Schwinn Electric Scooter: Currie eZip 1000 Fusion Electric Scooter Review

I bought and returned three of these at different times from my local Sam's Club. Every single one failed within a week of purchase and was returned. The first one had a bad gearbox, which started making a loud clanking noise whenever the rear wheel was activated. The second one had a bad disc brake: The right rear pad was not sufficiently shimmed, so the rotor rubbed against the caliper housing. The third one had a bad bearing on the rear wheel. All of these problems manifested themselves after only a few hours of use.

The idea behind this product is a good one: Use standard bicycle parts and an electric motor to create an inexpensive scooter. The problem is that Currie (the company who makes these products) apparently uses Chinese made parts which didn't last more than a few hours for me(see above) and has made bad design decisions as the product has changed from year to year (see below).

The first design problem comes from the use of disc brakes in the front and rear. While older models had a standard caliper brakes, the newer models now have disc brakes on both wheels. The problem is that the wheels aren't balanced well, and the rotors/discs "wobble." When that happens, the rotor rubs against both disc pads, which will cause them to wear prematurely. A standard bicycle caliper style brake would have worked better and been easier to service.

The second design problem is the motor. Instead of using a chain to drive and external sprockets for gearing, Currie hooked the motor directly to the rear wheel using a sealed gearbox. This presents several problems. First, without a chain, there is no ability to freewheel (i.e., to coast without continuing to spin the motor). This means that the motor is constantly being worn, even when you are merely coasting and it slows you down as well. Second, the sealed gearbox is much harder to fix than a chain, which is open and easily serviced. Finally, if you are going downhill and you exceed some maximum speed set by Currie, the electronic system shuts down and when you come to stop, you have to turn the scooter off and then back on before you can continue.

Third, as of late 2007, Currie removed the adjustable seat post in favor of a fixed seat post. This means that you can no longer adjust the height of the seat. If the height Currie picked isn't right for you, well too bad.

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Product Description:
Go the distance with ease and speed when you hop aboard the eZip 1000 electric scooter, which features both a deck for standing and a removable seat for comfort on longer rides. The eZip 1000 is equipped with a 1,000-watt, hi-torque DC neodymium magnet motor and a 36-volt rechargeable battery pack, giving you plenty of power for short commutes to work and trips to a friend's house. The scooter's range, meanwhile, extends to 12 miles (depending on the rider weight), with a top speed of up to 15 miles per hour. And riders will enjoy a smooth performance every time thanks to the front suspension fork. Other details include front and rear disc brakes with alloy brake inhibit levers, low-profile Street Slick tires that measure 12.5 by 3 inches, exclusive Currie folding handlebars, and an easy-access charger port in the frame console. Designed for ages 13 and older, the eZip 1000 offers a weight capacity of 260 pounds.
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