Penny farther: Toby Walne takes the converted Penny Farthing for a spin
Electric bikes are surging in popularity as cash-strapped Britons look for ways to cut the cost of transport.
They are much cheaper to run than a car or taking public transport, despite the soaring price of electricity.
Until recently, the high upfront cost of around £2,000 for an electric bike has been a huge barrier to ownership.
But a growing number of companies are offering an easy solution – a kit that can be strapped to your pedal bike to make it electric. They promise to be easy to fit and save you hundreds of pounds.
Here, Toby Walne tries one out – and crunches the numbers to see if they could really save you money.
How they save on transport costs
Electric bikes – also known as e-bikes – are much easier to ride than traditional pedal bikes.
Cyclists still have to use the pedals to propel themselves, but the electric power means much less effort is required.
As a result, electric bikes can be used for longer journeys or on trickier terrain and so can replace the car on journeys that a pedal bike would not be up to. It is no wonder that sales have tripled in the past five years.
The cost of an average electric bike has risen by more than a quarter since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, bike conversion kits start from around £400.
Once a conversion kit is fitted you can switch between electric and manual power as you wish. But, be aware that the battery adds at least a couple of kilos of weight, which will make it harder to pedal up a hill and the bike more cumbersome to pick up.
Conversion kits work on almost any bike
Paul Norman, a reviewer for website BikeRadar, says: ‘Electric bike conversion kits enable you to add a motor to your existing bike simply and relatively cheaply – at least compared to the price of a new electric bike.’
Just about any traditional cycle can be turned into an electric bike and the conversion kits are designed to be easy to use. If you are able to change a flat tyre, then you should be able to manage. Step-by-step guidance can be found on the internet if you need further help.
But, if you are feeling nervous, it may be worth handing the task over to your local bike shop. For around £50, it could be money well spent.
Kits can be fitted to children’s bikes too. However, be aware that the law dictates you should be at least 14 years old to ride an electric-assisted cycle.
One popular conversion option involves replacing the front wheel of your pedal bike with one that has a special hub with a motor inside. An alternative is installing a motor above the rear wheel.
A wheel inside the motor rubs against the bike’s back wheel to push the tyre round. Although more bulky than the replacement wheel option, this system allows you to recharge the battery while out on a ride simply by applying the brakes. Some of these kits conceal the motor so you can’t tell that the bike is electric.
You may be best off testing out the options before you buy. Most bike shops are happy to let you have a go with their bicycle kits to see what works best for you and how it compares with a traditional bike.
Make sure that you buy from a reputable company and store your electric bike safely.
The number of fires caused by electric bikes and scooters has been rising, and cheap replacement rechargeable batteries and non-brand chargers have been blamed for the majority, according to the London Fire Brigade. Such replacements often fail to meet rigorous British health and safety standards.
Fire services recommend that ideally all e-bikes, e-scooters and bikes with electric charge attachments should be stored in a safe place outdoors, such as inside a locked garage or shed.
If your electric two-wheelers are kept indoors, a smoke detector needs to be installed nearby and they should not block any entranceways or exits.
Which bolt-on option is best for you?
- The £400 Swytch is easy to install. It includes a replacement wheel with a motor attached to the hub, a battery pack that typically sits at the front of the bike, and an LCD display that shows information such as speed, distance and battery power.
- Another popular option is the Cytronex electric bike conversion kit. This is similar to the Swytch, but the power pack is disguised as an imitation water bottle that can sit in a standard bottle catch. The kit costs from £800.
- The Rubbee is an alternative type of conversion kit that allows you to recharge the battery by using the brakes. The power unit and battery costs from around £550 and sits behind the saddle. It can also be linked to your smartphone to provide data.
- Bafang and Tongsheng are two firms that make a conversion kit that connects directly to the bike chain rather than through one of the wheels.
This system can be better for tackling steep hills and costs from around £400. These kits tend to be a bit trickier to fix.
Calculating the cost of electric pedal power
Batteries on electric bike conversions take between one and six hours to charge up, depending on the size.
A fully charged battery provides enough energy to power you for between ten and 30 miles. The battery size is usually between 180 and 500 watt-hours. As the price of electricity is currently capped at 34p per kilowatt-hour (kWh), you may spend around 17p for a full charge.
… Also consider the tax breaks
Buyers of both brand new traditional bikes and electric bikes can enjoy discounts of between 25 and 40 per cent.
If your employer is signed up to Cyclescheme, the cost of the bike is taken from gross rather than net pay. Your employer gives you a Cyclescheme certificate which you take to one of more than 2,000 bike shops signed up to the programme.
