Swytch Kit Review: Turn Your Bike Into an Ebike
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Upgrading your old bike to an ebike with the Swytch Kit requires some technical skills, but it's easy enough for beginners. The 250W motor lets you go up to 20mph (32kph) and gives you a range of up to 20 miles (32km) with the MAX power pack. Current pre-orders don't ship until March 2023, but first you need to join the waitlist.
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I was headed down a rabbit hole towards a £3,000 electric bike - but I already have a fairly new and very useful bike. Good to see this exists and sounds like such a straightforward fix.
this is WAY better than a bafang motor also.. paying almost 1k for a pedal motor.. anmd if you get the front wheel kit. its front heavy so you will flip it trying to pop a curb. this is perfect for using your normal bike with little to no diffference for almost half the price. im sold on this.
I have a full suspension specialized mtb. I was almost convinced to buy the swytch conversion kit but I noticed that a kit like this does not work on steep climbs. Only because traction is needed at the rear, especially on a climb on a switchback. I could see this being a better upgrade to an existing e-bike by having power to both wheels! Price is kinda steep (no pun intended), for a conversion kit! A few hundred dollars more and you could get a decent e-bike with better range. Prices have been competitive on e-bikes lately.
Great video. Thank you. It is ironic that a company that has made conversion simple makes purchasing so hard.
great review, best part is the costs which I didn't realize was going to add up so quickly. I'd rather just buy an ebike at that point.
Reviews are fake and they pay Amazon foreign workers to add reviews 😂😂😂
Ordered the kits in June or July 2022. Received them in middle of January 2023. It is now cold and snowy in Northern Michigan. No riding of the bikes now. Maybe by May we can ride. My issue is the wait time as well.
Opened one box, 24” wheel, and found that the power pack and charger do not match to charge the power pack. May have other missing parts.
Great review. Very helpful.
Same thing happened to me. They forgot to include an adaptor. They sent it right away and it arrived in a week within the UK. I'm just going out on it today for the first time since it is finally not raining on a Saturday!
How has your guy's switch been so far!?
That's the reason I moved to Florida from Michigan, I love riding my bike and now I can ride it 12 months a year unless it's raining.
I don't care much for way Swytch does their marketing / sales. Was thinking of adding the Swytch kit to my Trek instead of purchasing an electric bike. I got an email with a discount code so thought I would have a look next time a pre-order event happen. The first thing I saw after selecting which battery I wanted was a count down timer saying I had 10 minutes to complete my purchase. Immediate turn off for me. Then I noticed that I had to fill out all the shipping and payment info before I could select which wheel size and options. That is ridiculous and a shifty way of during business in my opinion. Did some research latter and found with options the Swytch kit was almost as much as a an ebike I was looking at. Since I have a garage I will purchase an ebike instead.
I've been looking and comparing ebike kits and decided on a LaVita boost kit. £575 with a rear wheel with cassette and display(You can choose single speed too)
I've been chatting to Nick bailey the designer about the kit and he's been really helpful, there's only one cable from the rear wheel to the battery with the cadence sensor built into the wheel, the kits offers a 50km range and adds approximately 4kg to the weight of your bike. Excitedly waiting for delivery, I like the fact that the firmware can be updated too.
Thanks
@zigzag8111 have you done a review yet ?
Swytch needs to build more units to lower the costs. It's the only way they are going to survive and grow. I wish they could sell these in stores. If they had them in stores for 500 usd, a ton of people would buy it.
True, more kits entering market, better, immediate deluvery, switch will be gone in 24 months
Agreed $500 usD. and millions will buy, waiting for that amount .
@@NurseNiki413 I wish they would sell the kit but without the battery. If you could provide your own battery it would eliminate obsolescence. Just have a normal lithium battery connector and you could buy a size that meets your needs.
the idea of the product is not bad and actually appeals to all those who cant afford an ebike, or to those who have already bike's and wish to make it electric , i would maybe use it for a mountain bike in the forest but the amount of cables is just something i would never put myself with and what if it gets damaged or the sensor plays up. Don't get me wrong, this is a mvp but i wonder how far this will go.
