Ezee - spoilt for choice (Liv/Sprint/Quando)

[DBCohen]

I am looking to get a pedelec to do a semi-regular five mile commute from my home to work. My employer has just joined the tax-efficient CycleScheme, and I would like the opportunity to get a little bit fitter than I am now.

I have two routes for my commute - one that is a little busier, but is fairly gentle slopes the whole way (my home is on a somewhat higher elevation than the city centre here in Manchester), or a less busy route that is flat and then a couple of steepish hills for a half-mile or so.

I have narrowed my options down to Ezee cycles - due to their quality reputation, included features and the good service experiences that I have seen from the UK distributor 50cycles.

But that still leaves me with some choices:

• Sprint 7
• Liv
• Quando II

Sprint 7 is the de facto choice for my requirements - but is at the top end of my £1000 CycleScheme budget.

Liv is substantially cheaper, so I could get some safety equipment, toolkit and bags while staying under budget. But is a newer design, perhaps a more unknown quantity, and I am unsure if it is 60% of the bike that the Sprint is (based on the price). Don't know if only three gears might be an issue, too?

Quando II is my left-field option - sits between the other two on price, convenience of folding frame if I need to get home on the tram in bad weather, and I know it will pull me up the hills, according to this forum. But will I lose the exercise benefit of the bike? I suggests to me it is perhaps too easy to let the motor take the strain.


Obviously, next move is to try them, and I have requested that from 50cycle. But what do you more experienced users think?

Thanks in advance,

David.

 

[Django]

Hi David,

I would advise you to try a Torq as well.

You say that you want to get fitter and so unless your hilly route is a very hilly route, the relative lack of hill climbing ability should not be a worry. I must say that having experienced 22 mph plus whatever effort I care to put in myself, the thought of 15 mph on a commute is not so appealing.

50cycles can bill you for £1000 to take best advantage of the cycle to work scheme.

Cheers,

Django

 

[flecc]

Hi David

The Liv is easily 60% of the Sprint, and you needn't worry about it's newness in the marketplace. It's motor and controls were previously used in their Rider model and have a long history of reliability. The rest is bicycle of course. If your hills are rather troublesome, you may have to work quite hard in the low gear of it's three speed, but that said, the motor is a powerful one with a 600 watt peak and can easily climb 10% unaided.

The Quando won't let you get any exercise on the flat as it's motor easily outruns the rider gearing, and it's hill climbing is so powerful that even at lower speeds uphill, what you'll need to put in is negligible, so in your position I'd tend to remove it from the list.

The Sprint is obviously ideal for the purpose and would be the best choice of course, with it's 7 speed gear range and strong hill climbing motor.

Regarding Django's suggestion of the Torq, as a Torq owner I agree about the charms of the speed, but living in a very hilly area I'd advise that you shouldn't buy one for your journey if it's hilly without trying one first on equivalent hills. As Django said, great for the exercise aspect if you can manage the hills with one, but it could be a misery otherwise.

 

[Django]

Indeed, Flecc is absolutely right that you need to try the Torq on equivalent hills first, but if your motivation is in part to get a bit fitter, then you are in pretty much the same position I was when considering an e-bike.

Our Shropshire rolling hills certainly test both rider and machine but, with effort, I very rarely drop below an indicated 12 mph and having come from a standard bicycle everything feels good about it. Like you I live in the highest part of town and so like you I have a fair climb to my front door.

I now ride about 10 miles each day where before I took the motorbike or car and best of all it takes precisely zero will power to go out because I love it so much. The result is that I am fitter than I have been for a decade and 20 lbs lighter. And, as Flecc pointed out on another thread, in terms of smiles per mile, the Torq is outstanding.

Django

 

[DBCohen]

Django, you make a good argument - and I really like the look of the Torq. But I really can't stretch to it - I'd be out £300 at the start with extra equipment.

The other problem is that I am currently overweight and unfit - I would hate to find the Torq too hard going at the start. It sounds to me like it might be a good option in a year or two when my starter bike has got me whipped in to shape!

Based on the other comments, I am going to focus on the Liv and Sprint - the key thing being whether I think the extra £400 for the Sprint is worthwhile.

Cheers,

David.

 

[Ian]

Hi David,

all of what"s been said so far makes good sense, I have a Torq and Sprint 3 and can certainly vouch for the design & build quality of the ezee bikes.
My Sprint has the same 3 speed hub as the Liv and it covers a wide and perfectly adequate range, the steps between the gears are large but you soon get used to it.

Django's convincing argument for the Torq is in line with my own experiences, and you may see more Torqs on the seconhand market now that Ezee have launched new flagship models.

Ian.

