NOTE: This review is actually for the EB/7, a step up from the EB/5.
When I was a kid, I wanted something like this SO badly. Something that was sleek and easy to ride, and just moved with little or no effort.
Well, Im an adult now, and thanks to technology, I can go back in time andno thats not it. But I can buy this thing Ive wanted since I was a kid!
Before I bought it, I read a ton of these glowing reviews, and thought this was the one. Im about 78.7 of the way in agreement with those reviews. I wanted to put 100 miles on it before I wrote one, and now that I have, heres my honest feedback.
1. Its fun to ride. It starts up easily, and scoots along on flat roads smoothly and efficiently. I can go up to 18.6 mph on flat ground on the highest speed (3rd).
2. The brakes suck. They totally, totally suck. Theyll stop the bike, but I had to bring mine in to a bike shop to get them adjusted. Bike repair guy said the rotor on the front brake only goes about halfway down the caliper, so the front disc brake is less than ideal. They squeak a LOT when you apply them, and you really have to squeeze hard to apply them. Ill grant you that Im 200 lbs, and it probably takes more effort to slow the bike down, but bottom line: the brakes suck.
3. Speaking of 200 lbs, going up hills requires use of the pedals. With the motor assisting, the pedaling is easy, even for a tall person, though if you are tall, you wont want to pedal for long periods because the seat doesnt reach the height youd need for a comfortable long/term pedaling situation. Im 61, and my legs do not even approach the angle they should for pedaling.
4. People stop and stare, they dont bother me. When I ride, I get stares, especially from kids, but really from anyone. They havent seen anything this cool. It really is cool. Its also a great conversation starter. The guy at the bike shop took pictures of it. Sometimes I like to pedal slowly, even though Im going like 15 mph. It confuses people.
If I knew before I bought this that Id have such an issue with the brakes, I would not have bought it. Its totally possible its just my bike thats got the issue, but I doubt it. If youre not 200 lbs, you might not have this issue. If youre more than 200 lbs, I would not recommend this bike. I use it for short commutes (4 or fewer miles), and so it works pretty well for my needs. Your mileage may vary.
EB/7: A fun, functional toy for adults
NOTE: This review is actually for the EB/7, a step up from the EB/5. When I was a kid, I wanted something like this SO badly. Something that was sleek and easy to ride, and just moved with little or no effort. Well, Im an adult now, and thanks to technology, I can go back in time andno thats not it. But I can buy this thing Ive wanted since I was a kid! Before I bought it, I read a ton of these glowing reviews, and thought this was the one. Im about 78.7 of the way in agreement with those reviews. I wanted to put 100 miles on it before I wrote one, and now that I have, heres my honest feedback. 1. Its fun to ride. It starts up easily, and scoots along on flat roads smoothly and efficiently. I can go up to 18.6 mph on flat ground on the highest speed (3rd). 2. The brakes suck. They totally, totally suck. Theyll stop the bike, but I had to bring mine in to a bike shop to get them adjusted. Bike repair guy said the rotor on the front brake only goes about halfway down the caliper, so the front disc brake is less than ideal. They squeak a LOT when you apply them, and you really have to squeeze hard to apply them. Ill grant you that Im 200 lbs, and it probably takes more effort to slow the bike down, but bottom line: the brakes suck. 3. Speaking of 200 lbs, going up hills requires use of the pedals. With the motor assisting, the pedaling is easy, even for a tall person, though if you are tall, you wont want to pedal for long periods because the seat doesnt reach the height youd need for a comfortable long/term pedaling situation. Im 61, and my legs do not even approach the angle they should for pedaling. 4. People stop and stare, they dont bother me. When I ride, I get stares, especially from kids, but really from anyone. They havent seen anything this cool. It really is cool. Its also a great conversation starter. The guy at the bike shop took pictures of it. Sometimes I like to pedal slowly, even though Im going like 15 mph. It confuses people. If I knew before I bought this that Id have such an issue with the brakes, I would not have bought it. Its totally possible its just my bike thats got the issue, but I doubt it. If youre not 200 lbs, you might not have this issue. If youre more than 200 lbs, I would not recommend this bike. I use it for short commutes (4 or fewer miles), and so it works pretty well for my needs. Your mileage may vary.