My Eko Bike

sanecrazy1

100 µW
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
8
Hello Everybody
I am new to the boards and want to show off my new Eko Bike. I have had an electric in the past in the form of the Schwinn Stingray Chopper. I bought it for 150.00 at Wally World cause it had damage. I really loved it til the batts went out and my son crashed it a few times. I always enjoyed riding and building. So I was surfing the web and read about the Eko bike and was able to find one on the bay. It has 2 36 volt 10ah lifepo4 for a total of 20ah. I hope you all like.
 
I just want to add a few more details about the bike. It is power by a 500w brushless hub motor. It had typical china seat so I changed that out and added a set of Hanebrink forks I had on a crushed Specialized bike. I also added Shimano DX pedals and xtr rear shifter. I plan on putting the rest of my xtr components on it along with Biopace front rings. Seems most of my parts off my crushed bike will work. I cant wait to get it out riding. When it first showed up the FEDEX jerk dropped it on end on purpose to get it off the truck. I asked why he did that and it was supposed to be hauled in the correct manner as the box describes and he said and I quote (Theres no way) I said no way to do your job correctly and he just looked at me like stfu.. wow what service.... Needless to say the rear rim was egged and rear rack bent along with a busted taillight. The man I purchased it from is sending me a new one along with the taillight. I also purchased a second as it seems built very well and has 2 36 volt lifepo4 batts... for 650 shipped I feel I was able to get a great buy.
 

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I cant even find a website for the bikes. I went to their home page and all I see are scooters...do you have a good link?

Mark
 
Pioneer Bikes went under do to the economy. I really like the bike as it is over sized and has a sealed over sized fork bearings that should last for a lifetime. It came with low end components as far as seat and derailleur goes but I changed mine out along with the forks. The rims have heavier stainless spokes. Not sure what gauge but much heavier than my Sun Rhino Lite rims and is a deeper double wall rim. With typical maintenance of wheel it should last a good long while. As with any heavy electric bike without rear suspension avoid potholes and very rough terrain or you will warp the best of rims. I do have Williams number if you are interested in a purchase. My first rim got egged from Fedex dropping it on edge off the truck but William sent me a second rim and tire with my second purchase instead of dealing with the insurance. So now I have a backup rear motor and spokes. He said he only had about 3-4 mountain bike style left. It is on the heavy side but I am a moose at 6'1 240lbs and like to pedal. This was something I wanted for exercise and assistance not just to sit and coast. I like that iit is on the heavy side for exercise uphill when I dont want to use electric.
 
I forgot to mention that these bikes were designed by Pioneer Bikes and Eko does not have them on their site
 
I was asked about changing a tire or flat and this is what I responded with.


I think it could be done in a few minutes... Turn bike upside down separate the tire from rim bead and pull tube out take axle nuts lose and pull the rim up enough to slide the tube over the gears and axle. A lot of people believe the whole wheel has to come off but it does not. Just clear the axle far enough to slide the tube over the gears and axle. It is tedious but can be done quite easily with practice... On the Eko bike it does have enough room to drop the rim far enough after taking the clips for the power to the hub loose. I had a schwinn stingray electric and this is how I used to do it on that bike instead of cutting all the zip ties and going into the box to disconnect... Be careful sliding the tube past the gears and chain as you can pinch the tube if not cafeful.. it also pays to have a small eye glass cleaner squirt bottle with water and dish soap in a storage bag.. so you can just pull tire loose and pull tube out without loosening the rim.. just fill with air squirt with soapy water,look for leak and patch... Those that say it takes an hour or hours never looked at the bike long enough to figure an easier way.... Give a lazy man a hard job... He will find the easiest way to do it.
 
Looks ok, I particularly like the idea of 20 ah of battery. My first reaction was "that fork was on a production ebike!?" Ahh, I see, it wasn't. 8)
 
Hi, Noobie here. I am thinking of purchasing one of these, except I would buy the step through cruiser model. They are currently being sold on eBay for $650 including shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150669950209#ht_742wt_1396
I have been drooling over the Izip Zuma for quite awhile and this seems to be a similar set up except with double the battery and half the cost.
Problem is, this has been the only place I have been able to find any info and the specs are sparse. I did write the seller and asked the following questions and got the following answers, but I still have some questions.

Me:
Does the step through frame model have a throttle, or peddle assist or both? If peddle assist, how many levels?
Does it include a battery charger? Is the charger smart (won't overcharge, turns off)? Will it charge both batteries at once?
Is the shifter a grip twist or triggers?
Is the black/green color shown the only color option?
Is the seat post long enough to accommodate someone 5'10" tall with about a 36 inch inseam?
Are a headlight/taillight included? Do they run off the Lithium batteries or do they have separate batteries, if so what type?
Can the batteries be locked on the bike? Do they remove for charging?
Does engaging the brake levers disengage the motor?
Is there some website where I can see more complete specs and/or picture?
Sorry for the ton of questions, thanks for your time in answering them,

Seller:
Throttle with cruixe control.
Battery chsarger included. It turns off when charged. Both charge together.
The shifter is a grip twist type.
Black is the only color.
The seat is highly adjustable to accommodate most anyone.
Led front and rear lights that run off the same batteries as everything else.
The batteries are held on with screws from the bottomside. They are not easy to remove, to help prevent theft. I would not recommend removing them to charge them. There is a port on the side of the bike for charging.
Yes, hitting the brakes disengages the motor.
No on website, the company is out of buisiness.

