IZIP E3 ProTour Review

The ProTour is one of IZIP’s most exciting electric bikes, at least to me. It offers high-speed 28 mph pedal assisted rides, feature-complete accessories like fenders, a rear rack, and integrated lights, and now it runs off of your Android or iOS smartphone device because it comes stock with the Cobi system. If you don’t have a smartphone or don’t want to use one, you can still operate this bike through the remote button pad (mounted with reach of the left grip) but the benefits of using their app are many. You get all of the traditional ride stats such as speed, assist level, and battery capacity, along with GPS maps, fitness tracker, music integration, and phone call support. If you allow the Cobi system to access your contacts, music, etc. it can do many things… and possibly even more in the future as they update the software. And this is both a pro and a con, because it took me over one hour to configure the Cobi system on the brand new 2017 IZIP E3 ProTour demo model I was given access to. You might think, oh, it’s just the software on my phone! But there is also some software and firmware built into the battery-powered interface where your phone mounts, and that had to be updated through my phone’s connection… after it had charged off of the main bike battery. In short, I charged the bike… the bike charged the mount, my phone updated the mount and then itself… and then I finally got to take a ride! Included with the Cobi system is an aimable two-mode headlight with daytime running lights along the side and a bright center light for illuminating the path. A stand-alone rear LED light is mounted to the seat post and offers basic performance now but supposedly will offer turn signal and braking bright mode based on an accelerometer with future software updates. On the one hand, having to power the bike on by pressing the battery power button and then plugging in your phone and booting up the app and then pressing the rear light power button seems like a lot of steps, but having the ability to move the rear light to different areas of the bike (like clipping it onto a trunk bag or backpack) is very cool and you really don’t need to mount your phone if you don’t want to. So that’s just one step :)

Driving this electric bike is a powerful, relatively quiet, impressively compact mid-motor from a Taiwanese company called TranzX. This company usually produces mid-level value motors but the M25GTS is one of their premium products with a multi-sensor controller. It offers 500 watts of nominal output and up to 70 Newton meters of torque putting it on par with Bosch and Yamaha systems. Instead of just measuring pedal cadence as most of the other TranzX motors do, it listens for rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque… though in my experience it is still primarily cadence driven and less dynamic than Bosch. The standard sized 42 tooth chainring seemed a bit delayed when I stopped pedaling, it’s like the motor wanted to continue or needed to wind down a bit and there was definitely some clunking as I shifted gears, possibly in part because of this steady output style. One benefit is that you don’t have to work as hard to get this bike going fast or maintain a consistent high speed, but this also drains the battery more quickly. All mid-drive motors depend on gears to maximize efficiency and speed, you have to shift actively, and the E3 ProTour comes with a solid 10-speed SRAM X7 drivetrain. I noticed that even when I was pedaling fast in a lower gear (which is my preference) the motor did not cut out and I was able to achieve relatively high speeds. This was a delightful experience considering that some other motors cut out early and seem to force you to shift gears vs. working with you to achieve the desired result. Overall, I really liked how quiet, smooth, and well placed the motor was… it pairs perfectly with the battery to bring weight down and center on the bike frame and they both nearly disappear visually.

The battery pack does many things right but it isn’t especially large so your range may be more limited than competing products (especially if you ride at higher speeds constantly). It’s a custom shaped 48 volt Lithium-ion setup with high quality Samsung or LG cells (it sounds like the source for many ebike battery cells varies depending on availability and pricing throughout the year). The battery can be charged on or off the frame and uses the same metal-tipped charging port design so you don’t need to worry about extra cables or accessories. The charger itself offers a very standard 2-Amps output flow which is fine given the average sized 417 watt hour capacity of the pack. You only get 8.7 Amp hours with this battery while some others offer 10+ for a larger overall capacity. Yes, 48 volt systems send electricity more efficiently than 36 volt and yes the mid-drive motor is going to spend that electricity more judiciously if you shift gears thoughtfully… but high speed riding can really take a toll. I guess the benefits here are a lighter weight pack at ~5.7 lbs and a less expensive bike. Priced at ~3.3k, this is one of the more affordable premium speed pedelecs, especially when you take the Cobi system and all of the accessories into consideration. IZIP estimates 15 to 40 miles of range per charge and that huge range depends on what level of assist you’re using, your body weight and cargo load, as well as the terrain and weather (wind can play a part). when you do take the battery off, perhaps to reduce frame weight for lifting, be careful with how you hold and carry it because there are no handles and dropping it could result in permanent damage and need for an $800+ replacement.

