An affordable folding style electric bike with streamlined three-speed internally geared hub in the back and a 350 watt geared motor in the front
Great utilitarian accessories including full length fenders with mud flaps, chain guide, rear carry rack and LED lights
The rear light is not integrated, the kickstand hangs low even in the "up" position, the front tire can spin a bit on start and while turning sharply, the front suspension fork improves ride quality a bit but doesn't offer much travel and adds weight
Avid Single Digit V-Brake in Front, Roller Brake in Rear, Levers with Motor Cutoff Switch
Grips:
Rubber, Flat
Saddle:
Velo Comfort
Seat Post:
Aluminum Alloy
Seat Post Length:
500 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
33.9 mm
Rims:
Power Circle, Double Wall Aluminum Alloy
Spokes:
13 Gauge Stainless Steel
Tire Brand:
Kenda, 20" x 1.96"
Wheel Sizes:
20 in (50.8cm)
Tire Details:
Puncture Resistant, Reflective Sidewalls
Tube Details:
Schrader Valve
Accessories:
LED Headlight Powered by Main Battery, LED Rear Light Powered by Two AA Batteries, ABS Plastic Fenders with Mud Flaps, Plastic Chain Guard, Plastic Chain Guide, Rear Carry Rack with Spring Latch, Double Leg Kickstand, Bell on Left Grip, LED Charge Level Indicator on Battery
Other:
250 lb Maximum Load, Locking Removable Battery Pack (Can Charge Separately from Bike), Torque Arm on Front Fork Connected to Hub Motor Axle for Strength, Quick Release Folding Frame
The EZ Pedaler Crosstown X350 folding electric bike is sleek, compact and packed with significant upgrades over the previous model, the F-350 making this a solid choice for a variety of riding adventures. A more relaxed fork and stem angle adds to the comfortable upright position for the rider and stabilizes steering. The speed on the X-350 is controller limited to 18mph with the trade-off being better torque for hill climbing and acceleration. Along with the trigger throttle, there’s a faster acting 12 magnet cadence sensor that’s more sensitive giving the 5 level pedal assist system a smoother and more natural ride. With the new internal frame battery, the bike feels balanced and weighs in at 50 lbs, 2 pounds lighter than before. Given all the included goodies, the fenders, rear rack, lights and Shimano Nexus hub, this is a solid offering in the mid-level folding ebike space.
Powered by a Bafang 8Fun 350 watt geared hub motor in the front wheel, there’s a little hum from the motor but the benefit is stronger hill climbing. This durable motor is laced into a rugged double wall 20″ rim with heavy duty 13 gauge spokes to handle the acceleration and stresses of typical roads. Both brake levers include a motor inhibitor switch to cut power during braking or for an emergency as an extra safety feature. Adding to the rider’s comfort is a simple Zoom suspension fork with an increased fork angle, or rake, as mentioned earlier to help buffer road bumps and keep steering stable. Not a high performance fork, it has limited travel and no adjustments or lock out setting. The steering feels a little slower with the front mounted motor; however, this creates space in the rear wheel for the Shimano Nexus 3 speed hub, an internal system which can be shifted while you’re at a standstill and requires very little maintenance. It’s also a bit more protected if the bike tips or gets bumped when folded and packed into a tight space (much less exposed than a traditional derailleur).
Here’s the real beauty of the this bike: a 36 volt 10.4 am p hour (374.4 watt/hrs) internally mounted frame battery that is well protected, sleek looking (or hidden rather) that is still removable for easy charging or safe storage from weather extremes. At ~5 lbs, this lightweight Samsung Lithium Ion battery pack fits nicely into the frame and further effort has gone into reducing rattle with the inclusion of a set screw under the tube (tighten the screw to hold the battery securely, loosen it to take the battery off), there is also a key lock on the underside for security. The power dense lithium-ion cells used in the pack are rated for up to 1,000 charge cycles of worry free riding before degrading. To really meet that estimate I recommend storing them between 20% and 80% full and using a cool dry location (extreme heat and cold are not your friend and may prematurely age the cells). Since the charger is so compact and only weighs 1.3 lbs, it’s easy to carry along on rides to top off the battery pack or effectively double your range. It’s a simple 1 prong unit with no vents or internal fans and plugs, so it’s very quiet and works with any standard 110 volt outlet. For RV and boating where the bike may be stored for long periods of time, be sure to top off the battery every couple of months.
