Meerkat Metro

[Neil^P]

Hello to all, I'm new to the forum, and new to the world of electric bikes - bought one 4 days ago after a couple of years wondering whether or not to try one. I gave up cars and motorcycles years ago, and have since been using a mountain bike or public transport to get around.

I've bought a bike called a Meerkat Metro - not a bike I'd ever come across when I was researching electic bikes on the net before I bought it - the only reason I went for it was that it's sold by the company I work for, so I get it at a discounted price.

As far as I can tell from pictures, it looks identical to a better known bike called a Currie Izip - even the battery has the logo "currie electric drive"
Does anyone else have any experience with this bike?
So far it's performing great - I was worried that the figures for the range on a single charge would be based on a flat road and a much lighter rider (I'm over 17 stone atm) - but it gets me to work and back (10 mile round trip with some moderate hills) on a single charge, which was the main reason I wanted it
There's a picture of it here.
Meerkat Metro electric 26'' bike - Tesco.Direct
thanks.

[flecc]

Hello Neil, welcome to the forum. You join a number of others here who gave up cars and motorcycles long ago.

Yes, that is the Currie Izip under another name. It's a very long established design which has seen many changes and improvements over the years, so I think you'll find it reliable. As you'll have found, it's quite a powerful motor so the bike performs quite well despite it's weight.

Enjoy your e-biking, I hope you get years of pleasure from the Meerkat.
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[lectureral]

I think that it is quite a hopeful sign that Tesco is selling this bike - the more electric bikes that are out the more chance that innovation and numbers will result in cheaper and better bikes.

[Neil^P]

Been some months since I posted this thread - can anyone help me out with something?
I've had my Meerkat Metro for some months now, and had lots of use out of it, and sometime before spring I think I'm going to need a new battery.
I know it's identical to a Currie Izip, but I don't know the exact model as there seem to be lots of Izips about - does anyone know if all Currie Izips use the same battery, or do I need to find a specific battery for my model.
And can anyone recommend the best places to get a battery from - Google returns lots of places selling them, but I wondered if anyone has any experience and can recommend a good place?

[flecc]

Yes, it is just a standard Currie Izip bike and battery Neil.

I've no experience with getting a battery for this model, but Electrodrive are specialists in Currie stuff for this motor and offer various batteries:

Electrodrive

Don't Tesco have a service for supplying the battery, since they supplied this model?

By the way, you don't need to change the whole battery, you can just change the three 12 volt batteries you'll find inside it, following the same connections. Armed with the size you need, the cheapest source for these is usually ebay according to others who buy them.

However, here's a link to a thread on the cheapest SLA batteries, these being the type your bike uses:

SLA batteries

And this is one of the ebay suppliers of these:

Bikes and Batteries
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[John Henry]

Hi folks

I have just got a Meerkat and it seems to run well enough
I get the green light when I charge it up but on the handle grip it only lights up to the second light not to the full charge !! is this normal or is the battery not charging fully??
can anyone enlighten me??

also nowhere on the info does it mention the battery voltage is it a 24v system of 36v !!
regards
John

[flecc]

It's a 24 volt system John.

I've no personal experience of this particular version, but I have seen others mention the failure to show full charge on the handlebar meter, so it's probably just a component mismatch. As long as you're charging fully there's no need to worry about that meter, since these are notoriously unreliable in their charge level indications on many bikes.
.

[Scatty]

Originally Posted by Neil^P

Been some months since I posted this thread - can anyone help me out with something?
I've had my Meerkat Metro for some months now, and had lots of use out of it, and sometime before spring I think I'm going to need a new battery.
I know it's identical to a Currie Izip, but I don't know the exact model as there seem to be lots of Izips about - does anyone know if all Currie Izips use the same battery, or do I need to find a specific battery for my model.
And can anyone recommend the best places to get a battery from - Google returns lots of places selling them, but I wondered if anyone has any experience and can recommend a good place?

Hi there , you can get this batteries complete from www,poweredbicycles.co.uk .please click on this link
Parts - IZIP BATTERY 24V FOR CB26 CU26 CU24 EZGO TRICUISER
they also do most spares for this bikes
all the best

[fishingpaul]

Originally Posted by flecc

Yes, it is just a standard Currie Izip bike and battery Neil.

I've no experience with getting a battery for this model, but Electrodrive are specialists in Currie stuff for this motor and offer various batteries:

Electrodrive

Don't Tesco have a service for supplying the battery, since they supplied this model?

By the way, you don't need to change the whole battery, you can just change the three 12 volt batteries you'll find inside it, following the same connections. Armed with the size you need, the cheapest source for these is usually ebay according to others who buy them.

However, here's a link to a thread on the cheapest SLA batteries, these being the type your bike uses:

SLA batteries

And this is one of the ebay suppliers of these:

Bikes and Batteries
.

Being a 24v battery you would only need two 12 volt batteries.

[flecc]

Originally Posted by fishingpaul

Being a 24v battery you would only need two 12 volt batteries.

Thanks Paul, too used to Powabykes!

As you see from the above, I well knew it was 24 volt.
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