Could you really save hundreds by converting ANY bike to electric?

Electric bikes are growing in popularity as cash-strapped Britons look for ways to cut transport costs. They are much cheaper to use than a car or public transport, despite the sky-high price of electricity.

Until recently, the high initial cost of around £2,000 for an electric bicycle has been a huge barrier to ownership. But a growing number of companies offer an easy solution: a kit that attaches to your pedal bike to make it electric. They promise to be easy to assemble and save you hundreds of dollars.

Here’s Toby Walne trying one out – and analyzing the numbers to see if they can actually 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 that much less effort is required.

This allows electric bicycles to be used for longer journeys or on more difficult terrain and thus replace the car on journeys that a pedal bicycle cannot withstand. No wonder sales have tripled in the past five years.

The cost of an average electric bicycle has increased by more than a quarter since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, bike conversion kits start from around £400.

Once a conversion kit has been fitted, you can switch between electric and manual drive as required. Keep in mind, however, that the battery adds at least a few pounds of weight, making it harder to pedal up a hill and harder to pick up the bike.

Conversion kits will work on almost any bike

Paul Norman, a reviewer for the website BikeRadar, says: ‘Electric bike conversion kits make it easy and relatively inexpensive to add a motor to your existing bike – at least compared to the price of a new electric bike.’

Virtually any traditional bicycle can be converted into an electric bicycle and the conversion kits are designed with ease of use in mind. If you can change a flat tire, you should be able to do it. Step-by-step guidance can be found on the web if you need more help.

But if you’re nervous, it may be worth handing the job over to your local bike shop. At around £50, it could be money well spent.

Kits can also be mounted on children’s bicycles. Please note, however, that the law states that you must be at least 14 years old to ride an electrically assisted bicycle.

A popular conversion option is to replace the front wheel of your pedal bike with a wheel with a special hub containing a motor. An alternative is to place a motor above the rear wheel.

A wheel in the motor rubs against the rear wheel of the bike to push the tire around. While this system is bulkier than the replacement wheel option, you can charge the battery while out and about by simply applying the brakes. Some of these kits hide the motor so you can’t tell the bike is electric.

It’s best to test the options before buying. Most bike shops are happy to let you try out their bike kits to see what works best for you and how it compares to a traditional bike.

Make sure you buy from a reputable company and store your electric bike safely.

Fires caused by electric bicycles and scooters have risen, with cheap replacement rechargeable batteries and off-brand chargers to blame for the majority, according to the London Fire Brigade. Such replacements often fail to meet strict UK health and safety standards.

The fire service recommends that you ideally park all e-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles with electric charging points outside in a safe place, such as in a closed garage or shed. If your electric two-wheelers are indoors, a smoke detector should be installed nearby and they should not block any entrances 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 usually sits on the front of the bike, and an LCD screen that displays 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 a mock water bottle that can sit in a standard bottle catcher. The kit costs from £800.
• The Rubbee is an alternative type of conversion kit that allows you to charge the battery using the brakes. The power unit and battery cost around £550 and sit behind the seat. It can also be paired with your smartphone to provide data.
• Bafang and Tongsheng are two companies that make a conversion kit that connects directly to the bicycle chain rather than through one of the wheels.

This system may be better for tackling steep hills and costs from around £400. These kits tend to be a bit trickier to repair.

Calculation of the cost of electric pedal power

Batteries on electric bike conversions take between one and six hours to charge, depending on size. A fully charged battery provides enough energy to power between ten and 30 miles. The battery size is usually between 180 and 500 watt hours. Since the price of electricity is currently capped at 34 pence per kilowatt-hour (kWh), you can spend around 17 pence for a full charge.

… Also consider the tax benefits

Buyers of both brand new traditional bicycles and electric bicycles can enjoy discounts between 25 and 40 percent.

If your employer is affiliated with Cyclescheme, the cost of the bicycle will be deducted from the gross salary instead of the net salary. Your employer will give you a bicycle schedule certificate that you can use to go to one of the more than 2,000 bicycle shops that are affiliated with the programme.