The Zurich 350 IX by EG is a stiff and efficient city style electric bike with narrower tires and more traditional forward-leaning frame design that’s easy to mount on racks and convenient for commuting. The fenders, lights and rack match perfectly and even though there aren’t any shock absorbers the front fork is steel which reduces vibration and smoothes out the ride. With four levels of pedal assist and a trigger throttle this bike can scoot you around or climb and go for distance. I love the Shimano Nexus hub and overall balance (battery in the rear and motor in the front) but the motor weight does impact steering to a limited extent. It’s a compromise at a decent price point and it looks very sharp.
The motor driving this ebike is by 8FUN which is a trusted manufacturer from Asia. It’s black, to match the bike, and geared so it’s got more torque for acceleration and climbing without the added weight of a direct drive (gearless) solution. Offering 350 watts of power it’s very capable (even spinning the front wheel a bit if you gun it on gravel surfaces). There’s a spring going from the front fork to the downtube (called a deflopilator) meant to keep the bike steady when loading with gear and probably also to help with the added weight of the hub motor. Overall, it’s a decent design and it balances out the weight while providing space in the rear for an internally geared Nexus hub which stays clean and can be shifted at standstill.
The battery pack is slim, removable and painted black to match the rest of the bike. If you live in hot environments consider covering it with white or silver tape or putting a bag on top because heat is bad for Lithium-ion cells and well… black absorbs heat. The pack offers 36 volts of power and 12 amp hours of capacity. That’s a touch above average and I like the design overall. It’s great that the rear rack is a bit oversized to support the battery and any bags or panniers you add. Note that the larger gauge tubing may not fit all generic accessories.
Given the more standard straight top tube design of this bike and removable battery it’s going to be easier to mount onto hanging style bike racks (like those that attach to the back of cars). The front hub motor design also makes changing flats easier because the motor isn’t near the gears and chain which add complexity. This bike is a step above some “do it yourself” conversions and I like how it all matches. The control panel is simple and while it lacks speed, distance and precise battery indicators it looks durable and lets you choose from throttle mode or pedal assist. That’s the real advantage compared with a conversion kit which might not have assist (or would be complicated to install on the bottom bracket).
This isn’t the fanciest electric bike but it’s feature complete. The pedal assist modes can feel jerkier than newer ebikes with speed, torque and cadence sensors but those also cost more. There’s a certain charm and uniqueness with the Zurich 350 IX and I enjoyed riding it. It would be good for someone who enjoys pedaling along because the wheels and tires are so efficient. The internally geared Nexus hub will stay clean and require less maintenance but does add to the price and weight here. The fully enclosed chain guard also keeps things clean. To me this is a mid-level ebike in a world where so many cost $2K+ and others lack the features and quality seen here.
A value priced hard-tail mountain ebike that is at home on light trails or for commuting given the wide range of gearing combined with a throttle, pedal assist, and a 28mph top speed, backed by EG who has been around since 2005 and a dealer support network, a wonderful offering for $1,499. Driven by a rear hub-drive motor that is rated at a 350-500 watts, can be…...
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bikerjohn
11 years agoToday I settled on this bike through Electric Bikes of New England. After speaking to Paul Morlock, the proprietor, he even gave me free shipping. Seemed like a good deal!
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoAwesome! Glad it worked out for you man, looks like a great shop :)
Replybikerjohn
11 years agoThe EG Zurich 350 IX is a lot of bike for the money! 3 days in with this bike, I remain completely positively impressed with e bike commuting.
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoThanks for the testimonial bikerjohn! Glad to hear this thing is working out well for you :)
ReplyIan
11 years agoI’m assuming this doesn’t have regenerative braking since it wasn’t mentioned in the review. Are there any other similar city bikes in the price range that have regenerative brakes? Also, how important would you say that feature is overall? I’m thinking about doing a 21 mile each way commute and just wanted to know if that would come in handy for keeping my range topped off.
Also, on a side note, do you think that 21 miles each way is too long for a bike commute? I figure if I can get a quick bike with around 25 mph top speed I’ll be able to cruise at that speed for quite a bit of it, and maybe do the commute in an hour one-way which would be about the same time doing it stuck in traffic burning gas.
Thanks in advance for your reply!
ReplyIan
11 years agoAlso, another quick question – you have 20 mph listed as the top speed but the EGBike site has it listed as 25 mph. I’m assuming they’ve got the more accurate data on that?
