2014 Currie IZIP E3 DASH

[Admin]

Which did you like more? Peak or Dash &why

Dash all the way for me... It's smoother, quieter and more responsive. The throttle doesn't cut out after 7mph. This opinion also reflects my city/light trail riding vs. mountain. If I was on long steep trails then the Peak might be my choice but even then... the Dash just feels better.

 

[Rob N]

Dash all the way for me... It's smoother, quieter and more responsive. The throttle doesn't cut out after 7mph. This opinion also reflects my city/light trail riding vs. mountain. If I was on long steep trails then the Peak might be my choice but even then... the Dash just feels better.

First time post on these forums, but I love the reviews that I've checked over the last two weeks on EBR. I just purchased the Dash today after much deliberation, REI was the only retailer for IZip I could find in a reasonable driving distance from my home in Aurora, CO, so I had to break my rule of not going with my local bike shop. I love the bike, but quite honestly the REI staff just don't know E-Bikes, when I wasn't in their store looking at the bike they kept all the e-bikes way off in an area that nobody will ever see, very sad. But hey at least I'm going to get a $260 dividend at the end of the year.

What sold the bike for me was the speed you could keep even with pedal assist 1 with next to zero effort, ~15'sh MPH, on 4 I was able to get myself up to 30 on the flats with some effort, and topped out around 35 MPH going downhill, trying to pedal as hard as I could. This is going to be perfect for my 13 mile (each way) daily commute.

One thing I've found out already about the dash is that you can get those higher speeds with very little effort, but a massive drain on the battery. Being 6'1" and nearing 240lbs I understand I'm probably a bit of a larger rider for the battery and that I should expect some performance problems until I start losing some of this weight. Over the next few weeks I'm going to continue testing the bike as I build up confidence in my ability to make my commute in a timely fashion (while also dropping my son off at day care). My goal is to average somewhere around 22-25 MPH, and I got alot of hills around me. I have about 11 appreciable hills on my way to work, which is also in a mostly uphill direction.

The Dash feels great to me, the 19" frame is just a half inch smaller than the frame I have on my mountain bike, but it just feels nice. Also the smaller frame makes me feel a bit more in control considering you got a bit more "junk in the trunk". And with a Child seat on the back with a 2.5 year old, it's going to have a lot more!

What I really wanted to post about though is the shifting on the Dash. I noticed on my ride today that while in pedal assist 1 that being in the right gear really did matter for battery performance. So perhaps there is some difference with shifting on an e-bike. Perhaps it's not all about cadence if you want to get the maximum performance out of your battery, you're going to have to find a gear that allows you to work hard so you don't end up draining the battery in about 16 miles like I was on pace to do. Maybe someone with a bit more experience with e-bikes can weigh in on this.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

First time post on these forums, but I love the reviews that I've checked over the last two weeks on EBR. I just purchased the Dash today after much deliberation, REI was the only retailer for IZip I could find in a reasonable driving distance from my home in Aurora, CO, so I had to break my rule of not going with my local bike shop. I love the bike, but quite honestly the REI staff just don't know E-Bikes, when I wasn't in their store looking at the bike they kept all the e-bikes way off in an area that nobody will ever see, very sad. But hey at least I'm going to get a $260 dividend at the end of the year.

What I really wanted to post about though is the shifting on the Dash. I noticed on my ride today that while in pedal assist 1 that being in the right gear really did matter for battery performance. So perhaps there is some difference with shifting on an e-bike. Perhaps it's not all about cadence if you want to get the maximum performance out of your battery, you're going to have to find a gear that allows you to work hard so you don't end up draining the battery in about 16 miles like I was on pace to do. Maybe someone with a bit more experience with e-bikes can weigh in on this.

From what I have heard, Dash is truly a dashing bike..! Enjoy it
BTW, where is the torque sensor on Dash? is it in the dropout? (Stromer & Easy Motion have them there), because I couldn't see it at all.

On my eMTB, I clearly see a difference in range if I engage the gears more thoughtfully. Especially while climbing hilly roads, engaging a lower gear and pedaling hard lessens the strain on the motor. The motor doesn't draw the current linearly but more like a parabola and if you are careful to use to human energy while starting the ride and during climbs, it certainly extends the range.
Larry Pizzi did mention this in one another thread (look it up if you need more info).