Operating this e-bike can be a bit more tedious because it offers so many features. It all starts with the battery pack which has a circular rubber button on the side. This is your power button and once pressed, boots up the Cobi system (whether your phone is on or not). You can simply press the up and down buttons to get more or less power and ultimately, a lower or higher top assisted speed. Each press results in a chime with multiple tones to communicate which level (1-4) of assist you are in. If you do happen to have the Cobi app installed on your phone and the device is turned on and the app is launched, it will sync with the bike using Bluetooth and show a nice menu. Using Bluetooth and running the screen (and possibly GPS sensors) will drain your phone battery so it’s great that the Cobi mount comes with two cables for Android (Micro-USB) and iOS (Lightening) and I’m guessing that future versions will also have USB-C but I didn’t see that in the box. So you’ve got your phone connected and charging, the bike is ready to assist you, and there are several other menus that can be swiped through by using the left/right keys or touching your phone’s screen. I didn’t experiment with the music player but the GPS map system worked well and uses proprietary offline maps so it saves your battery a bit. You can play music through the Cobi interface and even take calls while still looking at the speed, assist level, trip stats display. In practice, it all works smoothly once it’s setup correctly… and if you take your phone out of the mount and flip it from landscape (horizontal) to portrait (vertical) a lock screen comes up and you can actually “lock” the bike and arm an alarm system. I tried doing this for fun and then shook the bike to see what would happen, but it didn’t work. What did work was the bell (press the bottom button), bright light mode (hold the top button), and walk mode… sort of (hold the bottom button). Were there some kinks in the system? Yes, but they were minor. This is the kind of thing that will get better with time and offers way more to a rider than most fixed systems, certainly more than the 2016 IZIP E3 ProTour.

I don’t feel like I have complained enough about the lack of suspension and higher price on the 2017 IZIP E3 ProTour yet. These two factors really gave me pause because they are very important to me and I sort of expect ebikes to get cheaper and better over time, not the opposite. The electronics and feature set are definitely better on this bike and maybe the Cobi is worth $300 more, but what about the cost savings of the suspension post and fork? These would cost me at least $200 more to add myself and the fork probably wouldn’t match. It’s easy to lock a fork out if you want firm riding but you can’t do anything but adjust the tire pressure and maybe add a seat post suspension on a bike like this to add comfort. Yes, there are also suspension stems available now like the ShockStop from Redshift sports. This isn’t a deal killer, it’s just surprising to me. Many other speed pedelecs forgo suspension (some Turbo Vado models and most Stromer models) so I guess the R&D departments have measured sales and weight savings etc. to make that decision. But, I was also surprised that the weight of this model is only 0.5 lbs less than the 2016 without suspension. I don’t mean to get too hung up in comparisons, overall it’s a great bike with a lot of beauty and value on offer. I like the kickstand setup, the pedals, the locking grips. You do get a solid warranty and some size choices. I appreciate the opportunity to see this new bike and really dig into the Cobi system, it’s great that it comes stock here and that saves you a lot of money over trying to add it yourself later (and it keeps the frame cleaner). For someone looking at urban speed models with all of the fixin’s the ProTour is still a great contender. Big thanks to IZIP for partnering with me on this post and sending their demo model for a review at ELV Motors in Santa Clara. I got to shoot the breeze with shop technicians about the design and features which made the review fun.

