powerbyke verses ezee liv

[nigel]

Hi guys
would be intrested in all your thoughts as to how these 2 bikes compare performance wise we know the powerbyke is a good hill climber but weighs 36 to 40 kilos but with a lithuim battery that would come down to 28 kilos. The ezee liv does weigh 28 kilos already and has quite a few extras which bike would be best NIGEL

 

[flecc]

Technically they are very closely matched Nigel, but the alloy frame Li-ion Powabyke is an unknown quantity, so there are limits to how much it can be judged without some more knowledge of it.

Their older steel frame bikes had quality control issues, suffering broken frames and the like, though the excellent support made up for that. Hopefully the new model will not suffer from such issues. It's their first and very late venture into Li-ion, and these have not been trouble free for others, so we'll have to wait a year now to see how their battery performs. However, as said, the support from Powabyke and their dealers is usually good.

The Liv is from a bike maker who has only ever built with alloy and is therefore hugely experienced with it. Their Li-ion has been in use for a year now, so we are beginning to know it's positive and negative points and have an indication of it's life.
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[electric.mike]

quote from flecc

Technically they are very closely matched Nigel, but the alloy frame Li-ion Powabyke is an unknown quantity, so there are limits to how much it can be judged without some more knowledge of it.

the models of powabyke like the euro 6 speed have had alloy frames for a while now, although there website still shows the steel frame version, i think the visual give away is a square look to the top of the front forks.

mike

 

[flecc]

Thanks Mike. I'd have thought they'd be ok, but the regular recurrence of frame problems with their steel models makes me a bit cautious.

 

[frank9755]

Powabyke vs Liv

Based on admittedly limited experience (a few weeks with an older (ie heavy) Powerbyke and a short spin on a Torq) plus some reading on this site and elsewhere, I would fancy the Powerbyke to tackle steeper hills. Having a few more gears would help and the motor seems to be well set up for climbing.

I suspect the Liv might have the edge for speed on the flat. My Powerbyke cuts out motor assistance at 15mph sharp, and its not just the weight but also the riding position and feel of the thing that make you think it wasn't meant to go much faster.

If the Lithium battery has a similar capacity to the old lead acid version I'd back the Powerbyke for range.

It would be an interesting contest!

Frank

 

[flecc]

You could be right on those counts Frank, but the Liv doesn't use the same type of motor as the Torq. In fact it's motor is a similar type to the Powabyke one and was formerly used in an earlier model.

The Livs 3 speed hub will certainly limit it's ultimate hill climbing somewhat.
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