Zen Samurai - Built in Canada - shipping since June 2022

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Who did you end up with for batteries? Did you source your custom BMS?

We are designing our own BMS, and we will have them UL-certified.
Also, our smart charger would be UL-certified as well.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

One of the local customers who had pre-ordered it, received the bike in July and he has already put more than 1000 kms.
He commutes 35 kms each way and is having a blast doing so. We hope to hear from other Samurai riders in the near future.
His typical weekend setup is shown here and he replaces the wooden cart with racktime tour box during the week days.
BTW, racktime makes a bunch of accessories that you may find super useful. Please let us know if you need one.

 

[cycolojist]

Hi Ravi,
I am most impressed with the Samurai but, prefer a slightly different riding position than appears to be possible with the as built configuration. Can you accommodate a modification request that would get the handlebar somewhat lower to be more level with the seat height? I suppose eliminating spacers, cutting the steer tube, and possibly using a different stem might be required. (See the attached illustration which approximates what I've got in mind. (My appologies for taking liberty with your company's image)) Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

[tomjasz]

I'm anticipating the step-through. Looks like the perfect bike for the Mrs. And I can have my step-through kitted bike back! I'm told there will be a step-through available this fall, the Saral e-bike. But I don't find it on their web pages.

A long-time mid-drive supporter with 7 years of customer support experience and we've discovered that hub drives are, for us, the best choice. Add the confidence that they'll have first-class batteries and it's a win-win.

I'm pretty excited about their line of bikes. The team Zen is amazing. A world-renowned battery scientist and a world-class record holder for a distance ride. A company of riders and experts. Not your usual investment grp of non-riders. I only wish there was a Saral to trial in Minnesota!

@Ravi Kempaiah​

BTW I ran into my Bosch riding pal, he just turned 19,000 miles. No repairs just tires mechanical tune ups and a new battery at 17,000 miles. If I could ride sans throttle, I'd be in on the Zen Bosch!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hi Ravi,
I am most impressed with the Samurai but, prefer a slightly different riding position than appears to be possible with the as built configuration. Can you accommodate a modification request that would get the handlebar somewhat lower to be more level with the seat height? I suppose eliminating spacers, cutting the steer tube, and possibly using a different stem might be required. (See the attached illustration which approximates what I've got in mind. (My appologies for taking liberty with your company's image)) Thank you for your time and consideration.

Many thanks for your kind words!
Yes, it is totally possible to configure the bike to your style. We have an adjustable stem and trekking handlebar with slight raise. In combination, we have the flexibility to go from relaxed to sportive riding positions.
Please see images below: this particular customer had requested a relaxed ride position but the stem can go all the way down. As mentioned below, we have 3 different lengths of adjustable stems and we could dial this precisly for your riding style. If you have any questions, please do not hestiate to contact me [email protected] and we would be happy provide more customized assistance.

 

[pugachevsoul]

Hey Everyone.. I'm Rakesh.. I'm an infant to EBikes, EBR.. I'm planning to get an ebike sometime in October when I travel to Vancouver and after weeks of lurking I feel that the Samurai is a good choice for my wife and I.
@Ravi Kempaiah , I was wondering if there has been any Zen-LBS tie ups in the Vancouver area..? Also, from the looks of it, pre-orders are shipping now so is it unrealistic to expect to get 2 samurais in October if I order in the next few weeks...?
PS: my wife n I are both from Bangalore!! Namaskaara Ravi _/\_

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hey Everyone.. I'm Rakesh.. I'm an infant to EBikes, EBR.. I'm planning to get an ebike sometime in October when I travel to Vancouver and after weeks of lurking I feel that the Samurai is a good choice for my wife and I.
@Ravi Kempaiah , I was wondering if there has been any LBS tie ups you have in the Vancouver area..? Also, from the looks of it, pre-orders are shipping now so is it unrealistic to expect to get 2 samurais in October if I order in the next few weeks...?
PS: my wife n I are both from Bangalore!! Namaskaara Ravi _/\_

Hi Rakesh,
Namaskara and ಬಹಳ ಕುಷಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮೆಸೇಜ್ ನೋಡಿ.
We just received a huge container full of frames, and it is realistic to get your bike by October or before.
Happy to work with you and support a local shop in Vancouver. We have some dealers interested in that area, so coordinating that will not be a problem.
Let me know how I can assist you with accurately dialing down the bike specification for your use case. I can be reached at [email protected]

 

[tomjasz]

So the Saral is a collaboration. It may be nice but we’re going to wait for the Zen stepthrough.

 

[NsEbike]

hi @Ravi Kempaiah
look awsom these bike, hate to receive mine
I see Johnny Watts tire there in the blue one, what max width can the fork and the frame allow 27.5X2.8 ? or more ?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

hi @Ravi Kempaiah
look awsom these bike, hate to receive mine
I see Johnny Watts tire there in the blue one, what max width can the fork and the frame allow 27.5X2.8 ? or more ?

Hi there,
The frame can accept Johnny Watts tires in 27.5"x2.6" and this is a fantastic all-round tire.
We are waiting for a new shipment of Johnny Watts 365 version that has a much more grippy compound suited for Canadian Fall/winter conditions and still retains great warm weather riding characteristics.
This will be quite popular in places like Michigan, Wisconsin, NY, Vermont, Colorado, etc. Let us know if we can help you with anything.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Thanks for your support, folks!
We are getting 3-4 bikes out the door every day. Would love to hear once you have put some miles on the bikes.

 

[AdilDesai]

@Ravi Kempaiah what color is this bike?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

@Ravi Kempaiah what color is this bike?

That's just raw aluminum (surface finish completed by sand papers). No color at all.

