Peak Considerations

[Rusty]

What is interesting to me is that I can go from a dead stop on the Dash (speed bump at the bottom of a steep drive that immediately slopes 9 feet up in 40 some odd feet)...either pedal in #1 assist/1st gear or use throttle/pedal...and never take my butt off the seat or expend much energy doing it.
Keep in mind that this is with a fully loaded bike (double panniers; all kinds of crap in them) and toting a guy closer to 300 than 200 pounds.
Will a Peak do this much easier and what would it be like(?)....two strokes of the pedal and you're coasting up to the top having to lean forward all the way to keep the front end down?
Gosh, I love my Dash's 20 mph throttle..it wouldn't be easy to give it up!

Hey Dash - just wanted to confirm for you - I took the Peak on some single track yesterday and tried to find a section that seemed as steep as the drive you mentioned. The Peak would not take it in 6th gear, it bogged with throttle only. It did take it fine (again with throttle only) in 4th gear.

Wound up riding with a much younger group of mtb riders and dusting them all on some fire roads. I let them try my Peak out. Comments I got were all positive, like "wow, that is cool" and " it's like this thing is supercharged". Had a great time! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine!
Rusty

 

[Rusty]

Hey Dash - just wanted to confirm for you - I took the Peak on some single track yesterday and tried to find a section that seemed as steep as the drive you mentioned. The Peak would not take it in 6th gear, it bogged with throttle only. It did take it fine (again with throttle only) in 4th gear.

Wound up riding with a much younger group of mtb riders and dusting them all on some fire roads. I let them try my Peak out. Comments I got were all positive, like "wow, that is cool" and " it's like this thing is supercharged". Had a great time! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine!
Rusty

PS - my Peak is size small, I am 5-8 + with a 30 inch inseam. I can straddle it fine, but I would like an even lower downtube for off- road, but it works fine. Hope this helps!

 

[DashRiprock]

Fantastic and thanks...we'll go with the smaller frame then (I should have it ordered by tomorrow night).
I'm a little confused in regards to the following, so please forgive me...
"...I took the Peak on some single track yesterday and tried to find a section that seemed as steep as the drive you mentioned. The Peak would not take it in 6th gear, it bogged with throttle only. It did take it fine (again with throttle only) in 4th gear..."

Are you saying that you are in throttle mode (only) and pedaling normally while sitting on the seat (as I did above)...at full throttle?

Or does the gear you are in make some kind of difference when you're using "throttle only"...and not pedaling?

 

[Rusty]

Fantastic and thanks...we'll go with the smaller frame then (I should have it ordered by tomorrow night).
I'm a little confused in regards to the following, so please forgive me...
"...I took the Peak on some single track yesterday and tried to find a section that seemed as steep as the drive you mentioned. The Peak would not take it in 6th gear, it bogged with throttle only. It did take it fine (again with throttle only) in 4th gear..."

Are you saying that you are in throttle mode (only) and pedaling normally while sitting on the seat (as I did above)...at full throttle?

Or does the gear you are in make some kind of difference when you're using "throttle only"...and not pedaling?

Yes to your last statement. On a mid drive, your gears can leverage the motor output. I was not pedaling at all, just using the gears to leverage the motor. Lower gear = more torque!
Rusty

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Hi everyone - We are deep into our 2015 Dealer Launch activities which started last weekend so sorry that I have been absent on the forum for many weeks. I can tell you the the Peak DS will be available and shipping to dealers this Fall. As we get closer to Interbike in early September, I'll post details of the improvements we've made and the new models we are introducing. I really appreciate all the input on the forum as we tale every bit of the critiques into consideration. Please keep it up!

Thank you,
-Larry

 

[JoePah]

Court and I tend to agree on the somewhat hidden merits of the Izip Peak electric mid drive mountain bike. Consider the following:

