This Tiny Cheap E-Bike Conversion Kit Is Almost Invisible!!
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- čas přidán 24. 05. 2024
- Jack takes a ride on Brompton bicycle fitted with an e-bike conversion kit from UK-based Boost. Does this ultra-stealthy kit turn a folding bike into the world's most versatile vehicle?
Boost will be launching this conversion kit at Everything Electric: London on the 28th, 29th & 30th March. Get your tickets here: everythingelectric.show
00:00 Intro
1:09 Meet Boost
2:19 Where is it??
3:30 How does it ride?
5:06 Key specs
5:58 The beauty of e-bikes
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#brompton #ebike #ebikekit #micromobility #everythingelectric #stopburningstuff - Věda a technologie
For the love of God - with such a small battery, a simple LCD screen, a pedal sensor and a 250W motor in a wheel, what on earth justifies a *£1200* price tag?!
I think it's the price of a Brompton that they think will justify it !! And if that battery goes for 15 - 20 miles, I'll eat my hat....
@@noakeswalker No, the 1200 was just for the conversion kit. That's why he said (starting at 5:33)
1200 (for "all this" meaning the kit) + ~1200 (the price of a good used brompton) < 3000 (new e-brompton) - 1000 (change left over).
Math doesn't quite add up for me, but I'm using local prices for good used bromptons.
100%
@@noakeswalker yep something has driven him to think his kit is worth twice the price of a swytch (and slower). I get what your saying even if others don’t.
More micro-mobility videos please.
Yes! More of this!
Yup
Utility bikes! These are what the naysayers are wilfully blind to. You can't funnel money to the rich if you can just use a bike for everyday use.
Also what's up with poor people supporting the wealthy. Wealthy need poverty, unemployment, bad health systems, expensive transport, centralised energy, centralised food production. You privatise the lot and artificially hike prices... then wage war on your on sovereign neighbours amoung other atrocities.
First, e-bike prices generally cause a knee-jerk reaction from car drivers. If you tell them this e-bike cost this many thousands of dollars, they immediately make the argument in their head or out loud that you could buy a used car for that much. It's bad argument, but without that context, you'll fail at properly judging how much you should expect to pay for a high quality e-bike. The market is saturated with fly by night startups who limit the sustainability of their e-bike by using proprietary parts that render the bike unfixable when it breaks and they're long out of business.
I'd agree that a Brompton is a good buy and any e-bike kit you choose to fit to a Brompton is probably money well spent. You just have to decide how you will use your e-bike and know whether adding a very small battery will still give the the utility and usefulness you expect for your journeys. But note that if you buy a small battery electric, it not only tends to deliver much less punch, for hill climbing, but it limits the expansion of distance that e-bikes tend to unlock for new e-bike users. People who go from a bicycle to an e-bike, statistically use their e-bikes to travel by bike more often and to farther destinations. That's proven, but it's also logical. So is a small battery kit with limited utility the best way to upgrade a Brompton? It depends on how you use your Brompton.
Jack didn't mention if the battery component was sort of "Hot swappable" where you could have a charged up spare available if you needed it. He mentioned the small box was battery and brains so... I'm thinking not a possibility.
Nice vid... Jack just needs his saddle six inches higher to pedal more efficiently!
I wonder if he's hit the max on the seat post. He is a giant, after all.
I think the telescopic seatpost is good for riders taller than Jack, but happy to be corrected on this@@mikeymike1792
@@domhubbard2197
I imagine he is not a regular cyclist, I would add wearing a helmet, but that is just me I wear one on when I'm on my bicycle, I need to protect what few working brain cells I got left.
I have a Swytch conversion on my brompton. Its pretty similar but I get to keep the 6 gears because it powers the front wheel. Similar price.
I see the shifter and the derailleur, so I assume the gears are still there. He just never turned the bike around to show the gears.
I have a hub motor e-bike that has the gear cassette next to the hub. You just don’t get the benefit of them like you do on a mid drive
It could also be a single speed tensioner
@@kenmcclow8963
@@kenmcclow8963 On a Brompton, 3 of the gears are inside the hub. So a rear hub motor means you have to lose those gears. It takes the Brompton from being a 6 speed to being a 2 speed. Another vote for the Swytch.