Great review. Very helpful. My issue is the wait time as well. Thank you for the breakdown!
sounds great get a switch bike and get Twitch and get Squich
What a cool test taking the chain off!
thank you for the excellent review....especially the wait time and extra cost. Was not expecting that...real eye opener and I thank you very much for helping me make my decision.
Thank you for this video. Mine was meant to arrive this month but now seems unlikely, even though I paid more. No word from the company which is most disappointing. I’m guessing that delivery is delayed due to the backlog from China and covid but it would be nice to know. I will give it a few more weeks before regrettably I will cancel my order.
Have you heard anything yet?
@@gavinowen8872 Yes Gavin, I contacted Swytch first week in Jan. They replied quite quickly to confirm that it was being dispatched. Nothing for a week then it was delivered! A friend had the same response, so it appears delivery is slightly delayed by 2-4 weeks.
@@kevinthepilgrim5441 ok that’s not too bad then I guess, my two units are due to be delivered Jan/feb so I guess It’ll be march now. How is the kit are you pleased?
Can’t even cancel the order and get a refund anymore. Waited a year and just had it with the company lies.
Get a refund, get a Bafang, its so so much better.
Good review. Frustrating that Swytch Bike decided to send out review kits before sending customers orders. I ordered a kit and optional accessories May 5, 2022, and still don’t have it as of February 3, 2023. 🤦🏻♂️👎🏼
Mine was supposed to come in a year ago and I just got it this week…
I’ve watched like 5 of these reviews from other people but this one was the only one that actually answered the questions I had. Thanks!!
Thank you for your review! I too have no experience and feel much more confident in attempting to install the kit.
This is a lovely summary. Preordered my kit this week, definitely going with the larger battery size. Can't wait to extend my range and comfort with it.
Sorry, but you are going to be disappointed
@@user-wx1bi2lb6x how come?
You get it yet?
@captainrob9044 I'm curious too. Lol
Thank you for the review. You brought up a couple of points that I hadn't thought of and I appreciate that.
DO NOT buy this kit. They have had my money for over 6 months and have yet to deliver the product. This is a startup company in the UK that has not figured out the supply chain. Yet, they hold your money. I ordered in June and here we sit in January with NOTHING.
yeah their numbers don't add up just yet.. yet they are advertising all over Twitter.
Did it give you an estimated production date when you ordered? They release in batches for months ahead of time.
Worst of all, when you eventually get it, it doesn't even work properly. After sales support is total shite too!!
I ordered as well not expecting until March
The shipping and wait time is clearly explained before they take your money. They also give you the option to get your kit quicker for more money.
excellent. best review of the kit on the internet. great job!
Very good review. Thanks.. Do you still like it since its been a year since video?
Do not buy. I ordered this June July 2022 and here we are end of April 2023 without a complete kit. No reply’s from customers service
Great review. Thank you for getting to the point.
Thank you for the review - well delivered... Stay well!
Thanks! Excellent review. I was considering this for converting my BikeFriday folding bike. The cost and range issues are worrisome.
As far as the range goes, keep in mind that is a CUMULATIVE range. If you only use it as-needed (for hills, etc), you can ride a lot further.
Also, even if it does go empty, your bike still works like it always did. It's not like you'll be stranded or something.
@@roadrunner9622 You pay $700 so you don't have to worry about things like that. It doesn't work like it always did because it is now much heavier.
I have been considering a swytch kit for my wife's bike. Reading all these negative comments is an eye opener indeed. This company seems like one of the worst tbh - missed del dates, expensive, missing parts & poor customer service. You must ask how they survive! And yet they do & are thriving in spite of all this apparent negativity. I'm guessing the actual product itself must be not just good, but superb?
How do they survive? Years of dishonest reviews from paid-for social media shills.
A very helpful review, thanks very much for this. Not too sure yet whether I will get it.
Totally agree with last comment...do not buy this kit. It took almost a FULL year to fulfill the order, and there are bunch of technical issues such a power hesitation it faces... save your money and headache
You should keep your chain on it’ll help you actually move forward. It’s an electric assisted kit not a complete conversion
Every Swytch reviewer seems to be using their bike in the most adverse conditions. There's always a ton of excuses why the battery doesn't give anywhere close to the already-terrible battery range. I dont like the dishonesty.