There is one powdercoating option (limited qty) that is super unique that you or others may like to consider.
Under direct sunlight, it looks greenish but under shade or from another angle, it turns into a burgundy color (second image below).
We are going to have one frame powdercoated like that and if anyone is interested, please let us know.

 

[AdilDesai]

That's just raw aluminum (surface finish completed by sand papers). No color at all.

There is one powdercoating option (limited qty) that is super unique that you or others may like to consider.
Under direct sunlight, it looks greenish but under shade or from another angle, it turns into a burgundy color (second image below).
We are going to have one frame powdercoated like that and if anyone is interested, please let us know.

View attachment 133227

View attachment 133228

Love the raw aluminum look!

 

[zennymanny]

That's just raw aluminum (surface finish completed by sand papers). No color at all.

There is one powdercoating option (limited qty) that is super unique that you or others may like to consider.
Under direct sunlight, it looks greenish but under shade or from another angle, it turns into a burgundy color (second image below).
We are going to have one frame powdercoated like that and if anyone is interested, please let us know.

Woah trippy - that is super cool!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Here is an image of the Zen Samurai Premium version with Kindernay VII, Dual battery, Supernova M99 lights and Magura MT5-E brakes.
With the FOX AWL suspension and Kinekt suspension seatpost, the bike rides like butter. This one is going to Freeport, IL.

 

[scottsdalecommuter]

Here is an image of the Zen Samurai Premium version with Kindernay VII, Dual battery, Supernova M99 lights and Magura MT5-E brakes.
With the FOX AWL suspension and Kinekt suspension seatpost, the bike rides like butter. This one is going to Freeport, IL.

View attachment 133669

What a beautiful bike! I’m saving up to get one in the near future. This will be my first winter commuting here in Illinois (Illinois winter is a bit harsher than Arizona so I’ve heard). I’m ready to be done with the rear hub motor and switch to a mid drive. Never ridden an internal gear hub but sounds appealing because I hate gears, my non ebike is a classic single speed. Keep up the great work! Excited to be a customer soon.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

On of the best bike on paper I have seen. I say on paper ie spec wise because I have not yet ridden it in real life.

I test rode Serial 1 and felt a lot fo drag/resistance on Enviolo. Wondering how does Rohloff feel ?

I definitely want to buy one of these.

Thank you for your kind words!
We are perhaps one of the very few companies in N.America with 3 IGH options for our customers.
Enviolo Heavy Duty for the base model
and
Kindernay VII and Rohloff E-14 as upgrades.
Having ridden all three IGHs and with over 10,000 miles of testing, we can stand behind the reliability and quality.

Kindernay VII is a fantastic hub. MUCH lighter than Enviolo and paired with Bosch Gen4 Speed motor is a pure delight.
Some observations:

1. Very clean, crisp shifts because of the hydraulic actuation. No cable stretch or mis-shifts!
2. The tactile feel of Kindernay requires some thumb pressure, but it is satisfying
3. Unlike Enviolo, this works with real thru-axle, so fixing flats is easier
4. The efficiency is also 12 to 13% more than Enviolo, but it is not a strong point on an E-bike
5. The freehub pawls are not silent and sound a bit more like high-end MTB hubs, but if you can live with this minor annoyance, they are just awesome.
6. The gear range is perfect for E-bikes and even better for off-roading. This hub has given a new personality to Samurai
7. Since the gear actuation is done via hydraulic lines, the traditional gear sensors can not be used and this is not at all a issue with Bosch because Bosch motors have accurate and very refined torque sensors. This may be an issue if Kindernay is used with Bafang or other motors that rely on gear sensor to cut off power
8. Most 'bike' people can live without having a gear indicator as you can feel the pedal resistance while pedaling but having a visual gear indicator would be helpful for folks who are new to e-biking in general
9. Given that you can swap the outer cages (swap cages) and use on different bikes makes it super easy to have winter/summer wheels
   
   Kindernay Spares

   SWAP shells, brackets and hardware. Get it here!

   kindernay.com
10. Overall, it takes a small learning curve. If it maintains performance and reliability like Rohloff, then we have a really great, relatively affordable hub. I expect it to be VERY popular in the premium E-bike market segment.

Happy to share more pictures or test data if you need it for your research.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

What a beautiful bike! I’m saving up to get one in the near future. This will be my first winter commuting here in Illinois (Illinois winter is a bit harsher than Arizona so I’ve heard). I’m ready to be done with the rear hub motor and switch to a mid drive. Never ridden an internal gear hub but sounds appealing because I hate gears, my non ebike is a classic single speed. Keep up the great work! Excited to be a customer soon.

We are grateful to have enthusiasts and supporters like yourself. Thank you so much!
We would be delighted to build a capable commuter for you. I lived in Chicago during my Ph.D. days and commuted a lot on my E-bike; I can share some thoughts.

• Belt drive makes a huge difference when there is salt on the road
• Battery sleeve, Bar mitts, balaclava, and wind-resistance jackets are crucial for winter commuting
• You may find these threads very helpful:
  
  

  Winter Biking Advice From A Minnesotan

  I think many consider riding your bike in a frozen winter setting more akin to ice skating than cycling. Here is all of my knowledge and wisdom passed on to you. I am a 43 year old Minnesota native with 5 winter seasons of biking experience. Advice Lesson #1: Don’t get into winter biking if...

  electricbikereview.com
  
  
  

  Winter e-biking advices

  I have gone through the Forum and found several threads related to e-biking in wintertime. Those were mostly posted in brand specific groups. Perhaps we might do a little chat as general e-cyclists? What I found in past threads could be categorised as: General winter cycling Clothing Tire...

  electricbikereview.com

If Zen can be of service in making your E-bike commute enjoyable, please don't hesitate. Thanks again!

 

[zennymanny]

Is it possible to get the Samurai equipped with that new ABS system from Bosch by any chance?