EZip Trailz - On Sale!

DrkAngel

1 GW
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
5,300
Location
Upstate-Western-Southern Tier NY. USA
Added to beginning of thread, for easy access.

Continuously updated price tracking!

Amazon.com

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amazon.png


Amazon eZips

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Walmart Prices

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10/15/12

$401 delivered!

5/23/12

Walmart.com EZip Trailz $479 + 97 cent delivery

Amazon.com EZip Trailz $479 delivered

2/04/12

Walmart.com EZip Trailz $450 delivered

Amazon.com EZip Trailz $450 delivered

01/01/12
$349 - Men's EZip Trailz - Bestbuy.com


click on Picture


Typically, these bikes are sale priced near Christmas.
First "sale" I've seen, this season!
Hoping to see more & better prices.
I will update, more found deals, with date, under this generic topic.

Perks - for EZips - IZips too ...

EZip Basics ... Electric Bike or Electric Assist Bike
EZip - IZip 20mph Upgrade $20!

Trying to re-post the thread.
It got ... messy.
 
A great "starter" eBike!
At the very worst ... it will help you decide:
What features you want-need in a "real" eBike.
Could save you a fortune, in a "wrong" purchase.

Newer models use a much quieter motor.
Some report that, some newer models use an easily replaceable motor freewheel = simple $20 upgrade to 20mph.

Standard "salers" include:

Walmart.com
Amazon.com
Toys-R-Us.com
Bestbuy.com

Will try to keep my eye on them all.
Occasionally, they even offer free shipping ...
or free shipping to store.
 
What can I expect from from the EZip Trailz?
EZip Basics ... Electric Bike or Electric Assist Bike

What can I do to improve it?
1st ... cheapest best improvement! EZip - EZip - IZip 20mph Upgrade $20! - 16 to 20 mph upgrade
More?
Voltage upgrade 36V - about $50 for a controller = 50% higher speed & torque
44.4V upgrade - about $50 for a controller - 44 MAGNUM - 30+++ mph - 1.11HP
Larger-better battery
Homemade Battery Packs
7 mile range increased to 40-50+ miles - no pedaling - cost? recycled cells - about $40-50
 
I too, typically eBike at the "legal" 20 mph.
I purposely limited my EZip upgrades, to a 30mph target speed.
95% of local streets have that same speed limit and blending smoothly with traffic is my goal.
Tho... just because I can hump along at 30 mph doesn't mean I should ... or would.

On the other hand ... my eMotorcycle will be capable of 65 mph+ ... but that is another story, and will be pretty pricey, will cost me ... about half as much as neps eBike.

PtDBWaS
 
SamTexas said:
DrkAngel said:
On the other hand ... my eMotorcycle will be capable of 65 mph+ ...

PtDBWaS
Where are you now on that project? And what is PtDBWaS???
So far:
Have 8kWh recycled Lipo allocated.(all tested good!)
Plan on running as 44.4V - 44 MAGNUM
Will gear for 55 mph standard use, 65+ capable.
Might go 55.5V (add-in pack) for expressway use, 75+ capable.
Might drop 50lb of batt and run in-town at 22.2V!
Battery packs will be modular construction, 3S40P 3.7V 2160mAh = 11.1V x 86.4A = .96kWh
Twin banks of 44.4V 86.4Ah.

Have 8-15HP Etek permanent magnet motor 48V 150amp continuous 300amp surge.
Just built 25A 50.4V charger - 110V - nears standard 20 amp limit
Waiting on 76A 50.4V charger components - 220V 30 amp - if I trim the current, a bit.
Acquired 100' of 9-10ga tinned copper braid, plenty of spare! for "ganging" cells.
20' of 500 amp rated jumper cables - for basic wiring.

Still need:
To choose donor bike, have several crotch rockets to choose from - blown motors!
Motor, batts, controller, charger etc weigh in at 120-125lb.
Looking to match weight with removed - engine, tranny, tank & gas, exhaust, battery etc.

Controller - leaning towards an Alltrax NPX 300A 24-48V sub 20V to 60V+ capable. $200 or less.
AXE model is programmable for "more". Heard too many bad things about "Kelly".
Using a 2000W 24v-60V controller, for basic tests.

Also see - Watts = MPH eMotorcycle
 
SLA is an ebike entry drug - like marijuana leads to heroin. That being said ..these Currie bikes are an excellent value.

I don't think Nep's a bad guy, just addicted to lithium :lol:
 
Ok.. i cleaned up in here.. lots of editing ...

This is not supposed to be kindergarden, everyone chill the f out.. if you canot get along, stay out of each other's face.. period.

