Quick Take: IZIP E3 Electric fat bike – the Sumo and more
Currie Technologies has specialized in electric bicycles since 1997 and they are one of the biggest developers and distributors of eBikes in the U.S. They are responsible for designing, manufacturing, and selling ebikes under the IZIP, Haibike, eFlow and eZip brands. Although nothing creates more debate on our site than electric mountain bikes on trails, this article is simply featuring four bikes (two mountain bikes, one cruiser and one commuter) that we recently checked out at the Winter Bike Press Camp event last week. We’ll leave the higher level “discussion” about the politics of e-bikes on singletrack for another time.
IZip Sumo – 350 watt motor, 6061 aluminum frame, 1×10 drivetrain – $3650.
IZIP E3 Sumo – fat e-bike
IZIP’s Sumo is a burly fat bike designed for soft and loose riding surfaces from sand to snow to dirt. The frame is 6061 aluminum with a rigid alloy fork. The Sumo has a SRAM X7 1×10 drivetrain with Tektro Dorado hydraulic brakes handling stopping duty. The wheels feature Alex FM-1 doublewall rims and they are fitted with Kenda Juggernaut 26×4.00 tires. The frame also features nice internal cable routing, which is good because with all the electronics, there are quite a few wires and cables.
The Sumo uses a high torque center drive 350W motor that will go from 6 mph using the motor only (no pedaling) to up to 28 mph with hard pedaling in high power assist mode. The battery is a Lithium-ion 48V 8.7Ah 417Wh. The IZIP E3 Sumo will be available in two sizes (MD and LG) and the retail price will be $3650.
IZIP E3 Peak DS – 120mm of rear travel, 27.5″ wheels, 350 watt motor – $4500
IZIP E3 Peak DS – full suspension e-mountain bike
The IZIP E3 Peak DS features the same center drive 350 watt motor as the Sumo with the same battery, speed and range. The frame is 6061 aluminum and suspension duties are handled by an X-Fusion Velvet RL fork and O2 RLX rear shock. The suspension design is a four-bar design with 120mm of travel. The Peak DS rolls on 27.5″ wheels with Alex rims and Maxxis Ardent Race 27.5×2.2″ tires. The drivetrain is a SRAM X9 trigger shift with 1×10 gearing. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes handle the stopping with oversized 203mm/180mm rotors front and rear.
The IZIP E3 Peak DS will be available in two sizes (MD and LG) and the retail price will be $4,500.
IZIP Zuma – cruiser with 500 watt motor – $2550.
IZIP E3 Zuma – cruiser
Not as controversial as electric bikes on mountain bike trails, cruisers and commuters are popular options for riders looking to get by with a little bit of assist. The IZIP Zuma is a 6061 aluminum framed cruiser with a rigid steel fork. Unlike the Sumo and the Peak DS, the Zuma uses a 500 watt 48 volt rear hub motor, so the cost is quite a bit cheaper. It has a range up to 35 miles and this cruiser cruises at 20 mph. The integrated battery pack is hidden away in the seat tube and pops out for easy charging. Like most electric bikes, the Zuma isn’t light, but the 53 pound claimed weight is a lot lower than older hub motor bicycles that sometimes pushed 70 lbs or more. Bonus points for the rack, fender and water bottle mounts.
The Zuma is available from your local IZIP dealer now and the suggested retail price is $2550.
Read the complete write-up of the Raleigh Misceo commuter bike with Shimano’s STEPS drive system on RoadBikeReview.
Raleigh Misceo – commuter bike with Shimano’s new STEPS drive system
Besides the IZIP, Haibike, eFlow and eZip brand of bikes, Currie Technologies is also the driving force behind e-bikes from other brands under the Accell Group of bicycles, which includes Raleigh. The Raleigh Misceo is an early release 2016 model that features Shimano’s all new STEPS drive system. Like the popular Bosch mid-drive system, the new Shimano STEPS puts the motor at the center of the bike in an oversized bottom bracket location. This placement creates a lower center of gravity for better weight distribution (a common complaint of hub-drive systems which have a distinct rear-ward weight bias). However, as a bicycle drivetrain manufacturer, Shimano has one thing that Bosch does not. The Misceo integrates Shimano’s Di2 electronic shifting into their Alfine 8 speed internally geared rear hub. This way, everything the rider needs is viewed through one display, whether it be info about the gearing or the motor system. One unified control unit for both gear functions and motor drive functions.
The Misceo will be available in four frame sizes and should be in Raleigh dealers this April. Pricing has not yet been set, but it is expected to be in the $3500 range.
For more information about the Raleigh Misceo, please see our full write-up on Mtbr’s sister site: RoadBikeReview:
https://www.roadbikereview.com/reviews/first-look-raleigh-misceo-e-bike-with-shimano-steps-drive-system
From the manufacturer
“IZIP is Currie Technologies premium line of electric bikes. Our e-bikes are made with top quality frames and components, utilizing superior technologies. IZIP offers both experienced and novice riders fun, safety and reliability, while saving you time and money.”
For more information visit: www.currietech.com/izip-electric-bikes/
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