1. The Peak is the only mountain bike that is classed as a high-speed pedelec in EBR's tests.
2. It is rated (and warrantied) by Currie as a condition 3 hardtail - rated for true off-road usage "for cross country, marathon riding and racing over roots, rocks, etc." (from the owner's manual)!!
3. The transx mid drive unit powering the Peak has not suffered from reliability problems. (no bad batches like the some of the Currie hub drives)
4. The mid drive in the Peak is rated at 73nm of torque. Bosch standard drive is rated at 50. Even the Bosch performance line is rated at 60nm. Is the Peak the most powerful mid- drive production bike you can buy right now? And the cheapest?
5. Even if you can de-restrict the Bosch's speed cut-off, you still won't give the Bosch motor any more torque than what it is rated at - it remains at 60 nm which is still about 20% less max torque than the Peak. And de-restriction may cause warranty and other problems. Not so with the Peak!
6. The Peak is beefy, with a massive tapered head tube and top and down tubing. Compare the build and front fork to the Neo line of mountain type bikes like the Neo 650B Jumper from Easy Motion for example - you will see the difference.
7. The Peak has a 48 volt system, like the Dash. Almost everyone else, (including Bosch) are still using 36 volt systems.
8. If you just slightly pause before you shift, it does shift smoothly. SRAM units in general kind of "clunk" anyway under load on all bikes . The Bosch units actually reduce the motor's torque under when shifting, but you can just do it yourself on the Peak ( like a clutch vs an automatic). No big deal once you get the hang of it.
9. The Peak has a throttle (though limited to 6 mph by design). It enables and assists restarts and rough going in single track conditions. It is a great aid when starting off and when plonking around trails.
10. The Peak is not overly heavy (around 49 lbs) and is actually easy and fun to drive without any electric assist. It offers a 27.5 wheel diameter as standard fitment.

Well, all for now, not against other bike lines at all, just pointing out some aspects of this somewhat "hidden gem" of an e-bike for comparison and educational purposes within the e-bike community.

Like many of us, I really like the looks and specs of some of the new mid-drives coming out of Europe, but the Peak is available (backed with an apparently responsive company) and is so reasonably priced, that it may prove a great alternative to consider. It is also a hot rod, kinda like a Corvette, vs the Haibike which is more like a Porsche, which is more exclusive and refined apparently, but not as fast!

P.S. Included a foto of me educating a bunch of co-workers on ebikes, with my Peak being the demonstration vehicle. If you haven't figured out by now, Yes, I really like it!! .

View attachment 1418

Cheers,
Rusty

Looks like a whole lot of bike with the latest technology for $3000.. What kind of real world range are you getting and at what speed?

 

[Rusty]

Looks like a whole lot of bike with the latest technology for $3000.. What kind of real world range are you getting and at what speed?

Hello Joe, I tend not to drain the battery completely, so I can't give you the absolute maximum range, but I can say that the led lights on the battery
appear to correspond very accurately with the range gauge on the dash read- out, and that they also correspond very closely with what the manufacturer states for range - about 35 miles in PAS 1, and down to 16 miles in PAS 4. The Peak is also very easy to pedal manually, so you can extend those ranges considerably if you so choose. Under assist mode, I tend to go fast with typical speeds above 20mph and quite a bit of hill-climbing thrown in too. The Peak allows speeds in the high teens even on some of the steepest 9 to 11 percent grades that I typically encounter. Really speeds up my commute!
Rusty

 

[Rusty]

Hi everyone - We are deep into our 2015 Dealer Launch activities which started last weekend so sorry that I have been absent on the forum for many weeks. I can tell you the the Peak DS will be available and shipping to dealers this Fall. As we get closer to Interbike in early September, I'll post details of the improvements we've made and the new models we are introducing. I really appreciate all the input on the forum as we tale every bit of the critiques into consideration. Please keep it up!

Thank you,
-Larry

Hi Larry, this is Steve, aka Rusty. We spoke on the phone once and you helped REI hustle up my order! Thank you ! It's a great bike, and I get the sense that it was carefully engineered to work well. I appreciate it every time I ride it. Thanks also for helping out this forum!
Rusty

 

[Rusty]

Looks like a whole lot of bike with the latest technology for $3000.. What kind of real world range are you getting and at what speed?

Hey Joe, also wanted to say that when we rode the Peak and the Dash together, that the battery gauge was consistently showing about 20% more capacity at any given time on the Peak, if that helps at all.

I will try mine out later at a constant PAS 1 setting ( if I can find a flat road nearby) at an even cadence and speed and let you know how it does when I get a chance!

Most of the time I vary the PAS settings often on the fly on any given ride to suit my situation (in a hurry or not, need exercise, nasty climb ahead, etc). or my mood! Really enjoy the flexibility and extended bicycling parameters that I have with my Peak!

