Electric-Bikes.com
Phat Flyer Electric Scooter
No matter what form of transportation you use, the Phat Flyer could be the way to link them all together. At 4 feet long, the Flyer transports and stores easier than standard 6-foot bikes. Roll it onto transit like a bicycle. At 2 feet tall in the folded position, don't expect to stow it under a seat. With a range of 5 - 8 miles at 13-16 mph and great hill-climbing ability, the Flyer will take you where you want to go.
Although most popular as a stand-up scooter, a seat/basket option transforms your Flyer into a sit-down scooter useful for small shopping trips and errands. Comes with adjustable height handle bars (31" - 35" above the deck) that folds down so you can take it with you. Footspace measure 8.75" x 18".
The Flyer uses a hi-torque finned Electro Drive 24-volt brushless motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated speed controller. Superior torque for fast starts and hill climbing. Heavy duty, cast metal heat sinks surround the motor to reduce overheating when climbing long hills. Uses the street-proven Currie Electro Drive system. Thumb throttle for complete speed control. Quick-release adjustable handle bar height.
[Editor's Note: At 58 lbs., the Phat Flyer may go 18 mph with a 10 year old rider. A more appropriate choice for that age would be a Zappy.]
The Flyer sports front shocks for smoother rides on rough roads. The frame is stronger. Power indicator light, on/off switch, and recharging port are located on the down tube for easy access (below).
Phat Flyer (red, yellow, blue) - $400
(Assembled and tuned at our shop - $450.)
Optional seat/basket kit (black) - $60.
Also sold as GT Asteroid, Mongoose Impact, and Schwinn Zone 5.Available from:
Electro Ride Bikes and Scooters, Milpitas, CA 95035-6913, 408/262-8975 (call for demo appointment)
- or to find a local dealer, use the dealer finder at http://www.currietech.com/
For the complete line of Currie scooters and bikes, see http://www.currietech.com/
If you ever want to upgrade performance, Powerpack Motors offers high performance brushless motors that are compatible with the PowerCat Tiger and all Currie, Schwinn and Lashout electric scooters. The external controllers can run at 24, 36 or 48 volts (36V and 48V provide higher torque and speed).
Product Reviews
Subj: ELECTRIC SCOOTER OWNER REPORT - Currie Flyer
Date: 7/2/01 7:56:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: B2Bhelp@yahoo.com (Bob)ELECTRIC SCOOTER OWNER REPORT - Currie Flyer
July 2, 2001
FOR POST/PUBLICATION IN ANY INTERNET SITE
I've now owned the Flyer for about two months, and use it almost every day for short-distance commutes. I also own a "Skootr-X", made by Zapworld, the makers of the Zappy electric scooters.
In my opinion, the Flyer is a reliable electric scooter and is excellent value, selling at about $500. There is no other scooter that I know of, with the same power and sophistication as the Currie Flyer, in this price range.
Going up long hills, Zappy-class scooters I've tried tripped their overload circuit-breakers. But not the Flyer. It has never shut off on the steepest hills I've tried.
In comparative test-runs with the Currie Scoot-e and last year's Currie "Phantom", the Flyer's band-type rear brake makes the Flyer a "compelling buy" for non-flat roads. In test runs with a friend who purchased a Scoot-e from Costco, the Scoot-e kept up with the Flyer until the first small hill - the Scoot-e stalled while the Flyer ran up the hill pronto!
The Flyer comes with mountain bike tires - it just loves to carve bike paths on parks and runs well on grass.
I don't have a speedometer, but I'd estimate the road speed to be around 14-15MPH. On downhills, the Flyer's freewheeling clutch really shows its design superiority to the Zappy and other scooters, because the Flyer can go extremely fast, without any power whatsoever!
The Flyer ran 3 miles directly into a 40-50MPH headwind, uphill, before running out of steam. With the optional Soneil charger, it was ready to go again in 1 hour. I get about 5 miles, mostly slightly uphill, before a recharge. By free-wheeling, its possible to get 7 miles at a good clip. On a Skootr-X or Zappy, you'd be using the throttle nearly 100% due to the weaker motor. I'd estimate the Skootr-X to have 150 watts output, while the Flyer has an estimated 300 watts output. Manufacturers' specifications may differ, but these are my estimates.
The rear band-brake is excellent. The front-brake is weak, but it's not necessary anyway.
Several scooter users tried my Flyer recently. Compared to their Zappy-class electric scooters, one said: "This is a rush! It's disappointing to go back to the Zappy-class scooter! I want this!"
But aside from just the faster speed, Flyer have a great ride, wide adjustable handlebars, variable speed thumb-throttle, wide riding deck, and a durable chain drive.
When people ask me 'How fast does it go?' I say: "100 smiles per hour!" The Flyer has been great fun to ride.