I have written back asking the following and am awaiting an answer
Me:
Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions. This Ebike seems like a good deal, but I can find nothing about it online. The Eko brand from India seems to be just scooters, is it the same company, if not who did make this bike? Where was this bike made? And when was it made (how old are the batteries)? Have the batteries ever been charged? Is the motor 500 watts peak or continuous? How much assembly is required?

So sanecrazy1, what can you tell me about the electronics on this bike. Any brand names or specs on the motor or batteries? How is it holding up to actual use? Speed? Distance? Charger doing it's thing OK? How does the throttle and "cruise control" work? No pedal assist I take it, throttle only? I can find nothing about the Pioneer Bikes which you say made them, do have a link? Eko EV's is in India and they do not make bikes only scooters, is this made in India or China or? Any other info would be greatly appreciated as this deal seems almost too good to be true. Just a kit with a 500 watt hub motor on a wheel and 2X Li ion 36V 10ah batteries would be more than the $650 being asked. And this is an aluminum frame with disc brakes! What's the catch?
 
It has 3 speeds for the controller... not pedal assisted ... on high and flat ground it runs about 15-17 just a guess.. I am 250lbs so I feel with a lighter rider it would do the 20mph.. it does have a very good range.... I pedal a bit for exercise and it has never went below half charge after 19 miles ... the bike is well built and made in china... I believe it is a 44 amp controller.. I had to change the rim out cause Fed Ex dropped it and egged the rim... I really like the bike... the wires are routed thru the frame on mine to keep a very nice tidy look... The cruise works well and the bike frame is over sized.. The rims are a decent deep double wall with large stainless spokes... It is a bit tippy with all the weight in back while bringing up steps and such but it is very much worth the money... I bought 2 hope this helps
 
Cruise works after 8 seconds at constant speed .... No brand names I could see sorry... as for the price it really is worth it... sure you could get bikes with removable batts and such but they are usually 10ah and cost more and are made in china as well... I bought 2 for less than most of the 36v 10ah bikes... I mean really is a removable batt worth that much.. I say not and the frames on the others are not as sturdy as this... I spent a long time on here reading before my decision was made... I have one as a backup or for friends .... I seen online where I believe there was a shipment of 159 sent over... The bike was designed specifically for Pioneer Bike from the ground up to be able to handle bigger riders with more reserve to go farther.

http://www.saljournal.com/news/story/Pioneer-Bike-targets-electric-cycle-market-093010

Here is the article on them
 
dogman said:
Looks ok, I particularly like the idea of 20 ah of battery. My first reaction was "that fork was on a production ebike!?" Ahh, I see, it wasn't. 8)


Yeah I had a few extras from my dearly missed Specialized Ground Control ...dadgum tree... lol I really enjoy the EKO tho
 
Thanks for all the info. I am still a bit confused on how the throttle and cruise control works. Why are there 3 "speed" settings for the controller if it only has a throttle? And does the cruise control just kick in automatically anytime the speed is constant for 8 seconds or do you set it like a lock on the throttle? Can you use the throttle and pedal at the same time by adjusting how much throttle you give it to just help you along as you pedal? Can you change the controller speed settings while you are in motion?

Also do you know if the batteries are LiFePo4 or another type of Li ion?

Will responded to my second round of questions as follows:

"No, it's not the India one. This company never got off the ground. This is it's first container of bikes. The economy killed them before they could get going. They were made in China by an American company. It was called Pioneer Bike. The batteries are 6 months old and have been keep charged the entire time. The motors are 500 continuous. You have to put the handle bars on, the peddals, the seat, the front wheel. That's about it.adjust things as needed. These bikes are an awesome deal. They were going to be sold for $1500 wholesale. They are going fast, and everyone loves em so far. Thanks! Will"

I am glad to hear your positive experience and the Seller seems helpful and communicative. I think I might do this!
 
Just ordered 1 , do you think a 5' 5" female can fit on the male version? hope so. Going to be taking it vac on rails to trails in Fl...any more comments form anyone, esp make me feel better about how theirs is doing well??

Mark
 
Spoke to the seller, changed mine to cruiser (not "girls" model!). He stated the cross bar was about 29" off the ground,.I compared that w/my 20" Stromer , only3 inches shorter, not enough form my girl at 5"6 (stretching it ;) ) and if we add a Thudbuster , even higher. Not sure the handle bar is the style wanted but even I can probably change that out or LBS.

