EZ Pedaler T500 Review

The EZ Pedaler T500, a unisex low-step city style e-bike, comes packed with lots of accessories making it a good value for the rider who wants a more powerful yet easy to use electric bike. It’s nicely balanced with the motor in the front and the removable battery behind the seat, the trade-off is slightly slower steering from the added weight of the motor in the front wheel. Going from a 5 magnet to a 12 magnet cadence sensor has improved performance with a smoother, quicker response with 5 levels of pedal assist to choose from. The T500 has a clean appearance with a Shimano Nexus 3 speed hub built into the rear wheel and the wiring harness partially routed through the frame and extra structural strength from an additional gusset welded above the bottom bracket to reduce sway.

Powering the T500 is a durable 500 watt geared front hub motor made by 8FUN, an Asian company that manufactures motors used by several of the leading electric bike companies. The motor makes a slight whirring sound which comes from the internal gears but it’s not distracting. This motor is a reasonable hill climber; however, not significantly more powerful than the 350 watt motor on the 24 inch wheel T350. The smaller wheel size of the T350 creates more torque making the performance feel similar to the larger motor. The front suspension forks are less effective with the added weight and motion of the motor. A little pulling from the momentum of the rolling motor is typical of all front hub motors but not a significant issue while steering. For an additional $100, the T500 Turbo comes with a more powerful, higher current controller and may be a better choice for those carrying large loads or riding steeper hills. I’ve been told that EZ Pedaler is transitioning most of their T500 models to the Turbo option for mid-2015 because of the peppier feel they deliver.

A handy lever beneath the soft Velo Comfort seat quickly flips the seat up to allow easy access to the removable 36 volt 12 amp hour Lithium Ion battery pack that powers the headlight and motor system. The mid frame battery position helps to balance this e-bike overall and is a real plus since many e-bikes are rear heavy with motor and battery in the back. There’s a push button activated battery gauge on the top so you can check battery level with the pack off the bike along with a keyed lock and ignition on the side. The locking feature adds to the security of the battery; however, the key is not removable once turned to the ‘on’ position so a dangling set of keys may rattle against the battery box. With the charger port located on the pack, there’s the added convenience of being able to charge the battery either on or off the bike. This battery is a little larger than the one on the T350; however, the larger T500 motor consumes more power so there’s not a real noticeable difference in range between the two models.

The easy to read digital display LCD panel on the T500 has a more accurate 6 bar battery gauge and is a definite upgrade from the prior LED console. It’s an easy reach with your left hand and the console although not removable, does swivel helping keep glare off the panel face. Additional information including an odometer and trip meter, battery voltage and current and a timer are accessed by pressing the power button again once the e-bike is on. S-plus and S-minus buttons at the top and bottom of the panel control the pedal assist settings and the e-bike starts up in pedal assist level one. Press the S-minus button to level zero and you’re riding in throttle mode only. Switching through the pedal assist levels is smooth and changes quickly and in a pinch, the throttle power can be added to the pedal assist for an extra boost. The headlight can be switched on and off using the CUR button on the console; however, the rear light is still a manual toggle and operates with separate replaceable batteries. This is a con for me because it’s easy to forget to turn the rear light on and off when finished riding… which means it can run dry overnight more easily.

The T500 with its upright position, swept back handlebars, low step frame and wider tires is ready to go for a quick errand or neighborhood ride and easy on the neck and back. Add in the built-in lights, rear rack designed to support bags or panniers, chain guard and easily adjusted stem and comfortable saddle and you have a solid choice for city riders who want a little larger wheel and frame and bigger motor than offered with the T350. Unfortunately, there aren’t any water bottle cage bosses and no real space on the seat post or down tube to mount one, so you’ll need to use a bag on the rack or handlebars to carry water. The 3 speed Shimano Nexus gear system lacks some range when it comes to gear selection; however, its simplicity is appealing to the rider who really doesn’t want to worry about shifting a lot and it can be shifted when at a standstill which is nice. The selection of mid grade components helps keep this e-bike at an inexpensive price point and with the new LCD console and 12 magnet cadence sensor there are definite performance improvements over the older T500 model from 2013/2014.

Pros:

• New LCD console with 6 bar battery level readout, odometer and trip odometer and voltage and current readouts
• Improved 12 magnet cadence sensor for more responsive and smoother power control
• Built in front LED light that is controlled from the console and rear LED light with external switch for more rider safety
• Shimano Nexus 3 speed hub in rear wheel is simple to use with less maintenance and can be shifted at standstill, less risk of thrown chain with a shorter, tighter chain
• Soft Velo Comfort seat and front suspension help make this a comfortable riding e-bike and double kickstand keeps e-bike more stable when parked
• Lots of extra accessories come with the T500, including front and rear fenders, a semi opaque chain guard for protection from water splash and a rear rack that accommodates standard saddlebags

Cons:

• Front hub motor can make steering feel slower due to gyroscopic centripetal force
• Quick release for the seat in closed position can hit the battery and for shorter riders, the saddle flip up lever hits the top of the battery
• This Shimano Nexus hub only has 3 gears which can feel awkward or limiting for performance
• Integrated band brake in the rear does not stop as well as V-brake in front and requires more maintenance
• Double kickstand hangs down low when released which can make it easier to hit curbs or grab in a turn

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.ezpedaler.com/t500-ez-pedaler-unisex-touring-electric-bike.html
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/ytq7Est8ZQcX8f5W9