Boston rider: IZIP E3 Dash vs. Easy Motion Neo Cross – Specific Questions

[JRod0802]

I’ve been doing a lot of research regarding electric bikes lately, and I’ve narrowed down my choice of ebikes to two finalists (with a few backup in case those two don’t work out following a test ride). I’m currently looking at the IZIP E3 Dash and the Easy Motion Neo Cross. I live in Boston, and would use this bike for a couple of different reasons. One would be to go for a nice ride on the weekend. I’d like to casually ride all around the city, but on my regular bike I find that I just end up getting too out of breath, especially when going up hills (I have asthma). I’d like to explore at more of a walking level of energy rather than a running level of energy. I also volunteer downtown every Friday, and an ebike would be better than taking a bus to the subway (takes too long), or taking my car (costs $24 to park in the garage under the commons on weekdays).

I have a few questions that I was wondering if someone could help me with regarding these two bikes:

Considering the Dash has a gearless motor, it looks like it’ll be quieter than the Cross. I also read that the Cross is fairly quiet by itself. How quiet are these two really? If I rode past someone who was walking, would the Dash’s motor not be heard but the Cross’s motor be heard quietly? The laws in Massachusetts are ambiguous regarding ebikes, and I’d rather just seem like I’m on a regular bike.

Also, considering the Dash has a more powerful motor (500 W vs. 350 W), and a higher voltage battery (48V vs 36V), does that cancel out the fact that it has less torque due to being gearless? Which bike is a better hill-climber?

I also like that the Dash has what seems like a better pedal assist sensor because it uses torque, cadence and speed to determine motor output. But I haven’t exactly heard bad things about the Cross’s torque sensor pedal assist. Could someone who has ridden both compare the two? Is the Dash actually smoother here?

Lastly, and this might not be a question anyone here can answer, I know that many (if not all) of the Easy Motion Neo bikes can both share batteries and upgrade batteries when the next year’s tech comes out. Looking at the Dash (48v, 8.7 ah), it seems like in the next year or two the battery will be upgraded to 12ah (complete guess). While I’m nearly certain I could buy a newer, better battery from Easy Motion when it comes out, what about the upgradability of the Dash? Will it always be using the 48v 8.7ah battery, or will it be upgradable when newer tech comes out?

Thanks for considering my questions.

Also, at the risk of making this post far too long, I’d just like to say that this website and forum community have been a huge help in educating me in the arena of electric bikes. Court, thank you for putting so much effort into all this. The website looks great and I love that your reviews are all inclusive including technical specs, whole-bike rundown with both technical and subjective thoughts on each part, and they include both written and video reviews (both of which are very helpful). I especially like that you actually ride the bike in the video review rather than just stand next to it since this shows ride position, motor noise, and allows you to comment in real-time on both throttle mode and pedal assist. This place is exactly what I was looking for when I began my research, and may have saved me from buying a lower-cost bike that I now realize probably wouldn’t have met my needs.

 

[Admin]

Hi JRod! Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad the site has been useful for you. That was my intention creating it and it's rewarding to know that it's helping people.

You've done some great research and both the E3 Dash and Neo Cross are amazing rides that are some of the most popular sellers for their respective brands and categories. I'm going to distill my answers for you and include some of that subjective feedback you mentioned

• Neo bikes will blend in more because the battery is built right into the downtube vs. a pack design and the motor is physically smaller and less noticeable.
• Both bikes have quiet motors, depending on the assist or throttle level you choose they will sound about the same but the Dash will be quieter
• Given the higher watt motor and higher voltage battery combo on the Dash vs. the Neo system it will get similar power and torque for climbing but will weigh more 49.4lbs vs. 48lbs on the Cross (or 45 for the Carbon which is very similar in design)
• The Dash is smoother and a bit more responsive than the Neo line given the three sensors you call out (torque, cadence and speed) but they are both adequate
• I like that the Neo bikes have a removable LCD console because it defers tampering and vandalism

While I can't comment on whether or not Currie and IZIP will release an upgraded pack in the future I do know that all manufacturers are taking advantage of the higher density Lithium-ion cells coming out (they use the 18650 size that laptops and electric cars are driving prices down on). The bigger question is will they stick with the same battery configuration and my guess is yes given there are now two IZIP ebikes with the downtube pack (Dash and the Peak).

Some sidenote thoughts... neither bike has a bottle cage attachment point. The Dash is slightly cheaper and has a kickstand but the weight of the battery is higher. My personal preference for commuting is a mountain style ebike like the Easy Motion Neo 650b which has larger diameter wheels (like a city bike) but softer studded tires. Even the full suspension bikes if you're willing to spend a bit more for it. Let me know your thoughts, happy to chime in again and hopefully I answered your questions

 

[JRod0802]

Thanks for your reply Court! I guess I hadn't really looked at pure mountain bike style because I figured it would just be inefficient for city use with no added benefit when on the street. I didn't know that mountain-bike tires would feel softer. Now I'm busy comparing the Xtrem, 650B, Cross, and Race. I have a few questions, but since they're all Easy Motion bikes, I'll post over in the Easy Motion sub-forum.

Thanks again!

