Canadian Tire Schwinn I-Zip
What can I say about the Canadian Tire Schwinn bike? Its American designed and will haul a Texan around, but, it sure isn’t a Veloteq!
Its a 450 Watt motor driven by a 24 Volt system. It claims a 30Km range (with normal peddling), I’m guessing it’ll get 10Km on drive power alone. Max speed claim is 24 Km/hr, but I couldn’t get it past 20, (according to GPS). This is a heavy bike too, not something I’d like to take up and down stairs. $500.00 is a great price point, but, for $100.00 more you could go to Daymak or Segway Ontario and get a much better ebike. What I like the most is the fact that a large nation-wide retailer is getting into the ebike game.
This is a great traditional bike with a small pusher style motor near the bottom bracket. Its a comfortable ride, with decent riding position. This is however, an electric-assist bike, where I’d call the Veloteq an electric moped/bike.
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Toronto Ebike Rider 
April 17, 2007 at 3:35 am
I was looking at this product just the other day. The main drawback is the weight and the SLA battery (which contributes to the weight). The Strong product (the one that is also sold by Canadian Tire) weighs around 90lbs but the battery is taking up a lot of that. Put in the the lithium battery (extra $450) and you are down to 63lbs. The range without assistance for the Strong product is around 50km.
I don’t see how $600 is going to get you a better ebike from Daymak or Segway. At Daymak the products are $1000+ . The Veloteq products also seem to be $1000+.
Could a Veloteq even be considered an e-bike in Ontario? If so, could it ride on a bike path in a park? Be neat…
Anyway, I am rambling. The I-Zip for $500 really does seem like a good deal if only as a trial into the world of e-bikes. But, 10kms is not a reasonable limitation. I guess the SLA batteries which limit you are the weak link. Do you know if the I-Zip’s battery can be replaced?
philip
April 17, 2007 at 6:29 am
Hello Philip,
Segway of Canada has a couple of “step-through” traditional style ebikes on the show floor but have yet to add them to their website. Check out Crusherebikes as they are their distributer. Both companies have links off the main page – I work for neither of them.
Batteries on most types and styles of E-Bikes are easy to replace. Some brands have the option of getting different battery technologies; SLA, NiCad and others.
April 19, 2007 at 4:29 am
Hi,
Thank’s for the link. I went down to Segway and purchased a “Malta” e-bike which they had on display. It’s SLA based but is really quite a classy item. It was more expensive than the Schwinn bike being sold at CTC but it did really make a nice impression on me. The only drawback, apart from the SLA technology, is the battery charger which is not designed for outdoor use. I suspect this is the case for many e-bikes but it does pose a problem, for me at least. One doesn’t really want to be lifting the battery in and out of the house every day.
The Malta model which isn’t on their web page costs $999 and includes a helmet, lock, nice stand design, rated 40-60km which will be interesting to see. I drove it back from Segway along the bike path to our Beaches’ home and it didn’t make a dent in the battery. Really nice ride to it and even pedaling was easy. Just like my old bike in fact.
I have to tell you these “bikes” are really addictive.
philip
April 22, 2007 at 12:06 pm
i picked up a Schwinn I-Zip a month ago. i use it to go to the store and pet store.
the sla batterys dont hold a charge very long. and yes it is heavy all steel is not
always a good thing.
one thing i did was add another sla 24 volts to 36 volts. and now i can say im happy with it. the controler and motor are fine with 36volts. its nice to finish a ride and still
have juice left over.
collegecourt.org
May 29, 2007 at 7:21 am
I have just purchased an Izip, and am a total novice in battery. My question is: how does one add another sla battery to the battery case to bring it up to 36 volts? Can I do this myself?
May 29, 2007 at 8:50 am
Suzanejane: it depends on the model you bought.
May 29, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Hi,
I am getting one of these on friday. Is there anything I should know about before I actually pay for the I-zip. I have a mountain bike that I use most of the time (it has hybrid tires) and this I-Zip bike would only be used for leisure rides around town and quick errands. I have a few hills but nothing huge and I would pedal maybe more then normal sometimes, to get exercise. I wanted a cheap (money wise) and sturdy bike for my entrance into the E-bike world. I am also thinking of taking the motor, wires and battery off and putting a bionx system on in the future, I think that would work right?
