There’s no shift-sensing feature on this drive system so keep that in mind but given the gentler pedaling for around-town use that shouldn’t be a huge issue here :) Pros: The motor responds mostly to pedal cadence verses torque and I prefer this for more relaxed riding because my knees get sensitive if I push too hard. You can arrow up or down between four levels of assist with increasing speed and power as you get up to four (topping out at 20 mph). It’s more involved than I’d like but once it’s online the button pad makes changing modes or screen readouts very easy. Once you’ve charged the battery (on or off the frame!) and mounted it, you press the power button towards the left side of the pack then press another power button near the display console to get the systems all booted up. My favorite parts about this model are the powerful motor, easy to read display panel and optional boost button (which costs $50 extra) that turns this into a Class 2 electric bike offering throttle on demand. Frankly, it works fine for basic city riding. The rear-mounted battery doubles as a cargo rack and fender but positions the weight of the battery high and towards the rear compromising frame stiffness and handling to a limited extent. This ebike uses more basic components but not quite bottom of the line… You get Tektro linear pull brakes, a seven speed Shimano Altus derailleur, a decent kickstand and a nice chain guard to keep your pants or dress clean. It’s a good looking ebike but one that also feels sturdy, I love that the tire tubes come with Slime installed to help resist flats and appreciate the front and rear quick release skewers that come in handy if you do have to perform maintenance or transport the bike. The electronic wires are also black but seamlessly pass through the downtube so you don’t notice them as much. While it only comes in one color scheme (metallic red with black accents) I noticed that the spokes, chain guard, saddle and grips all tied in.
This is an electric bike that would do well in neighborhoods or around town, perhaps running short errands and loading food or school supplies. I spent a bunch of time riding in pedal assist level one because it’s the smoothest and slowest mode (topping out around 11 mph). This thing is easy to mount, relatively stable and at ~54 pounds it’s not super heavy considering the sturdy rear rack, oversized handle bars and comfort accessories. For this review I was on the extra small frame… and it worked quite well once I raised the seat post a bit :) With three frame sizes to choose from, the Vibe+ can be the most compact and easiest to mount electric bicycle in the IZIP family. You get a more powerful and more efficient mid drive motor and a larger battery capacity but the price has risen a bit to compensate. The suspension fork is gone but the bike weighs nearly 10 pounds less and has a more streamlined battery pack.
BIKE SHIFTER Shimano TX50 Thumb Shifter w/Optical Display.BIKE REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Tourney TX-800, 7 speed.
The Vibe 2.0 has been a crowd favorite for years with its comfortable, upright riding position, and now with the addition of the Bosch drive system, it’s better than ever. The reliable Bosch Active Line center motor will help propel you up to 20 mph and leave you with plenty of energy to go where you need to go. The IZIP Vibe 2.0 is the perfect electric bike, a meld of function, style and power.