Once the battery is charged and mounted you can power up the control console by pressing the power button on the LCD display (mounted near the left grip). This new LCD display unit swivels to avoid glare and presents a lot more data than the previous EZ Pedaler LED based system. Two of the buttons, top and bottom step you through the 5 level pedal assist that can be changed as you ride for better performance. The power button toggles to different screens displaying a six bar battery gauge with voltage and power current readings, total mileage and trip odometers with actual speed and a clock function. Another nice touch, the integrated LED headlight powered by the main battery pack has its own button on the console. Unfortunately, the rear tail light has a manual switch and is powered by a set of replaceable batteries, so don’t forget to turn it off once you’re done riding! This console is easy to reach and use while riding, very intuitive and a great improvement over last-gen tech.
Overall, the EZ Pedaler X-350 is a solid, high quality ebike at a reasonable price. Folding the bike is pretty easy and there’s a new handle that adds structural strength to the frame while also making it easy to manage and lift. Notice that the wiring harness is a bit tight with the frame folded, so make sure the main motor connector doesn’t pull apart. In addition, the pedals fold flat trimming the width of the bike when folded. The color coded connectors on the handlebar wiring harness are a nice touch and make reconnecting easier. The rear roller brake that’s part of the Shimano Nexus hub is softer than the front V-brake but is adequate given the non-technical riding most owners will be targeting with an electric bike like this. You get good acceleration with the smaller front wheel but it has a tendency to spin freely when starting or turning while throttling. Rather than use quick release skewers each wheel is bolted on and the kickstand hangs down a bit when riding so use caution during quick turns. The internal gears are nice and clean but offer fewer speeds than the e-Joe Epik SE, a similar e-bike I’ve covered in the past. With the wider profile hybrid tires, front suspension and cushy saddle, this is a comfortable riding bike at a good value.
Pros:
Nice solid feel for a folding bike and weighs 2 lbs less than the previous version, the F-350
Battery now located inside the frame which makes for a sleek appearance, yet is still removable for convenient off-board charging
Comes with a complete set of accessories, including front and rear lights, rear rack and fenders for a very full value ebike
Double kickstand provides better stability when parking this bike, particularly with heavy loads on the rear rack
New LED console offers 5 levels of pedal assist, backlight for easier reading in low light, plus a wide selection of extra performance and electronic status information
The internally geared 350 watt front hub motor is packed with plenty of climbing power and torque because it benefits from the smaller 20″ wheel size, it’s smooth and not too noisy
Extra long 500mm seatpost allows very tall as well as petite riders to comfortably fit this ebike
The very well designed and durable Velo Comfort saddle has a wider profile, cushioning and an ergo cut-out in the middle and this along with the basic suspension fork helps dampen road bumps for a less stressful ride
Shimano Nexus geared hub is clean, requires less maintenance, can be shifted at standstill and keeps the chain shorter and tighter so it won’t fall off as easily
Cons:
Slight spin of front wheel when starting fast or during hard turns when using the thumb throttle can make the steering feel a little light and lose grip
The rear roller brake that is integrated with the Shimano Nexus hub lacks the same stopping power of the front V-brakes
Although the double kickstand is helpful, it hangs down fairly low in its ‘up’ position making it easier to snag during a quick hard turn
Fair amount of stress on wiring harness while folded which could pull the main connector at the motor, at least there is a quick disconnect that is easy to plug back in so you’re not pulling on the actual wire end points
Rear light has to be switched on manually which makes it easier to forget or leave on, it also runs on separate batteries, no bottle cage mounts on this bike mean you might have to use the rear rack and a bag like this
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Hey Court, could you possibly list the gear specs as well (chain ring teeth, cassette specs, gear inches… etc)? I love folding bikes and smaller wheels but most manufacturers use the same gearing as the bigger wheel bikes and thus you have to pedal like a maniac to reach higher speeds. I’m surprised manufacturers don’t see this (especially e-bike companies since it’s easier to reach higher speeds.)
