E-bike conversion

Turn your current bike into an electric bike

As an alternative to shelling out for a new e-bike, it’s possible to convert an existing bike by adding a motor and battery. These conversion systems tend to be based either around a replacement wheel whose hub contains the motor, or a unit that fits below the bottom bracket and adds power via the drivetrain. The battery is fastened elsewhere, often on the handlebar or down tube.

One company making wheel-based electrification systems is London firm Swytch. Its Universal ebike Kit (£999£1,249) uses a front hub motor and is available to suit several wheel sizes, meaning it will work with everything from Brompton folding bikes up to full-size road racers. Replacing the bike’s front wheel, Swytch’s 40Nm hub motor adds around 1.5kg to the bike’s weight. The unit is connected to a battery pack on the handlebars, which looks much like a regular – albeit boxy – bar bag. This can be removed for convenient charging or security when locking the bike outside. Combined with the motor, total system weight is around 3.5kg and range is up to 50km (claimed).

A second option is a mid-drive system, such as Bafang’s M315 kit (from around £500). Slotting in place of your bottom bracket, the Bafang motor sits beneath the frame and directly drives the included chainset. Providing up to 100Nm of torque, the motor can be combined with multiple frame-mounted batteries depending on your range requirements, and the total system will add around 4.3kg.