The Electric Brompton is a custom build from NYCeWheels in Manhattan NYC USA. The leverage one of the lightest, sturdiest and highest quality three-speed folding bike frames made by Brompton and add a third party hub motor and battery pack at the front for power. This thing can still fold down as intended (as long as you remove the battery bag) and performs quite well in city environments. The narrow road tires are efficient but can feel a bit rough on bumps… thankfully the bike has a rear suspension block/bumper that compliments the steel frame to smooth things out. Depending on which battery option you choose it can get excellent range and thanks to a split-pack option it can also be carried onto planes if you plan on traveling. While it only offers a trigger throttle mode and no pedal assist, the motor performs well with solid acceleration and climbing. The internally geared rear hub keeps the drivetrain simple and on track and the optional lights and cargo basket add to the utility of the already included fenders.
The motor used on the Electric Brompton offers 250 watts of power with 400 watts peak output and it’s made by Crystalyte. It’s quite good for a lighter, smaller bike like this. The hub motor is smooth and quiet because it’s gearless and located in the front wheel to accommodate the rear three-speed hub. Putting the motor in the front wheel does add a bit of weight and inertia which can impact steering. The control unit, bag and battery are also located here but connect to the steerer tube so they don’t impact steering as much. The upside of this design is that the increased weight at the front provides traction right where power is being transferred to the groundd.
The battery pack (or packs) used on this bike are made by Sanyo and consist of Lithium polymer chemistry which is relatively light weight and long lasting. Depending on how far you need to go there are five options (all 36 volt power) offering 5.2 to 15 amp hours of capacity which is enough for 30+ miles. As mentioned before, there is a “split pack” option that’s legal to carry onto flights thanks to its smaller sized bricks. Unlike some of the more purpose built electric bikes out there, all of the batteries offered for this bike are a bit more exposed when taken out of the bag. The wires aren’t as well hidden and in fact the controller itself is zip tied right to the steerer tube. Aesthetically it’s not ideal but this is part of what keeps the bike foldable and keeps from voiding the Brompton frame warranty. Ultimately, the flexibility of choosing your own battery is nice and the front bag offers plenty of storage space for personal cargo in addition to the batteries.
Operating the Brompton electric bike is fairly simple. Just plug in the battery and press the power button on the small LED control panel. It will light up displaying how much battery capacity is remaining along with the power mode you’ve selected (there are three to choose from). From there, you only need pull the trigger throttle located on the left handle bar and the bike takes off. There’s no speed indicator or range readouts with this system but it gets the job done and I’m guessing the control panel would be less expensive to replace if it got bumped during transport or an accident. I like the high rise handlebars, bell, easy reach shifter on the right and rim brakes (which offer good stopping power). One drawback to the brake levers themselves is that they do not cut power to the motor… this could cause some instability if you forget to release the throttle when trying to stop or panic and just pull everything as hard as you can.
All things considered this is a solid folding electric bike. I love the fenders, different folding configurations, colors, shock absorber bumper and light weight that the Brompton frame offers but am a bit less impressed with the add-on motor, throttle-only configuration and lack of motor cutout with the brakes. This thing is expensive and most of the money goes towards the bike itself (which includes a lifetime warranty). NYCeWheels has done the best job I think anyone could to create an electrified Brompton without modifying the frame or voiding the warranty but as a result the cables and controller box are less aesthetically pleasing and all of the weight is in the front. If you love Bromptons and either live near New York City or are okay buying online this is an excellent option. NYCeWheels has an excellent reputation and has really refined this bike (you get a six month battery warranty and one year motor warranty). It’s not perfect but it performs well and is quite a bit better than I could imagine building for myself from scratch… in large part due to the custom Crystalyte motor that fits into the front fork without modification. There’s something awesome about the pull-behind fold configuration and the attention to detail that Brompton has put into the frame.
ruben pampa chara
9 years agome gustaria comprar esa bicicleta donde puedo comprar y cuanto vale soy del pais de peru lima
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHola Ruben , me gustaría poder ayudar a encontrar un distribuidor para esta moto eléctrica. Por desgracia , muchos modelos sólo están disponibles en los EE.UU. y Canadá. Algunas compañías se enviarán abrod y creo Daymak es uno de ellos . ¡Espero que esto ayude! Por favor , hágamelo saber si usted es capaz de encontrar una bicicleta , tal vez esto ayude a otros que viven en Perú :)
ReplyJose
7 years agoHi, I like to have a electric kit on my Brompton bike, how can i buy and how much this electric kit, and it is easy to install it.
Thank You. from Dublin Ireland, Jose
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoHi Jose, I don’t sell this kit (or any products here, just review them) but you can contact NYCeWheels through their website here which includes a phone number and contacts for email. I hope this helps!
ReplyPauli Mahlamäki
6 years agoHello. You do have elcric prompton. I Have MY ovn Prompton i am I am looking for “kit”. To make it alectric one. Have you that one. How can I order that one, can you help me please? Best regads Pauli Mahlamäki Finland
ReplyCourt
6 years agoHi Pauli! I don’t think NYCeWheels is in business anymore, but there are some alternative ebike kits and companies that might be able to help you! One is called the Electric Bike Outfitters. They custom make wheels in different sizes and I’ve reviewed some of their products here. I hope this helps! You may be able to ask others about different kits and solutions by joining the EBR Forums and looking at the ebike kits & DIY forum area.
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