eZee Torq Owner Reviews

jeronimo479

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 6, 2008
12
0
2006 eZee Torq



Reviewer: Wayne T.

Purchased From: Electric Bikes | Folding Bicycles | Powered motor kits | Scooters

Purchase Price: $1815 US, delivered (9/7/2006)

Time Owned: Purchased 8/4/2006

Local Terrain: Flat / Moderate Hills


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Strengths:
* Goes fast, over 22 m.p.h. (see note 1)
* Great Looks, not many people recognize that I have an electric bike
* Has a very sturdy frame.
* Stop the wheels easy, but the bike does skid for a while.
* Has good hill climbing power. (see note 1)



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Weaknesses:
* Lithium battery and charger still need development. User guide
should explain ALL the caveats for battery care and use.
* Drive sprocket jumps chain at least twice a ride on a fairly
smooth path.
* Large frame doesn't allow for an upright position, which leads to
back-ache on extended rides. (I'm 5'9" and still have to lean over).
* Kickstand tends to "hum" every time I go over ANY bump. It isn't
held in place securely.
* Aluminum water bottle is sturdy, but assumes ambient temperature
quickly, leading to warm water.
* Headlamp is now driven by main battery, but isn't very bright.
* Tail lamp is now driven by main battery, but isn't very bright.
* Charge indicator (Green, Yellow, & Red) LED indicator is absolutely
worthless. Since lithium batteries have a very gradual slope, it is
impractical to display power remaining based on voltage (which
degrades over time anyway). An ammeter over time would have been more
practical. Since there is a microchip that drives the motor, it could
have easily been tasked to track power consumption. A digital readout
would have been far more useful. I never know when my system is going
to die. It just quits!



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Summary:
I bought the eZee Torq because I wanted a commuter bike. I live
next to a bike trail that used to be a railroad bed. I travel 10.3
miles one way. I have logged over 1300 miles now. My original battery
lasted one season, 600 miles. The next Spring I barely got 50% out of
it.
I complained to eZee about this and they told me that the battery
life and charge cycles are highly dependant on surge current,
temperature, discharge levels, charging rates, and average speed. I
paid $150 extra for the Lithium because I was told I could expect 450
to 550 charge cycles before reaching 60%. I didn't even get 50, before
I reached 50%.
They sent me a new battery. I used it a few times to see if it was
going to work. It completely failed. I sent it back and kept using the
original. Then the charger burned up. They returned the replacement
battery after a month or so and said they couldn't find anything wrong
with it. I went over a curb and it failed completely again. They sent
me a replacement charger. It burned up the internal fuse the first
time I used it. The 3rd charger also failed, but not completely. The
Green Light came on after 20 minutes. WOW, what a supper duper
charger. A 4 hour charge in 20 minutes. I was doubtful! Seems they
got something wrong. The unit does charge (I measure the input
current), but the indicator doesn't work right. This all took more
than a year to get resolved and the warranty finally expired.
So I have a crappy battery with 70% capacity that intermittently
quits and a charger that doesn't tell you when its done.

Twist: I bought the bike with a credit card that will double the
one year warranty. So, they sent me $600 to buy a new battery and
charger. Of course I'm still out the shipping costs, they won't pay
for that.

So here is what the Singapore engineer from eZee told me: Don't go full
speed all the time. Avoid quick starts, or hill climbing. Don't
deplete the battery. Turn the bike off after the first time the low
voltage protection circuit trips. Don't ride in hot weather. Keep it
charged over the winter.

So here are the gotchas:
* I want to go full speed, that's why I bought it for commuting!!!
* Hill climbing is this things claim to fame!!
* You can't actually tell when the battery is depleted until it quits!
* If you use the bike for 10 miles, then hit a small hill, the low
voltage circuit trips and you can't trust that after that, you aren't
damaging your battery.


I'd love to know If I am the only one having these Lithium battery
troubles. I want to run it hard and go fast. If that means using a
NmH battery, fine. I can trade distance for speed. I only have to go
10 miles before I can recharge.

I kept good records, of mileage, temperatures, and charge cycles.
I'm an engineer and thought this information would be useful. I'd
be willing to share with people who asked for it.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) :7

note: 1) These systems only work when the battery works.
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196


Reviewer: Tony Flecchia

Purchased From: 50 Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,195

Time Owned: 5 Months

Local Terrain: Very Hilly

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Strengths:
Fast and powerful on the flat and moderate slopes. Very good fast handling and stability. Good image. Fully equipped. Hardly shows it's an electric.


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Weaknesses:
Weak rear roller brake. Not suitable for short riders below 5 foot 6 inches. Needs attention to waterproofing if riding in wet weather. In country with hills 1 in 8 (12%) or more, only suitable for fit riders due to both motor and derailleur gearing being for speed rather than hill climbing.


