Mezzo folding bicycles & eMezzo e-bikes for sale

morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
Hi guys,

I've got some second-hand Mezzo bicycles for sale cheap if anyone is interested. These bikes are extremely high quality, British designed and engineered by famous bicycle and F1 designer, Jon Whyte. The bikes are a good budget alternative to a Brompton, having 16" wheels, and folding almost as small as a Brompton, yet having the feel and sturdiness of a full-size bicycle, hence the name "Mezzo" which is Italian for half-way (between a full-size bicycle and a folding). They have some unique features, including the unusually wide gearing range for a small folder (which is super-smooth when changing gears), anodised aluminium-alloy frames providing scratch-resistance, integral black rack and mudguards.

Folding and unfolding: For those not familiar with Mezzo's, the bicycles have a unique design for a folding bicycle, as the frame has no fold in it, and instead the back half of the bicycle folds under it with the rack acting as a trolly with mini-wheels, and the front-wheel has a QR drop-out and folds and locks against the back wheel. Then the handlebar folds down, and the pedals fold. You end up with something extremely compact that will fit in the boot of even the smallest hatchback with plenty of room to spare for shopping! Two of these bikes folded will fit in a larger hatchback. Unfolding is a breeeze and the bikes virtually unfold themselves and auto-lock in place for riding, all that needs doing is the QR catch pushing down on the front-wheel to secure it, and it's ready to ride! They are a real joy to ride (and I'm not just saying that), check out reviews by professionals, they always get the thumbs up over rival folding bikes.

So, anyway, down to business. I've got the following Mezzo bikes up for graps cheap (unconverted):

2 x Black Mezzo 2012 D9 (9-speed cassette)
2 x Silver Mezzo 2010 D9 ditto
2 x Silver Mezzo 2009 HI4 (4-speed hub cassette)



1 x Metallic Blue 2010 D9 (9-speed cassette)

Condition: all the above bicycles are either VGC or immaculate (the two black ones) with minimal signs of use. A common sign of wear on Mezzo's is on the rear rack upper bar that tends to get worn as it touches the floor when folded[1] and some people drag the bicycle folded as it has real mini wheels for that purpose. The problem is, the wheels are not quite large enough to clear the floor, hence wear to rack bar from dragging on roads/pavements.

Note: the 2 black Mezzo's don't have this wear to the rack bar, but all the others do, in varying degrees, but it doesn't really detract from the overall clean and tidy appearance as once the rack bag is in place, you don't even see the upper rack bar.

[1] Rack mod: For rear racks with wear on the upper bar, there is a simple fix: a piece of thick black electrical insulation tape and super-glued on, makes it look like new again. It's a good idea to fit slightly larger wheels on the rear rack to prevent it touching the floor (which is an easy mod to do, as the wheels come off with an allen key).

Price: I'd like 350 quid each for these bicycles which I think is a fair price and very good value considering they cost 1000 quid new and haven't had much use. Viewing & collection are welcome, or I can post anywhere in the UK for 10 quid on 48hr tracked delivery (insurance extra) or 25 quid to most EU countries on a 3-4 day tracked delivery.

And I've got the following eMezzo bikes (converted):

1 x Black Mezzo 2010 D8 (8-speed cassette, used 250W rear drive motor + 24v10Ah new battery) 650 quid




1 x Black Mezzo 2010 D8 (8-speed cassette, used 250W rear drive motor + 36v10Ah new battery) 650 quid

1 x Charcoal Grey 2014 Curve D8 (ditto, brand new in original box, 36v10Ah new battery) 750 quid



The used converted bikes, although used, have brand new kits fitted with very little use. They are very high quality kits. Near silent motors with metal gearing, LCD backlit controller consoles on handlebar, brake sensor motor cut-out, PAS sensor, thumb throttle, very neat wiring with easy colour-coded connectors (front and back) so you can remove the battery+controller off the bike as they're stored in the Mezzo small rack-mounted bag which slides on and off easily and comes with a shoulder strap for carrying.

The carry weight of the eMezzo is about 13.5kg without the rack bag on, and about 17kg with it on.

Performance & Features: OK I may be extremely biased here, but I say this is quite possibly one of the best e-bikes ever. It has the perfect combo of extreme portability without compromise on ride, performance and raw power.

This is what e-bikes is all about, freedom to travel and freedom to use other transport and go into places WITH your e-bike. If you want an e-bike you can literally take anywhere in the world, this is it.