Pros:

• The bike is sleek with integrated wires and smooth frame transitions, very good looking in metallic grey and black, sold in a range of three sizes for improved fit and comfort
• This electric bike is feature complete with sturdy alloy fenders, a minimalist rack, integrated frame lock,
  and smart LED lights, all of the accessories match and work together seamlessly
• I love that IZIP included bottle cage bosses on the seat tube! They weren’t included on the 2016 model and can be very useful for bringing fluids, a mini-pump, folding locks, and other accessories if you don’t want to add panniers or a trunk bag on the rear rack
• The 2017 ProTour is slightly lighter than the 2016 model and because it uses the Cobi system, you can now take the battery pack and display panel off the bike when parking (you use your phone as the main display), this is great for commuters who have to lift the bike up stairs (to reduce weight) or those who park in public places where people could get curious and tamper with the bike
• Ergonomic grips and wider 2″ Schwalbe Big Ben tires help to reduce hand fatigue and dampen vibration, these tires have reflective sidewall stripes for safety at night and offer a wide range of pressure options, down to 30 PSI, which could improve comfort if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of efficiency
• Excellent kickstand placement, it stays clear of the left crank arm which is nice when you have to back the bike up because the cranks will turn slowly and might otherwise collide, I like the rack design they chose because you can use a trunk bag or panniers but it still looks clean and is positioned low (so you don’t hit it with your leg as easier as some larger racks)
• IZIP offers a solid two-year comprehensive warranty with lifetime on the frame and supports a wide range of products going back 5+ years through their “Electric Bike Competency Center” so I trust them
• Quick release systems on both wheels make transport and maintenance easier and the cafe lock secures the rear wheel so QR isn’t such a risk there (definitely lock the front wheel and frame… and maybe use a seat leash so your saddle and seat post aren’t swiped)
• sturdy thru-axles provide the stiffness and control you want for high-speed ~28 mph riding, double wall rims with reinforcement eyelets improve strength for heavier riders, cargo, and high speeds
• Worthy 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes front and rear offer the kind of stopping power and fine control you’d expect for city riding and high speed applications, the levers have adjustable reach so you can bring them in if you have smaller hands or ride with gloves
• The compact circular mid-motor design blends into the frame perfectly, it hides behind the chainring and doesn’t stand out the way that many other mid-motors do, this compliments the downtube integrated battery to create a stealthier electric bike that people might not notice as much
• The Cobi system is fun to explore and to master, I like the electronic bell, alarm system, and rear-light turn signal with accelerometer braking bright mode, it feels like the future
• The Cobi mount will charge your phone from the main battery pack while riding which is critically important given all of the smartphone features you might be using as you ride, specifically GPS and the wireless Bluetooth connection
• I love that you do not need to use a smartphone in order to operate the IZIP E3 Protour with the Cobi system, you can simply press the up and down arrows to adjust assist after powering on the bike with the battery power button
• IZIP included a high-torque chain which should last longer on the powerful mid-drive motor setup here and I like that the chainring has an alloy guide to keep the chain from dropping or snagging your pants
• Unlike some of the other TranzX motor systems I tested on the more affordable IZIP ebikes, the M25GTS uses a multi-sensor to measure wheel speed, torque, and cadence so you can reduce gear mashing by easing back as you pedal, it does not have a shift detection system like Bosch motors however and wasn’t always as smooth as I’d hoped
• Lots of times I see narrow cage style pedals included with electric bikes, or even worse, the plastic rubberized pedals which can be slippery, I like that the ProTour comes with large alloy platform pedals with protruding nubs for traction
• Through the Cobi system, you get access to your music, offline maps for GPS (and maybe Apple maps someday soon), fitness tracker, and phone calls without having to launch multiple apps and get distracted, you can also share the “hub” with multiple users now… basically, you can allow multiple phones to connect and share the bike for family or rental type situations, the system receives software updates so it can get smarter and better over time whereas old systems were fixed and permanent
• The wider 700c wheelset plus 2″ tires offers great rolling momentum and gap-spanning because of the lower attack angle, you could flip the stem and move the five 5 mm risers above to create an aggressive forward-leaning body position for improved body aerodynamics… it’s a sporty bike
• Generally speaking, the motor is quiet and smooth, it produces an electronic whirring sound but it just isn’t that loud or high pitched so it fades into the road noise, I like that this TranzX motor offers high RPM pedaling support, it didn’t drop out like some of the older Yamaha systems I have tested which means I could ride in a lower gear but still achieve relatively high speeds
• I really like the Cobi headlight, it looks cool and has daytime side LEDs as well as a primary bright LED that you activate by holding the top button on the independent control pad, you can aim the light easily for different environments where you need to be seen or actually see where you’re going

