kevin purdy
Recommending the Swytch electric bike conversion kit is like recommending a DIY desktop computer upgrade. You don't judge or describe an experience, you tell someone it might save them money, it might be a fun project, and they might be proud of the end result. is. Although easy, you can't recreate the upgrade experience by simply buying another bike. It all depends on what you want from an electric bike or your weekend project.
I've now modified two bikes with Swytch kits, had my in-laws teach me how to upgrade their own cruiser style bikes, and spent over two years making tweaks and modifications to all of my bikes. Ta. What I learned is that there is no single “Swytch kit experience” because every bike is a collection of components, and each component has dimensions, angles, and quirks that play the kit in different ways. That means no.
Some people take the front wheel off their bike, replace it with a Swytch wheel, tie down some cables with zip ties, install the battery, and feel the boost on their first ride a few hours later. Some of you may learn more about rims, tires, and beads than you ever have before. Or maybe someone with a seemingly normal front notices that the fork is quirky and the dropouts need sanding.
If you want to learn a little bit about your bike, or have someone to do it for you, the Swytch kit is a good option for commuting, hills, or casual riding. It's not very useful if you're looking for a lot of power, want to have a perfect second bike, or need a lot of range. Small things can cause problems, and support is far from perfect. But the end result is usually a fun upgrade and a great introduction to e-bike life.
Buy a Swytch Kit: Your First DIY Experience
With most e-bikes, even those that are delivered directly to your home, you only have a few options when ordering. Color, frame size (usually based on height), possibly battery size and range, and accessories.
When ordering a Swytch, you need to know (or learn) a little more about your bike. For example, Swytch offers kits for 29-inch, 28-inch (or 700c), 26-inch, 20-inch, and Brompton-sized 16-inch tires, so you need a wheel size. Choose your wheel color (black or silver) and decide if you want the optional throttle or just pedal assist.
The big choice is between batteries. Either the 90 Wh, 15 km (9.3 miles) Air model or the 180 Wh, 30 km (18.6 miles) Max version, which you can't take on a plane. You'll also need to check a few things about your bike, such as whether it's disc or rim brakes and the width of the fork dropouts. The process has improved since my experience, and now all you have to do is tell Swytch your bike model or take a photo, and a compatibility report comes back to you.
The next issue is timing. You can't usually buy her Swytch kit from stock and have it shipped within a few days. Swytch will batch pre-orders together and ship them over a wide time frame, such as “Fall 2024.” Join the waitlist to be notified when your order becomes available. Swytch previously told me that this lowers prices and allows it to offer customers a wider range of kits and options. While this is probably true, it means you may have to delay your enthusiasm for your e-bike project by weeks or even months.
You should also consider in advance all the accessories you will need for your Swytch. Swytch makes it easy to buy extra chargers, batteries, and alternative battery mounts. Certain countries, such as the United States, have web markets, but they don't offer everything. Your best bet is to add them to your initial order in the order portal. This portal can only be accessed after being tapped for pre-order. Alternatively, you can contact support (more on that later).
Prices for Swytch kits vary depending on the range, wheel size, and accessories selected, but they typically retail for between $550 and $1,200, or even $1,500 if there are no pre-orders. His Swytch Go will be available soon in stripped-back and frame-hung versions and is available for pre-order, with prices starting at $400.
