Gliding Along! - IZIP E3 Path Review
by: Dr. E-Bike
First of all the IZIP E3 Path is a cool looking electric bike! The colors and the European styling of the electric bike definitely catch the attention of many people. In fact, the Path lookslike a fun bike to ride!
Not only does it look like fun to ride, but it is fun to ride!This is a comfortable and efficient electric bike that handles urban commutes and recreational rides on bike paths with ease. The bike feels like it just glides along on the road.
This review will give you the technical details of the Path along with more information on what it’s like to ride.
Getting familiar with the IZIP E3 Path
Let’s start off with the frame of the IZIP E3 Path. This is a nice aluminum frame that provides solid construction without adding any unnecessary weight.
The IZIP E3 Path uses a 250 watt geared hub motor that is remarkably quiet for a geared hub motor. Geared hub motors use small planetary gears to provide more torque for acceleration and hill climbing. These planetary gears typically are pretty noisy, but not so on the IZIP E3 Path!
The 24 Volt 10 Ah (240 Wh) lithium ion battery pack is conveniently mounted in the rear rack that has a slot for the battery below the top of the rack. The battery is easily removable by unlocking it from the rack and sliding it out for charging indoors or taking it with you when security is an issue. The battery will take 4-6 hours to fully charge when it is empty.
Currie uses very high quality battery packs on their ebikes which are assembled in Taiwan by TD High Tech Energy, using Samsumg 18650 Lithium Ion cells.
The battery pack used on the E3 Path has a capacity of 240Wh (watt hours), which provides ample range and power for this efficient electric bike. Watt hours are the total energy capacity in a battery pack and this is calculated by taking the voltage of the pack (24V) multiplied by the amp hours of the pack (10ah), which equals 240Wh for this 
example. Comparing watt hours is a good way to compare the battery capacity of electric bikes.
The battery charger has a solid and durable feel and it is a little larger than a laptop computer charger. It is small enough that you could take it with you for charging at work in a bike messenger bag, back pack or rear rack bag.
One of the nice aspects of the IZIP E3 Path is that it keeps things simple. There are 2 options when using the electric assist: Twist and Go (TAG) throttle or the Pedal Assist System (PAS).
The Twist and Go is a throttle that does not require you pedal at all; just kick back and enjoy the ride! Of course you can pedal in this mode to save energy by pedaling more when accelerating and climbing hills. The TAG system is nice for when you are feeling a little low on your own energy.
The Path also keeps things simple when it comes to the gears of the bike. There are only 7 of them and that is just about right for this nice urban commuter. The Path uses a SRAM grip shifter on the left side of the handlebar and a
Shimano Acera rear derailleur with Shimano cogs. These are well known quality components in the traditional bicycle world.
To provide great stopping power the IZIP E3 Path uses Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes front and rear. These are disc brakes that are used on mountain bikes and they can provide a little or a lot of power depending on what you need. Disc brakes are great in wet weather because they maintain their stopping power compared to rim brakes that loose stopping power in wet weather.
The wheels and tires on the Path are the larger 700c diameter that are generally found on road bikes and hybrid/cross bikes. The 38 mm (approx 1.5”) tire width provides an efficient ride with some cushion.
To keep you riding without worrying about flats, the IZIP E3 Path comes with Slime tubes already installed! These tubes have a sealant (Slime) that will seal small holes in the inner tube caused by glass, thorns, metal, and other small road debris. It is great to see a bike that comes stock with Slime tubes!
Speaking of things that come stock on the Path, let’s talk about the accessories. To keep your pant legs clean there are the chainguards on the chainrings and on the frame. The Path also comes with fenders that match the frame color to keep you clean from road grim. The rear rack that houses the battery can also be used for bike bags that mount on the top and/or on the sides of the rack. Last but not least is the kickstand.
This bike tips the scales at 52 pounds which is pretty good for an electric bike.
The price of the IZIP E3 Path is $1699 and it comes with a 1 year warranty (2 years for the motor).
What is the ride like?
Gliding, that is what the IZIP E3 Path feels like when you are riding it. It just wants to cruise along while you enjoy the ride. The combination of the upright position and the larger wheels with narrower tires makes this bike easy and fun to ride.
The Path has a very comfortable ride because of the upright and laid back position. The handlebars have a swept back
style that make the bike easy and safe to handle, yet keep things comfortable. The seat has enough cushion to take the edge off of road bumps.
This bike is simple! There are not too many assist settings or too many gears to overwhelm the rider. It is a bike that you can jump on and immediately feel comfortable riding.
The IZIP E3 Path feels efficient. Riding it without electric assistance is easy thanks to it being relatively lightweight (52 lbs.), the geared hub motor (no resistance), and the narrow tires. Using the PAS setting will really allow you to get the most range out of your pedaling with electric assist.
The Path will provide electrical assistance up to 18 mph (you can pedal harder to go faster) and you can expect to get 15 - 22 miles of range depending on how much electric assist you 
use, how much you weigh, how many hills you ride over, etc. This kind of range is perfect for commuting to work, getting to school, running errands around town, and getting out for a nice ride on the bike path with friends.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a stylish, comfortable and fun electric commuter bike then the IZIP E3 Path is the bike for you.
The Path combines quality construction with an efficient ride. That translates into a bike that is easy to ride and it will give you many miles of bike riding fun!
At $1699 it also fits a very nice price point in the electric bike world. Considering the aluminum frame, lithium ion
battery pack, rear geared hub motor and the quality bike components, this e-bike offers a great value for the money.
Currie Technologies has put together a great electric bike in the IZIP E3 Path and they will be there to provide great
customer service through their ever expanding dealer network around the country.
Well I could not wait for a sale, because I could not sleep at night thinking about the IZIP Zuma. So, I bought it! Now if only it would stop raining!!!