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Summary:
A bike which is huge fun to ride, but also practical at the same time. A "real" bike which creates a favourable impression with other cyclists, also youngsters who beg to try it out.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 8
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Jeremy Tarrant

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,195

Time Owned: 2 Months

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills

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Strengths:
Good appearance and riding posture. Fast on level terrain and quite adequate on the moderately hilly terrain of north Somerset. Better than the Giant bicycles tested.


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Weaknesses:
Poor lights as delivered. Serious brake judder, not yet rectified under warranty terms. Poor brakes in relation to speeds achievable. Hard ride, - needs front fork suspension/damping. Why 28" wheels? Would be better with 26" to suit the smaller rider.


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Summary:
Probably good value for money. Needs some refinement as detailed above. Too soon to give long-term appraisal, but looking good!


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 8
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: John Plested

Purchased From: eBay

Purchase Price: £850

Time Owned: 3 Months

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills

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Strengths:
Well made, fast, good range.

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Weaknesses:
Poor hill climber


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Summary:
Fantastic bike to ride on a journey of 25/30mls.
I have changed the front chain ring to 44 teeth to give me better hill climbing at a slight loss of top speed.

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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Struan Hellier

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,195

Time Owned: 1 Month

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills

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Strengths:
Exceptional speed on the flat, good looks, solid build with high quality cycle parts, powerful, comfortable, good range, light.


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Weaknesses:
Weatherproofing, hill climbing ability - though I would not overstate this as it is a lot better than I expected.


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Summary:
A superbly made bicycle with a first rate distributor. If you ride in the dry and up no more than moderate hills, you could not make a better choice.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Ian Fowkes

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £995

Time Owned: 8 Months

Local Terrain: Minor Hills


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Strengths:
Robust construction, light weight, good looks, quality components, very fast, long range.


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Weaknesses:
Hard ride on rough terrain, judder from front brakes.


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Summary:
A great bike, well designed and built, in the 8 months I've owned the bike nothing has broken or fallen off. This is a bike which is happiest at speed, the motor is a bit sluggish and noisy from a standing start, but with a bit of legwork in a low gear a brisk start is easy enough. The motor really comes into play at about 7 mph and will get the bike up to 16 mph as fast as you can operate the rapid fire gear shifter. Hills are no problem as long as speed can be kept above about 7 mph, much below this and the motor quickly stalls.

One of the main reasons for choosing this bike was the claims of range exceeding 30 miles and it did not disappoint. I chose the NiMh battery(No longer advertised) which has about 10% less capacity than the more expensive but lighter Lion type, in spite of this I can achieve over 35 miles on the relatively level terrain where I live, and even achieved 27 miles on the North Yorkshire Moors where the hills exceed 25%(1:4) although it was necessary to push the bike up the steepest hills, not hard work as the bike will propel itself, only requiring the rider to walk alongside and guide it. The gearing both on the motor and pedal drive is rather high, great for speed but not so good for hills. I replaced the 52T chainring with a 38T and replaced the outer chainguard with a 44T chainring to give me a choice, moving the chain between the rings has to be done my hand as there's no room for a front mech. This has made it much easier for me to pedal the bike up steep hills, why are ebikes not fitted with a wider gear range?

The Torq is a big bike, a big frame on big wheels so it's not particularly suited to small riders, I'm 5'6" so I replaced the steel flip-able sprung seatpost with a rigid alloy type which has reduced the minimum saddle height by about 50mm and saved a bit of weight.

The brakes could be better, the front brake stops well enough but is prone to judder, this can be cured temporarily by cleaning the rim. The rear roller brake lacks "feel" and soon loses its effectiveness on long descents, perhaps a machine this fast should have discs if a suitable mounting could be integrated into the front hub motor.

Overall the Torq is a great bike, but its high geared motor is best suited to the open road where it can get into its stride and stay there. Highly Recommended.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Stephen Beaumont

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,095

Time Owned: 3 Weeks

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills

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Strengths:
Speed, speed and more speed. I use the bike to commute to work (no showers) and need the assistance in order to arrive in a fit state to work. On my return leg, I try to avoid using the throttle (tempting up hills).
It does feel like someone is 'pushing' you along, particularly up hills. I have found that with some effort, the bike devours hills at a pace I could only dream of unassisted. It is derestricetd and as I do pedal onn half my 15 mile journey it's difficult to say re range. It is normally still green when I've finished but I've had a couple of runs where it is amber. I would say c 20 miles is about right.


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Weaknesses:
The gearing is not good for hills unassisted. To get up some steep hills I'd have to be out the saddle and put in real effort as 25kg in that gearing is not easy. If I had the tech know how I'd have a lower gear at the expense of top speed. Also some brake judder (slight) on the front brake - haven't tried to adjust yet though.



