Not necessarily. Even Halfords do cheaper...much cheaper than a new e-bike.
Those are illegal here, there is no linkage to the cranks to ensure power is cut off if pedalling stops.
Good catch, I should clarify it is perfectly legal to use them (assuming they have EU Type approval), but you must have a valid driving license and dedicated insurance.Can I draw your attention to foot 12 in the above document? It refers to a Throttle Bike, another type of Micro Mobility "e-bike."
Also it seems to be in the USA
Where do you ship?
Currently we will only ship within the US for the first set of pre-orders.
However CLIP will soon be available in more countries so do make sure that you’ve subscribed on our website to stay updated.
I'm not aware of any insurer offering cover for them here yet. If you are considering importing, make sure you have that lined up in advance.I looked up clip.bike and when I entered the name of my bike it says it is not on their list yet. Also it seems to be in the USA
They have a significant advantage in that they don't change the classification of the bike to an e-moped and so are legal to use without a driving license and dedicated insurance.You can also buy a Sywtch kit,
Correct - they are slightly underpowered compared to most commercial motors - torque is 40nm compared to the 45nm on my Raleigh e-bike and 55nm on the more powerful Chinese frankenbikes, but they just offer a gentle level of pedal assisted power rather than a blast of 500w+ might. Have one on order to come in April and will report back. And unlike a lot of basic ebikes, the motor wheel hasn't the resistance that many bikes have if the power runs out, and suddenly you have to push the pedals on a 20kg plus miniature tank up the hill.they don't change the classification of the bike to an e-moped and so are legal to use without a driving license and dedicated insurance
Anything in the e-bike bracket (250W) won't need component upgrades on any bike approved for sale here unless you're already pushing the weight limits of the wheelset.Certain amount of power escalation. Once the bike is increasingly powerful you need to upgrade the frame, brakes, wheels tires to handle the power and speed and climbing speed.
Need plays a very small role in anyone's choice of transport. Like who needs the features of an X5 over cheaper, lighter, or slower alternatives?Perhaps consider de-escalation. Do you really need to go that fast or carry that weight or go that far.
Most of the reputable brands are using common components from a few core manufacturers, Bosch have ~50% of the European market for motors and drive components. The challenge with a lot of the e-bike market now is that there is a lot of near-junk gear coming in from a plethora of low-end Chinese brands. As the market matures some of that will reduce, but choice isn't a bad thing, the use of proprietary components isn't unique to the e-bike market.I dislike the proprietary nature of many ebikes and kits.
Anything in the e-bike bracket (250W) won't need component upgrades on any bike approved for sale here unless you're already pushing the weight limits of the wheelset.
a nicer longer route isn't much use if you are commuting to work, on an e-bike with a limited battery life or on a long commute thats already pushing the hour or morea nicer longer route
Cannot disagree - there's a considerable amount of trash out there. I did look into these and decided against it because of that.The challenge with a lot of the e-bike market now is that there is a lot of near-junk gear coming in from a plethora of low-end Chinese brands
I do 21km each way & similar, although I don't think I'd match the speed on my road bike because of the extra weight of carrying laptop luggage, a charge & a change of clothes.I'm doing a 25km each-way commute on it. TBH I can do the same commute slightly faster on my road bike, but with the eBike I don't need to wear cycling gear or have a shower at the end and I can use panniers.
Most ebike kits will come with a dedicated wheel with the motor already built in, so in such cases you are already halfway there. New wheels are not particularly expensive either - I've replaced at least one in the past.Anything in the e-bike bracket (250W) won't need component upgrades on any bike approved for sale here unless you're already pushing the weight limits of the wheelset.
This isn't unique to kits. I had huge difficulty getting a new battery for my Raleigh Evo 2 (basically the Halfords version of the Stow-e-way which are basically the same bike in 2 different paint jobs) & in the end could only get from the UK from a shop which no longer trades. I'm sure the Bosch batteries are easy enough to get, but nearly all of the rest are proprietary & probably difficult to source. Even the tyres on that particular model are very difficult to find & probably vastly overpriced as they are not good tyres either.I dislike the proprietary nature of many ebikes and kits. Consider will you be able to get parts and batteries in a few years when you need them.
There's a bit of research done on ebikes and so far most of the evidence seems to point to people cycling much longer distances. Yes, there is an obsession with speed etc but most people who consistently cycle for more than a few weeks eventually realise that the benefit is in distance travelled, not the additional speed. Personally I cycle at exactly the same average speed on my unassisted road bike as I do my ebike when commuting.Do you really need to go that fast or carry that weight or go that far. In which case everything can be lighter and less powerful. Perhaps people would be safer within slower more manageable speeds.
a nicer longer route isn't much use
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?