Great request Stephen… I definitely strive to include that sort of info when it’s available (or when I can figure it out from the bike). I just demoed the Enzo Folding eBike and noticed that it did have a larger chainring in the front for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The smaller wheels change the natural cadence (speed it up) so having a larger front ring helps to bring it back towards “normal”.
Thanks for the reply Court. I did see your review on the Enzo (as well just about every review on folding bikes you’ve done so far.) I own/owned a few folding bikes and have done lots of research on them and I am guessing that the Enzo’s larger chainring is your standard 52 teeth and it will still only top out at 69 gear inches with the 14 teeth rear sprocket. It is certainly better but still inadequate. Your avg road bike tops out at 100-110 and mountain bikes 90-100. That explains why some regular bikers are able to blow by me on my 18 mile commute when they shouldn’t be since I don’t really have the option of helping out my battery over a sustained period of time.
Interesting point… My first thought was how these folding bikes use the same cogsets as standard bicycles and tend to have that larger chainring so they should perform the same or even better in terms of gear inches, but then I realized the wheel is much smaller (20″ vs. 26″ or even 28″) and I think that’s what is really holding you back in terms of speed. Just a theory here, maybe I’m wrong and the gears really are different on these but I see the Shimano Tourney, Acera, Alivio on lots of folding, mid sized and full sized bicycles and the chainrings all appear similar as well.
Well it took me a while but i finally figured out why my bicycle has one of the few links to a competitor. You will notice that Court points out, with a link, that our bicycle has only three gears while the ejoe brand has more. Well folks the reason for that link is because he gets paid to promote the ejoe brand. Instead of pointing out the advantage of a three speed internal hub gear ( elimination of derailleur issues ) Court drives the customer to a competitive website. Quite obvious when searching bikes under $2500. The ejoe comes up on every page. Conversely I do not see a link on the ejoe review, pointing out the advantages of internal hub gears on an ezpedaler. I guess i need to pay for that.
Hey Dick, there are advantages to internally geared hubs and simplicity is listed as a Pro above. I stated that the “Shimano Nexus geared hub is clean, requires less maintenance, can be shifted at standstill and keeps the chain shorter and tighter so it won’t fall off as easily”.
Indeed, E-Joe does pay to have their review pinned at the top of the folding bike category here but that action was taken after I completed the review. I always offer reviews free of charge but do sell advertising services in order to pay for gas, lodging and other expenses related to keeping EBR online. I frequently link between bike reviews here and point out the pros/cons of competing products… it’s not personal :)
Thanks for the review! After watching your YouTube review and reading this, I just bought this bike here in Chicago from Kozy.com (Milwaukee ave location), great place! My first ebike and look forward to putting this bike through the ringer :) Only wish I would’ve found the review earlier as it is starting to get cold here in Chicago haha.
Plan to use it as a commuter bike to work (under 10 miles mostly flat terrain) will recharge during work. Also plan to do some long range rides with this bad boy, so might look into buying spare battery pack(s) to switch out during the ride! (If that is doable?)
I also recently purchased an Inergy Kodiak and was just thinking… can this bike charge and operate at same time? The Inergy solar generator is 1100 watt capacity and is around ~20lbs. So maybe if I strap the backup solar generator to the rack, it will trickle charge as I ride (if the bike can charge and operate at same time)?
Very excited to get my toes wet in the ebike world with this ebike! Thanks!
Nice! Glad you’re happy with the bike so far Marc! Solar charging is an area I’m still experimenting with, I’d love to hear what you end up trying… I bought one of these a while back and used it a bit, mostly for powering electronics when I travel vs. the actual bikes.
Mar
4 years ago
I have owned the ez pedalar 350x for 2 years now… I love love love it… I feel like a kid all over again! It should be the wave of the future. People need to ditch their cars for small trips and use the electric bike.
Stephen
9 years agoHey Court, could you possibly list the gear specs as well (chain ring teeth, cassette specs, gear inches… etc)? I love folding bikes and smaller wheels but most manufacturers use the same gearing as the bigger wheel bikes and thus you have to pedal like a maniac to reach higher speeds. I’m surprised manufacturers don’t see this (especially e-bike companies since it’s easier to reach higher speeds.)