The eMezzo's being really light bicycles with small wheels go really fast (but are of course limited to 15mph by law before power to motor automatically shuts down. The LCD panels have 1-5 levels of PAS (pedal assistance) so you can decide exactly how much power you want, or you can use the throttle. There's no need to switch between PAS or throttle mode on the console, you can alternate freely between the two which is very handy. For example, at a give way, roundabout or junction, you might want to pull away quickly or move quicker than your normal PAS level, so you can just use the throttle briefly, then revert to PAS. If you put it in the highest gear (8) you can just about keep up with the motor at PAS 5 or on full throttle, and the bicycle reaches speeds of 17-20mph then. I've not found a steep hill these bikes can't handle (and Worcestershire/Redditch is particularly hilly!). Battery and power performance is excellent. I haven't needed to charge for several days, after doing a daily < 5-6 mile round-trip journey using full power and pedalling only some of the way. The LCD also provides a lot of accurate info; speed, distance travelled, journey time, clock/time, total historic mileage. There's an indicator that shows current draw on battery which is useful for assessing when you need to pedal a bit on hills, to maximise battery life, as when you pedal on a steep hill (which is easy in highest gear), that current draw indicator falls as the motor is doing less work.

The overall appearance and conversion is very discrete and tidy. People have said the bikes don't even look electric (which I think is a good thing). It would be quite safe (depending on place/area) to remove the rack bag, and lock the eMezzo up somewhere and go do your shopping. I also find, the because the bike is so small, you can take it (unfolded) into shops/cafes and they don't seem to mind. If you fold it, they will even usually store it for you or keep an eye on it in supermarkets I find! It also goes without saying, taking on public transport (buses and trains) folded is a breeze, and there's no 'second ticket' or "sorry no room for that" nonsense, you can take it on as luggage and put on the luggage rack or even just put it on a seat next to you, if one is free!

Accessories: Mezzo provides bags to cover it if you're worried about it getting nicked or carrying it on public transport and attracting attention. There's two types; simple cover, or proper sturdy handled/shoulder bag for going on planes (yes this bike can go on planes as hold luggage without extra fees).

There is also a larger 'commuter bag' which is like a mini-luggage bag or large shopping bag (has two handles, and an attachable shoulder strap). This bag is ideal if you want to go shopping, or carry quite a lot of stuff to/from work etc. Both the commuter bag and the regular Mezzo rack bag, slide on and lock securely on the rack. They were not cheap to buy originally (40 quid and 80 quid) but these bags are weather-proof and also built to last a lifetime by a French company. They were guaranteed for 10 years as I recall. I do have a few (some new, some used) but you can usually pick up new bags on eBay cheap, else I can supply them cheap from Mezzo's manufacturers on request.

I will post some pictures shortly of the converted bicycles. If anyone is interested in a specific bicycle (converted or unconverted), I will post a lot of pictures of that for you on request showing every angle and close ups.

Finally, if anyone wishes to buy an unconverted Mezzo off me to convert to an eMezzo, I can supply same kits cheap (any wheel size), with or without batteries. The cost is around 150-200 quid for the kits (allowing for import duty and VAT, which may or may not get charged), and the batteries are 90-110 quid for 24V10Ah or 130-150 quid for 36v10ah, again allowing for import duty and VAT, ditto). There's lead time of about 5-10 days for kits and batteries, but bicycles can be sent next day. I can offer a kit fitting for anyone who doesn't fancy having a go themselves, the cost is 60 quid (I use a properly trained bicycle engineer to do it).
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
COLLECTION: From Redditch in Worcestershire (West Midlands, 18 miles south of Birmingham City Centre) B98 8YN. Weekdays is fine (until 4pm) and Saturdays (until 2pm). Please call 07708 550 298 if interested in buying, or wanting to arrange a viewing, or just send a personal message/email with your number, and I'll call you at a time that's convenient.

PAYMENT: I can take instant credit/debit card or instant bank transfer payments using Barclays PingIt. If you have a smartphone running the app you can get a request to pay, else point your phone at a QR code on an invoice. Alternatively, bank transfer or cheque is welcomed. I do accept PayPal too but it's my least preferred method due to the high fees (however I understand people like the buyer protection side of PayPal and I do have a PayPal Here(tm) card machine so can take card payments on-site or over the phone using PayPal even if you don't have an account with PayPal, or I can send a PayPal payment request if you do have an account).
NOTE: I'm flexible on payments, if you want a bike but can't afford it this month, you can spread the cost over 2-3 months.

GUARANTEE: On the used bikes, I offer a 90 days guarantee against any faults or mechanical failures (excluding normal wear and tear or from misuse). On the e-bike conversion kits I offer a 12-months guarantee as these are brand new. On the new charcoal Curve eMezzo I offer a 2 years guarantee on the bike and kit. Chargers are covered for 12 months, but batteries as consumable items are excluded, however, providing its been used correctly and looked after, if one fails in the first 12 months we'll collect it and arrange a repair, or a replacement at my discretion. .
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
Thanks cwah. I hope someone takes these fine bikes from the forum rather than put them on ebay :)
 

morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
I have noticed an unusual feature on the LCD consoles of the kit I'm using which I've been playing with. It lets you set the maximum speed in mph for EACH of the 1-5 PAS level's. It even allows you to set the speed well above the 15mph limit (I went up to 40mph on the LCD and it was still increasing :eek: but of course, when I pushed the throttle, the controller override which is hard-set or programmed-in, limited the speed to 15mph :(, but I was able to change level-1 to a maximum speed. :cool: This is a neat feature as it means you can set the speed that feels right for you on each level...perhaps in sync with different gears for different terrains or riding styles:

1+8 = Get me there, like yesterday (usually me)
5+3= I'm just cruising at a leisurely 10mph enjoying the countryside (summer mode)

:p
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
Further discussion on the conversion of the Mezzo's for those interested..

