It all boiled down to the IZIP Metro

[calvin]

Court, originally I thought that I wanted something like the Prodeco V3 Outlaw. However, after viewing of your video on that particular product (center of gravity issues). I decided to go with the 2014 IZIP E3 Metro instead. The drop tube battery placement with a removable basket on the Metro made the deal for me. Availability is now the problem, it looks like the older models are still in the online pipeline. The nearest local dealer appears to be 40 miles away (Apache Junction, AZ).

Concerning the Prodeco V3 Outlaw bike: I thought that if I could modify the placement of the battery to somewhere low inside the frame triangle I could purchase it. But it looks like that battery is just too big and heavy: If the battery could be held in place rigidly, the necessary fittings would probably cut into the frame eventually due to vibration. If bagged or suspended the platform would allow the battery to shift back and forth. I couldn't think up an acceptable solution. Perhaps a solution will come from ProdecoTech.

 

[Admin]

Hey Calvin, I follow your logic and agree that there's probably something you could do to make the Outlaw work. I don't think it will take much longer for the 2014 Metro to come in stock at your local shop, probably just a couple more weeks (I've heard they ship around Feb 17th to dealers in Las Vegas).

You can get last year's E3 Metro on sale right now from the IZIP store and I think they ship it right to the dealer. This would be the same for the 2014 Metro and you might be better off just waiting vs. trying to modify the ProdecoTech bike. If you need something right away or are starting to reconsider on the Outlaw just look for bicycle bags that fit on the top tube. I bought one on Amazon once and while it was kind of clunky and unsightly, it did the trick. It might be kind of tricky though with that curved top tube. Proceed with care my friend, modifying these things and trying to reroute wires and stuff will void your warranty and could be very time consuming and expensive at the end of the day. Here's a picture of one of the larger bags I'm talking about, hope it helps!

 

[calvin]

Thanks for the information. Continuing on with the Outlaw: as you said in the video "as you turn it feels like it could tip fairly easily" if you look at this bike you can see where it sort of looks sort of like an unicycle. The seat, battery, and motor all are in a line. Very dangerous.

 

[Chris Nolte]

Calvin, I think it would be a much better move to go with a bike that you don't have to modify out of the box. You could run into warranty issues later on if you modify the bike. In my opinion the Metro is a really solid bike. If you're looking for a bit more speed look at the Dash.

 

[calvin]

Because of my age: Cough! Wheeze! Oh my aching back! I gotta sorta stick to the cruiser style of bike. However, I've now been thinking about the Motiv Shadow. I can sit somewhat upright so it looks like it might work. The Dash looks slick, but I would have to lean too far forward. You'll empathize with me someday.

 

[Chris Nolte]

I completely understand. If you need anything don't hesitate to reach out. I don't have much experience with Motiv, but Currie has been an excellent company to deal with. I don't want to discourage you from the Motiv, but the geometry on the Shadow looks rather aggressive. If you're looking at Cruisers, I would recommend you look at the Currie Zuma or Metro, or the Pedego Interceptor or the City Commuter, these will give you more of an upright seating position. If you like Motiv it seems the Spark would be a better fit than the Shadow.

Another thing you could consider would be to extend the stem and swap the bars for more of a swoop back style. We do this thing all the time, sometimes it requires extending the front brake line, but it's not a huge deal. Below is a Easy Motion Jumper we did last summer (we added a steer tube extension, a different stem and a dropper seat post). Just figured I would let you know in case you felt limited by the options out there.

 

[calvin]

Nice looking bike. I went ahead and purchased the Motive Shadow. I plan on doing some modifications to the handlebars, stem, fork and seat post, hopefully without voiding the warranty. BTW what is a dropper seat post?

 

[Admin]

Hi Calvin! I can answer that question (though Chris might be able to refine it a bit). A drop post is a type of seat post with pneumatics inside like a suspension fork where you can press a button and it will slide up and down. The idea is that you can change your seating position for getting on the bike (keep it low) and then extend it for pedaling to maximize each stride. This is a popular add-on for mountain bikes because one minute you're pedaling hard and the next you're standing up to navigate bumps or jumps and don't want the seat sticking up so high (where it could hit sensitive areas).