 

[rocks rico]

JRod,

I might suggest the Pedego City Commuter for Boston...a stealth e-bike in City clothing...with the 48v battery for the hills. Court has a nice review. There might be weight distribution issues, and you might not be able to test ride one easily in the Northeast (they're SoCal based and have focused on cruisers thus far), but the City Commuter may be a hit for them.

 

[JRod0802]

Thanks for the advice Rocks! I've never really ridden a cruiser-style bike before. There's some available at a nearby electric bike shop, so maybe I'll test ride those too.

As a side note, I've been paying particular attention to regular bicycles when they go by me, and they seem to be nearly silent. It makes me wonder how quiet any electric bikes (geared hub, direct drive hub or mid drive) really are. I guess I'll find out in person next weekend.

 

[rocks rico]

Hey, JRod, Look at Court's video...this is NOT a SoCal cruiser....it's a city bike with fenders and lights that looks like it belongs in Amsterdam...but has the electric guts....a "stealth" e-bike. The company appears to have established a solid base in non-cutting edge technology. I have looked at the izip e3 dash (Curry, a multinational, part of Accell Group)...a great looking bike for the price with similar features (it's got torque sensor technology, which the Pedego doesn't have) but needs to be tricked out. I have come to think that these are both great choices...I AM a neophyte, like you... but realize that geographic support is an issue ...as well as guessing about the viability of existing e-bike companies or their expensive batteries 3-5 years from now...the evelo is Boston based, I think.. you might check them out...great technology....they'll be gone or bought out soon....or not!

A great time in e-bikes...where the technology is achieving practicality!

rocks

 

[Brian(J)]

Thanks for the advice Rocks! I've never really ridden a cruiser-style bike before. There's some available at a nearby electric bike shop, so maybe I'll test ride those too.

As a side note, I've been paying particular attention to regular bicycles when they go by me, and they seem to be nearly silent. It makes me wonder how quiet any electric bikes (geared hub, direct drive hub or mid drive) really are. I guess I'll find out in person next weekend.

Mr. JRod, I was very interested in the City Commuter and got close to buying one, but drifted away. Recently I saw the E3 Dash and just bought one. I love it but now my wife wants one too and I think we will try her on a City Commuter as well.

Anyway, as I commented back on the Dash sub-forum, it is not accurate that the Dash is quieter, or even quiet. It simply makes no sound at all. The trade-off with the two motor designs, as I understand it, is that the gearless motor makes no sound but has less torque for the hills. I can say that there are hills that will overcome the E3 Dash.

 

[Ralph]

Like Brian J, I was close to the Pedego as well. I bought the Dash, changed the saddle and the pedals, put some lights on it and love it. I agree that some hill could be a challenge, but I live on an Island in Florida and so far no hills in sight It is dead silent and super fast. It shouts quality to anyone that takes a good look at it.

 

[Admin]

Hi Brian(J) consider getting the Neo Jet for your wife if she is petite and likes the Dash, if she wants more power and likes the cruiser style then the City Commuter could be great... it's heavier and less well balanced but has the lights, fenders and upright position that she might enjoy.

 

[JRod0802]

Buying process:

After doing much research on ebikes, I went down to my nearest ebike store and test rode the following bikes: Easy Motion Neo Jet (the Cross was too big), IZIP E3 Dash, IZIP E3 Peak, and Pedego City Commuter (step-through). While Court’s reviews are certainly more thorough than mine, here are my quick thoughts:

Easy Motion Neo Jet – Very similar to the Dash. Not quite as powerful as the Dash, but close. Definitely the best looking bike that I test rode. On a quiet street going up a hill, the motor is audible (not loud, but people would be able to hear it).

IZIP E3 Dash – Very similar to the Jet. Seems to have a little more power going up hills than the Jet. Completely silent.

IZIP E3 Peak – I didn’t really get enough time with this one to truly get it. The fact that what gear you’re in affects the feel of the throttle is, I’m sure, powerful in the hands of someone who rides it for an hour or so, but with only four minutes on it, I kept messing up, like stopping in top gear or something. As for motor noise, this bike seemed about as loud as the Jet, maybe a little louder. I couldn’t really get an accurate rating of power since I’d need more time to figure out the best gear to go up hills in (depending on speed and steepness).

Pedego City Commuter – This bike felt very big, but not necessarily in a bad way. It was kind of like the Cadillac of ebikes. It was very comfortable and seemed like it lended itself more to throttle use than pedal assist. I wasn’t as comfortable going down a curb on this bike compared to the other three bikes, but that probably makes sense given its intended function. The City Commuter seemed to be about a loud as the Peak, maybe a little louder. Very rear-heavy.

In the end, I decided the Dash was the bike for me (more details on the Dash below). I bought it from Electric Bikes of New England, and loaded it in my car straight away. Paul Morlock, the owner, was very helpful throughout the process. He even kept the store open an additional half an hour while I pretty much stood there thinking about it. The buying process went very smoothly. If you’re in the area, I can definitely say I recommend going there.

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.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Buying process:




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.

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

Great choice.!
Congratulations

 

[Admin]

That's an awesome writeup JRod, I agree with all of your points and really appreciate the time you put in to describing your experience with each bike. Good luck with the Dash and ride safe!