It goes without saying, a rear wheel conversion is the logical and easiest way with this bike due to the front-wheel QR drop-out. Conversion is not that different to converting any other bicycle, but due to the Mezzo's unusually wide gear range (9-speed and 10-speed by default) you will have to lose 1 or 2 gears and be limited to 8-speed (which really is irrelevant and a good trade for having electric!). On my conversions we've chosen gears which are the same as the original Mezzo spec and tried to keep the gearing range (high and low) in sync. I think we have achieved that. This is something to consider though if you want to DIY on a Mezzo. You will have to replace the gears.

HOWEVER, for those with the skill and who relish a challenge, and who wish to leave the original gears intact and try a front-wheel conversion (whilst retaining the fold), I can supply an even smaller motor kit (1.3kg 200W) in front-wheel motor sized axle, which Doug my bicycle engineer man tells me could be made to fit the Mezzo without any major engineering work, it just needs a new QR to fit he thinks. We're going to try this next, so watch this space.. but for those who want to try it, the option is there, for extreme lightness and a little easier carrying, at a slight cost of speed (speed will be reduced to around 12mph tops we think. i

If you went for a 24v motor the weight would be reduced further still as the 24v10Ah battery at 1.4kg is nearly 30% lighter than a 36v10Ah weighing in at 1.95kg. I have found 24V motors on 10Ah perform much the same as 36v10Ah on the flat speed-wise, no noticeable difference. It's only on hills you notice the difference. 24V definitely requires some pedalling and on extremely steep hills requires a little more effort on those steep hills else the motor struggles and you start to crawl). But that said, I have tested 24v10Ah on even the steepest hills this town can throw at it, and it's in no way taxing or comparable to riding powerless. You're just pedalling lightly to moderately, without breaking a sweat. However, I would recommend people only choose the 24v option if you're reasonably fit, and like to pedal, as using 24v on hills a lot without pedalling, is very likely going to shorten the life of the battery I would think. If you don't mind replacing it every year (or having it serviced/traded in and recycled where possible) that's fine.

Mezzo and disabled persons: The ultra-light option is a good choice if you have a flat and flights of stairs daily or a longish distance to carry the bike indoors (as I do) and/or a mobility disability (as in my own case again too). The eMezzo bike whilst 14kg is still a lump to lug up stairs or any distance, but is a lot easier to carry in a compact cube-like-shape, than trying a 20' mid-frame folder or even worse, a 20kg 26" folding MTB (as I used to!!) Having the ability to take the rack bag/battery+controller off though easily and carry that separately over your shoulder makes life a lot easier though for us disabled people.
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
NEWSFLASH

I'm currently engineering a rear red brake light and amber indicator lights for the eMezzo which is one unit the exact width of the Mezzo rack and same colour as luck would have it, so it fits neatly to the end of the rear rack. I sourced them in China, but like many things, the internals were just up to the job and the build quality is shoddy, so I decided to have a go at using the housing and re-doing the PCB and electronics inside which is a fairly simple job.

This light-set will have special car bright but low energy 12V LED's that work in day-light/sunny weather (not the usual 3v ultra-bright LEDs) and will draw power off the eMezzo e-bike battery. Left/right flashing amber indicators will either activated be via wired switch on the handlebar (brake light will come on automatically when rear brake is engaged) or via Bluetooth (BT is more ambitious to do, but it would be preferable to reduce the wiring across the frame, however it has safety issues so I'd have to be satisfied it works 100% reliable).

If this indicator/brake light combo works, I can easily make more and make them available as a DIY add-on for the eMezzo at cost price. No more putting your arm out and riding with one hand on an electric bike!!! Imagine that :)

I will post some pictures of the lights once completed, but it's a 'work in progress' and may take some weeks yet as we need a few more bits from China and further experimenting/adjustments as they flash too quickly. The lights do look really good though on the Mezzo and blend in well. There's also a horn/electronic bell, so this switch could replace the bell perhaps and I might forget Bluetooth.
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
What cells are you selling?
Using Lithium-Ion battery cells, the standard is 10Ah in 36V or 24V, but can do smaller or larger capacity easily on request. We can also do different shapes. They are very light, but I'm looking for a suitable ABS plastic housing to offer a bit more protection against dropping and rain.