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoGreat request Stephen… I definitely strive to include that sort of info when it’s available (or when I can figure it out from the bike). I just demoed the Enzo Folding eBike and noticed that it did have a larger chainring in the front for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The smaller wheels change the natural cadence (speed it up) so having a larger front ring helps to bring it back towards “normal”.
ReplyStephen
9 years agoThanks for the reply Court. I did see your review on the Enzo (as well just about every review on folding bikes you’ve done so far.) I own/owned a few folding bikes and have done lots of research on them and I am guessing that the Enzo’s larger chainring is your standard 52 teeth and it will still only top out at 69 gear inches with the 14 teeth rear sprocket. It is certainly better but still inadequate. Your avg road bike tops out at 100-110 and mountain bikes 90-100. That explains why some regular bikers are able to blow by me on my 18 mile commute when they shouldn’t be since I don’t really have the option of helping out my battery over a sustained period of time.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoInteresting point… My first thought was how these folding bikes use the same cogsets as standard bicycles and tend to have that larger chainring so they should perform the same or even better in terms of gear inches, but then I realized the wheel is much smaller (20″ vs. 26″ or even 28″) and I think that’s what is really holding you back in terms of speed. Just a theory here, maybe I’m wrong and the gears really are different on these but I see the Shimano Tourney, Acera, Alivio on lots of folding, mid sized and full sized bicycles and the chainrings all appear similar as well.
ReplyDick Allen
8 years agoWell it took me a while but i finally figured out why my bicycle has one of the few links to a competitor. You will notice that Court points out, with a link, that our bicycle has only three gears while the ejoe brand has more. Well folks the reason for that link is because he gets paid to promote the ejoe brand. Instead of pointing out the advantage of a three speed internal hub gear ( elimination of derailleur issues ) Court drives the customer to a competitive website. Quite obvious when searching bikes under $2500. The ejoe comes up on every page. Conversely I do not see a link on the ejoe review, pointing out the advantages of internal hub gears on an ezpedaler. I guess i need to pay for that.
Regards,
Dick Allen
ReplyPresident
EZ Pedaler
Court Rye
8 years agoHey Dick, there are advantages to internally geared hubs and simplicity is listed as a Pro above. I stated that the “Shimano Nexus geared hub is clean, requires less maintenance, can be shifted at standstill and keeps the chain shorter and tighter so it won’t fall off as easily”.
Indeed, E-Joe does pay to have their review pinned at the top of the folding bike category here but that action was taken after I completed the review. I always offer reviews free of charge but do sell advertising services in order to pay for gas, lodging and other expenses related to keeping EBR online. I frequently link between bike reviews here and point out the pros/cons of competing products… it’s not personal :)
ReplyMarc V
8 years agoThanks for the review! After watching your YouTube review and reading this, I just bought this bike here in Chicago from Kozy.com (Milwaukee ave location), great place! My first ebike and look forward to putting this bike through the ringer :) Only wish I would’ve found the review earlier as it is starting to get cold here in Chicago haha.
Plan to use it as a commuter bike to work (under 10 miles mostly flat terrain) will recharge during work. Also plan to do some long range rides with this bad boy, so might look into buying spare battery pack(s) to switch out during the ride! (If that is doable?)
I also recently purchased an Inergy Kodiak and was just thinking… can this bike charge and operate at same time? The Inergy solar generator is 1100 watt capacity and is around ~20lbs. So maybe if I strap the backup solar generator to the rack, it will trickle charge as I ride (if the bike can charge and operate at same time)?
Very excited to get my toes wet in the ebike world with this ebike! Thanks!
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoNice! Glad you’re happy with the bike so far Marc! Solar charging is an area I’m still experimenting with, I’d love to hear what you end up trying… I bought one of these a while back and used it a bit, mostly for powering electronics when I travel vs. the actual bikes.
Mar
4 years agoI have owned the ez pedalar 350x for 2 years now… I love love love it… I feel like a kid all over again! It should be the wave of the future. People need to ditch their cars for small trips and use the electric bike.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoThanks for your inspired testimonial, Mar. Glad you’re out there having fun, getting some exercise, and saving some gas and road congestion ;)
ReplyMar
4 years agoI have this bike I absolutely love it… I’ve had it a few years now.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHey! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us Mar. Glad to hear that you are enjoying it and that it’s held up over the years :D
Reply