What is the Flyer suitable for? In my opinion, it's a great short-distance commuting vehicle. I use to shop, to the baseball field, and charge while I' m there. With the optional "Soneil", every 10 minutes charging gives me another mile of scooting range. It's reduced my use of the car by 50 percent. Compared to a Flyer, Zappy-class machines seem to feel like 'toys'
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My complaints? They're very minor. The clip-on battery leads tend to loosen with road vibration and need to be tightened. While the battery compartment was open, I used bits of rubber on all metal-to-metal contact points to reduce vibration even more. Regarding small rattling noises, I used pieces of rubber to eliminate rattles from the handlebar stem assembly.The factory says the tires should be inflated to 40PSI. That 40PSI setting would accommodate riders of up to 250 lbs. I weight about 140 lbs. Interestingly, the Flyer scooted up an "impossible" hill even with both tires' pressure reduced to 20PSI. At 20PSI, the ride become snow-board like, though. If you weight under 150 lbs., and scooting on roads, I recommend 30PSI front and 40PSI rear.
My modifications? Because I'm a sidewalk rider, I reduced the tire pressure to 35PSI rear and 30PSI front. To make the ride even more cushy, I glued on a rubber "mat" made out of strips of mouse pads. I used rubber tape to protect the rear brake cable from curb-scrapes (many scooters need this extra 'sheath'.)
Unlike Zappy-class electric scooters, you can add an inexpensive Cat-eye headlight to any Currie, as the Curries have wide handlebars. I prefer the Currie's handlebars which do not "bend" like the Zappy-class scooters.
My maintenance? None, other than spraying the chain with a lubricant once a month. The Flyer is Sherman-tank reliable.
"Bob", B2Bhelp@yahoo.com
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Date: Wed, 06 Jun 2001 15:53:36 -0000
From: "Ron Tye" <rmt_scoot@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Any one have a Phat E scooter.....?I've got a Flyer weigh close to 200lbs and get a dependable 7mi range over hills.
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Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 20:09:42 -0500
From: "Scott MacGregor" <smacgregor@aasp.net>
Subject: Re: phat flyer on the hillsThe Flyer SE will negotiate a 13% grade carrying 175lbs. HOWEVER, I wouldn't recommend this for more than a short time! If your steepest hills are in the 8% range [e.g. freeway overpass], you should have no problem, particularly if they are spaced so as to allow motor cooling between climbs.
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Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 16:34:35 -0000
From: "Jeffrey the Barak" <thebarak@yahoo.com>
Subject: I have a new Phat Flyer!Wow! Until yesterday I was a veteran Zappy man, humming along at 9MPH, watching out for twigs and potholes and keeping an eye on my watch in case I ran out of charge. Then one of the first Phat Flyers to hit the streets came to me courtesy of Scott at EVdeals.com and the universe changed.
This is what electric scooters were meant to be! Okay, so the chain drive is a little noisy in all of that silence, but believe me, all you can hear after a second or two is wind blasting against your helmet, (at these speeds, you'd better get out your old helmet again.)
Motorcycles have hydraulic brakes, as do cars, so you have to remember that the Phat Flyer has bicycle style brakes, because those stop signs loom up pretty fast. When it comes to lower speeds, this scooter beats the Zappy simply because it can free-wheel. Okay, it doesn't have the minimal resistance of a Xooter or even a Razor, but there are times when you don't want to be blasting past everything at 20MPH and it's nice to put your foot down and scoot now and again.
The stability of this scooter is second to none. It never wobbles and it holds itself up. Wide handlebars, large wheels and low weight make this the most confident ride at any speed. Face it, electric scooter riders, you know you can handle more speed, upgrade to the Phat Flyer and enjoy the kinds of speed and range that make e-scooting really practical!
Back to Currie scooters.Technical Specifications
MOTOR: Exclusive 300 watt finned high Torque Electro Drive, 24-volt brushless DC motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated (PWM) controller that includes low voltage battery protection, motor overheat protection, peak amperage protection, maximum speed protection, and brake inhibit.
- MOTOR CONTROL: Variable-speed, thumb-operated spring-loaded throttle switch shuts off motor when released. No push needed to start.
- FORK: 12" suspension, spring elastomer type with 50mm of travel.
- BATTERY PACK: Dual 12V, 10 Amp-hours, Sealed Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Lead Acid (maintenance-free).
- OPERATING VOLTAGE: 24 VDC.
- FOLDS down for easy storage; only 25" tall.
- FRAME: Ovalized tubular high-tensile steel w/ alloy one-piece deck and tail plate. Heavy duty folding mechanism with quick-release adjustable handle bar height.
- BRAKES: Rear - hand-operated band brake; Front - hand-operated "V"-brake.
- DRIVETRAIN: Long-lasting chain/sprocket drive with built-in freewheeling.
