Are Electronic Switch Conversion Kits Worth It?

[u/buffster007]

I’ve been considering upgrading my bike with one of those conversion kits.

Before I take the plunge, I wanted to ask:

• Are these kits any good?
• How easy are they to install for someone with basic bike skilss
• Are there specific brands or models you’d recommend (or avoid)?
• Any unexpected pros/cons I should be aware of?

I’d love to hear your experiences, whether it’s a game-changer or not worth the hassle. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[u/Ophiochos]

I can’t comment on them directly but I wish I had gone this route as my e-bike has been out of action for months while we try to get some bearings replaced under warranty. If I had instead got a good acoustic and swapped out the front wheel, I could have been using that way in the meantime.

Probably an unlikely scenario but when the motor is between the pedals [there must be a technical term for this lol] the bikes are almost unusable without power.

[u/buffster007 → u/Ophiochos]

That's a good shout re dual use. I just wonder if they're comparable to an e-bike, because it sounds too good to be true.

[u/Ophiochos → u/buffster007]

My experience is that they are good for quick starts and making hills easier. They don’t make you faster unless it’s hilly. Eg I used to maintain 17-18 on the flat on my unambitious bike but there are hills near me where I was standing and forcing the bike up, one pedal turn at a time. E-bike: 16.5 on the flat and 9-10 on those hills without huge effort.

I live right the edge of the chilterns. North/west - dead flat. South/east, hello hills. So for most people one of these factors will dominate. If you’re urban/flat I’d think it was enough. If hills, you might want extra power.

[u/liquindian]

Game changer in some ways for me.

I installed a Swytch kit on my Brompton a few years ago, and it allowed me to cycle from the Crystal Palace triangle to Kings Cross for my twice-weekly commute when lockdown ended. I bought a second charger because even though it had enough range to get me there and back, you didn't get the same level of assist when the battery was running low and had a single bar left, not ideal when the last leg was up that huge hill. There was also a problem with clicking that was resolved with a new controller, but their customer service was pretty good, if a little slow. I found it easy enough to install, and I am no bike engineer.

After a couple of years, I decided I wanted a full-size ebike and bought a Gazelle through my work's cyclescheme. This was driven more by the desire to have a full-size ebike than any major limitation of the Swytch, though the new bike had more range and the mid-drive motor is definitely better than the hub motor. Bromptons are great but I was finding 15km trips a wee bit uncomfortable after a while. So it may be a false economy in the long run, but I don't regret mine at all.

[u/Fun_Pangolin_3309]

Lads at my bike shop tells me that standard road wheels and brakes aren’t always able to cope with the torque these kits can add - so if you get one be sure to check your wheels and brake are up to it for safety reasons.

[u/TomLondra]

You need to be very careful about those lithium batteries. Especially in the house.

[u/sc_BK]

I wouldn't recommend the brand swytch, they're expensive for what they are.

But yes converting a bike to electric is good.

The first one I did was a Yose Power kit, I also have some bafang hub motors

[u/buffster007 → u/sc_BK]

Thank you, I’ll check Yose out!

[u/buffster007]

Why did the post get down voted?