We've seen a number of ebikes rolling with a moto-inspired vibe, and others bunny hopping BMX style. Texas-based startup Zooz has combined the two for what's described as the "epitome of thrills and versatility" – the Ultra Flex 1200.
Zooz Bikes was founded in 2020 by "three industry nerds" who initially worked from an old garage in Chicago, and now operate out of Fort Worth, Texas. Following a bunch of sketches and prototypes, the newly formed company launched the Urban Ultralight, a BMX-style ebike with a long padded seat and a battery slung underneath to juice the hub motor.
Now the team is aiming for the premium e-mobility market with the Ultra Flex 1200, which has been designed "to conquer challenging terrains from street to trail."
The BMX styling continues through to the new ride courtesy of the shiny 4130 chromoly steel frame. The combination of a relatively low motorbike-inspired seat and high BMX handlebars makes for an upright riding stance, and the Flex aims to accommodate riders between 5.5 and 6.4 ft (1.7 - 1.95 m) in height. All in, it has a load capacity of 350 lb (158 kg), while the ebike itself weighs in at 85 lb (38.5 kg).
Powering urban adventures and off-road shenanigans is a 750-W rear-hub motor that peaks at 1,800 watts. This offers a top speed of more than 30 mph (48 km/h), though the ebike ships with a limited Class 2-friendly 20 mph PAS speed that can be unlocked via the display. The Flex also comes with a thumb throttle for zipping around without needing to pump at the pedals.
The long padded seat hides much of the ebike's key electronics, and has a generous 1,300-Wh battery pack rocking LG cells mounted under it – which is reported good for between 30 and 45 miles (48 - 72 km) of per-charge riding.
Smoothing out uneven terrain or providing some cushioning for tricksy hops and bumps is the job of a moto-style adjustable suspension fork with 85 mm of travel and dual double-coilover shocks to the rear for 65 mm of travel. The Flex rides on 24-inch wheels wrapped in custom 3.2-inch "Sticky Sweet" puncture-resistant tires that have been lined with Aramid fiber. And stopping power is provided by hydraulic disc brakes with 203-mm rotors.
The Zooz Ultra Flex 1200 goes up for pre-order on July 15 in chrome, black chrome or sand chrome for a suggested retail price of US$3,795, though the webshop is currently showing a $500 discount being available. The ebike can also be optioned with front and rear racks for cargo-hauling flexibility, there's a surf rack for trips to the beach and Arclight pedals can be had too. The fun video below has more.
Product page: UF1200
