Riding a bicycle through the narrow roads and sharp turns of a mountain is a dream for almost everyone. The problem that keeps it as a dream for most, is the energy required for pedaling up the steep slopes of a mountain. The answer to it could be getting an e-bike - but then what about your old bicycle that you had so many memories with? Moreover, the cost of getting a new e-bike is also pretty steep.
Storing two bicycles would be trouble for some of us; even finding a good buyer for your old bicycle in this world of e-bikes isn't that easy. But here's the solution - how about turning your current bicycle into an e-bike? It is much cheaper, convenient, and, more importantly, you don't have to let go of your memories. Yes, now you can convert your normal, everyday bicycle into a cool-looking, strong e-bike.
The Swytch e-Bike Kit:
Swytch's e-bike conversion kit is a uniquely designed set of parts that is capable of converting your normal cycle into a well-equipped e-bike. There are two types of kits, one is the Universal kit that is basically for all types of cycles or bikes, and the other one is Swytch eBike kit for Bromptons, specially designed for Brompton's folding cycles and any bikes with a narrower fork width.
Components:
Swytch's conversion kit consists of a hub motor that is fixed within a wheel, a powerpack, and a pedal sensor. The powerpack contains the battery in a small pack that can be fixed on the handlebar of your cycle.
The pack typically looks like a small front basket but to be precise, all the functionalities depend on that small pack. On the top of the pack is the control setup for the entire kit and the kit is also protected by the waterproof material of the pack. You can easily enjoy the drizzle or rain while riding your e-bike.
The charging port of the kit is present behind the small flap on the back of the handling pack. So now you do not have to spend a lot of your time and energy just jacking your cycle for charging. Even there is a manual on/off switch present with the charging port.
The manual on/off button is only to be used when you need to ship your bike or have to take out the battery or replace it. There is an on/off button present on the top flap itself for normal purposes and regular use.
The rest of the electronics present in the kit are mostly sensors and wires. Talking about the waterproof material of the pack that contains all the important electronics, it is highly water-resistant, so you can even park it outdoors in the monsoon season as well. But to be very clear, it is not completely waterproof, so please be careful not to get it submerged in a pond or any other water bodies.
The front-wheel that comes with the kit is pre-built with alloy rim and its hub motors. The alloy rim is super light yet super strong, making it extremely beneficial for the consumers. The rim is made for rim brakes in such a way that the hub motors can easily fit with the standard disc brake rotor consisting of 6-bolts.
What makes it appealing:
The idea of bringing front-wheel drive to the cycle is really an innovative and out-of-the-box thought. This is because a pedal-powered bicycle, rather than any sort of two-wheeler vehicle, is basically designed as a rear-wheel-drive control. Even though it seems different, trust me, it doesn't scratch the looks of your bicycle, thanks to the sleek and small design of the conversion kit.
Even though Swytch made this conversion kit to fit in any cycle, in some instances, you have to get involved in some physical modifications like filing down the flat part of the QR axle ends. This modification isn't compulsory for every user. It is to be done only if the fork dropouts are very narrow. Make sure to file the axle only and not the fork dropouts.
If you think that this modification is a bit too complicated for you, then don't worry about it at all. Swytch completely embraces this alteration and will help walk you through it in case you don't know what to do. To be very precise, you do not have to think of this modification since it is only a very rare case scenario. In most cases, it fits perfectly.
The best part of installing this kit is setting up the pedal sensor. The sensor has a ring of magnetic sensors that act as signals when they come into the radius of the sensor. You can even add on a throttle, just like in a moped; however, it is recommended to use this just off road.
The rest of the installations are really very simple, but you need to take care of the wires. You can use cable ties to keep them secured to the frame of your bike.
Coming on to the stats, your e-bike can travel up to a distance of 50 km that is approximately 31 miles, on a single charge. The top speed that the kit is set to is 25 km/h; however, if you choose to take the bike off road you can change the settings to allow the kit to reach a speed of 32km/h. Now that's pretty fast and convenient.
Coming on to the battery, the output provided by it is 250 W. That is pretty handy in comparison to other e-bikes in the market. The torque you can produce is also impressive, around 40 Nm.
Our Experience:
We visited the website of Swytch to get our conversion kit instead of any other e-commerce site which turned out to be a very good decision as we grabbed a 50% discount on the price through their pre-order opening. Now that is some serious savings in terms of a consumer. You can also get a 50% discount by signing up to the Swytch waitlist here.
Final Verdict:
According to us, Swytch's e-bike conversion kit is one of the best options and value for money if you aren't wanting to spend £1000s on a good quality new e-bike. It does come with few drawbacks, like installing it is a time-consuming task, and getting less distance out of a single charge if the road is congested.
