The Pikaboost electric bike conversion kit is back, this time with an even lighter version. The new Pikeboost 2 Lite was shown off last week as a more minimalist version of the popular friction drive conversion kit.
As a friction drive kit, the Pikaboost 2 Lite uses a roller on the rear tire of a bicycle to turn it into an electric bike, meaning owners don’t need to install a wheel motor or a centrally-mounted mid-drive motor like most electric bikes.
It’s not the most efficient or elegant solution, and it does have a few downsides such as increased tire wear and negating the ability to use a rear fender, but it’s about as quick, simple, and effective as it gets.
And now, it’s also even smaller.
The Pikaboost 2 Lite tips the scales at just 6.6 lb (3 kg), thanks to its relatively small 158 Wh battery. That may sound like a low capacity pack – and it is – but it also conveniently falls under the 160 Wh limit that many US airlines use for carry-on lithium-ion batteries. That means you just may be able to get away with flying with your e-bike conversion kit.
The kit is also quite easy to install, since it simply mounts to the bike’s seat tube. There’s no app or remote control to fiddle with. Riders simply start pedaling, which the kit senses and then kicks in to give a boost of around 250W. The company says that will cut average riding intensity in half, meaning your hill will feel half as steep or the flats will feel like you’re always riding downhill. It won’t do all of the work for you like a throttle e-bike, but it looks like it will take the edge off of a typical ride.
And as a lighter version of the kit, the Pikaboost 2 Lite is also designed to be easier on the wallet. Priced at $329 and designed to mount to a bike you may already have gathering dust in your garage, this is one of the cheapest ways to get into e-biking (while avoiding the poor quality Amazon or eBay e-bikes priced only slightly more expensive than this entire kit).
Another major advantage of an e-bike conversion kit like this is that it allows a rider to decide when they want their bike to be electric. For short trips or exercise rides, the kit can be removed to save weight. But for longer trips or when the rider is just feeling a bit more tired that day, the kit can be popped onto the bike in just 30 seconds for that added boost.
Shipping globally now, the Pikaboost 2 Lite isn’t the only friction drive conversion kit around (we’ve tested a few), but it certainly is a slick-looking one.
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