Thanks in advance,
Alen
May 29, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Alen,
The Bionx system is awesome, if not a little pricey, (imho). I don’t know where to get that in Toronto, do you?
I’m still not a huge fan of the Izip when I compare it price/performance to some of its competition at the local Ebike retailers. Now that there’s more that one store in town there’s a wider selection.
Unless you have a large collection of Canadian Tire money that is 🙂
May 29, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Well I actualy live in a little town in British Columbia and my local bike shop only carries the priciest of all the bionx kits. The only other store near me that has E-bikes is, you guessed it Canadian Tire, so I am kind of in a tight squeeze. I think when I get more money saved up I can get the kit and put it on the I-Zip especially since the technology will probably be cheaper. I just do not want to miss out on a nice summer with no E-bike. I do not think the range of the battery will be a problem since I am far from a “Texan” when it comes to weight, I hope that does not offend anybody, I weigh 167 pounds by the way. Do you know anyone who has one because I found this video on YouTube.
That guy seemed happy and was very sure of these bikes as he bought two 🙂
Alen
May 30, 2007 at 3:51 pm
The Bionx system requires that you pedal (otherwise it does nothing). It is, however, the neatest system I have seen but the price is absurd.
The Canadian Tire I-Zip is a great deal when it is on sale for $499. You won’t get anything near that price range anywhere else. Moreover, the maker is at least someone you can identidy. At this time most e-bikes come from China and the origins are rather hidden. So you have the issue of parts which I think is important.
I looked into the I-Zip and was going to get it but then went for a Malta that I got from Segway. I really like it but it is more expensive (twice the price). It has a longer range though.
There is always the possibility of getting an upgrade kit. Have a look at http://www.evsolutions.net/ . The fellow really knows what he is doing and you will end up with a much better system but at a price.
philip
June 2, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Hi,
I got the bike 🙂
I am very happy with it as the range seems to be great for me, I have already gone about 50 km on it with two charges in between. I do not just sit and give her gas (or juice) I pedal and only use the motor for 1. hills 2. I get tired. This bike is also fast, I like the hybrid tires. the lights are great for when the sun starts to go down and I added a bike watch which goes on the handle bars, it also has a backlight. It is also not too hard to pedal with no assistance, actually it feels the same as my mountin bike on cement with those big fat tires.
I also got it with a rain check so it was 100 dollars cheaper. Yay! All in all a very nice bike.
Any questions about this bike?
post them and I will answer them for you.
Alen
June 7, 2007 at 10:45 am
I want to purchase an e-bike that is a bicycle with battery power assist. Just decided this morning. Researching past 3 hours online. Found you guys. Help! I’m in Toronto.
Seems like it’s down to the Schwinn from Cdn. Tire or the Malta or the E-Rider from Segway. Price is an issue. Also I’m not a HUGE rider, but want to ride more. Hills are my issue. Want to use bike for running errands around city. 24 vs 36 volt? do they all recharge the same? I’m a weakling so how heavy are they to lift?
Also, has anyone had any problem with e-bike theft? Recommended locks? Does the bike need a key?
June 7, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Greenmag,
I’ll try my best to answer your questions as accuratly as I can.
The E-Rider is, in my opinion, a nicer (gearing, layout, noise, battery is light easy to remove) bike to ride then the Schwinn or Malta, however, there definatly is the matter of rider preference to consider.
The E-Rider is much a fair bit lighter then the malta, and the battery is much lighter (and easier to carry up stairs, for example). Both bikes require keys to remove the battery, as well as operate the bike.
A good lock is a must, with the open frame style bikes, just like for any road or mountain bike. The minor pain of using it, and carrying it around, is much less then that of theft.