You are right who you are saying still think they are still one of the best kits cheaper to one shop sells them for £750 fitted and they are a Brompton dealer so great back up
I added a swytch kit to my 30YO Brompton (front wheel drive) 5 years ago, though less beautiful, still works really well.. and half the price.m
The chainring keeps swapping sides, is that a new innovation! 😂
It's magic! 🤣
At that price I'd stick with Swytch...its half that price and works well. Had mine 3 years and its been a game changer. Thanks for featuring though...Nice video.
For a lot less I'd get the 100g Geeko front wheel conversion kit.
There is also the Flit folding e-bike. Designed that way from the ground up, so lighter and snazzier than a converted brompton (fine though such a thing is). Also a British design. It's a very nice ride. Currently £2000 for the whole bike so cheaper as well.
Love the stickstand!
No mention that your 12 or 6 or 4 speed changes to 2 speed to accommodate the rear hub motor!
Yes, a rear-wheel electric conversion makes no sense for a Brompton A or C line. Crappy range too.
Thank you.
making something affordable ILLEGAL
is absolutely CRIMINAL!
A lot of spambots already! Great video Jack and the Everything Electric team
Funny how they no longer try and point you towards a link. Now they post something nice and hope you notice the small bottom thumbnail and go and click on it.
I prefer that than what they were and the "you've won" Telegram scams.
Whoever claims the Brompton would be a last mile bike is probably the kind of person too uninformed to pull out the telescopic seat tube far enough to fit their humongous dimensions.
But you're absolutely right, I fitted mine with a motor, placed the controller in the same spot but on the frame since I have a front wheel drive for ease to switch back over and the only hassle is to find the batterypack of the right sizing.
Can't wait for a higher power density.
Excellent episode. If I were living and working in a city, I'd definitely go for this.
Great video! Thanks FCS! 😎👍🏻
Interesting video - thanks
Another excellent presentation…thank you!🇨🇦
I have a Brompton electric and I have to agree that the battery is too big. If they made it much smaller. Perhaps 1/3 to 1/4 of the size and made it USB-C chargeable then it would be perfect. As this is a “last mile” solution you really don’t need the range the stock battery gives you. The only good thing about it is that you could potentially go a whole week without charging. But again, the large battery makes it much less portable.
Loved the humor about the seat post! Great presentation!
I’m generally not a fan of conversion kits, but you can definitely make a case for this one being an improvement on the Brompton Electric in some areas. You have the full front luggage space with no battery. It’s lighter.
But you lose range, torque, potentially response (which is really important when slowing down. Not sure how it is on this kit). And you also lose the official version’s two wheel drive, which I think is quite a cool feature of that bike.
Love his humor.
I have had the Swytch for nearly 6 months and love it for my 10 minute commute to and from work - but it has its frustrations ........ I have the large battery and have to charge every other day (I know it depends how I use it). The rolling resistance of the front wheel is bad - makes the bike unpleasant to use when the power is not on. As the battery gets low, the resistance goes up! so when it is struggling it is also the hardest time to put in your own power. I have the battery facing me - so no loss of luggage (that is in the fitting instructions). I have the optional handlebar read-out, which I love! - would have been tempted to swap for the rolling resistance issue alone - but the loss of gears and the HUGE price means I won't (the swytch is half the price and a DIY fit.) Love the way the industry is going though!
Your review is not only Excellent, it’s perfect timing for me, as I ponder adding E to my B. Omg. Dilemmas upon dilemmas. Swytch def saves considerable $, also have lots of use abilities left. Big sigh.
@@lonestarlaurel for the price it is a good product - even with the elements that I don't like.
I also recently tracked down a charger that i can use - you have to connect with croc clips as the plug type looks proprietary - but it means I have one at work and at home for when I have done a lot of trips.
For me the system really works well when I have done a hard gym session (I am a rower) and don't have the legs to get home :)
Good review, balanced, fun, but informative, and you highlighted perfectly all the reasons why eTransport can be rubbish, including the illegallities of eScooters. So I have subscribed. Well done.
Any tall riders can get an alternative longer two-piece telecoping seatpost from Brompton, that can still drop down to the same low height when carrying the bike. Not expensive, either.
It was interesting to see the question, why is an alectric drill £40 with a motor and a small lithium battery while this kit is £1200 with its speed control box and larger battery ? Speed control units are £35 from China, and reputable brand lithium batteries (of a quality level that doesn't catch fire!) are £300 up, and that for a much larger capacity one. The Swytch is closer to a reasonable price.
Excellent. More e-bike and E-motorcycle content please.
Interesting choice comparing NEW E-Brompton vs USED one + kit.