My actions in the other thread was not meant to be an open invitation to bash XYZ, i just need everyone to keep it civil for everyone's benefit and ES as a whole.. if that canot work .. i'll introduce the Hampster !
 

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Ypedal said:
... My actions in the other thread was not meant to be an open invitation to bash ***EditedBySamTexas***, i just need everyone to keep it civil for everyone's benefit and ES as a whole.. if that canot work .. i'll introduce the Hampster !
Is it REALLY Really really safe now? May be not. I'm only moving one of my post over per day. I'd hate to see this thread locked again just because @#$%^%$#. Pretty unfair I think. But, it's all for "everyone's benefit and ES as a whole"!!!

Re: EZip Trailz - On Sale! [LOCKED, LOCked, locked]
by SamTexas » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:09 am

dogman said:
No question which bike I'd have if I was dead broke and making minimum wage. If the choice was something under $500, or walking miles to a bus that comes by once an hour.

Almost always true. But there are always exceptions. I'm not broke, not making minimum wage. I don't commute on bicycles or Ebikes or buses. But it's a challenge for me to build things at the lowest cost possible.

My first ebike, a 350W front geared hub, 23mph top speed, 30-50 miles range cost less than $500 including a home built lithium charger. My second ebike a 9c 2807, 40mph top speed, 25-60 miles range cost less than $400 including a cycle analyst.

I have tried an unmolested EZip Trailz about 5 years ago. I have made a promise to myself to never come close to it again. Noise, brushed motor, imbalance, weight, inefficiency, speed, range. I tried but could not find a single nice thing to say about it.

It could have been a decent, acceptable ebike for the mass had Currie used a front brushless geared hub instead of that side mounted, chain driven brushed motor.
 
Some people don't even want to bother with even trying a DIY setup. For those folks, the EZip isn't a bad idea. At least they are not charging like a grand for a POS like a lot and I mean A LOT of Chinese vendors do. A quick look on ebay and you can see just how much garbage is out there. At the EZip price range, you def get your money worth.

As DA has proven the bikes are upgradeable. Sure it takes a little thought and imagination. And sure to upgrade a DYI bike would probably be easier and a better use of funds. But for the type of person that would buy this kind of bike, I would imagine they are not very handy to begin with, nor have they much experience in doing anything of this nature. So for that person, learning on this type of bike might be a pretty good idea. Let the high speed rear DD hub bike be his/her next project.
 
Many of ES's finest contributors started with Currie bikes or kits. ( "USPD" anyone? )

There is nothing inherently wrong with brushed motors: they are cheap, rugged, easy to mod and the controllers are real cheap. A good first experimenter's platform.

There are also reasonable alternatives to the Currie offerings; they can be posted in their own topics.
 
Pure said:
Some people don't even want to bother with even trying a DIY setup...

As DA has proven the bikes are upgradeable...
That's where I got stuck. If those people can't be bothered with a DIY setup, what's the chance for them to do upgrade? Upgrading the sprocket/freewheel on the EZip (http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25726) might be a "trivial" task to most guys, but definitely not trivial to others.
 
Just so long as they know what to expect, most everyone who buys an EZip Trailz should be happy with it!
Any time I recommend something, I try to test it and give a reasonable evaluation.
Of course, some will decide against an item, based on my "evaluation", this is really just fine by me!
I found the EZip Trailz to be, an inexpensive eBike, with surprising upgradeability!

DrkAngel said:
What can I expect from from the EZip Trailz?
EZip Basics ... Electric Bike or Electric Assist Bike

What can I do to improve it?
1st ... cheapest best improvement! EZip - EZip - IZip 20mph Upgrade $20! - 16 to 20 mph upgrade
More?
Voltage upgrade 36V - about $50 for a controller = 50% higher speed & torque (+ battery - of course!)
44.4V upgrade - about $50 for a controller - 44 MAGNUM - 30+++ mph - 1.11HP (+ battery - of course!)
Larger-better battery
Homemade Battery Packs
7 mile range increased to 40-50+ miles - no pedaling - cost? recycled cells - about $40-50
DrkAngel said:
A great "starter" eBike!
At the very worst ... it will help you decide:
What features you want-need in a "real" eBike.
Could save you a fortune, in a "wrong" purchase.

Newer models use a much quieter motor.
Some report that, some newer models use an easily replaceable motor freewheel = simple $20 upgrade to 20mph.
 
Improvements-upgraded replacement parts:

EZip freewheel 20T w/removal tabs $24.19


The "silent" motor (well ... not real loud)
XYD-16 motor w/mounting bracket - $108.89


MY1080Z $65 (loud version)

Sorry - fixed the link to motor!
 

