Archer Works

This review is for Currie Technologies Ezip Coastline bike and their service based on my personal experience. Nothing more, nothing less.

There are two parts to this review. It isn’t an extrememly detailed review I will admit but I feel that Currie Tech deserves positive feedback so here it is.

I was in the market for an electric bike. I live 22 miles from my work and wanted to ride my bike to work but didn’t want to die in the process or show up soaked in sweat all day. An electric bike seemed like the best option. I could get a bike that had pedal assist so that if I ran out of steam the bike would do the work and get me where I wanted to go.

After shopping around for a good month I decided to order the EZip Coastline electric bike as it offered a 10 – 15 mile per charge trip and had the ability to add a 2nd battery which should have extended my trip to 20 – 30 miles on a single charge. Additionally they had a payment plan that would allow me to make payments over a 4 month period so I could spread out the cost of the bike.

I ordered the bike, it arrived timely and it was easily assembled as Currie does most of this for you. I just had to throw on the handlebars, seat, front wheel and charge the batteries. This is important because you can order bikes from Currie from the WalMart website and so many reviews talk about how hard it is to assemble and damage that occurred when they got it home. Not me – no issues when I received the bike from Currie Tech, although a little more expensive.

I put my Coastline bike together quickly and charged it overnight (both batteries) as the directions state. I can tell you this a few things stood out. First the bike looked GREAT – clean lines and nice colors. I didn’t feel odd riding it around. Second it was great FUN – I’ve never had an electric bike but it did as advertised. The pedal assist was great and I cruised up and down the street with no issues and flew along the road. I LOVED it.

What I came to not like about the bike was that this damn thing weights a ton (okay about 100lbs with two batteries) and if I had to carry it up any stairs (which I didn’t) I wouldn’t have been able to do it. So if you need to take this thing on a bus, up stairs to your apartment or carry it any distance, think twice – it is a BEAST.

Finally I realized that the battery didn’t take me 10 – 15 miles, at best it did 6 miles which is 12 miles AT BEST with two batteries. This would never make it to my work – 10 miles on a 100 pound bike powered by me wasn’t going to happen successfully. So I decided to return it. But before I talk about the customer service I’ve got to say that you aren’t supposed to drive it in the rain or wet roads and it was a good 2 week before I could test it out because we had crazy rain in NJ when I received it.

I don’t think I mentioned that Currie offered a 30 day try it program to return the bike without a restocking fee of 15% (ouch).

Needless to say by the time I got a chance to try the bike out and ship it back, due to the weather, it was well over the 30 day mark.

Finally I sent the bike back, I had UPS come and pick it up, but had to wait until it wasn’t raining becuase it would need to sit outside all day in the pooring rain and then I was worried I wouldn’t get anything back and the beast of a box would be soaked and torn up and UPS might deny the delivery… so on a clear day I sent it back.

Currie didn’t have an RMA process the customer service lady said “Just send it back”, which had me worried but in the end it worked out. The only problem I had with the return was that 10 days after they signed for the bike I received another charge on my credit card for a payment and had that money set aside for a payment on my house. I was on vacation and was tapped more then usual so I called up Currie and talked to customer service and told them that I need the last payment refunded immediately 100% and would take the hit on restocking on the initial part. I was transefered to the General Manager. I was blatantly honest with her and told her my situation.  Basiccly if I didn’t get a refund in 7 days I would have bounced a house payment (NOT GOOD) she made no promises but said that if anyone could get my refund through the accounting department as fast as I needed it she could and gave me her word to do her best.

Lo and behold the GM really did give a damn about me. I was refunded the money 24 hours prior to my house payment going out and even received a courtesy call stating that everything would be okay and it WAS.

It is GREAT to know that a company still gives a damn about thier customers, even when the priduct is returned and follows through. It really made me feel good!

My overall rating of the EZip Coastline is a 8 out of 10.

PROS: Looks great, works well, handles very well, quick bike and FUN to ride

CONS: Batteries are lacking from the advertised charge length and it is heavy.

My overall raiting of Currie Technologies as a company is 10 out of 10.

They really cared about me as a customer and former customer and they are true to their word. This is something that is rare in the fast paced business atmosphere which we live in. I say give them a shot because they did what they promised when they promised!

If I get the name of the GM who helped me out I will publish it here, but like I said I was on vacation sitting on the beach when I was making the SOS calls to the company and failed to write her name down.

THANK YOU CURRIE TECH and if I’m ever in the market again I will look no further then CURRIE TECH for an electronic bike.