I was so happy when my kit arrived,I open the box checking the parts and the extra accessories that I ordered and first disappointment one empty box and my thumb throttle missing, I make the complain right away and one month later no refund ,no part! Installed the kit ,great concept and design, done in 3 hours ,taking my time. Start testing it a couple days before give it to my wife ,and good thing I did, the fork(front suspension) got broken ,I guest to much torque for fork in the bike,only after this ,I decided to look for problems about this happening to different brands of front hubs...You need to get a torque arm when you doing your installation,so I am stock in the replacement of the fork since the local bike shop do not replace because of the liability issues, So please do a little more of research about the TORQUE ARM that you will need to be save when installing this kit or any similar product for the front wheel, as well a TORQUE ARM for the rear wheel. Any suggestion anyone wants to share about what brand to get ,please let me know.
Lucky u got something. Best of luck in dealing with swytch to sort the mess out
Why would you need a torque arm for the rear wheel?
From my experience with SWYTCH I recommend stay away. The customer service and battery range is terrible. You can buy comparable type kits online with batteries lasting 4 times longer and for a better deal. I was so frustrated with SWYTCH that I recently purchased a Geeko g100 kit which only took 30 days to deliver to the US and the bottle battery design is simple and efficient.
A 250W motor is not enough! 750W to 1000W minimum!
Some of us can't fit into a magnum so 250w makes us feel bigger, like the neighbor when he comes over only when your gone for 2 weeks
You should make more videos. You are amazing; THANK YOU!
If you have a CARBON road fork on your bike, the order instructions suggest you buy the torque arm accessory. Don’t do it unless they can send you a wheel with a 9mm axle. Their stock wheel is 10mm and there was no 9mm option when I ordered in summer 2022. There are no carbon forks that fit 10mm axles, so I ended up just buying a steel fork instead of trying for a replacement wheel. And the steel fork doesn’t need the torque arm. I also bought the alternative mount in case I wanted to mount the battery on the frame or seatpost. They charged me for it but told me later that it didn’t pass test standards so they didn’t make them yet. I bought the throttle too but didn’t install it after seeing a review where it can barely get you up a mild hill using it. So my investment is close to $1200, which is very close to Aventon Solterra complete e bike, which is light e-bike for the price. But I think my converted bike is lighter. That said… with the kit I am riding more often than before
I’ve been waiting seven months. It’s rough. I also didn’t see the fine print that I had to pay $60 for it to clear customs once it came in on the cargo ship
How much does it cost?
Excellent review. This is exactly what I needed, thank you.
Why? You already have one
@user-ki5gs2wg5i Because I'm still assembling mine, and I needed some of this information.
I'm surprised people are saying their wait time has been 1 or 2 years. Each batch has a 3-6 month turnaround. I got mine in about 4-5 months.
That's ridiculous I had one it's a pos not as advertised I bet this company won't be around in 6 months
@@joshbrenner5025 What was wrong with yours? Many people online give it good reviews.
Great review!!
I can't seem to get the company to give me an estimate. I have 27" wheels Medium size hydraulic disc breaks. Its also what they call a lefty. Carbon fiber one sided fork. Not sure if that can even be done. Its why I want to talk with someone before I hand over half the cost.
Honestly, for all the faff involved and the price, you are probably better off just buying a cheaper e-bike from somewhere like Amazon which will cost you around the same money, probably have longer range and not have postage costs etc
Agreed💯
Sending the product with missing accessories is absolutely unacceptable for a small company that is shipping so slow and charging so much. Absolutely inexcusable.
Actual battery says 3 leds out of five but handle bar say no power . Only done 1.8 miles .
My commute is 1.6 there and back and I have to recharge every night . Anything more than a 1 in 40 and it can’t pull you . I though it was good but 4 days in and I’m having serious doubts as to sywtch bike claims .
I want a ekit for my bicycle because my days involve a labor intensive job and distance between each job would take too much out me of dealing with cleaning office buildings at night and bicycling constantly peddling between job sites
Out of curiosity, when you mentioned a lower operating range for the kit; outside of the speed change, what power level was that when measuring?
Yeah, the discount was a great topic for your video, thanks!
This coolest so far I've seen on ebike conversions, you can bike even with the chain off.
I think it's a good idea but the problem is funding. This company has a decent product, but the wait time is ridiculous.