Rusty

 

[DashRiprock]

I will try mine out later at a constant PAS 1 setting ( if I can find a flat road nearby) at an even cadence and speed and let you know how it does when I get a chance!
Rusty

That would be very much appreciated here...as was the 20% more charge estimate on the Dash.
I'm hoping that when we get both of ours back from the shop (assembly for the Peak; warranty work/adjustments/bottom bracket inspection for the Dash) that I can add something to the conversation as well.
I've obviously caught your enthusiasm and am pretty excited to ride something unlike I have ever experienced in terms of pure pedal torque.

 

[Rusty]

Just did my morning commute. About 5 miles along the Interstate yes! at 28-35 mph in PAS 4, then up a 7-8% grade for about 3/4 mile in PAS 4, then varied speeds and uphill grades in urban areas in PAS 3 and 4, between 12-29 mph depending on conditions for about 4 miles, then another 3/4 mile 9-10% grade, (PAS 4) then a slight level stretch to my work. 11.6 miles total, started with a 95% full battery, finished with 38% left.

Keep in mind that I was usually in top gear or maybe 1 or 2 gears below that- as that is how I usually ride. I did some poorly executed full starts after stopping on some steep grades in those
taller gears with the throttle to get me up to cadence, fun, but hard on the battery too.

Sorry, I need to find a flat stretch at a comfortable speed somewhere to see just how far she will go!

My eyes were literally watering at 35mph. This thing is a bicycle rocket! Wow!

For this type of commute, with a full battery charge, my calculations say about a 20+ mile range, with 90% or more in PAS 4. My on- board range estimator says that I have 12 miles left. I have always found it to be quite accurate. Hope this helps a little.

Rusty

Correction!! My on - board range indicator showed 12 miles in PAS 1, and only 6 miles in PAS 4 . It will vary based on the assist setting, which is pretty neat, but I forgot to check what setting it was on. Also, there was a slight downhill grade where I was doing 35 mph. The Peak will not do that on level ground, at least not with my legs anyway!

 

[Larry Pizzi]

Hi Larry, this is Steve, aka Rusty. We spoke on the phone once and you helped REI hustle up my order! Thank you ! It's a great bike, and I get the sense that it was carefully engineered to work well. I appreciate it every time I ride it. Thanks also for helping out this forum!
Rusty

So pleased that your enjoying the Peak and sorry that I have not been more active on the forum lately - very bust time of year

 

[Rusty]

OK, for some who have asked about range, I have just finished a 17 mile ride mostly in PAS4 and have 20% battery left. Here are the ride details: 1st 8.5 miles on pavement, 7 to 12 percent grade for about 1.5 miles, hammering the thing, seeing 33 mph on the flats, down to 14-15 mph on the steepest incline. Almost all in high gear. Next, 4 miles of horse trail whump, whump, on the front forks, and then Steeeep single track (man, that lo-speed throttle is nice!) and then downhill for about a mile and then two miles of level stretch to complete the ride. The bike performed flawlessly, and I am ready to go out again, pretty neat!!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Diamondback - manufacturer of pedal bikes did something very similar to E3 Peak.
Same TranzX drive and battery. I guess anybody could setup a contract with TranzX ...

 

[Rusty]

Diamondback - manufacturer of pedal bikes did something very similar to E3 Peak.
Same TranzX drive and battery. I guess anybody could setup a contract with TranzX ...

View attachment 1525

Thanks for the info - indeed, it looks very similar. I've been to Seattle Electric. Looks like they are expanding their line up. Good! Wonder if it is also a high- speed pedelec!
I looked at the D- back website, nothing there, is this a prototype?

 

[Vern]

Doesn't the Accell Group own Diamondback? This looks like a rebadged Peak. I like the color though!

 

[Adora]

Who manufactures the Peak's mid-drive motor?

 

[DashRiprock]

Who manufactures the Peak's mid-drive motor?

TranzX...(the Dash direct drive rear hub motor as well)

 

[Rusty]

TranzX...(the Dash direct drive rear hub motor as well)

I understand that Transx is a Taiwanese company but has assembly facilities in China. Ravi has a great post on this somewhere.

 

[Rusty]

Doesn't the Accell Group own Diamondback? This looks like a rebadged Peak. I like the color though!

I really like the "fastback" look created by curving the top tube and seat stays. Hydroforming perhaps?