Beware!!!

[Cyclezee]

This supposed to be an auction for an Ezee Sprint
eZee Sprint Electric Bicycle. From 50cycles on eBay (end time 11-Jul-09 12:11:36 BST)

but it isn't! I have seen them before, but can't recall what make it is Can somebody put me out of my misery and let me know the make?

J hn

 

[frank9755]

Good spot.
It's got the motor in the wrong wheel and no Ezee branding anywhere.
Strange that they assert that they got it from 50 Cycles. Maybe Scott or Tim can shed some light on the mystery?

 

[eddieo]

maybe a Frankenstein bike from their parts bin.....But if its 4 years old a bit odd.

 

[flecc]

No mistake, it is an eZee bike.

Way back in mid 2003 eZee made a bike which was called a Forza initially, but at the launch a month or so later it was called the eZee Sprint, exactly the model that we would recognise as such and priced at £850.

At the same time they launched a "poor mans" version which is this ebay bike, but it was called the eZee Rider. It was equipped with a 13.8 kilo lead acid 36 volt battery, a rear wheel brush motor and initially a cheap 5 speed Shimano SIS derailleur with a 45" bottom gear. Later models were to have a megarange freewheel with a 37" low gear The Rider was priced at £690.

We know that same Rider brush motor today as the eZee Liv motor, though in the front wheel for the Liv.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

No mistake, it is an eZee bike.

Thanks for the that Flecc, I was really puzzling over the make, trying to read the label on the frame. I guessed the battery was lead acid, but at 13.8 Kg , the whole bike must be really heavy.

J hn

 

[flecc]

Thanks for the that Flecc, I was really puzzling over the make, trying to read the label on the frame. I guessed the battery was lead acid, but at 13.8 Kg , the whole bike must be really heavy.

J hn

Yes, it's just over 37 kilos John.

Its not all bad news though, in typically eZee style it's fast, happily bowling along at 18 mph under power, though that weight and limited 5 speed gear range compromises it for the steeper hills.

I don't think many were sold, with only £160 more getting the vastly superior Sprint with it's 7 speed hub gear and NiMh battery, I can't imagine many opted for the Rider.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

I advised the seller of the mistakes in his listing and he has subsequently withdrawn it from sale.
He will relist it, hopefully with the correct description tomorrow.

J hn

 

[frank9755]

I had another look at the ad to see if I could see the derailleur which would be further proof that it's not a Sprint. But the odd thing is that it shows 4 pictures of the bike from almost the same angle, with none from the chain side!

 

[flecc]

I had another look at the ad to see if I could see the derailleur which would be further proof that it's not a Sprint. But the odd thing is that it shows 4 pictures of the bike from almost the same angle, with none from the chain side!

I noticed that too Frank, it was difficult to see the lower chain run at all.

It is definitely the Rider model, the Sprint battery cavity is far too small for that lead acid battery and the frame tube sections are different (square/round), so is the badging.

The Rider was sold as a low price alternative to the Sprint and both launched in the UK together, probably the basis of the ebay seller's claim.
.

 

[flecc]

There's an interesting post script to this Sprint and Rider story

As I said above, the Rider's brush motor was re-used in the eZee Liv model which looked like this with a midway crossbar:


It's now been re-specified with the Sprint fame at a higher price and now looks like this, though the Li-ion battery isn't fitted in this photo:


Quite a "pick and mix" story, and one to cause further ebay confusion in future.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

Here it is again, relisted correctly THE Ezee RIDER ELECTRIC BIke FROM 50 CYCLES. on eBay (end time 14-Jul-09 19:00:00 BST)

J hn

 

[flecc]

If that's a current photo, though the batteries might need replacing it's worth a punt, especially for someone in a not too hilly area. As Scott of 50cycles says, it was a very reliable machine and one was known to have completed 50,000 kilometres in Switzerland.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

The area where the owner lives, Bedford, is slightly less hilly than Switzerland, more like the Netherlands.

J hn

 

[frank9755]

Looks in reasonable nick if it is 6, or 4, years old.
If there were only 10 sold in the country it might have some scarcity value. Shame we still can't see if it's got a chain!