Now looking for a 1.25 receiver style bike rack that can hold these 2 bikes safely on 1000 mile trip...checking elsewhere in forum but feel free to add any hints or PM me
 
I checked with the seller and he said the bikes weight-in at 75 lbs a piece. Carrying 2 of those would need a beefy bike carrier.
I too am considering these esp for the price but my main concern is the drag of the direct drive motor if the batteries run down on long bike trips.

At 75lbs, these bikes seem quite heavy. I actually was looking for a geared hub for this reason. Can someone who has the bike tell me if it would be possible to swap the motor on these to a 36v geared MAC ??
 
Just took the plunge. This will be my first ebike. If the trend of unseasonable warmth stays true in Rochester for a couple more weeks, I'll ride it around and post my impressions.

Mike
 
I just got my account reset , took a little time to post.I have received the bike. as expected the shipping company just doesn't give a damn!

started assembly, realized it was beyond my skills and took to LBS. I noted before I went the charger got very hot , noticed burning smell across the room, no fan, turned it off(unplugged)...next day fan was working.. i pushed manually the night before maybe jump started it??? The handle bar moved enough to stretch the throttle cable enough basically pull out the wires from the plastic housing. 1 washer was missing from the front wheel assembly, cable to the light was too short. I did check a bunch of Allen screws which did need to be tightened all over the bike. I had planned on taking it to the LBS for check out even if I thought it was perfect so much of this is "ok".

the LBS did find the derailleur bracket bent which I did not see. I have been in contact w/the seller and he has been very responsive. he will send missing broken parts to directly to LBS and we will go from there.

Mark
 
I took mine out for its first test drive today. There are a few quirks left to be ironed out (rattling noises and such), but I'm enjoying it! I'll write a review in a few days. Enjoy the pic for now. bike and stuff 041.JPG
 
For those of you who bought one of these, do you know what the 2 blue wires coming out of the controller are for? They have no connectors and the wiring sheet says "speed sensor." I purchased the kit that your bike is built from and just curious if your blue wires are being used and if so for what.
 
Finally picked up my bike from the bike shop and it runs!! Seller was great to deal with, shipping companies all ...are less than avg, some even worse!

It is cold and I have only ridden twice. My fiance and I also each have a Stomer which is a better bike so we ride them when we can. They should be a better bike as it costs much more, bear that in mind.

I have broken 300 for repairs and the parts were not included, but shipped free from the vendor,again blame the shipping company. It still needs a brake cable , has a bind in it.

!st it does what is is supposed to, ebike. it has fenders, lights and horn. The lights are just there to make legal , not something you could use at dark to see. Only bike I have had w/fenders since little kid, they are nice to have in the rain and such but since this is a hobby only no big deal. It also has a cruise control NICE.

the bike has a throttle only for go , no pedal assist although it will start from a stand still where the Stromer's don't, nice but supposed to eat batteries. I did get about 28 miles on the dual batteries but didn't really pedal that much till the last 1/3 when I figured out the most energy conservation. I can get about 19-20 on the stromer for 1 battery same ride.The only time I am to pedal and help go is low power and cruise on . anything faster requires a cadence I don't have. I generally have a slow cadence(never measured) but real issue is the gearing of the bike, really could use an extra tooth or two. I may look into this otherwise the rider wont be able to keep up at all.

the motor feels strong enough and can do hills pretty much, although if I didn't know I would guess more that 100 watt difference between Stromer motor and this one.

My only 2 reals complaints on the bike 's design is the gearing I just mentioned and this last issue...kind of wobbly with my 220 and dual batteries , you can feel the flex of the frame. I did tighten the 2 large nuts where the handlebar stem goes into the frame (they weren't even finger tight) and pushed the stem all the way down, readjust ed the handlebar in gen to be lower and angled toward the rider a little more, much improved but not gone, low end bike I guess. Also thinking of replacing the actual handlebar w/something lower and stronger.

Also the battery meter is all over the place and runs out a little quickly at the end but if this was a daily driver I probably could get used to it

How hard is it replace the front sprocket only?

Mark
 
Does anybody know if this contrtoller/motor can be run at 48volts when it is time to replace the batteries? I am not concerned about the lighs but everything else would need to work for my purposes

Thanks,

Mark
 
my charger has quit , need a replacement i guess, I would really appreciate some help trying to figure out what to replace it with

thanks
Mark
 
Maybe the mods could move this to a repair area , get more thoughts form people?

Thx

Mark
 
you are looking for charger that charges to 41 or 42 volts.

These are Lithium ion batteries and 10s (in series)

this guy would work. http://www.amazon.com/VeriBest-36V-2A-Smart-Charger/dp/B007NHWDC6/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1378238038&sr=1-7&keywords=veribest+charger

just make sure you specify that you want a max voltage of 42v .
 
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