Transform Any Bicycle Into an E-Bike with CLIP

E-bikes, or electric bikes, have become more popular with inner city and suburban cyclists, and while they boast some impressive features, they have some drawbacks too — they’re heavier than traditional bicycles, are expensive, and are prone to theft. A Brooklyn-based startup has designed a solution that does away with those drawbacks with their CLIP e-motor, which turns any regular bicycle into a pseudo-e-bike. The device provides extra power for traveling uphill or to help get through those last few miles to your destination.

“Commuting by bike is great for the planet but can be inconvenient because of the effort required to pedal long distances and over hills. We’re solving the “effort” problem, a key pain-point in the daily bike-commuting user-experience. Imagine transforming your bike instantly into an e-bike using a portable & swappable e-motor device (CLIP) to provide that extra boost when you’re going uphill or coasting to ride further.”

As you can see, the CLIP attaches to the front of the bicycle, clipping onto the forks, while a motorized wheel rests on the tire, providing an extra boost of power when needed. The design is pretty simple and includes a 450W motor, 4Ah/36V Li-ion rechargeable battery, an LED/laser projection lights to help with mounting, and Bluetooth with a companion app to track stats.

The e-motor is also lightweight (3.8lbs) and small enough to fit inside a backpack, making it portable as well. It is currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, and those interested can pledge $599 and up, getting you an early-bird CLIP, which is limited to a 50 unit run.