IZIP E3 Twn:exp Review

The IZIP Town Express or “Twn:exp” is designed to provide a comfortable ride to a wide range of users (tall, short, light and heavy) and hold up well despite neglect or less than perfect conditions. Essentially, it’s the IZIP fleet bike and rental offering. While many of the other IZIP ebikes could also be great for rentals (the Zuma and Path+ come to mind as being comfortable, easy to use and available in multiple sizes), the beauty of the Twn:exp is that it only needs to come in one frame size because the seat and stem are so adjustable. Its small 20″ wheels keep weight low to the ground and make mounting a cinch when combined with the step-thru frame. The slimed tires will self seal if punctured, the cast aluminum rims don’t ever need to be trued and the battery and motor are completely enclosed and cut off from the elements. Nice!

The motor in use here is a high torque 400 watt direct drive (gearless) design that’s built right into the rear wheel. Being gearless, it has fewer parts that can wear out over time and considering its location, the motor should last and last. It’s also relatively quiet and very smooth thanks to the multi-sensor design that makes pedal assist less jerky than some older generation IZIP electric bikes. The high torque design means there’s more magnets inside the motor and adds a bit of extra weight. Since the wheels on this bike are a bit smaller you also benefit from improved mechanical advantage with the hub motor design.

The battery on this bike uses high quality Lithium-ion cells in a 48 volt 10.4 amp hour configuration. It’s one of the strongest and largest packs I’ve tested and it’s completely hidden inside the rear rack. It’s easy to forget this thing is an electric bike at all given the hidden drive components. The battery is removable for charging or storing off the bike (in extreme weather conditions for example) and has a key and latch just under the rear rack as shown below. The rack itself is functional but less rugged than a metal design with rails. There are two bungee straps for securing papers or other basic items.

In 2007 I worked at Google in Mountain View, CA and we had some regular fleet bicycles and a Segway to use between campuses. It made the atmosphere fun and healthy. I loved the custom colors and designs of the bikes they had there but you had to take a class to ride the Segway so it got less use. The Twn:exp would fit in an environment like this perfectly and it’s skinnable so companies or organizations can add a touch of fun or branding. The fenders, chain guard, LED lights and bell would all come in handy and make the bikes accessible despite varied weather or time of day (those after-dinner meetings). I could see myself strapping some papers or supplies to the rear rack but I’d probably carry my laptop in a backpack just to be safe ;)

The LCD multi function computer console is easy to read in daylight and backlit for morning or night time use. It lists your speed, battery capacity and estimated range for each level of assist. The break-out button panel on the left handle bar makes interacting with the bike quite easy, even when riding. You can switch from pedal assist to throttle mode, activate the lights or set up cruise. I’m glad this bike offers throttle only mode because some riders (especially those with high heels or extra cargo being balanced by one hand) may not want to pedal.

All things considered, this is a very cool electric bike! While it’s the heaviest current-gen IZIP bike I’ve tried, it’s also the heaviest duty. Virtually anyone could hop on this thing, figure out how to use the computer relatively quickly and enjoy a short ride. For shops or maintenance departments the wheel design is a true blessing and given the long history of Currie Tech / IZIP which is now owned by the Accell Group out of Europe, you can rest assured that you’ll get support, replacement parts and warranty coverage for years to come.

Pros:

• Very sturdy design with aluminum alloy wheels that never need to be trued, metal pedals that can endure tips and encased motor and battery
• Easy to adjust seat post height and stem angle for different sized riders, step-through design is easy to mount for all
• Offers both twist throttle (for scootering around) or four levels of pedal assist (for longer more active riding)
• Dynamo powered LED lights and bell deliver an element of safety and are well protected on frame
• Fenders and chain guard keep pants and dresses clean when riding through puddles or rain
• Headshock and seat post suspension take the edge off when riding over bumps, potholes and cracks
• Rear rack has built in bungee straps for securing papers, binders and other light-weight cargo
• Pre-Slimed tires should remain usable for longer periods with self-sealing feature
• Smaller diameter 20″ wheels provide mechanical advantage to rear hub motor and keep the center of gravity lower

Cons:

• Heavier than most compact style electric bikes, weight is distributed towards the back
• Rear rack uses non-standard tubing that’s not compatible with some side-mounting panniers

Resources:

• Official Site: https://izipelectric.com/electric-bikes#desc-bottom
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/a8ZzqB85iwsWuYeN7