On the road to electrification with the Swytch e-bike conversion kit

Electric bikes have been on the market for a number of years now. But thanks to increasing affordability, a pandemic induced cycling boom, and a growing appetite for more sustainable modes of transport, sales have snowballed in recent months. Indeed, according to the Bicycle Association – the trade body for the UK cycle industry – e-bike sales grew by 67 per cent in 2020 and are expected to triple by 2023.

Scrambling to tap into this growing market, bike manufacturers have introduced a wide range of different products: from budget electric commuter models through to high end mountain and road  bikes with car-sized price tags.

But the growing interest has also led to the emergence of a number of e-bike conversion kits that can be used to electrify much-loved existing bicycles and which potentially represent a more cost-effective and versatile solution than an entirely new machine.

The Engineer recently had an opportunity to try out one of the most talked about products in this emerging area: the Swytch kit, developed by London based e-mobility startup Swytch Technology ltd.