Hope this is of some assistance,
John
June 7, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Greenmag,
I have the Malta, have tried the Schwinn and have seen the E-Rider. The Schwinn is the least expensive and is a bargain at $499 when it’s on sale. The battery range is is not huge and that was on eof my issues. Going up hills is going to use the battery up fairly quickly (well it depends on the hill and how much you want to pedal).
The E-Rider resembles the Schwinn but is a classier model and uses a different battery technology which makes it much lighter than either the Malta or the Schwinn (which both use SLA or lead acid batteries). It is also quite a bit more expensive. Unless you are lifting the bike up stairs I don’t see the weight issue being as important as on emight think. The ride is not that different on my Malta as it is on a 5 gear mountain bike I used to own. And the Malta has a greater range than either the E-Rider or the Schwinn.
The 24v battery of the E-Rider can’t be compared to the 36v of the Malta. The E-Rider’s battery is superior.
The E-Rider and Schwinn look more like bikes. The Malta is to me a nice compromise between a bike and the scooter look.
Prices as I recall (can’t seem to find them on the web for some reason) would be $500 (on sale) for the Schwinn, $1000 for the Malta and $1250 for the E-Rider ( not sure about that but seems to me that was the price I recall).
The Schwinn has the price advantage but I personally didn’t like it. Great price though. The E-Rider’s range (and price) bothered me but it’s really classy. I am biased towards the malta. In either case I must tell you that Segway is a great dealer in terms of support. These e-bikes are pretty new and you want that in my opinion. One slight downsize to the Malta is the noise which, while not that great, is louder than I would like (I’d like silent).
Then there’s the park issue (:
For what it is worth, I make it to UofT (downtown) and back with the Malta with battery power to spare. The range is really nice which is probably why the battery weighs as much as it does.
Both products are nice (E-Rider and Malta). On the other hand the Schwinn price is tempting. You should really test ride all three in my opinion.
Any further questions about the Malta…just ask!
The chargers are not all the same and that’s a very good question. Will you be charging it outside? Do you have to carry the bike up stairs? The battery for the Malta is easily removed and moved inside for charging when it’s raining. It does weigh a bit but I had not problem with it (and I’m no weight lifter) 🙂
philip
June 7, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I finally saw the price for the E-Rider and it seems to be $1400 and that is a lot more than the Malta or the Schwinn.
philip
June 7, 2007 at 6:33 pm
I think the Malta and E-Rider are both great bikes, alot of it is simply personal preference – test ride all three, see what fits you, and your wallet, the best. If your living arrangements mean you have to seperate the battery from bike (and carry it somewhere) the e-rider is pretty awesome. But the extra 12 volts does make the Malta pretty zippy!
June 7, 2007 at 9:07 pm
The schwinn is a nice bike but if you have the extra cash and if you live close to a retailer get what you want I personally got the schwinn because 1.I live close to Canadian tire 2. It is cheap 3. The guy let me try it out and the motor is actually quiet not as quiet as a bionx but not as loud as a fan motor at least mine is. 4. The extended warranty I got for free 5. The currie company told me they are working on lithium ion and Ni-Mh batteries in the form of the current plug and play battery packs which means in the future I can buy a better replacement battery that lasts longer 🙂
I love this bike for what it does.
A great first e-bike,
Alen
June 7, 2007 at 9:56 pm
I also just bought the Schwinn I-Zip from Canadian tire. I must confess price was my main reason for buying it. I hate the bikes weight which makes it impossible for me to lift and put on the car bike rack if I ever had need to do so.
I’d really like to know where the support is hiding for the bike. Going to Schwinn doesn’t seem to offer anything… even the bike I bought (unless I am just in the wrong place).
I’m a tad confused over the *charge after every ride* instruction. If the battery only lasts for 200 hundred charges, why would I want to do that. Say you use it for a qucik 1/2 ride and only use the power on hills seems to me you are just wasting those 200 charges . My trip to work (dundas/Yonge) will be just over 7km and I thought I’d get by with only charging it twice a week.
Anyone have any insight on this? Am I just missing something?
