BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
London-based tech start-up Swytch Technology has today launched its new electric bike conversion kit.
The conversion kit turns any bike electric, featuring a pocket-sized e-bike battery, the Power Pack, which is similar in size to a large smartphone. The battery provides 250W of power and enough range for a daily commute, weighs 700g (1.5lb) and can be recharged in around one hour. The high-torque frictionless motor allows Swytch users to easily climb gradients of 30%.
Swytch has estimated that one in 14 new e-bikes on the road in the UK in 2021 were Swytch bikes, and is forecasting to account for more than 10% of the entire UK e-bike market, by volume, in 2022.
How does Swytch work?
Riders can install their Swytch Kit in simple steps:
1. Remove your old wheel and replace it with the new motor wheel
2. Fit the pedal sensor onto the pedal (to detect when you are pedalling)
3. Fit the handlebar mount to the handlebars, and plug everything in
Swytch CTO and co-founder, Dmitro Khroma said: “Our new improved Swytch Kit is a game-changer. It is going to totally disrupt the e-bike industry because it is so much lighter, smaller and more affordable than anything else out there.”
Swytch CEO and co-founder, Oliver Montague added: “Our job as innovators is to make environmentally-friendly technology that people want to use because it is cool! That way, a global change to a more sustainable way of life will happen naturally.”
Read more: No compromise ride: Folding bike brand Vello’s plans to reach UK cyclists
The Swytch Kit is now available to pre-order here. Due to significant demand, the option to receive a kit from one of the first two batches of production (for delivery in September/October or November/December) has now sold out. However, kits can be pre-ordered from a later production run, with prices starting from £549 (with 50% discount applied, delivery in January/February) or from £449 (with a 60% discount applied, delivery in March/April).
