Dead simple to use, the Clip offers up to 12 miles of electric range for your bike.

Dead simple to use, the Clip offers up to 12 miles of electric range for your bike.

    • dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️@lemmy.worldEnglish
      15·
      2 years ago

      Yeah, I’m failing to see how this is preferable to just swapping your rear wheel with a hub motor and calling it a day. You can get a very nice conversion kit and battery from the Usual Scumbags for that kind of money, or if you’re careful you can pay a lot less, and still wind up with a final product with significantly more range and performance.

      And, you know, doesn’t look nearly as stupid. Front wheel friction drives are a uniquely terrible solution to the bicycle propulsion problem, and they have been ever since their inception with those nasty two stroke things from the '50’s. Their energy transfer is quite inefficient, and their failure mode when you encounter a hill too steep for the motor is to steadily fuck up your front tire.

      The only possible benefit I could see from this is if you plan to regularly swap it between multiple bicycles or perhaps bikes you don’t own, like beach rental bikes or something.

      • Droechai@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        2 years ago

        Is there any kits for recumbent trikes around? I’ve been googling a bit but can’t find any good stores or reviews that doesn’t reek of SEO

        • FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.ioOPM
          2·
          2 years ago

          Like, ebike conversion kit? You can use whatever pretty much, but mid drives are popular. Hubs work fine too.

          If you’re looking for a brand of recumbent tadpoles, Terratrike, Sun, ICE, and CatTrike are all fairly well known brands.

          Look around for dealers in your area if you’re looking at buying one, they should be able to give you a test ride.

        • dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 years ago

          Not that I’ve seen specifically for recumbents, but there are front wheel motor hub kits you can get and just swap out the front rim. You’d then be front wheel drive.

          A mid drive kit from any brand would also work, and in that case you’d drive the rear wheels with your existing chain and sprocket on the axle.

  • Showroom7561@lemmy.caEnglish
    8·
    2 years ago

    At $499 for the Commuter model

    Its range is pegged at “up to 12 miles,”

    And there’s the deal breaker.

    This seems like an interesting alternative to replacing your wheel and mounting a battery somewhere on your frame.

    But without any range, it’s not worth the sacrifices in handling and cost.

    • tortillaPeanuts@lemmy.worldEnglish
      10·
      2 years ago

      It’s even worse, the 12 mile range is the explorer model for $599.

      The Commuter model offers half the battery capacity, charge time, and range.

      The commuter model is more like 6 miles max range.

    • michael_palmer@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      5·
      2 years ago

      Rough, but it makes sense. Instead of electrifying a crappy Walmart bike, people should just spend that money on a decent road bike. Most people have no idea how fast a good mechanical bike can be.

    • michael_palmer@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      A lot of weight on the wheel isn’t a good idea. Please don’t make up anything. A conventional motor wheel and an external battery is the most successful solution for converting a bicycle.