I have done the same using the pendix kit. I didn't like the battery size of the electric and he fact they removed the luggage block
Thanks
Very cool! Is it possible to swap out the battery? So you can carry a couple to get a little extra range if needed
Yes this is the way to go. We don't need Top Gear type performance, and we don't want to advertise 'Steal Me'. What we need is the ability to cross London at a decent and predictable clip. Whatever the weather. This looks good (but a bit expensive imo)
I got my MiRider GB3 yesterday through my company’s Cycle2Work scheme, the cost to me is £1700 (saving £800), I chose correctly. I can see the Brompton is good in London, but now when you’ve got a 10 mile commute with no public transport
I think the motor weight saved here is the most impressive part of the product. Only 2.5Kg added with motor and battery is pretty amazing. I think just the motor weighs around 2kg on a Swytch based on my build guestimating because I haven't pulled it off to weigh it.
Thank you for pushing home the difference between legal and illegal set-ups. And I'm gonna go out on a limb here - I reckon it's the illegal ones that are the fire risks.
you've done it, I'm thinking about Jack and a seatpost for the rest of the day now.
brompton = £1300-1500
Boost Ebike kit = £1200
ebrompton from brompton with warranty and after care = £3000
pay the 10% extra and know when it goes wrong brompton will have the part to the store doing the warranty in a couple of days
Ty Jack 👍
i live in a fairly hilly city with ~10km rt commute that includes ~250m climbing per day. In my riding environment where we have a fair few days (say 30-60 per year) at or below freezing, this would provide ~15-20km range at best on cold days with hills like mine. This this won't cut it to show up to meetings without sweating either. The brompton electric, while not perfect, is better than this , mostly just because of gearing options vs limited 2 speed this kit would provide. Can overcome smaller battery on the boost by buying extra chargers which seem reasonably priced. Place one at work, keep one at home (or ride with it to recharge on the go). I do think a motor on the rear wheel would generally be better because that's closer to centre of mass (rider) vs front wheel hub. Also worth noting, the battery will be well over 100Wh so it's not like you'll be able to fly with it. Things I'm not sure about - the delay in the motor engaging. Where I live it's very very desirable to have quick motor response to torque being applied from pedals to beat cars off the line nearly every time since this is a key part of bike safety. I'd need to try the boost kit for myself to see whether the delay is acceptable.
Only in cities that are fairly flat and particularly those with not cold winter weather (very few days below 6 degrees), this could be great.
For me, hard pass.
And this solution keeps the front carrier block free for luggage. I like this a lot. And only 5 lbs heavier? That’s great.
Fantastic
I like it, but Swytch do it cheaper and have a few more options on batteries and placement.
What does the charger look like? It is suitably compact? A large brick that I have to carry about would be a real pain.
For Jack to ride a Brompton that fits him, he would have to have one custom made! (Or at least get a longer seatpost)
Brompton do have a longer two- section ( telescoping) seatpost option, i fitted on to mine.
"The delay is really nice." 🙂 Fantastic sales pitch.
Yes, THIS should be a BIG part of any city-dweller's mobility solution for the commute and many 'around-town' journeys.
That's a neat set up. You didn't mention range, although you did say it was a "last mile" solution so perhaps the range is severely limited? Having said that, 2.5 kilos is a small added weight, so you should be able to pedal on without power quite easily. At £1200 plus the cost of a Brompton, you're probably looking at £2.5k total. If you save £5 per day on public transport, it'll take 500 days to break even - about two work-day years. It'll work for some people out there for sure.
He said 15-20 miles.
@@dansmithwave oh, sorry, I missed that. I think that's reasonable for the type of journeys most people do on a Brompton.
@@littlebootsxxiv6871 I would think so. I've got a Brompton Electric and I'm not sure the range is much more than that anyway, so I'm not sure if he's overestimated the range with that smaller battery. But it would be fine to get from the station to the office or whatever, hopefully.
Yeah I suspect it's more like 10 miles with that tiny pack. But it's so small you could ride on anyway.
Nobody’s mentioning Hills. Riding on the flat or mod inclines is a snap, especially with 6 gears. Hills require power and torque. Hmmm
So how hard is it to peddle when the battery is dead?
Have you tried putting the *ball* of your foot on the pedal... and adjusting the saddle height accordingly? You should be more comfortable, and be able to deliver more power.
This is the same for all pedal cycles.