 

[Aubrizzle]

First time post on these forums, but I love the reviews that I've checked over the last two weeks on EBR. I just purchased the Dash today after much deliberation, REI was the only retailer for IZip I could find in a reasonable driving distance from my home in Aurora, CO, so I had to break my rule of not going with my local bike shop. I love the bike, but quite honestly the REI staff just don't know E-Bikes, when I wasn't in their store looking at the bike they kept all the e-bikes way off in an area that nobody will ever see, very sad. But hey at least I'm going to get a $260 dividend at the end of the year.

What sold the bike for me was the speed you could keep even with pedal assist 1 with next to zero effort, ~15'sh MPH, on 4 I was able to get myself up to 30 on the flats with some effort, and topped out around 35 MPH going downhill, trying to pedal as hard as I could. This is going to be perfect for my 13 mile (each way) daily commute.

One thing I've found out already about the dash is that you can get those higher speeds with very little effort, but a massive drain on the battery. Being 6'1" and nearing 240lbs I understand I'm probably a bit of a larger rider for the battery and that I should expect some performance problems until I start losing some of this weight. Over the next few weeks I'm going to continue testing the bike as I build up confidence in my ability to make my commute in a timely fashion (while also dropping my son off at day care). My goal is to average somewhere around 22-25 MPH, and I got alot of hills around me. I have about 11 appreciable hills on my way to work, which is also in a mostly uphill direction.

The Dash feels great to me, the 19" frame is just a half inch smaller than the frame I have on my mountain bike, but it just feels nice. Also the smaller frame makes me feel a bit more in control considering you got a bit more "junk in the trunk". And with a Child seat on the back with a 2.5 year old, it's going to have a lot more!

What I really wanted to post about though is the shifting on the Dash. I noticed on my ride today that while in pedal assist 1 that being in the right gear really did matter for battery performance. So perhaps there is some difference with shifting on an e-bike. Perhaps it's not all about cadence if you want to get the maximum performance out of your battery, you're going to have to find a gear that allows you to work hard so you don't end up draining the battery in about 16 miles like I was on pace to do. Maybe someone with a bit more experience with e-bikes can weigh in on this.

Yeah, I got my E3 Peak from REI and I have to agree its a shame the staff wasn't as knowledgeable as they should have been on the bike. I am happy that I was able to get the bike at a brick and mortor store though.

You and I are in the same boat, as I too am 6'1 and about 235. I do think that learning to shift properly has really saved my battery life, especially with the center drive. I have only gotten up to 27mph on flat ground, I actually think I really don't want to go any faster than that, DC streets are treacherous with all the bumps and potholes!

 

[Admin]

Rob! Great testimonial, thanks for sharing your experience with the E3 Dash. It's a fun bike to be sure and I'm excited for you and your kid

Hey Ravi, is this the post you were talking about with Larry and different energy use with different motors? Also, I think he said the torque and cadence sensors on the Dash were inside the bottom bracket, not the drop outs. The bike does use a speed sensor with standard electronic unit on the left chain stay and a little magnet on one of the spokes.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Thanks court.
I think it's a similar thread where he mentioned the drawn current characteristics. If you're using throttle from dead stop, that's when the highest current is drawn. Engaging the motor whilst in motion draws much lesser current.
I saw some new Izip designs from the sea otter bike fest and they look wonderful. Also, heard Larry is heading the Accell group north America. Exciting to see ask these developments.

 

[Brian(J)]

First time posting here, after buying a Dash two days ago. Love it. Here are some thoughts I had:

• The correct description for how much noise it makes is not 'quiet'. It simply makes no sound whatsoever. There is no difference is sound in that mode or in level 4 with full throttle.
• There is a '0' assistance level which is a little hidden, you press the off button quickly and then there is no assistance but you get to keep the speedo etc.

