Electric bikes of various shapes and sizes are proliferating on the market. There’s a new model and a new brand everywhere you turn. If you have the money to spend, there are some fantastic solutions available. When you start looking at the bargain basement versions, you may come across not-so-great bikes paired with not-so-great electric systems. Even if one is optimistic, it is normal to find good electric systems associated with poor bikes. If you already own a bike, the finest electric bike conversion kits provide another option, and Swytch is among the best at electrifying the bike you know and love.
The Swytch Universal is a well-made and well-thought-out electric bike conversion kit. The engine is located in the hub of the Swytch front wheel, which replaces the front wheel on your own bike. Installing the Swytch kit on a bike is simple and reversible. The directions are straightforward. I switched the system from one bike to another in about an hour. The handlebar-mounted battery pack performs admirably. It effortlessly unlocks from the holder and has a handy carry handle. The settings on top of the battery pack are simple to adjust, and assistance can be changed while on the go.
The Swytch Kit is difficult to identify in terms of design. At the heart of it are two components: a 250W hub motor and a one-of-a-kind battery pack that houses the battery cells and motor controller. The hub, spokes, and rim are all silver by default, however, they can be matte black for an extra charge. It should be noted that this does not include a tire or tube. The wheel looks similar to those on other hub-motor-powered e-bikes I’ve tested, except it’s mounted on the front of the bike. It slides into the front dropouts and is secured in place with nuts, while the power connector cable exits the axle on the left side.
A threaded axle was giving the rider fits only about halfway into the dropouts on two bikes — they’re a little thicker than quick-release skewers — but they eventually fitted in with some force down on the handlebars. The wheel isn’t anything special, but that helps it blend in with the bike and keep the e-bike nature of the mod hidden.
Swytch Kit consists of the following four parts:
The motor is housed within the front wheel hub. When you order a kit, it is custom-built into the wheel. Swytch can handle whichever wheel you require. There are disc brakes, rim brakes, fast release, solid axles, and any size you require. There is also the option of updating the wheel to a matte black finish.
The power pack is the component that connects to the motor. This component houses the battery, controller, and user interface. The power pack comes in two variants: Pro and Eco, although they have more similarities than differences. The power pack connects to the quick connect handlebar bracket, which may not sound exciting, but it is beautifully built. If this component was poorly built, the entire system would be inconvenient to use. Instead, there is much thought here.
The battery weighs 1.5kg, and the ability to simply remove it from the front of the bike makes owning an electric bike a lot easier. Remove it for storage and transit, or if you need to take the bike up some stairs. The item is attached to the bike by two mounts that sandwich the stem. Between them is a soft stabilizer that passes beneath the stem to prevent rotation. Everything works perfectly.
A PAS unit completes the kit. It is a universal system with a number of mounting choices. There are a set of magnets that must move with the crank arm, as well as a sensor that must attach to the frame, and the gap between these two elements must be kept to a minimum. This is the least appealing component of the package, but there’s not much you can do about it.
Swytch Kit includes a mounting bracket that attaches to the handlebars on both sides of the stem. It’s a little wide and may interfere with other handlebar attachments. The bracket simply accommodates the battery and secures it in place with useful alignment guidelines. The battery, on the other hand, is simply unlocked with a simple button press, making it just as simple for you to take this pricey component as it is for a thief. So that battery-carrying handle will come in handy because if you want to keep the battery, you’ll be taking it off everywhere you go.
With the bracket and wheel in place, it’s time to conduct some wiring and cable management. The cable from the wheel must be connected to a wire from the battery bracket and then zip-tied.
A cadence sensor must be installed on the bottom bracket, with a magnet disc attached to one crank arm and spindle and a sensor mounted on the frame next to it. This part of the construction is more difficult, and the plastic piece that connects to the crank arm is less attractive than the rest of the system. Having everything tied down with zip ties also gives the end build a more haphazard appearance than one would anticipate from something priced this high.
Other features, including throttles and brake sensors, are standard on many e-bikes. However, The system supports them with extra cost. Unfortunately, support for those extras means built-in cabling for them whether you want them or not, which means more cords to tuck away on your bike.
The Swytch system adds value by transforming an average bike into something considerably more useful and enjoyable. It will save you unnecessary driving trips as well as money. However, for £999 or £1,249, it would be difficult to justify the expense, especially when you can get an entire e-bike, such as the Ride 1Up, for $1045 (about £800).
Swytch, on the other hand, has a pre-ordering system in which you can get a 50% discount if you sign up on its website. So the Eco kit costs £499.50, while the Pro package costs £624.50. It’s an odd business plan, but there you have it.
So it now provides far better value for money at £500-625. The Eco pack is preferable since it may be used mostly for short local trips and you only lose a modest amount of help at the high end of the settings and the light. With its larger range, the Pro is generally the one to choose if you want assistance riding longer distances, say for leisure.
This kit is ideal for city riding and commuting, and it has the potential to normalize the use of a bike for short utilitarian trips, particularly among non-cyclists. It also transforms a very heavy bike into something a lot more pleasurable to ride while also being more practical.
Time to Charge
Our kits require around 1 hour to charge for the AIR and 2.5 hours for the MAX. We provide a 3A fast charger that is compatible with our MAX Power Pack and allows you to charge it in 1.5 hours!
The Swytch Universal Kit is completely interchangeable with ordinary disc brake rotors. Universal Swytch motors include six screws on the outside that you may use to attach your existing disc.
The two biggest benefits of converting your existing bike to electric are familiarity and cost: converting a conventional bike to electric allows you to keep using the bike you already know and love, and purchasing a conversion kit is typically less expensive than purchasing a complete electric bike.
The Swytch Kit is an intriguing bike attachment that takes most of the guesswork out of making an e-bike for individuals who wish to enhance an existing bike. It won’t offer enough power to excite or benefit experienced riders, and it’s not very practical for anyone who can make room for a fully loaded e-bike instead. Even at its reduced price, there are alternative kits, such as eBikeling’s, that offer more power for people who don’t mind doing a bit more fiddling and research, but sometimes simplicity is worth it.
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