I'm lucky to have an exclusive arrangement with a very long established battery factory in China that specialise in battery manufacturing, and produce high quality products.

One clever feature of using their batteries is that the chargers are super-compact and light (laptop sized so ideal for carrying to charge points - no fans or possibility of water ingress. There's a 7 hr charge version (very small) or a 3 hour marginally larger version. The chargers come free with the batteries.
 

cwah

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 3, 2011
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www.whatonlondon.co.uk
Do you have a picture and dimension of the charger?

Also, what cell make and model are you using?
 

JamesW

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 17, 2014
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Regarding the bags - over time the bolts have a tendency to come undone and require replacing, but is is not too difficult. I have had both for quite a while now!


Please could you point me at the specs/parts for the kits that you used. I am the very proud owner of a Mezzo D9 (2006 - so a good little workhorse) which I was told by in a shop could not be converted due to the front fork mechanism.
I'd love to upgrade this to electric as well as my full size bike which I have if the cost was sensible.

Did you put the battery in the small "commuter case" , As I have both the commuter case and the Laptop bag I would need to think about how this would work from a practical perspective.
 

JamesW

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 17, 2014
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I am probably biased here too, but Mezzo vs Brompton - Mezzo wins hands down.
I can unfold my Mezzo faster than a Brompton user can get the first nut done up - what a waste of time with all that twiddling.
Bag is located behind me giving greater stability on the bike, not flopping all over the handlebars!

I was challenged by my family to do a timed fold/unfold against the stopwatch after I'd had the bike for only a week and was showing it off. 3Sec to unfold from scratch and get up and go - my cousin hadn't even tidied his first shoe lace (there's a demo somewhere online of Mezzo being folded/unfolded against someone doing their shoes at an exhibition)
 

jerrysimon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 27, 2009
3,292
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Cambridge, UK
Grrrr ;)

You are as bias as I in saying the Brompton wins hand down for conversion and carrying the front bag on the frame not the handlebars i.e it does not flop around all over the place.

Jerry
 

JamesW

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 17, 2014
492
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Jerry,

I like the fact that the designer of the Mezzo recognised that putting a hinge right in the middle of the crossbar made for a less stiff bike. He designed a folder around this problem and overcame this constraint to come up with a stiffer, faster to fold bike than the Brompton. The bag directly over the rear wheel keeps the centre of gravitly low and in the middle of the bike and the CofG does not move when the handlebars are turned. This is why I think Mezzo beats Brompton! (I will concede that Brompton folds down about 2 inches smaller and the titanium version is substantially lighter, but spec for spec, the D9 vs an equivalent Brompton is a better bike for the money as it rides better - I've tried both and didn't like how the Brompton wobbled due to the hinge when compared to the Mezzo!

(I was not biased when making my original purchase ;), I chose the better bike back then and truly expected Mezzo to outstrip Brompton within 2 years. Brompton has won the marketing battle though. Like VHS vs Betamax - better product lost the marketing battle and so consumers lost out in the end!):D

James
 

superDove

Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2011
193
35
Cheshunt, Herts. UK
did you test ride the Brompton with luggage?
The Brompton is designed as a porteur right? It gets more stable with front luggage.
The luggage is what sold the Brompton for me.
I prefer the mezzo idea of not folding the main frame but you do have to bend down more to the front forks which you see on some YouTube clips people squatting down which is more awkward then simply reaching to the main frame.
What's the deal with the fast unfold? Who cares about that? It's folding the bike that matters when the train doors are about to close? Let's see a video of ride, detach luggage, fold, carry, unfold, reattach luggage and ride away. Anything else isn't relevant to the main function of these bikes.
Mezzo I believe have standard parts which it's a big advantage so if they can come up with a lighter bike, that has as good a luggage system as the Brompton then they can have my money.
 

cwah

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 3, 2011
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179
www.whatonlondon.co.uk
Do you sell spare rear motor wheel?

If so, what motor model it is and how much does it cost?

I'm also potentially interested by the 2014 d8 charcoal without controller (i want sine wave) and battery (i'd put latest ncr18650pf or similar).
What would be the cost?
 

Teen

Just Joined
Feb 15, 2015
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Notice you have been ill - hope you are feeling better. Do you still have recon folding electric bikes for sale? I need one which is light but sturdy ( i am aprox 100kg) what would you suggest?? and how do I contact you to purchase one?? Do you ( or do you know ) who may be interested in purchasing two IZIP electric bikes ?
 

SRM13

Just Joined
May 29, 2020
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Hi Morphix , I know your post is a few years old. I acquired an Ori M9 (successor to Mezzo) and wonder if you have converted one of these bikes? Or if you supply conversion kits ? Swytch kits aren't compatible as the fold is lost, and the price astronomical.