Recumbent to e-bike

[BMC]

Hi all,
My wife and I moved from the flat mid-west to the hills of Washington State west of Seattle. We have two very comfortable recumbents and were thinking of converting but it is kind of make shift and unbalanced. So have a budget of $2,500 per bike. There is little riding on the contour around here except for the 40 mile bike trail along the coast and it has some good bluffs. To get to the trail we drop over 400 feet in two miles and that means coming back at the end of the ride up the terraces and the battery may be low. I am in the mid 70's, 6' 4", and wife,5'2", is in early 70's - weights, 190 and 125, about. Besides recreational riding, would like to do errands, run to the library, etc. Speed is not a necessity but upright position, range and comfort are. On the level would like to do most of the propulsion and have it pedal like a regular bike. Both pedal assist and throttle would be nice, good balance in the bike and quality parts at the above cost. Will keep it in the garage. It would be nice if the battery could be charged off the bike. Brakes are of course important. The nearest dealers are in Seattle - 2 1/2 hours away - but still want to use a dealer. Besides the Zuma what are other comparable options that you might suggest. Thanks for any input, sorry so long.

 

[Admin]

Hi BMC, thanks for the details! Sounds like fun riding for you and your wife and I can understand why you'd want an ebike for those hills

There are several pre-built recumbent style electric bikes on the market but finding one at a local dealer and getting in for <= $2,500 is going to be tricky. Here's a list of all the recumbent style bikes I've reviewed. I think you could get a deal on the Aerobic Cruiser but the battery isn't removable and it just uses a twist throttle, no assist. Another alternative is to buy a Falco ebike conversion kit or one from BionX that can be added to any existing bike. Both have pedal assist, throttle and regenerative modes plus regen braking.

I want to make sure you're actually interested in a "recumbent" because the IZIP Zuma is actually a cruiser style electric bike and there are lots of options for these. I've had pretty good luck with the Pedego City Commuter which offers throttle, assist, is sold at many dealers and comes in high step and low step to fit both you and your wife. It's also in your price range.

 

[BMC]

Hi BMC, thanks for the details! Sounds like fun riding for you and your wife and I can understand why you'd want an ebike for those hills

There are several pre-built recumbent style electric bikes on the market but finding one at a local dealer and getting in for <= $2,500 is going to be tricky. Here's a list of all the recumbent style bikes I've reviewed. I think you could get a deal on the Aerobic Cruiser but the battery isn't removable and it just uses a twist throttle, no assist. Another alternative is to buy a Falco ebike conversion kit or one from BionX that can be added to any existing bike. Both have pedal assist, throttle and regenerative modes plus regen braking.

I want to make sure you're actually interested in a "recumbent" because the IZIP Zuma is actually a cruiser style electric bike and there are lots of options for these. I've had pretty good luck with the Pedego City Commuter which offers throttle, assist, is sold at many dealers and comes in high step and low step to fit both you and your wife. It's also in your price range.

Thanks Court for the reply. No, we have recumbents but figured that we would keep them as is and go with new pre built electric crusier bike rather than add a kit to the recumbent bikes. So I was looking at the Zuma and also am considering the easy motion evo eco and the ezee sprint.
Thanks again

Bruce

 

[Admin]

Cool! I haven't tried the Evo Eco or the Ezee Sprint yet but will keep an eye out and post a test ride whenever I get the chance. Would love to hear what you end up with and how it works for you!

 

[BMC]

Thanks, Names are so similar on a lot of these bikes. Am exploring several options now but ran across a 15% off sale on the Zuma today from the a major national sporting goods store based in Seattle and they have it in stock. Did talk to someone that has been selling e bikes for almost 20 years in Seattle and he thought I would be better off with the ezee spirit over the zuma and he sells both but did not have the zuma in stock. Liked your video and your bike looks great but $4,000 is over my price. Rode the spirit around a small parking lot and it seemed to have a lot of spunk but it is the only electric that I have been on and a flat parking lot is not to rigorous a test. Did look at a Polaris but your review was not that heartwarming.

 

[Admin]

Thanks, Names are so similar on a lot of these bikes. Am exploring several options now but ran across a 15% off sale on the Zuma today from the a major national sporting goods store based in Seattle and they have it in stock. Did talk to someone that has been selling e bikes for almost 20 years in Seattle and he thought I would be better off with the ezee spirit over the zuma and he sells both but did not have the zuma in stock. Liked your video and your bike looks great but $4,000 is over my price. Rode the spirit around a small parking lot and it seemed to have a lot of spunk but it is the only electric that I have been on and a flat parking lot is not to rigorous a test. Did look at a Polaris but your review was not that heartwarming.

Cool, thanks for the tip on the sale... I've never tried the Ezee Spirit but it reminds me of the EZ Pedaler electric bikes and they work pretty well. The Zuma feels solid and has a great warranty. I also like that it uses a rear drive vs. front because it's easier to steer. Polaris has some new 2014 models that look a bit nicer, I haven't tried them so couldn't say but the 2013 models were underwhelming... I heard that they were offering a software update to improve the power and that would definitely help. If you could get a deal on one it might not be so bad

 

[BMC]

A number of things have occurred over the last few days. Got involved with the Currie regional rep here in the northwest and he was very accommodating and extremely helpful. Talked to a few other 'experienced' people and pulled the trigger today on two I zip path plus bikes. Tried them out and they seemed to fill the bill. Am looking forward to having them in early June. They have all the new features from Currie tech so away we go.

 

[ebiker]

Congratulations! I checked out the review here at EBR (http://electricbikereview.com/izip/e3-path-plus/) and they're nice looking bikes with lots of great features.

 

[Admin]

Congratulations! I checked out the review here at EBR (http://electricbikereview.com/izip/e3-path-plus/) and they're nice looking bikes with lots of great features.

The Path+ took some big steps up from the older Path even though they look similar. A lot of the improvement in ride quality is due to the software that senses when and how fast you pedal. It's very responsive and fluid feeling.

Hope they work well for you BMC!