Where in the order process does it ask to select a front fork dropout, not the axel width, of 9 or 10mm? I ordered my Swytch kit in September 2022, and received it in Aprill 2023. I did not receive my ordered alternate battery mount with longer cables and the ability to put the batter in a spot other than the handlebars. I was able to get some handlebar accessory mounts that worked. The spindles were 10mm and would not fit into my 9mm front forks, and I had to file them and the inserts to fit. This is now not recommended by Swytch, but I did not want to wait another few months for a replacement.
Nice review. I have been eyeing this for a while, but it's not for me. It don't seem worth it unless you love and attached to your old bike.
After reading the reviews about customer service on Instagram not answering customer’s comments no thanks. I see people on this forum did not get their orders and no response from the company. I’m not taking that chance.
Great review but the time the video was made it probably was a hit to buy one of these kits nowadays for that price of 700 bucks you can get a bike with more power and I already build up from factory, but thanks for the video
It also coats more than some ebikes now
Great review! Thanks for that! 😄
20 miles really isn't very far 😢
Is there much front wheel resistance when free wheeling?
I wanna see somebody put one on a bike that's already electric too at see what that would do
Well done!
Very comprehensive informative video.
🕯🕯🕯
Pedalling with the chain off 😂
@@machinesnmetal exactly my point - so why pedal???
I noticed that too. I had to go back to make sure I saw whwt was going on.
They use a pedal sensor to turn on the motor. So you have to pedal. The fact that the motor drove the bike without the chain connected shows how strong it is.
It takes a lot disengage the chain without taking it off entirely
Thanks so much, I have paid the initial 200.00 American dollars, your review was wonderfully spoken, totally thought out.
I cannot thank you enough.
God Bless, Happy holidays
How many kilometers did you get out of one charge?🤔
What are the prices for the kit and accessories ??
Forgot to.put the chain on?
Really good explanation. Thanks
Top notch to you for explaining in km and MP hour 👍
I have disc front brake so not sure if the disc will transfer to new motor wheel
Pity you cannot have rear motor as I want to keep my hub dynamo.
Excellent video and explanations.
Avoid!!! Swytch have had my money for more than 2 years and I'm still waiting for them to make a wheel to fit my old 9mm MTB. I am having to threaten them with legal proceedings to get my money back😮
2 years? Blimey, at that point I'd be doing a chargeback. Absolutely no excuse for that.
You dont need to connect your chain?😊
Don't go with Swytch. They cannot deliver their product. My kit was supposed to arrive in March 2023. When it didn't arrive by April, I opened my first support ticket. Swytch told me the order was delayed due to the warehouse taking inventory for 2 weeks. The order tracking page was updated to show a mid-April expected delivery. 2+ weeks later and no update - so I opened my second support ticket. This time I was told that the warehouse was backed and could not ship more that 180 units per business day and that they sold 5000 units. The tracking page was updated to show an early May expected delivery. Another 3 weeks went by with no updates so I opened my third support ticket and was told to be patient that the delivery was further delayed. I looked today and the expected delivery is now mid-June. After waiting 9 months to just place an order, I am now waiting another 9 months after giving them my money - and delivery is delayed over and over.
It's just a matter of time until they build up enough cash reserves, then mysteriously go out of business.
North of a $1k lmao that’s crazy you can get a really good while for $1500 that’s going to travel at 40mph
Before ordering, please look at reviews elsewhere. If I had read the reviews I certainly wouldn't have ordered from this company.
The kit was meant to arrive in January, now halfway through April and still no sign of it.
I have had one reply to numerous emails I have sent, and that didn't resolve anything.
Incredibly poor customer service. By far the worse service I have ever had (and I'm over 65 ).
Beginning to wonder if the only resolution is going to be through the small courts.
I would love to be writing a really positive review, saying what a great product this is, but unfortunately, I have to say I would dread to think what their technical support is like.
hi i’ve also got the Swytch Air installed on a brompton bike and was puzzled why it gives up after only 12km on a flat terrain on light mode (level 1-2) … thinking my battery was faulty. has anyone actually reached 15 km with Air?
Sorry but Swytch battery range is so disappointing. Why in the world would they make a smaller battery is beyond me when people want decent range to go riding.