ReplyIan
11 years agoI’m 6’1″ – would this bike work well for me on long commutes? I noticed that when you were riding in your demo that you were a little hunched over to get down to the handle bars. Just wondering if maybe it’s designed for smaller framed riders rather than tall, lanky ones like myself :)
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoGood question, they might have changed it but the bike I rode went 20mph and that’s the legal limit in the USA. Maybe reach out to them or call, I’d love to know what they say if you can share here once you find out :)
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoThis bike doesn’t offer regenerative braking but there are several brands that do (Stromer, BionX, Falco) and I’ve heard mixed reviews on how well it works. You will definitely feel it and it will save your brake pads some wear but I think it adds to the price so other brands don’t include it.
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoHi Ian, I’d call this a medium sized bike and the high-step version is longer than the low-step so that’s the best option. You would probably fit alright but might feel a little cramped vs. getting a larger frame on something like the Neo Cross or E3 Dash. That said, one member of the forums recently got the EG Zurich and really likes it, you could ask him here.
Replybikerjohn
10 years agoIan , on the subject of bike speed, distance, and energy consumption:
Averaging 25 mph requires a high amount of rider input as well as a high gear inch ratio. Combining those two aspects utilize a riders average sustained cadence capability to maximize bike speed .
Consider long distance biking assistance can be supplied with an electric motor.
An extreme example of the benefit from power assisted biking can be illustrated by answering a question from a would be bike commuter: A cyclist is interested in commuting a round trip distance of 42 miles and would prefer to accomplish that commute in under an hour each way, expecting a need to average 25 mph on the commute. Is it possible to accomplish that on an electric bike?
Answer: Perhaps that is a bit of a stretch of capability. Keep in mind that traveling a distance of say 40-50 miles at an average speed of say 25 mph, would require a large amp hour capacity battery (perhaps upwards of 36+ volts and 20+ ah) for a hub motored e-bike going that distance and speed. Also bear in mind that weight, wind, and rider effort are contingent. At a slower pace, using more rider effort, 40-50 miles can be achieved with 36 volts and 12 ah capacity on my Zurich 350 IX. The most significant difference required to accomplish that distance is greater rider input (substantial) and a lower average speed (say 15 mph).
The greater the speed and distance on a bike, the greater the energy required. The greater the assistance provided by the motor of an e-bike, the greater drain there will be on battery energy.
Understand too, that the greater your pedal effort, the less power drain there is on the battery. For example, if the goal for average speed is 25 mph, and if “full throttle” assist is needed in order to accomplish that speed average, then battery power consumed will be greater than if you were able to achieve that speed average with a low power assist setting.
The greatest asset to conserving battery power is pedaling effort! Adding more of your own pedaling effort, will decrease battery power consumption. Perhaps regenerative braking can help extend battery power too. But I suspect the regenerative gain is of minimal benefit for extending battery power availability on long commutes.
With the Zurich bike, I have found that my speed is limited by the gearing of the Nexus hub along with my ability to maintain hi cadence pedal effort, -regardless of electric assistance. If I could maintain a cadence of 100 rpm on my Zurich, then my average speed would be about 23.5 mph. Therein lies the limitation of speed on any bike you intend to pedal. My fastest steady cadence is about 85 rpm. I can reach a cadence upwards of 100 rpm but only for fractions of a minute. So it is a combination of a cyclist’s cadence capability, and gearing which combined will determine maximum speed.
Replybikerjohn
10 years agoIan, I may have written a confusing answer previously as to a maximum sustainable speed with the Zurich or with any bike… Basically it is contingent on rider weight and input effort, as well as environmental factors such as wind and also the energy level remaining in the battery between recharge.
– My best speed average on my 16-18 mile r/t commute has been about 19.5 mph;
– Inbound, the 8 miles from my house to Hilton is slightly downhill, and my maximum sustainable average speed is about 20.5 mph.
– If I could maintain a cadence of 100 rpm in high gear, with the configuration of the Zurich bike, my speed average would be 23.5 mph; (I have not been able to maintain that cadence for longer than a fraction of a minute.)
– I often reach a peak speeds of over 30 mph but that is on a downhill, and has little to do with e-motor assistance.
– At full throttle, I can discern power assistance up to 24 mph or so.
Being a lighter weight would not achieve much faster average speed. But a lighter weight would enable less battery power drain over a given distance.
ReplyMike
10 years agobkerjohn Has your bike held up?
Replybikerjohn
10 years agoMike, the EG Zurich has been a great commuter bike. Since acquiring the bike in May, I have logged 106 trips, with a total of 1,909.21 miles, in 108:54:10 hours, -averaging 17.64 mph; I have noticed a slight depletion of overall battery capacity, but the battery seems to have plenty of reserve to cover 20-25 miles/ 90 minutes of biking before recharging.
Reply