 

[Tim]

Comparison chart

Hello, I put together this handy comparison chart which helps separate the wood from the trees as far as the various eZee models are concerned.


eZee electric bike comparison chart

 

[Django]

Very useful, Tim.

Is the 'excellent' hill climbing ability of the Forza and Forte due to them having smaller wheels than those on the Torq or are there other factors?

Thanks,

Django

 

[FatMog]

Hi David, I've had my sprint for oooo, 3 weeks now so I'm nearly an expert - I use it for a 7 mile round trip, mostly flattish but a couple middling hills each with a short steepish section.

I'm entirely unfit, 40's, and umm, fattish! I ride so that I make some effort (not too much!) and I always try to keep the battery indicator in the green going uphill so I can even experinece minor breathlessness sometimes... .

I find that I have not used gears 1 or 2 yet. At all. I use gear 3 very occasionally for the final bit of the steepish section if I'm feeling feeble, probably at around 12mph, otherwise I do the rising sections in 5 (about 15mph), dropping to 4 (13-14mph) for the definitely uphill bits.

On the flat I start on 5, going to 6 at about 17 mph, and so far only using 7 pushing along to arrive at over 30mph going downhill!

So I regularly use gears 4-6, but in my unfit state I would miss 3 sometimes, and hopefully as my fitness improves I will start to use 7 on the flat. Someone (possibly the inimitable Mr. Flecc ) will be able to tell you how the gear ratios on the sprint compare to those of the liv which may help you with your choice?

 

[flecc]

Yes

Liv = 46" to 85" gears

Sprint = 39" to 96" gears

You can see that the Sprint has a wider range at both ends, better ultimate climb capability and better ultimate attainable pedalling speed.

It also has a Hall effect motor which has a wider and flatter torque curve than the brush motor of the Liv, giving it an edge there as well. All part of the extra price mentioned above.

 

[flecc]

Tim, that's a great chart and very helpful, thank you. It's good to see the accuracy of the comparison in hill climbing ability between the models, the Quando up with the new Forza and Forte models as "Excellent" rated, dead on.

To Django. The motor in the new models is more powerful, and the hill climbing comes from that.

Even if the Torq motor (overgeared in a 28" wheel by 40%) was put into a 26" wheel, it wouldn't match those since it would still be overgeared by 30%. It uses the Quando motor which is normally internally geared to match UK requirements when in a 20" wheel. Overgearing within reason is fine for speed, but each speed step gained through gearing up is balanced by the loss of a climb ability step of course. That's true of any powered vehicle.

 

[DBCohen]

Tim,

Thanks - very useful. I spoke to one of your colleagues this afternoon, and I suspect we might meet soon when I organise a test!

For information, Cadence is showing as order only on the website - is there a long lead time on that? My Dear Lady believes it to be better looking than the Sprint.

 

[Django]

Many thanks Flecc. That must be a seriously good motor with 22mph top speed and excellent hill climbing ability.

I can feel a test ride coming on!

Django

 

[flecc]

You won't be disappointed Django.

 

[Dell]

Here`s another thumbs up for the Sprint.I`ve had mine for two weeks now and it`s doing a brilliant job getting me back and forth to work.Although unlike Fatmog I do use all 7 gears
My route does have steep hills and the condition I get there in is totally different from my old unpowered bike.
The only thing I miss off my mountain bike is toe clips

 

[Mike Robinson]

Based on the other comments, I am going to focus on the Liv and Sprint - the key thing being whether I think the extra £400 for the Sprint is worthwhile.

I have a Liv and I'm pretty sure you'll find it more than capable of the daily ride you're intending. I usually pedal all the time and use the motor mainly on inclines and for rapid get aways. This allows me to cruise along at between 15-20 mph. I don't get the 30 mile range advertised (I'm too heavy on the throttle) but you'll find your 10 mile round trip is no problem.

It's about 7kg heavier than the torq but 500 pounds lighter in price. It's also very well made.

Mike

 

[Ian]

The only thing I miss off my mountain bike is toe clips

You can fit pedals with clips to your sprint, the cranks are standard.

 

[rsscott]

You can fit pedals with clips to your sprint, the cranks are standard.

I use the Shimano SPD pedals with my bike that have the clip on one side and flat on the other for when you don't have the correct shoes on. I use Diadora Chili Zero MTB shoes and they really help squeeze an extra mph or so with little additional effort.

 

[Dell]

Yep think I will change the pedals just so I can stop looking foolish at traffic lights. Where you raise a foot and push down expecting a pedal and instead stamp down on fresh air.

 

[rsscott]

Yep think I will change the pedals just so I can stop looking foolish at traffic lights. Where you raise a foot and push down expecting a pedal and instead stamp down on fresh air.

Just be careful not to look even more foolish forgetting to unclip your pedals when you come to a stop! We all do it once