Bicycles

New e-bike conversion kit is said to be world's smallest and lightest

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The new Swytch Kit is presently on Indiegogo
Swytch
Like the power pack, the Swytch Kit's hub motor weighs 1.5 kg
Swytch
The Swytch Kit is being made in a variety of wheel sizes
Swytch
The new Swytch Kit is presently on Indiegogo
Swytch
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Instead of switching right over to a full-time electric bicycle, many people are now opting to simply add an electric-assist setup to their existing bike when needed. The newly-updated Swytch Kit is claimed to be the lightest and smallest such system available.

It was two years ago that the original Swytch eBike Conversion Kit came out. Like the new version, it consists of three main parts: a 250-watt hub-motor-equipped front wheel that stays on the bike full-time, a handlebar-mounted docking station, and a battery/electronics-containing waterproof "power pack" that quickly clicks in and out of that housing.

When users want a regular human-powered bike, they just pull the power pack out. When they want an electric boost, they just pop it back on. It certainly is a more convenient setup than systems in which an entire battery-and-motor-equipped wheel has to be swapped back and forth with a normal one, which we have seen quite a few of.

The Swytch Kit is being made in a variety of wheel sizes
Swytch

The new Swytch Kit – which hit the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform this Monday – incorporates a power pack that's claimed to be 70 percent smaller than that of the original, and (at 1.5 kg/3.3 lb) 50 percent lighter. An LED display on top of the pack allows users to select between five levels of electrical assistance.

One 3-hour charge of the Pro model's lithium-ion battery should be good for up to 50 km (31 miles) of motor-boosted riding, taking the rider to a top speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) in the UK or 20 mph (32 km/h) in the US. These are the same figures that are quoted for the higher-capacity version of the original kit.

As is the case with many crowdfunding projects, there are different versions of the Swytch Kit to choose from. The Pro model can be had for a pledge of US$490 (planned retail $1,000), a slower and shorter-range Eco model is up for $394 (retail $800), and a 100 km/62 mile-capable Tour version will set you back $738 (retail $1,300). Assuming they reach production, they should ship next March.

There's more information in the following video.

Source: Indiegogo

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7 comments
Brendan Casey
It's a pity they waited until the onset of winter in the Northern hemisphere to come out with this.
Aross
Interesting but, why not add a switch to turn off power assist instead of removing the battery. Better still a 3 way switch that would allow charging of the battery when coasting down hill.
BlueOak
Yawn, yet another existing company doing its marketing via Indiegogo or Kickstarter.
Dan Nguyen
As a current Swytch owner I can comment that you can indeed turn off the unit when not on wanting to use battery however you can reduce weight if you take the pack off the quick release As the original pack is heavy and adds unnecessary weight to the front handle bars I’m hoping the new pack will decrease that load significantly to make the bike more maneuverable
Seagull2
Hi all, i haven't had a good experience with this company
Ilan Levene
next step options - place the battery into water bottle holder in several lower positions - and increase bike stability rather then add load to the handlebar front . cable holders - add proper clip on / off / Velcro strap kits - rather than dangling wires . and for the pedelec assist - brilliant - well needed improvement. recommend adding Brake Pads Ice Tech with Cooling Fins ( replace originals ) for that extra break torque . and how about the IP65 rating of the product .
WB
as usual wrong claims all over the place. Bimotal is the lightest most simple conversion kit