My E-Joe Epik SE

[Ann M.]

ecoreco is tempting. Only if Boston's streets were not so destroyed and bumpy.....

Aahh! So much flash and so little real data...Yes, lithium batteries, but only a 250watt motor, and 8" wheels not really gonna do any hills. And 20 miles--please, that's a marketing stretch! Think about the handling with 8" wheels--it gets a bit squirrely, ok on a straight stretch. You just have to be clear on what your ride needs are. Either of the ebikes you are looking at will do the range; however, the Tern with the BionX is going to last longer and have less issues when it comes to replacing the battery when it finally wears out.

 

[Chandlee EBS]

Aahh! So much flash and so little real data...Yes, lithium batteries, but only a 250watt motor, and 8" wheels not really gonna do any hills. And 20 miles--please, that's a marketing stretch! Think about the handling with 8" wheels--it gets a bit squirrely, ok on a straight stretch. You just have to be clear on what your ride needs are. Either of the ebikes you are looking at will do the range; however, the Tern with the BionX is going to last longer and have less issues when it comes to replacing the battery when it finally wears out.

Easy, @Ann M.! Don't be such an Ecoreco hater. Have you tried it?

Tossing a 250w motor onto 8" wheels significantly increases the torque. I was able to go up the 3-4 story straight ramp at interbike an Ecoreco without help, (something I didn't expect of most of the ebikes). I was blown away. It's using a 8.8 ah 36v, which is good for the size. The company guys I spoke with said 8-12 miles full throttle and 20 balancing them out w/ human power. Shop owners I've spoken with agree and say that they're the very best of their type. That's comparable to e-bikes of the same battery capacity. To be fair, I can burn through my D-Series Bionx battery in 8 miles, contrary to company claims. Or I can get 80 miles on level one. Battery talk gets super relative.

Also, I don't follow the battery replacement statement. The Bionx system has been programed to ensure better life, but we're seeing about 4 years 800 cycles with the stuff we've replaced. It should be better now. Bionx says as little as 3 years and as much as 7 years till replacement. Honestly, I'm expecting 4 years out of any decent ebike battery. The e-Joe chemistry is rated to over a 1000 cycles and we haven't had one exhausted in the year and a half we've had them. Most importantly, Court mentions that the Tern is using a special small Bionx battery, which makes it's super-proprietary. Bionx batteries by themselves are about 3x the price of an e-Joe battery. Conversely, the e-Joe battery isn't proprietary, and becoming pretty common. You'll be able to buy it with more range than the current model, for much cheaper than the Bionx, and from sources other than e-Joe (not that you will need to, hopefully).

If you're going to get the Tern-e, get it because it's the better bike and totally worth the price.

@GiantEnemyCrab has point about the Ecoreco on rough streets. Don't even consider getting the model without suspension. You'll regret it.

 

[Ann M.]

Easy, @Ann M.! Don't be such an Ecoreco hater. Have you tried it?

Tossing a 250w motor onto 8" wheels significantly increases the torque. I was able to go up the 3-4 story straight ramp at interbike an Ecoreco without help, (something I didn't expect of most of the ebikes). I was blown away. It's using a 8.8 ah 36v, which is good for the size. The company guys I spoke with said 8-12 miles full throttle and 20 balancing them out w/ human power. Shop owners I've spoken with agree and say that they're the very best of their type. That's comparable to e-bikes of the same battery capacity. To be fair, I can burn through my D-Series Bionx battery in 8 miles, contrary to company claims. Or I can get 80 miles on level one. Battery talk gets super relative.

Also, I don't follow the battery replacement statement. The Bionx system has been programed to ensure better life, but we're seeing about 4 years 800 cycles with the stuff we've replaced. It should be better now. Bionx says as little as 3 years and as much as 7 years till replacement. Honestly, I'm expecting 4 years out of any decent ebike battery. The e-Joe chemistry is rated to over a 1000 cycles and we haven't had one exhausted in the year and a half we've had them. Most importantly, Court mentions that the Tern is using a special small Bionx battery, which makes it's super-proprietary. Bionx batteries by themselves are about 3x the price of an e-Joe battery. Conversely, the e-Joe battery isn't proprietary, and becoming pretty common. You'll be able to buy it with more range than the current model, for much cheaper than the Bionx, and from sources other than e-Joe (not that you will need to, hopefully).

If you're going to get the Tern-e, get it because it's the better bike and totally worth the price.

@GiantEnemyCrab has point about the Ecoreco on rough streets. Don't even consider getting the model without suspension. You'll regret it.

Yes, I have, its a recast of a scooter presented at Interbike 2 shows ago and it is great for the spot runs but not 20 miles of continuous riding. Did you catch what the folks said? 'with human power?' That's no kick scooter; and I seriously doubt any rider will push the scooter as the manufacturer is implying to get the range. Been in the electric scooter business 14 years, so what this scooter represents is a small, sleek, portable short distance form of transportation much like what GoPed scooters has been making for years. We could get into a very lengthy discussion about motors + controllers and what creates torque, but it is not necessarily better because it is on smaller wheels and the handling is squirrely on such tiny tires. Try for 10 miles, rather than one ramp; I have and that size wheel beats you up and has very poor control. The price at $999 to $1300 for the scooter is a bit over the top compared to a larger 12oo watt, 36V 16ah Lithium scooter we sell for $1100. What the Ecoreco offers is just its tiny size which is great for a commuter going a couple of blocks, just not 20 miles or even 10 miles. I'm just asking for perspective here.

One and a half years is not enough time to determine the long term durability of a battery like those E-Joe uses although everyone has high hopes for better performance from the Samsung Li cells. I think of it relative to how many issues or failures of a battery happen over several years based on how the customer cares for the battery. Too many times owners complain of range issues or life span of the battery but they haven't really maintained the battery with reasonable charging or they run the battery until its dead (never recommended). Remember, BionX kits and OEM bikes like the Tern come with 48V systems (the Tern's is just smaller ah 6.6 nothing else different), so prices of a 48V battery will be different than the 36V on the E-Joe bikes. Also with the BionX battery you're getting the other internal electronics and charging system that are part of the BionX system. The external unit you get with any BionX system now is just a power supply, not a charger.

So if someone is looking for range and climbing ability over more miles, the ebike with pedals and the 48V battery is a decent choice. Scooters aren't bikes and it gets old pushing one up a hill or when it runs out of power! but they are a ton of fun for short rides.