June 8, 2007 at 10:14 am
I know that schwinn does not really acknowledge these bikes. The support line is actually Dorel they told me alot of things about this bike (do not talk to a US rep) like the 200 charge thing actually means more of a deep cycle charge it is actually 500-600 if you charge up after every quick run or errand. I have yet to run this battery on the verge of dying when I am out cycling I always have half battery power left each time. My charge times only seem to be 3-4 hours which is good for me. It might be the battery already having juice in it or (a friend told me this) British Columbia’s hydro power is different in some way. About the weight, it is easy to lift with the seat and battery off then put it on the rack drive to your destination take the bike off put the battery and seat back on then ride away. 🙂
hope this helps,
Alex
June 9, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Sorry I only noticed now.
My name is Alen Mitchel.
I have a friend named Alexander Melenacowski.
Sorry,
Alen
June 9, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Thanks for the reply prizestuff. I feel much better now. If it’s not raining Monday I intend to use it for the first time, to get down to work.
June 10, 2007 at 1:51 am
Hi,
Hope you do not think this is too late we actually just finished our late night movie evening.
I figured out the kind of hard way. 😦 There are three things that come off easily on this bike 1. the pedal reflectors: the pedals have two on either side of the pedal, one is slid in a bracket or socket and is solid the other is held on by two plastic clips which fall off easily, I lost one on the road and the other I caught 2.the little rubber plastic cover on the bottom of the kickstand, that knob looks sturdy but I lost it somewhere. These are mostly aesthetic issues but my CT told me they would ask Dorel if they could send a baggy of these cheap parts for about $5 (do not know what the deal on that is yet).
For a $500 dollar bike ($600 usually) that stuff should not happen but not everything is perfect.
Glue those parts on,
Alen
June 16, 2007 at 7:25 pm
when i get the chance i will set up a webpage under http://www.reg2u.com
and go into detail how to add more range to the schwinn izip. and how to charge
more than one battery pack its not really that hard 🙂
cheers
July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Hi
I bought a Schwinn I-Zip a few months ago…here’s my experiences with it:
I used to drive this daily, for about 2 weeks, for a distance of about 30 km(?) from Welland to St. Catharines, along the paved Canals Trail, along the Welland Canal in the Niagara Region (great ride by the way!) and would find that the charge would usually last just about the whole trip…the battery would be pretty much dead by the time I reached my destination, but it was a journey with few, if any, hills to climb with the bike. I felt the bike has suited my needs at the time…after a ride such as one of these, a charge of at least 8 hours was usually necessary before I could make the return trip home, as I was using this bike primarily for travelling to and from work.
Eventually, I moved to St. Catharines where I am employed, and do not take very many long hauls on the electric bike…my riding distance was shortened, so my battery recharges time was not as often nor as long due to the shorter distances I would travel (example: I work two jobs, and the distance from my home to either place of work, was usually about a 15-20 minute journeys maximum, so usually I will only charge the battery once a day, as opposed to after every ride)…
I do feel that for the deal I got at good ole Canadian Tire was worth the money…as mentioned above the weight of the bike is a drawback, but I can’t complain for what I bought and feel I am getting my money’s worth, truthfully, I could not have expected much more…
I would like to know where I would be directed to buy replacement batteries?
Or how to upgrade what I have?
Any sites, links, or conatct info would be greatly appreciated!
July 25, 2008 at 12:45 am
Also, I am speaking with a local entrepreneur who has been converting bicycles to gas-powered bikes, using smaller gas engines….I am asking him, can we attempt to take some of these parts and perhaps create a “mean green machine chopper”? (LOL)
I’ll keep you informed of how this goes!
August 3, 2008 at 8:27 pm
hi all, been researching ebikes for over a month. can’t find any good folding ebikes with either NiCd or NiMH batteries..i DON’T want Li-ion or lead acid. price is also a factor, if anyone can offer some advice on where i can get a good folding ebike for perhaps around $1000 (less expensive is better) it would be greatly appreciated.
ps.- researched the schwinn folding ebike, thought it was poor quality upon physically seeing it at CT, and further research online has made me shun the schwinn folder.
October 26, 2008 at 1:03 am
Have you tried Greenrides.ca?