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I had a pleasant surprise with my e-zip Trailz. I had been eye-ing them at the Beast of Bentonville for a while. List price: $398.00

When I decided to go for it I pulled one off the rack and went up to the cash register. It rang up at $299.00. We double-checked the numbers on the UPC and they matched. The Wal-Mart people couldn't explain the difference.
My guess is that it was marked down because it was the previous years model. So I got it for about $320 after tax.

My fear was that the batteries would be little-or-no good. I pictured them sitting uncharged in the stock room for a year and a half. But right from the start they seemed to go almost as far as I had hoped.

As I write this, as a matter of fact, I'm using my home-made battery tester to compare those original batteries to a newer set I bought last summer. But since that's off-topic I'll put it in another post.

Here's one thing to consider: I was willing to risk $400 on something that I thought might or might not be any good. I would not have been willing to risk twelve or fifteen hundred. Hub motor kits come in at a similar price. The less expensive ones, anyway. And while the monetary risk is similar there would still be the question of time and it working properly on the bike we have available, stuff like that.

I put the $320 at risk and was able to start testing my investment the very next morning. That's worth something.

We all know that the e-zip Trailz is not the Cadillac of e-bikes. But that doesn't mean that it's garbage and beneath contempt.

It's an admirable machine.
 
Everybody should have right to his private opinion and I agree with SamTexas on some points he made.
Starter ebike? For educational purposes like at technical school Ezip makes sense, but ...
I would rather put $450 towards good quality stuff maybe wait another year and buy something better.
For somebody who was never sitting on quality ebike Izip might feel like a wonder.
 
Sadly, the days of "cheap" eZips might be over?

I was able to purchase 2 2008 eZip Mountain Trailz for less than $300 each.
Got a 2008 Trailz for less than $250.
$225 for a 2009 Trailz.

Almost ever year, near Christmas, they have had a "sale".
But not this last year.
Possibly demand has outstripped supply?
Perhaps the new owners are setting new policy?
The cost of neodymium magnets has definitely increased!
As is painfully obvious in the cost of all PM motors.
eZip Trailz Price History
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I continue to keep my eyes open for sales and clearances ... but don't feel very optimistic ...
 
It's a pity. But even $450 list is not a terrible price for these bikes.

I've just about got my wife convinced that she wants one. Guess I'd better get moving on it.
 

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Continuously updated price tracking!

Amazon.com

amazon.png


amazon.png


Amazon eZips

Click on picture


Walmart Prices

Click on picture
 
Arghh! After a couple days of research I was set on purchasing this bike. Now the price just increased from $428 to $454 on Amazon. Oh well I'll just wait a while until it comes back down.
 
jla said:
Arghh! After a couple days of research I was set on purchasing this bike. Now the price just increased from $428 to $454 on Amazon. Oh well I'll just wait a while until it comes back down.

That may or may not happen. It may even go higher. I'm sure you already know the best place to buy anything is somewhere with a price guarantee. Amozon (provided it is actually coming from Amozon) may offer this. For sure places like Wally World would.

Bob
 
Back in January I purchased a Currie eZip TrailZ Men s E-bike from Sam's Club online for $399 w/ free Fed Ex shipping. The only other fee was tax ($23.94), so the total cost delivered to my door was $422.94. I also ordered a 2nd 24V 10Ah SLA battery pack from Amazon (Scooter Central) for $102.78 plus $37.82 s&h since I planned to commute 20 mi each way between work & home. After putting less than 100 miles on it, it was clear that I needed more speed so I bought both of the freewheel upgrades (& tools) as well as 2 more 12V 10Ah SLA's so I can run at 36V instead of the stock 24V. Also had to upgrade to a 36V controller, 36V charger and 36V throttle. Also added some accessories like fenders, lights, spare tubes & bike computer for it. Haven't bothered to total it all up, but I figured that $400 bike cost me more like $800 with everything.

Still very happy with it, but just want to point out the initial cost of the bike is just the beginning of a persons E-bike experience and many other things seem to be 'needed' after that initial purchase. It's been very reliable rain or shine and I've put over 1500 miles on it in about 4 months, and had 3 or 4 rear flats during that time. If I had to do it all over again, I'd either buy the eZip, like I did, or consider a kit like others purchased since I ended upgrading the gearing and electronics to make it possible to commute 20 miles in under an hour. In my opinion, no matter what a person decides, it seems that a cost of about $800 minimum is typical to end up with a functional E-bike that the rider will be happy with.
 
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