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Summary:
Much better than I thought it would be. I average over 16 mph for my 7.5m journey (in London, lights etc..) and it is a pleasure to be on a bike again. Now using at weekends too which I wouldn't have done previously. The range is perfect for my trip (15 miles) enabling me to use more juice if necessary. The comfort is that if I do run out it is still good to cycle unassisted. A good buy and I feel fitter already after 3 weeks !



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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: David Goldstone

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,195

Time Owned: 11 Months

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills


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Strengths:
I use the Torq for daily commuting from Highgate to central London - a round trip of about 12 miles including a moderately steep hill on the return journey. Overall the bike has been excellent after some early teething troubles (see weaknesses). It's a pleasure to ride and does exactly what it says on the label. Hill performance is reasonable and on the flat it is an absolute joy. Range is about 30 to 35 Km with no pedalling and some hills. Obviously you get more if you help the bike out.



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Weaknesses:
1. Teething troubles in the first month including front brake judder and some annoying electrical problems, though 50 cycles were pretty good at sorting things out. All fine now though.
2. The bike comes with a front light powered by dynamo and a rear LED that requires separate AAA batteries. Crazy that the bike doesn't come with lights powered by the main battery.
3. Gear ratio is not suitable for steep hills, which isn't a problem in my area but could be in more hilly parts.
Otherwise nothing of any consequence.


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Summary:
A fantastic commuting bike that has revolutionised my journey to and from work. Strongly recommended.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Nigel Brownsea

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,000

Time Owned: 4 Months

Local Terrain: Some Minor Hills

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Strengths:
Excellent speed on the flat 22mph bike looks good its the best i have seen i like the back roller brake good in wet weather.


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Weaknesses:
Front brake wheel judder have changed brake blocks it has made no difference


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Summary:
I would reccomend this bike for the average rider but be careful on really steep hills otherwise its a blast.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 9
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Andy Cawthera

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: £1,095

Time Owned: 5 Months

Local Terrain: Flat

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Strengths:
Bought it to commute a 13 mile round trip in London with less effort and more speed, it achieves this and is good fun to boot. Great on smooth roads.


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Weaknesses:
I am concerned the battery may not last 400-450 re-charges. At first there was no problem, re-charged it each night after my 13 mile round trip and it was always on green even if I did 4-5 miles extra. Sometimes I would do a double trip - 26 miles and it would just touch red. Then after about 4 months it was on red from a 17 mile trip. It now touches red most days. I always peddled fairly hard but now do so much and use the throttle a lot less. I get the 13 mile round trip in OK but wouldn't be confident of 20 even with hard peddling. 50 Cycles have tested the battery and say it is fine. I have asked where I stand if it won t re-charge 400-450 times as advertised and been told that the guarantee is only for 6 months and it hasn't let me down yet (would guess few people will do over 120 recharges in that time I doubt I will do 100 and most of these have been half ones )

3. The bike is the worst I have had for absorbing bumps from the road. I used to be more tired than I wanted to be from cycling 13 miles, 65 a week especially if some was into a strong wind. Now I am tired from be shaken around.

4. Front break judder is a real problem, adjusting the breaks so that they are close to the rim solves it but as soon as a spoke breaks the wheel goes out of true and then the break can t be close and you are peddling against the brakes.



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Summary:
Great on smooth roads where it is fast and fun. Six broken spokes, emerging doubts over battery length and a real difficulty with the bike not coping with the bumps and pot holes of S. London so that you feel shaken to bits is a real problem. Have now changed my commuting route from quieter cycle lanes / routes to bus routes and main roads not as pleasant but smother, less shake and better on the battery but this isn't what I bought it for. Without a six month trial of another electric bike it's hard to say how this compares to other makes.

The bikes are made in China and seem to be 20+% cheaper in other western countries why?



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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 6
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Reviewer: Mike Button

Retailer: 50 Cycles

Purchase Price: 1200

Time Owned: 4 months

Terrain: Some minor hills


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Strengths:
Very sturdily built and great looking. I've only had the bike for 4 months (purchased Nov 07) but so far no problems at all and it's performance has exceeded expectations. A couple of the reviews here have mentioned poor lights and poor front brakes but I guess these have since been upgraded. I think the lights are excellent, especially the rear light. The front brake is now disk and I certainly do not get any shuddering when braking.


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Weaknesses:
The gearing does make hill climbing unassisted rather hardwork. No problem when you turn the throttle though.


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Summary:
Despite having had the bike over the winter months I've used it almost daily and I'm now looking forward to the warmer weather and more trips to the Norfolk countryside. With regard to battery miles per charge this varies a lot on how much you decide to assist with pedel power! I'd also like to mention the great help I received from 50 cycles re: the Cycle to Work scheme which my employer readily agreed to.


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Overall Rating: 9