Tall riders can get a two piece telescoping seatpost from Brompton, this review bike has the standard option.
At 6'1", i needed one.
The seatpost in the video appears to be the telescopic version. It has two quick releases. The telescopic is the longest of the three available from Brompton, and can go tall enough for anyone.
never mentioned motor resistance. when you run out of battery does the motor slow your cadence down compared to a regular wheel? or can it freely spin
A rear wheel motor always adds resistance when it's not in use. Don't know about this kit but on my self build E-Bike the resistance isn't that bad. You can still ride it without battery but it's not as easy as a normal hub.
Awesome
I think you're being a little unfair on the (official) brompton electric (BE). Second hand Brompton £500 (And realistically, you can then add a load to replace worn parts - been there, done that...) + 1200 quid conversion kit. That's £1700 - and the BE seem to sell for 1500 to 1800 second hand (generally much newer bikes in better condition than you'd get for £500.) If you converted a new bike, that's £1500 + £1200. The base level of assistance seems a comparable with the BE on level 1 of 3. Also note that the conversion means you can only have a 1 or 2 speed Brompton, and with limited booth duration, that's going to suck on a hill of any length or grade. Basically, the BE isn't a lot more money and provides a lot more capability. The weight difference isn't *that* much either, especially when the battery can be carried separately.
What is the capacity of the battery? How many 18650 batteries did they fit inside?
Fantastic! More e-bike reviews, please!!!
Curious if it is "cadence-sensing" assist, or superior "torque-sensing" assist?
Expensive, but hopefully well engineered. Our local commuter agency (GO transit) is reviewing their policy after recent e-bike fires. I'm sure many others are doing the same.
That is a good point as there may be a time where poor quality electric bikes will cause train companies to reduce risk. I like the idea of the Boost since I already have a Brompton and that the conversion doesn’t appear to change the bike. It still looks like a bike that requires leg power only.
Der !. Nice one
Nice
Great for train commuters, maybe buses, the buses in my city have the fold down bicycle racks but the wheel size has to be 20 inch or bigger
you fold the Brompton and bring it inside with you.
@@robertneild3772
Regular folding bikes are allowed if they have a battery they have to go on the bike rack, but with the small wheels they are not big enough to go on the bike rack.
Taking a ebike or e-scooter on the train no issues.
@@bikecommuter24 well I guess that would be a vote for the swytch then, you can remove the battery easily
@@robertneild3772
Yep I'm looking at those kits for my hybrid bike, but then it can go on the bike rack.
I ride the bus and train with my bicycle all the time, our trains have bicycle cars with spaces to stow your bicycle.
hard to believe how pathetically restrictive the ebike regulations are there in the uk, meanwhile, u can buy SUVs and pickup trucks. 250 watt motor is the legal limit? that is just insane!!
*Good-lookin Brompton...* but I'm biased 😂 #NeonYellow
⚡️🤟🏽🤟🏽⚡️
Great locations to ride!
Easily the better eBrompton 👌🏽
It's our favourite colour too, don't tell anyone ⚡🤟🏽🤟🏽⚡
Very compact, but I don't believe for a second that it will do '15-20 miles' with that tiny battery, especially not with Jack on it. Also, FFS get your feet in the right place on the pedals jack - use the balls of your massive plates of meat, not the instep! Also, I tested an ARCC electric kit years ago also, like the Swytch and Brompton's own, front wheel drive. Remember, FWD means you actually have two wheel drive!
Kind of saddles on that? Looks comfortable
Please let there be a bike company that manufactures them in the hundreds of thousands so we can have dirt cheap options.
Interesting video, but I chose to stay with my fiido x. It's more affordable and works great, I've been riding it for 6 months now and haven't had any problems.
🚴👍👍👍 From Cucuta city Colombia 🇨🇴 South America
So….battery electric drill is £40 but this is £1200? Can a battery that size really give much energy, subtle or not? How do you charge it, does it regen?
Yes 🇺🇸
Wondering if this conversion kit would work with cheapo Brompton-like folding bike from Decathlon..
These kits were £500 or so I think as a special offer. At £1200 that counts me out. I’d get a Brompton one at £2995 through cycle to work and sell my old Brompton.
Hello, how tall are you in cm? Your legs don't open enough, even though the saddle is positioned quite high, that's why I was wondering.
This feels very sponsored, especially the parts where negative things like a tiny battery and pedal delay were framed as a positive. I also didnt notice you acknowledge that it was a paid sponsorship (though i may have missed it). Please be more transparent.
