Zooz 750 Electric Bike Review: The wedding sneakers of e-bikes
Texas-based Zooz has made a wildly fun and stunning electric bike in a unique space uncovered by bike companies. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you made an electric bike ride like a BMX and a Buick, then you’re not alone. Zooz has done that and much more with the gorgeous Zooz 750 reviewed here. While it’s loads of fun and can be useful sometimes, it doesn’t fit into traditional e-bike categories, except for one, sort of.
Zooz 750 Tech Specs
- Motor: 750w Rear hub drive
- Battery: 48v 17Ah inverted mount under seat
- Gearing: Single Speed
- Brakes: Hydraulic Disc Brakes, 180mm Rotors
- Engagement: Cadence Pedal Assist, Throttle
- Tires: 24″ x 2.5″ Maxxis Hookworm
- Frame: 4130 Chromoly Steel
- Other: Long cruiser seat, BMX handlebars, Foot-pegs
What does it do?
The way I used it, the Zooz is a cruiser, above all else. The long seat and the tall handlebars give it a very comfortable riding position. Since the bike has just one speed, and the seat is large and static, any other use for the bike seems secondary. As a cruiser, the Zooz is fantastic. The long seat gives you some options for how to sit and even enables two adults to ride the bike. The short, wide tires provide great comfort to the bike without being obnoxiously large. The hydraulic disc brakes were nice for carrying two people or trying tricks at the park, but for lightweight cruising, it was simply a welcome bonus. Good brakes never get in the way, FYI.
The Zooz E-Bike as a Fashion Statement
Riding the Zooz is an experience in itself since the general public has yet to be exposed to a bike this unique and good looking. Normally when I’m reviewing a bike, people only stop me to chat if I’m parked and fiddling with a camera. On the Zooz, I was stopped mid-motion being asked, “What is that?” “What’s that bike called?” and “Where did you get that?” I think the unique aspect puts some urgency into their requests. If I ride by too fast, they won’t get a chance again, and they’re probably right. It wasn’t until I got my daughter on the bike that people offered us a bit more space.
I’ve been on some bikes that I consider good looking and others that I consider hideous, but the Zooz is one of few bikes that everyone agrees is gorgeous. Some of that appeal is undoubtedly wrapped in the cruiser feel combined with the care-free emotion that a BMX bike can illicit. The Zooz looks non-threatening and simple, two things that other bikes don’t have at all.
The Zooz as a BMX Bike
Over the course of the video shoot, I went to the skate park a few days. Late one day, I went alone and saw a man leaning against the fence. He was roughly 30 years old, about 250lbs, wearing a camo coat, contoured sunglasses, a long beard, and a gun on his hip. On my first pass around the skatepark, he said, “Nice bike!”
“Thanks.” I said. On my second pass around:
“Where did you get it?” he asked.
“Do you want to ride it?” I asked. He jumped at the chance. I’m glad I offered because that man (I don’t know his name) was great! He went horizontal on the bowl a few times, made some big jumps, skid all over, and tip-toed on the front wheel like he was a BMX Michael Jackson. Later, he told me that he was a BMX enthusiast who used to ride on one wheel for about 3 miles at a time. After having kids he hadn’t had the spare time to ride like he used to some years ago. After the added weight of the bike (and the added weight between teenager and 30 something), he was astounded that he could perform at the level he did. Since the man rode in a more free manner, making use of the whole park at a time, and going for flow/speed, the Zooz kept up and kept pumping. With the throttle in hand, the rider is more free to use both extra speed and extra attention to plan a route and execute fully.
If you have a good eye, you may have noticed that two people were riding the Zooz during the skate park portion of the video. The camo sleeves belong to the stranger, but Mason has a similar story. Mason was a hobbyist BMX rider some 10 years ago and has enjoyed riding electric bikes for fun and commuting ever since. Mason’s penchant was more in the vert category, where the Zooz somewhat fell short on account of weight. Opening up to the whole park, Mason likewise felt freer to explore the space. Even in our 30’s, father time slowly invades the parts of our life that are claimed for the young. For myself, Mason, and the BMX stranger, the Zooz allows a small part of that territory back.
Zooz as a daily driver
The Zooz bike can be a commuter, or daily driver, if you’re committed to it. There are universal fenders that fit the front fork, that’s pretty simple. However, there are no provisions for integrated lights (as of yet), and I don’t think a rear rack is compatible at all. Chances are no one will notice your backpack or spare lights, since they will be looking at the bike. The range on the bike is decent, on account of the better-than-average battery size, but if you’re like me, it will be hampered by the urge to use full throttle. You’ll still see around 20 miles of range this way, which fits me in the Salt Lake valley just fine.
What’s Missing from the Zooz?
Right now, Zooz has three models, all based on motor size: the 250w, 750w, and 1000w. More than likely the 250w is made for European countries, the 750w for places that pretend to enforce E-Bike laws, and the 1000w is for places that don’t pretend. In my opinion, the 750w and 1000w bikes would benefit from a torque based pedal assist. Since the 250w bike is made for Europe, the cadence pedal assist acts like a throttle and gives a laid-back cruise to our friends in the old-world. That’s great. In less-restrictive countries, we already have a throttle, and the addition of a torque sensor would make the single speed pedaling much more useful. As it stands, I would start the bike using the throttle, and just settle in. The pedals became a quaint out-of-date fashion piece, like a rotary phone or a gas car.
All In All
I had a blast on the $2k 750w bike. I think it was great for the cruising focus the bike has. If I planned on hitting the park a bit more or tackling big hills on the regular, I would opt for the 1000w. Once the vaccine starts reaching my demographic, I would definitely choose the Zooz bike as my fly ride to pull up at a gathering. No other bike is as inviting, alluring or care-free as the Zooz. The Zooz is like a “dress up” pair of Jordans, Chucks, Superstars, or Vans.