Everyone has been very positive here and I love this commuting machine, but that are a couple negatives. They are minor:

1. Can't find the hookup point for the headlights, it is not where the website says (top of down tube). Really want to get that going.
2. Pedal work as pedals, but are very poor quality. I'll replace them and get strapped toe clips as well.
3. In some modes, the assist seems to cut in and out at about 18 to 20 mph, I get that it is supposed to do that but it is jerky. I will study this more.
4. To me, cruise control is the waste of a button, because there isn't any strain to holding the grip throttle in any position you want it. I would much rather have an up and a down button for the assist, rather than scrolling round and round.
5. The down shift button on the trigger shift is too stiff, but the shop may be able to adjust that out.

But like I said I love riding this from Mercer Island to Downtown seattle, 4.5 miles, 20 minutes, 1 bar each way at high assist. Faster than a car.

 

[Admin]

Great tips Brian! Welcome to the forums and thanks for sharing your experience, maybe Larry will read it and consider the button thing (swapping cruise control for up/down assist buttons)

[edit] Larry shared some comments just below... within 24 hours of your post! This is why he's awesome and IZIP bikes are getting so great, they really listen

 

[Larry Pizzi]

@Brian(J) Thanks for your post Brian and I'm so pleased that you like the Dash! Regarding your points;

1. To find the lighting wiring, you need to unscrew and clip the cable tie and pull on the bundle going into the down-tube. You should see the wiring once you do. If you have problems, call Chawn @ 805-415-0469 and he will assist.
2. The Welgo platform pedals are actually pretty good urban pedals but yes, you can replace them with something better that accepts clips and straps of some other clipless pedal system.
3. Assist cutting in and out -- Please mention this to Chawn but my guess is that it the torque sensor that is activated at that speed so motor actuation depends on pedal torque only and not the rotational sensor. I'd check the tightness of the bottom bracket cups to insure they have not loosened.
4. Regarding controls - Read you loud and clear and agree. Changes ahead for MY15
5. Likely a minor adjustment. Please mention it to your dealer when you return for your check-up.

Thanks again and please keep us posted on your progress and welcome to the IZIP Family!

 

[Brian(J)]

Larry,
I have suggestions for the city kit
1. develop it soon, because we need lights and fenders
2. have an option for an extra charger. Some people will want to keep a charger at work and one at home, so an affordable path to an extra charger would be good.

good for you for monitoring this forum.

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Larry,
I have suggestions for the city kit
1. develop it soon, because we need lights and fenders
2. have an option for an extra charger. Some people will want to keep a charger at work and one at home, so an affordable path to an extra charger would be good.

good for you for monitoring this forum.

Hi Brian,

We have some high-end B&M lights available that will fit your bike and there are standard fenders available. Our own City Kits should be available within the next few months so stay tuned. Additionally you can order lights directly from Peter White Cycles: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com. Regarding spare chargers, we should have spares in stock. Chawn can help you with all of these items.

Thanks again!
-Larry

 

[JRod0802]

After much deliberation, on Friday I bought the 2014 IZIP E3 Dash! I posted my full write-up over here.

 

[Brian(J)]

I want to add to JRod's comments in his write-up, quoted below.

I also feel like level 1 is a little high and should be 1/2 as much assistance. I would move Level 2 down to about where Level 1 is and split the difference with Level 3.
Another issue for me is that I run out of top gear and find myself looking for a higher gear.
One issue I had and just figured out was, coming to a stop in highest gear means needed to shift down to about 3rd to set up for the takeoff, and that means downshifting 6 times while pedaling enough to allow the chain to transfer. The issue was, the pedal action was enough to activate the assistance and speed me back up again. I realized that just taking the slack out of the brake cable by pulling the brake lever any amount kills the power, I now use the left brake as a kill switch. 1/8" of pull will do it, and it's a useful tool. Another example, coming up on other riders instead of coasting with all that freewheel noise I can pull 1/8" of brake and kill the power momentarily but continue pedaling. It's useful sometimes.

