Ezee Torq 2 years on

[Ermintrude]

Dear All,

I'm just coming up for 2 years on an Ezee Torq. Overall I'm very pleased with her but I have experienced the usual problems:
I unwisely (as it turns out) went for a Li-Ion battery (Phylion) and I use her 4 days a week on a 17 mile round trip to work come rain or shine. I live in Oxfordshire, so no massive hills. I'm 50, 5ft 2ins(this means that the bike is way too big for me, so I don't get good purchase on the pedals) fairly fit. Well the battery lasted about 6 months giving me reasonable power and I've kind of kept her going until now by re-charging at work (after about a year). I'm ready for a new one now.
Also she stopped regularly as soon as there was any hint of a shower. I now have her swathed in plastic, rubber gloves etc and that has solved the problem.
One thing I was a bit miffed about- she stopped working at the end of August and I thought I needed to call on the extended warranty I'd purchased through 50 Cycles. The website said to contact Cyclepoint. They said that they weren't handling warranties and to go to 50 Cycles. After no replies to emails I eventually got them on the phone and they referred me back to Cyclepoint! Ended up fixing it myself...
One Question:

Cyclepoint are advertising 2 new batteries a Li-Ion Manganese at 4.6 Kilos and a Li-Polymer at 3.3 Kilos. The lighter a wee bit more expensive. Both 37V 10Ah. Would these both be okay for me? Would I need a new charger? Will they last me longer than 2 years? )I pedal quite a bit but as I said I'm a bit small for the bike.)

Thanks
Erm

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Erm,

Sounds like you are still using the original battery which is remarkable given the problems experienced with the original Phylion ones. Or have I got it wrong, was this a replacement battery?
Whatever, you sound very pleased with your Torq overall, excepting the normal problems with waterproofing which I experienced just last week and have also managed to overcome.

As for a replacement battery, both the new ones seem to be reliable so far. Flecc has very thoroughly tested the Li-Ion Manganese type and gave it a good report. The Li-Polymer one is reputed the be good too, there is a test report in the latest edition of A to B. My understanding is the Li-Polymer will soon, if not already, be the only one available.
You won't need a new charger. The batteries now have a one year warranty and would hopefully last for 2 years.

J hn

 

[Ermintrude]

Thanks John,

Yes, original battery. I'll have a look in the AtoB mag. and if Li-Polymer gets a good write up it's probably worth going for that.

Cheers

Erm

 

[Mussels]

One thing I was a bit miffed about- she stopped working at the end of August and I thought I needed to call on the extended warranty I'd purchased through 50 Cycles. The website said to contact Cyclepoint. They said that they weren't handling warranties and to go to 50 Cycles. After no replies to emails I eventually got them on the phone and they referred me back to Cyclepoint! Ended up fixing it myself...

That's very naughty, your contract is with the retailer. They can't just turn round and say tough luck we don't sell those any more.

 

[joab]

I agree with Mussels.
Jo

 

[Cyclezee]

Dear All,

One thing I was a bit miffed about- she stopped working at the end of August and I thought I needed to call on the extended warranty I'd purchased through 50 Cycles. The website said to contact Cyclepoint. They said that they weren't handling warranties and to go to 50 Cycles. After no replies to emails I eventually got them on the phone and they referred me back to Cyclepoint! Ended up fixing it myself...
Thanks
Erm

A question Erm, what was the problem when the bike stopped working? As others have said your extended warranty was with 50cycles, so I don't quite understand why they wouldn't help.

A possible solution to your problem with the pedals could be to add to the thickness of them. I'm not sure how to do that, or if there is something available off the shelf. I'm do know a member of the forum will know of a solution.

J hn

 

[flecc]

Hi Erm. Many years ago when we handed everything down and were too poor to buy new all the time, adult size bikes would pass down the generations and thick pieces of wood were bolted either side of the pedals to enable short legs to reach. I don't know of any proprietary pedals that are higher, but it may be possible to add pads to the pedals in the old way as John has said.

Another alternative is to change the cranks for shorter ones. The standard crank length on eZee bikes is usually 175 mm, but you could opt for 150 mm ones without much ill effect and shorten the pedal reach by an inch.

Some sports types have even opted for 100 mm cranks which would reduce the pedal reach by almost 3 inches, but that's a bit extreme.

Shorter cranks have less leverage and to use them the pedalling rate is speeded up so that the effort on each stroke remains the same, with more strokes per minute amounting to the same total input.

Using 150 mm cranks would need you to increase your pedalling rate by 1 in 7 to feel that you are putting in the same effort, so if you normally pedal at 50 revs a minute, it would up to 57. However, on an e-bike the pedalling is less important than on a normal bike so changing the rate is really a bit academic.

To make the change to shorter lengths you'd need a new left crank and a new crank and spider on the right, and any competent bike shop could quote you for that.
.

 

[bode]

One thing I was a bit miffed about- she stopped working at the end of August and I thought I needed to call on the extended warranty I'd purchased through 50 Cycles. The website said to contact Cyclepoint. They said that they weren't handling warranties and to go to 50 Cycles. After no replies to emails I eventually got them on the phone and they referred me back to Cyclepoint! Ended up fixing it myself...

Sounds not untypical of what one reads about that company's support for bikes they no longer sell.

 

[Cyclezee]

Sounds not untypical of what one reads about that company's support for bikes they no longer sell.

I can't comment on Ermintrudes problems with 50cycles, but as far as Kalkhoffs are concerned, from my experience after sales service has been excellent.

J hn

 

[Ermintrude]

Re Torq issues

Thanks for these replies everyone. I think I'll have a go at blocks on the pedals to begin with, I remember seeing these as a kid.

To be fair to 50 Cycles they did offer advice on the phone (after a bit of effort on my part). The bike was showing 8 flashes on the controller, motor engaging momentarily and then cutting out. It turned out to be the big electrical connections, I was worried that it was the tiny hall sensors (?) and they reassured me that most likely it was not and I could confidently go ahead and fiddle with the others. They also warned me that the colours may not be connecting like for like- sure enough they weren't! I was up for doing this but of course I had to strip off all the water-proofing and before they's spoken to me I was worried about invalidating the warranty- I should be so lucky!
Anyway all turned out okay and I found a fairly obvious loose connection. I do feel that I've wasted money thinking that I was buying somem peace of mind. I think 50 Cycles have a problem because they now have very few parts for Torqs left in stock, however once you can get to speak to them as they told me they do have a lot of expertise. So, I'm sure that they'll help me with advice agian inthe future if I need it. But quite frankly with you guys and Fleccwhat more do I need!

Cheers
Erm

 

[wotwozere]

Hi Bode

50cycles are the best company I have dealt with in 50 years and there reputation and service has been fantastic on this forum.

Now done 146 miles on my Agattu and lost 1 stone and no more sleeping problems.

It is unfair of Wai Won to comment on the looks of the X6 because I always think it looks like the torq, it is almost like calling yourself ugly. He must be jealous that they can build the same thing at half the price. Do n't worry powebike it looks just fine for the money.

thx

Bob