- HUBS: Front Hub: Parallax style, 24H, nutted, chromed. Rear Hub: Alloy, 24H, nutted, LH threaded for Electro Drive.
- RIMS & SPOKES: Rims: Alloy 12 x 1.75 6N style, 24H on F-14G on spoked wheels
- TIRES & TUBES: 12" Kenda K-909 Tires with thorn-resistant tubes
- EXTRAS: Kickstand, CPSC front and rear reflectors.
- SPEED: Up to 16 MPH
- RANGE: Level ground - up to 10 miles. (Speed and range will vary with rider weight & riding conditions. Most people can count on a 6+ mile range. Hills can increase or decrease the range.)
- CHARGER: Portable 2 AMP Smart Charger charges in 6 hours. (Faster chargers available.)
- DIMENSIONS: Length: 49" Deck: 9" x 18". Folded Height: 25". Handlebar Width: 20". Handlebar Height adjustable up to 35".
- WEIGHT: 58 pounds
- COLORS: Red, Yellow, Blue
- OPTIONS: faster charge, seat/basket add-on, custom parts, etc.
The Flyer sports the high-torque MAC finned Electro-Drive 24-volt brushless motor with built-in electronic pulse width modulated speed controller. Superior torque for fast starts and hill climbing. Heavy duty, integral, cast metal heat sinks (3/8" fins) surround the hi-torque MAC motor to keep it cool even when working up hills.
[Editor's Note: Earlier Phat scooters (Phantom and Scoot-E) used weaker "silver" MAC motors. With the Flyer, the early MAC motors were succeeded by the hi-torque "black" Kollmorgen motors with 1/4" blunt fins.]Technical Note: Brushless motors read the electric pulses and set the motor timing automatically. One of the reasons brushless motors are more efficient is because they can change their timing on the fly. Advancing the timing of a brushed motor allows it to run more efficiently at higher revs...but less efficiently at lower revs. Most motors that are designed to run in both directions have 0 degrees of advance.
After-market 600-watt motors are available from EVdeals.com and LEVT. The standard speed, high-torque model is P/N 12570-3T, SR No: SDT3-000008. The high-speed model bears P/N 12570-3 and SR No: SD3-004345.
Actual performance results conducted by third party.
Back to Currie scooters.Tips and Tricks
Click here to learn more Flyer tips.Tricks and stunts on scooters may interest young people who bounce well.
An electric scooter users' group trades information, tips and ideas at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zappy
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> Several people on Ebay are selling the Scoot-E and claim that these
> models have had their motor upgraded by the factory so that heavier
> riders can ride it better.Currie has been selling these for a few months. They are "factory refurbished", which translated means "customer returns". These are perfectly fine scooters, but don't go 17 mph like the ad says! (more like 14 mph) They have the Lo-Kol motor, not the Hi-Kol like the Flyer. Great for kids or adults up to 175 lbs on flat paved surfaces. Not much use on inclines.
Learn why scooter riders need Pre-Paid Legal.
Accessories and Parts
Seat & Basket Attachment can be mounted on the Phat-Flyer, Phat-Phantom, or Phat-E Scooters for an additional $50. Available from Electro Ride Bikes and Scooters (save on shipping!), Milpitas, CA 95035-6913, 408/262-8975 (call for demo appointment)
Scooter baskets
Scooters with seats can use this basket: http://www.eryderusa.com/images/scooters/rev2_w~1/ER01_blue_34_basket.jpg
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EVdeals offers custom accessories for the Flyer: baskets, heavy duty fender extension and mud guard, the large custom Hawker battery box for extended range, custom speedometer, V-Brakes, Cheng Shin HD road tires, and Soneil charger upgrades. Their Flyer Upgrade (19-tooth pinion gear rather than standard 15-tooth) adds 3 mph to top speed (18 vs. 15) while sacrificing 2 miles of range (from a maximum of 8.8 miles to 6.9 miles).
Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2001 22:52:03 -0000
From: dallobs@yahoo.com
Subject: A nice glowing and happy review (Currie basket)I recently purchased the custom basket add-on for the Flyer from Scott's site (www.evdeals.com). It really installs easily (I have no mechanical skills and I did it) and looks nice on the scooter. The pictures on his site are deceptively small - this basket could easily
hold a full grocery bag or a small backpack. It fits nicely on the back wheel and is a very worthwhile addition to any Currie product. Highly recommended.
Seth---------
NiMH batteries as a replacement on a Flyer?
You can get NiMH batteries made for the Flyer. You don't have to do a modification. There are some at http://www.powerassist.com/phat.htm. Looks like dual 9ah packs. A bit more than half the weight of the SLA batteries. They claim 10%-15% range increase. Comes with a 2.5A charger. $275 delivered.