There's actually a company that makes entire bicycles around this concept called Elev8. They aren't focused on extreme off-roading however, more the older crowd that has trouble getting onto a tall bike. They use the same pneumatic cylinder and a special split-pivoting frame to make it more approachable. Just like these drop seats this thing can go up and down seven inches and uses a lever on the handlebars... almost like an office chair. Ultimately, the rider can even lower themselves to have both feet resting on the ground at stop signs or lights which keeps them from tipping over. Here's a video of the product, prepare for some questionable music and marketing.

 

[Chris Nolte]

Pretty cool Court, I've never seen that bike before.

Calvin - Best of luck with you're new bike, I hope you enjoy. I look forward to hearing your feedback on it. Just be careful with the cables when you extend the bars or stem, you often need to extend them also. Just make sure you turn the bars to either side as far as possible to ensure you're not stressing them too much. I've seen it happen before.

 

[Larry Pizzi]

We're excited to announce that the iF Design, award winning 2014 IZIP E3 Metros are shipping now!

 

[Chris Nolte]

Congrats on the award Larry! Definitely well deserved, the bike is beautiful.

 

[calvin]

Larry, I almost bought that sweet bike. Practical, cargo style bike and easy to get on/off. A Zuma +. Maybe I can have two ebikes? Is that outrageous?

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Larry, I almost bought that sweet bike. Practical, cargo style bike and easy to get on/off. A Zuma +. Maybe I can have two ebikes? Is that outrageous?

Calvin - You need one for every type of riding. They are function specific, you know

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Congrats on the award Larry! Definitely well deserved, the bike is beautiful.

Thanks Chris. I'll look forward to hearing your feedback once you get yours.

 

[Chris Nolte]

You got it Larry. We can't wait, the 2014 lineup is really setting a high bar for others.

Calvin - The only way I could justify buying the amount of ebikes I do was to open a shop, so that's what I did . But I do have several customers that have multiple ebikes, they certainly can be addicting. Especially the quality ones like the Metro, my girlfriend really loves that one I might surprise her with one of her own.

 

[Dave]

Multiple ebikes, oh boy. I'm already looking at off road ebikes to compliment my Neo Carbon. Neo Jumper looks sweet, but the Haibike Xduro FS RX 2014 has really got my attention. I would love to get into trail riding and I think the only way to really do that is to get the right bike for the job. Sounds like I'm doing a good job of convincing myself!

 

[DianeS]

I've been browsing electric bikes online and the E3 Metro 2014 model is the one that I like the best. The post mounted battery makes sense to me as does the frame mounted front rack and other stability details.

I live in Reno, so I have to buy without a test ride so I have one question.... is it possible to add a front suspension? Some of the streets around here are fairly bumpy, so it's a concern for me.

 

[Chris Nolte]

Hi Diane - We could definitely hook the Metro up with some suspension. Email me at [email protected] or call me at 631-306-4542. We have a new shipment coming next weekend and we'd love to set one up with a front shock for you. We live for customizing bikes to peoples specific needs. It's a lot of fun for us.

You do get a good amount of shock absorption from the tires and the chromoly front fork, but suspension could only improve that.

 

[Admin]

Cool! Thanks Chris... Glad to know it's possible and I'd love to see some pictures of this customized creation in the IZIP forums if you go forward with the order Diane. Chris will help you out and this may inspire others to start modding the bikes as well

 

[Larry Pizzi]

I've been browsing electric bikes online and the E3 Metro 2014 model is the one that I like the best. The post mounted battery makes sense to me as does the frame mounted front rack and other stability details.

I live in Reno, so I have to buy without a test ride so I have one question.... is it possible to add a front suspension? Some of the streets around here are fairly bumpy, so it's a concern for me.

@DianeS - Thanks for your interest in an E3 Metro. I'd suggest, before you change forks to a suspension version (which is a relatively simple conversion as Chris mentions) that you test ride first as its a very forgiving ride. Our dealer in Tahoe may have one in stock, so contact them before you make a decision and please let me know if you have any questions. Here is there contact information: http://www.currietech.com

Best regards,
Larry
[email protected]