Cons:

• Considering that the 2016 IZIP E3 ProTour, which is also a speed pedelec, offered a suspension fork and suspension seat post to smooth out the ride… I was really surprised that the 2017 model had neither? Small cracks and bumps can feel more jarring at high-speed so I would definitely consider adding my own 31.6 mm high quality suspension post like the Suntour NCX if I was riding this bike in anything but the smoothest environments
• I wish the rear light was integrated like the headlight… but I understand why it is not (it would require more wires to be strewn across the frame and couldn’t be moved around as easily), it’s just one more thing to keep track of and one extra button press each time you mount the bike for a ride
• As much as I like the rear rack style, it didn’t have bungee or pannier holes near the bottom and could block the rear light if you put a trunk bag on top of it… in that case it’s really nice that the light is removable because you could clip it to the back of your bag vs. the seat post, note that the seat stays have additional threaded bosses for use with your own aftermarket rack but this might require a different rear fender as well because the stock rack acts as a support for it
• The included rear rack is only rated up to 44 lbs whereas a lot of aftermarket racks are rated up to 55 lbs so you might not be able to carry as much gear here
• The charger works fine and uses the same interface whether you are charging the batter on or off the bike so there aren’t additional accessories to keep track of but it fills at a more average 2 Amp speed… and I guess that’s alright given the average 417 watt hour battery capacity, many competing e-bikes offer 500+ watt hour batteries for longer range riding because high speed bike riding tends to drain batteries more quickly due to air resistance
• I like that the bike comes with a cafe rear-wheel lock but wish that it used the same key as the battery lock because you end up with a cluttered keychain and multiple keys floating around vs. just one that some of the higher end ebikes have, it’s sad because both keys are from Abus on this bike so it seems like maybe they could have made them match?
• The battery pack looks great, includes a fuse for safety, and is relatively lightweight for its capacity but it does not have an integrated handle, so be careful taking it off the bike and carrying it around, do not drop it ;)
• As you stop pedaling, it seems like the motor and chainring continue to spin longer or it just takes longer to wind down, this isn’t a huge deal but it’s just not as quick as some electric mountain bikes where motor precision is critical, there is also some clunking when shifting gears vs. a smooth feel on other systems with shift detection
• If you hold down on the bell button (at the base of the arrow button pad) it becomes a walk mode… but the speed seemed pretty fast to me, I suppose it depends on which gear you’re in (lower gears will go slower), and the power output was very inconsistent… almost like an on and then off vs. a smooth walking speed
• IZIP offers a boost button which allows you to operate the bike in throttle mode but you have to get the bike moving 2+ mph for it to function and you have to hold the button down constantly which is uncomfortable, so for me, these two trade-offs make it not worth it
• It took me over one hour to setup the Cobi system, I had to perform a software update but it wouldn’t download until the Cobi mount had charged up off of the main battery pack… it just took a while to get going even when I knew what I was doing and had access to reps from the company, it longer than expected but might be worth the future enhancements with other software updates vs. being static forever

Resources:

• Official Site: https://izipelectric.com/e3-protour-cobi-diamond-frame
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/XtvCsP1B8oK3cAKz8