Frequently asked questions

Why ebo?

EBO is a proud bike culture based operator with 50 years experience racing and touring, not just a bike-in-a-box. We take our products and customers seriously. EBO is building a chain of regional agents nationwide and already have service bases in; Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier/Hastings, Wairarapa, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. EBO can arrange servicing when required, in most regions. We especially support with practical advice, maintenance and parts.

what is special about the ebo folding bikes?

Quality, versatility, strength, no gimmicks, best components and contemporary design. Global leader in the folding bike class. Town and country cruise and touring capabilities.

WHAT IS THE LIFE OF THE BATTERY?

EBO specifies A-Grade cells for our batteries only. These are by for the best quality for longevity and all manner of QA factors. Given correct care and attention the life of these batteries should exceed 1200 charging cycles. That is a long time…my own EBO SuperTourer has done well over 4,000km (probably 5,000km+) and I’m still under 75 charges.

WHAT IS THE BEST PRACTICE FOR  BATTERY MAINTENANCE?

This is a very good question. In general keep the battery topped up, especially if the bike is being left for any length of time. It doesn’t really do any harm to top it up from half full etc, but for optimal battery life, about every 10th recharge or so, take it to a very low charge-content level, and leave the charger on overnight. This effectively stretches both ends of the capacity spectrum.

WHAT IS THE BEST STORAGE PRACTICE?

Most important is to keep it in dry place. Damp is the enemy of all electronics. These bikes can take any amount of rain etc in riding conditions, but dry storage is essential. Also, if you take the bike on a car-carrier, keep it under a cover to keep it clean and free of road grime. Do not ride the bikes through water or puddles exceeding 90mm deep.

WHAT ABOUT SECURITY?

We provide a cable lock with every bike. Use it, always. Even when you’re simply getting a coffee in a café; lock your bike and take the key.

WHAT MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED?

Not much, but one must be attentive. Keep chain, dérailleur, gear changer, brake mechanisms and cables clean and well oiled. Believe it or not, chainsaw oil is the best, and costs 1/10th of the generic bicycle chain oil. Give the chain and dérailleur a brush-wash with solvent (petrol is good, but wear gloves), then dribble in oil as you back-rotate the pedals. Also dribble a few drops oil down the brake and gear cables every six months or so. Get the bikes serviced annually; we can do servicing at HQ, or provide you with trusted bike mechanics’ contacts for the regions. Keep the bike clean, and all screws, bolts, appendages etc checked and firmly tight. We’ve worked hard to replace all ferrous metal component with stainless steel from the original EziRider where surface rust has been a real problem.

Are these tyres suitable for bike trails?

Are these tyres suitable for bike trails? Yes they most certainly are. We specify quality multi-surface, deep tread toughened soft compound tyres with an interlinked chequerboard tread, for reasonably quiet tarmac riding, and very high grip and flexibility on packed gravel. These are quality tyres.

Can I get a spare battery if I need one?

Yes, EBO carries a stock of spare batteries. In the many hundreds of bikes we’ve sold we’ve only had three or four battery failures, so it’s rare.

Why the 350W motor, when 300W is the legal limit? 

Because EBO wants to actually deliver reality. Many 300W motors are actually 250W motors (much cheaper due to lower copper content and vast volumes into EU and Australia etc where 250W is the legal limit.) They have weaker transmissions and are under real strain when climbing. So we went the other way. Ordering special 350W Heavy Duty motor/transmission units, with programming to deliver a genuine 300W onto the road, all through an over-engineered system which doesn’t over-stress the motor. Sometimes quality is a quantity thing.

You say you took your bike on aircraft to go touring. How so, given the ban on Lithium batteries on aircraft?

The ban didn’t used to be a thing, but now it’s strict. Basically the battery needs to be air-freighted in a non-passenger aircraft freighter. So if you want to fly with your e-bike you need to book the battery or entire bike as separate freight, usually about 5 days before you leave of overseas. Your airline will almost definitely help. The cost is minor compared to the fun and local transport costs and hassles you’ll avoid, by having your EBO Foldie on hand. You can take the bike, sans battery with you as luggage, so the battery freight is the only extra cost (and believe me Foldie tourism is the BEST way to see things, with trains etc for the big hauls between cities and regions) The battery must be wrapped in a particular way (talk to us, we know).

Is my bike safe to transport generally, with the battery in place.

Yes…make sure the bike is turned off, but EBO bikes have a double isolation circuit, with basically means the battery might even be safer actually in the bike than floating around in the boot of your car.