Zap e-bike, advice??

[John Brand]

Hi guys,



I’m very new to the idea of e-bikes and am keen to give it a go. I am reluctant to spend too much on a new product and after Googling electronic bikes found they can be horrendously expensive!

I found one being trialled on Indiegogo for 60% off so it sits within my price range. As far as I can tell it looks pretty decent but was chansing some advice? Here's the link:


https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/zap-the-breakthrough-e-bike-that-torques-it-up



It looks pretty good to me given the price, all the electrics are neatly sealed and only uses power when it's needed.

As I said, new to this so any opinions would be greatly appreciated. I have found reputable e-bikes online but just not sure I want to drop thousands of dollars just yet!

 

[wesnewell]

Looks like a good way to throw $1200 away. They've only got $1K of the $65K goal before they claim they can produce it. I wouldn't count on it. Besides, it's only a 250W motor rated for 25kph.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66302

 

[dogman dan]

Surprised they didn't offer it for $500. Just remember, it's not a purchase, and you might not get exactly what you see in the pretty picture.

Not a bad 250w offering IMO. Real torque sensing PAS is the feature that catches my eye. But yeah, 250w useless to me on any big hill. Surely a great bike for bopping around a downtown.

Single speed a plus too I think. Many will run a tiny non hub motor in too high gear, frying it. Hopefully they chose the right gear of course. Honestly, I'd rather have this zap than a Copenhagen wheel.

When I saw the name, I thought it was going to be the old friction drive Zap.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Looks neat. But giving them money doesn't mean you're buying one. You give them money so they can develop it, and if they're successful, you'll get one. If they fail, you get nothing.

They claim up to 70km range, but on a pedal assist bike, that number is totally arbitrary. You can go as far as you can pedal.

250 watts is fine in Europe. If you're "American" sized, you're going to want something in the 350-500w range.