 6 foot bloke... I think one where the front wheel comes off for me and a folder for the missus should fit in the car hopefully.. Its only a hatch but its quite big with seats down...

If SLA batteries are so cheap to get replaced it makes me wonder about the lithium ones... I just saw a replacement battery on ebay for £350 I would hate to have to pay that... I might be scared to use it lol... plus I ready that if you let it go flat it ruins permanently... I suppose I will have to stand for that cost though if I want a decent bike with a bit of power...

I dont suppose you can lithium batteries reconditioned ?

 

[flecc]

Lithium types aren't easily recellable at present, too many type/size and internal electronics variations.

£350 isn't too bad for one, about £500 is common on the more expensive bikes and one type of e-bike uses one costing over £1000!

 

[LongbowArcher]

Crumbs!

It must put a lot of people off buying electric bikes, I am not short of a few quid but £500 for a battery that you throw away doesnt make much sense to me... it would be cheaper to use taxis or run the car...

Is there an electric bike that will pull a heavy bloke that has cheap to replace batteries as I dont think I would dare use a bike that was going to cost £500 for a new battery...

The SLA batteries sound cheaper but heavier and not as long lasting but if they are so much cheaper there must be a reason for people wanting to ride bikes with disposable £500 batteries...

I read recently that Lithium was going up vastly in price as well so it seems an odd way to go fitting lithium to all new bikes... from an outsiders view at least...

I just discovered I cant go for the Typhoon for me as the motor is in the front hub, I need a quick release front to get it in the car with another bike I think... Back to the drawing board...

I thought I had found the ideal bike with it being able to hold over 120kg (140) and I liked the fact that it had the battery in the back rack so I can hide it with panniers and it had a powerful motor... (Shame about the pricey replacemnt battery prices though)...

 

[banbury frank]

Hi LongbowArcher

We make in Banbury Bikes Using the Raleigh Diamondback fitted Large powerful Rear motor

10Ah 48 volt Lithium Battery Replacement £400

New model for 2012 £1295

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Not on our web site yet new site coming with 8 Models

Loves 20 stone rider Eats hills

Come to Banbury for a test ride we are open 7 days a week

Frank

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You don't need to take too mch notice of the cost for replacement batteries on different electric bikes. It's possible to adapt batteries from one to another. With the ones that go behind the seatpost, you can empty the case and use it for storage, and fit a rack battery instead. This often gives you the option to get a better replacement battery (bigger or better quality) at a lower price.

 

[LongbowArcher]

Hi LongbowArcher

We make in Banbury Bikes Using the Raleigh Diamondback fitted Large powerful Rear motor

10Ah 48 volt Lithium Battery Replacement £400

New model for 2012 £1295

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Not on our web site yet new site coming with 8 Models

Loves 20 stone rider Eats hills

Come to Banbury for a test ride we are open 7 days a week

Frank

I really like the bike but its out of my price range really I think...

I went out on my partners Izip today and although I got up a steep hill on it it really struggled with my weight... quite please with it for the price I paid though... especially now I know I can replace the batteries myself pretty cheaply...

I might start a new post with what I want and see what people suggest as this one has too many asides now...

The one above I looked at for £1295 looks ideal but than that puts me into a whole new price range and brings more options also...

I would rather spend under £1000 I think if I can but then price isnt that much of a problem I can spend as much as I feel is warranted really...

I was looking at the Brompton Nano today for instance, that would be a practical bike for me... it looked a bit pricey at £1500 or so but it would fold so I might have gone for it if the max capacity wasnt 110kg.... I am 10kg over....