How to Turn (Almost) Any Bicycle Into an E-Bike

A decade ago, I bought a single-speed bicycle in New York City for about $300. I don’t remember the brand, and the frame’s lone decal has long since faded; when I moved to the suburbs a few years ago, the bike went into the garage for indefinite hibernation. But this October I wheeled it out with plans to execute an extreme makeover: Using a kit made by the London-based startup Swytch Bike, I would convert my rusty old bicycle into a motor-assisted electric ride.

Over the past few years, e-bikes have boomed in the US, driven by a pandemic spike in outdoor activities, a growing awareness of their utility as car-replacers, and a maturing supply chain that’s driving down costs. The average price tag on a commuter e-bike is now around $2,600, and it’s possible to get a decent one for less than $1,000. But a decade ago, the e-bike was still mostly a curiosity, and roughly half the market was made of conversion kits, says Ed Benjamin, founder and chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association. For early adopters, upgrading an old bike was often cheaper and easier than buying a ready-built electric version.