💚
You need to raise your saddle for better pedalling efficiency.
3:38 the mirrored bike is giving me nightmares. I don't know why it's so distressing.
Electric assistant in a brompton really doesnt compute for me. IF you are using it for "last mile" you very much do not need a motor.
Bromptons are also really easy to pedal for quite some distace so you should be perfectly fine without a motor.
I bought a fiido d3 pro for £365 and its pretty good
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Looks cool and certainly more affordable but it's missing the one party trick of the Brompton: quick folding to a size and weight which is manageable in public transport...plus I bet those solid rims don't give as comfortable a ride as spokes?
Great product, STOP swearing Jack!
Good video, but as others have said... buying new, the cost of a new Brompton and this kit is pretty much the price of a Brompton Electric anyway. It's potentially a good option for existing Brompton owners.
You need to put your saddle higher😂
I seriously admire your salesmanship skills! It’s worth mentioning that you need to widen the forks to fit this and you also loose your internal gear hub at the back so your 6 gear bike becomes a 2 gear one. You will certainly miss those extra gears as that tiny battery won’t be able to assist you climbing any hills. But don’t take my word for it, do a bit of searching on CZcams and you would find much more realistic reviews. Sorry for being harsh but changing 1200 for this is a scam
Was this video intended to be some kind of satirical spoof?
Information missing. Weight with boost? Range. Maximum weight. Inclination limit. Torque
Does it have regenerative breaking?
What side of the bike is the chain on?
There have been studies, and if you're sticking to the legal limit of 15mph there's basically no point adding regen to an ebike. The weight of the extra tech immediately cancels out any benefit unless you're regularly throwing your Brompton down a mountain path
Yep I completely agree that rugen is pretty pointless on a bike. Most of the time you can pretty accurately estimate your freewheel distance and conserve your energy. I do actually have an e-bike add on unit with regen and it makes the braking less predictable. I could potentially see it being of more benefit if you have a lot of long hills and/or stop and start often. Or you can just charge it a bit more when you’re done.
smaller the more expensive. maybe the NAM area will catch on
£1200. Looks great… But for that price. That is a joke.
Honestly that's just about what these super compact options cost.
As a production engineer, if you can make it cheaper, well done🤔
How much would a Swytch Bike kit cost for it ?
@@devonbikefilms you can get conversion kits for standard bikes that cost £400 with much larger batteries. Swytch do a compact folding bike conversion kit for Brompton for £649.
@@jamesallen5850 the one factor that differentiates this from other options like swytch and official Brompton motor is that this one drives the rear. Might be great for people who haul heavy bags on front or those who want lighter handling with no motor on front. Not sure about 1200 price tag. On the website, I see it is 999 for normal purchase and 799 for preorder.
I heard you have to bend the rear triangle outward to get this to fit. I imagine that would void the frame warranty.
No alteration of the frame is required; also we mirror the original Brompton frame warranty because Brompton say that their warranty might be void by installing an e-bike kit.
betterer is a word used in the UK?
Nope...he's a comedian-ish.
Your chain needs a bit more love, my Dear!
That's a lot for a couple of tubes.
This looks like something Mr. Bean would ride if he had to ride a bike.
High in ad copy, low in information. How many watts does the motor put out? How much do you get out of the battery? Approximate price?
never leave your brommel alone.
total weight 2.5 kg???
What the hell is worth almost 1.2k on that thing, a few batteries and a small electric motor? Anyone saying it's the "idea" or the "innovation", I'mma grab some popcorn before that discussion.
At that price, I’d buy an actual e-bike
Please, raise saddle.
"Keep up with traffic"?you'll be over taking traffic in grid locked London.
Dragging around an extra 2.5 kg is not insignificant, when the Brompton is already 12 kg. He looks like a healthy young man, and London is a pretty flat city (excepting some hills on the south side of the river), there really is no need for an e-bike for him, or anyone like him. He won’t turn into a fat older man if he just turns the pedals a bit himself :)
It's just 2.5 kg... It's easy for female to carry out. Love to own it as bike for work.
Have they removed the gears? Why no mention of this? Without gears and a dead battery you are walking up hills.
It would need to be 2x functional for it to be justifiable at that price. +$1000 for a slight electric pedal assist is juice that isn't worth the squeeze. It's also such an obviously flawed device but the video is suspiciously free of critiques...