If you go to their site, they ask for your e-mail before you can access any information. This makes it seem super scammy.
Great review
Thank’s how much cost please
How much does it cost?
Why is there no link to the order page on the Swytch homepage? I see that the order page works and if you want you can place the order and give the advance, without having to wait for the response to sign up
I would not even think of ordering t swytch now. I have waited nearly a year and the company just lies about dates. Asked for a refund and radio silence . Rather donate money to a charity but don’t buy in to their bs
@@mdab007 but I can assume that after a year you received what you ordered, right?
@@sergioeures that’s the problem , I am still waiting for the kit I ordered. Recently I asked to cancel the order because of their false delivery promises and now haven’t heard back. I hope to get at least my money back .
Nice job!
Just like many point out, I’ve had poor experience with the company and when I complained, left critical reviews on various review sites, they were removed by the request of Swytch. Consumer protection agencies should really look into these practices and prosecute as this is harmful and fraudulent activity. Then the company has the cheek to boast that “5 star reviews don’t grow on trees” as a marketing slogan. It’s absolutely shameful!
Respectfully ma'am I'm watching you ride your switch kit bike with a disconnected chain and yet it doesn't seem to be impressive looking...
Are you actually gaining power on pedal assist?...
STILL TO EXSPENSIVE !!!
How much is it
How much is it?
The simple fact that they don't publish their prices put's me off. How the hell can I determine if this is a suitable product if I don't know how much they cost. I'm not going to spend hours of time researching a product when I don't know the price, so I'm moving onto another manufacturer and product. If you can't tell us how much they cost you can keep them.
Unfortunately the price varies depends on how quickly you need it (or rather, how long you're prepared to wait).
Why she peddling with the chain off 😂😂😂
Deal breaker got me, too long to wait
You better of buying a E-Bike called Lectric base on the price range.
I only use E kits, to buy cheap crap e-bikes are heavy as a tank & not good outside of battery use. I find good used bike, then put ekit on it. Most ekits work the same. The main advantage is the compact battery.
Is that 750$! With a 50% discount that means if you are not on the list its 1500$ plus 😵💫😵💫
Quite - at that point, you can buy a superior full eBike.
I'm sorry but she's pushing like 175 she's got to mention that in relation to the battery life
This is a good concept but for $400 it makes more sense to just buy an e bike this kit barely has any range or battery life It says it has a 15 mile range per charge and my $600 e bike has a 40 mile range per charge and isn't from some start up company who's struggling to deliver orders I was actually curious about this when I first saw it until I started reading the reviews which a lot of them say that it's not holding a charge and that the kit is only delivering 10 miles of range before battery runs out thus seems like it's in gimmicky test run phase. Watch this company be out of business in 6 months or less
Thee's a reason you ned to pay far in advance to order the battery - it's just a matter of time before they disappear with 6 months worth of payments. Company is currently running on free debt. There's a lot of dishonest reviewed out there helping this company keep the cash rolling in.
Hello dear I'm mr Norman Wray hoping to buy a good one so let I trust you now friends thanks very much. 😊😊😅
For the same price you can get a good e bike.
Emmerich Ville
Not worth the money I can get a decent electric second hand bike for around £500
I will just go buy a new Ebike fam
20 miles advertised range is not very good....and the 11 miles quoted here as actual use is pretty useless.
its nit cheap like to make a £30 bone shaker electric lol
Just buy a honda ruckus. 4k and will go 80k miles solid at 120 mpg
James here (reviews editor): Funnily enough, this was my first ever motorbike! Loved that thing, and forever regretted not buying the big ruckus later :(
OMG! Electrifying the front wheel is like going back 30 years! Bear in mind if you lean into a corner under power the front wheel might just add that slip to bring you to a fall. I compared front to real wheel drive and there is really no point spending this much to make things worse. In practice the front hub drive still adds notable drag once the battery is flat. Nothing beats a thumb throttle on a rear wheel powered bike.
I agree with you. ???
Have u fall down
@@ushadhole5191 too many times, so no more front wheel powered bike for me!
THIS! Anyone who isn't a complete beginner can tell this is garbage. For 450-650$ I could DIY the same bike to go 20mph Unassisted.
Hoe many Electric bikes did you have 30 years ago?