Last tip, if you want to see how much battery you have left by % and not bars, there is a way to do that here:
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Really happy to own this machine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from JRod:
"The only complaint I have is with the pedal assist settings. Pedal Assist 1 (the smallest amount of assist), is still too much power for me. Maybe it’s because I’m light weight, or maybe it’s because I’d rather go 10mph than 20, but I found it really hard to go under 20 in Pedal Assist 1, even without really pushing on the pedals at all. If I do want to go fast though, the pedal assist is great. I can pretty easily go 28 with almost no effort. It’s pretty cool.

For the time being, I’m keeping it on Throttle mode, and only really using the help on the up-hills, or if I end up on a bike lane on a busy road (on a fast, busy road, going fast seems a bit safer).

Overall I’m very pleased with the purchase. The Dash really is a great bike."

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Points well noted regarding the assist levels and we are addressing on 2015 version. Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

[JRod0802]

Just thought I'd cross post this brief review of the Dash from my comparison thread.

The Dash:

I’ve taken out the Dash on two rides so far. Here’s what I can say. As someone who is ~130 lbs, the Dash is very powerful. I have yet to meet a hill that the throttle wasn’t able to take me up completely on its own. The steepest hill had me going up at about 4 mph, but no pedaling was required. Not having to worry about hills is the whole reason I bought an ebike. I have asthma, and sometimes when I’ve been out on my regular mountain bike for a bunch of miles, and then I see a big hill to go up, it makes me wish I wasn’t on a bike in the first place. That’s pretty much why I stopped riding my regular bike. I wanted a walking level of energy usage, not a running level. Now, hills no longer make any difference. I can maintain my walking level of energy usage and still go everywhere I’d like to go. I feel like I’m on a nice stroll through the neighborhood.

But the best part of the Dash (relative to the other ebikes), is the silence. There are lots of bicycles in Boston, so when a bike goes by, most people don’t really take too much notice. So I’m sure most people either didn’t notice the battery pack at all, or just didn’t know what it was (it kinda looks like a toolbox). But if the motor was making an electric whine, I’m pretty sure most people would have noticed. I prefer to not be noticed as a ebike, not because I’m embarrassed, but because I don’t want people to get nervous that I’ll suddenly take off at high speed, or otherwise be a menace. I know being a menace isn’t any more true of ebike riders than any other bicycle riders, but still, some people might hold that misconception, and I don’t want to make anyone nervous. Having a silent bike really helps in the stealth category.

The only complaint I have is with the pedal assist settings. Pedal Assist 1 (the smallest amount of assist), is still too much power for me. Maybe it’s because I’m light weight, or maybe it’s because I’d rather go 10mph than 20, but I found it really hard to go under 20 in Pedal Assist 1, even without really pushing on the pedals at all. If I do want to go fast though, the pedal assist is great. I can pretty easily go 28 with almost no effort. It’s pretty cool.

For the time being, I’m keeping it on Throttle mode, and only really using the help on the up-hills, or if I end up on a bike lane on a busy road (on a fast, busy road, going fast seems a bit safer).

Overall I’m very pleased with the purchase. The Dash really is a great bike.

Also, I went on a nice bike ride on the Dash, and thought I would upload some pictures.



Here you can see the electric bicycle visiting its big brothers:



Jarrod

 

[Justin McLeod]

I want to add to JRod's comments in his write-up, quoted below.

I also feel like level 1 is a little high and should be 1/2 as much assistance. I would move Level 2 down to about where Level 1 is and split the difference with Level 3.
Another issue for me is that I run out of top gear and find myself looking for a higher gear.
One issue I had and just figured out was, coming to a stop in highest gear means needed to shift down to about 3rd to set up for the takeoff, and that means downshifting 6 times while pedaling enough to allow the chain to transfer. The issue was, the pedal action was enough to activate the assistance and speed me back up again. I realized that just taking the slack out of the brake cable by pulling the brake lever any amount kills the power, I now use the left brake as a kill switch. 1/8" of pull will do it, and it's a useful tool. Another example, coming up on other riders instead of coasting with all that freewheel noise I can pull 1/8" of brake and kill the power momentarily but continue pedaling. It's useful sometimes.

Last tip, if you want to see how much battery you have left by % and not bars, there is a way to do that here:
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Really happy to own this machine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from JRod:
"The only complaint I have is with the pedal assist settings. Pedal Assist 1 (the smallest amount of assist), is still too much power for me. Maybe it’s because I’m light weight, or maybe it’s because I’d rather go 10mph than 20, but I found it really hard to go under 20 in Pedal Assist 1, even without really pushing on the pedals at all. If I do want to go fast though, the pedal assist is great. I can pretty easily go 28 with almost no effort. It’s pretty cool.

For the time being, I’m keeping it on Throttle mode, and only really using the help on the up-hills, or if I end up on a bike lane on a busy road (on a fast, busy road, going fast seems a bit safer).

Overall I’m very pleased with the purchase. The Dash really is a great bike."

Brian,

When your Dash is charged 100%...What is the range it gives you for PAS 1-T? My dash reads 42 miles in PAS 1....cant remember the others right now but would like to know what your bike shows.

I did not know about the % not bars and will check this out tonite. Thanks!!

Thx
Justin

 

[Charly Banana]

I took my first ride today. It was only 7 miles, but I wanted to get a feel of how it does on the hills. There is this long, long hill that I've never been able to make it all the way to the top pedaling with my other non-electric bikes. Well, with the Dash in assist 3 I made it to the top with no problem. I'm not sure how many of the hills I will be able to do before I run out of battery, but at least I know that the motor has the power to conquer the hills that surround me where I live.
What fun!

 

[Justin McLeod]

Brian, Larry, Court,

The link below is the tip link Brian sent a few days ago. I went home to tested this and it works. My question is when my battery is 100% charged ( Link test number 8 is battery by % and shows 0100.) BUT when I went to number 9 it shows 072 = 7.2 AH - the dash is 8.8 AH. So why is it that the battery is 100% charged but the AH are not? When 100% charged my bike range on PAS 1 is 42 and I know of some peoples Dash goes up to 47 on PAS 1. IS my bike not charging all the way? Shouldn't the AH when 100% charged read 088 = 8.8 AH and not 7.2?
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Thanks for the help,
Justin

 

[JRod0802]

Brian,

When your Dash is charged 100%...What is the range it gives you for PAS 1-T? My dash reads 42 miles in PAS 1....cant remember the others right now but would like to know what your bike shows.

I did not know about the % not bars and will check this out tonite. Thanks!!

Thx
Justin

Hi Justin,

I just checked mine (at 99%) and it reads the following:

1 - 48 mi
2 - 38 mi
3 - 28 mi
4 - 19 mi
T - 17 mi

Brian, Larry, Court,

The link below is the tip link Brian sent a few days ago. I went home to tested this and it works. My question is when my battery is 100% charged ( Link test number 8 is battery by % and shows 0100.) BUT when I went to number 9 it shows 072 = 7.2 AH - the dash is 8.8 AH. So why is it that the battery is 100% charged but the AH are not? When 100% charged my bike range on PAS 1 is 42 and I know of some peoples Dash goes up to 47 on PAS 1. IS my bike not charging all the way? Shouldn't the AH when 100% charged read 088 = 8.8 AH and not 7.2?
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Thanks for the help,
Justin

I just thought I'd throw out there that when mine reads 99%, it shows 8.2 AH, which also seems too low.

Jarrod

 

[Brian(J)]

Well, I am beginning to regret posting that link.
The display on your bike doesn't really know how many AH you have in the battery because that can't be measured from data available to it. All it can get is voltage and it is extrapolating from there, probably not very well. Also, because there is no standard of stating AH in Ebikes (as far as I know) manufacturers are free to state whatever they like which consumers then treat as fact when it probably isn't. Court, I really need you to weigh in here.
The dead accurate way to determine AmpHours is to place a given load on a battery which is as similar as possible to the actual load and measure how many amps are delivered. There are automated devices that do this, which I own and can be found here, and with those you can compare different batteries very accurately.

To answer your question exactly I show a range of 41 miles at zero assist, and think about that for a second. The display thinks if I don't use it at all it will be dead at 41 miles.
Then:
1- 41
2- 33
3- 24
4- 16
and 7.0 AH at 100%.
I think we are just seeing the limitations of the display and not reality. But, I could be wrong and will wait for someone smarter to speak.