E-bikes are fantastic, yet they’re a whole lot a lot more expensive than traditional bikes and typically much heavier, also. That’s in addition to that they can require upkeep and struggle with technological issues. However what if you could turn your typical bicycle right into an e-bike? That’s the concept behind the Livall PikaBoost, currently in its 2nd generation. It’s generally a tiny, mechanized device that can attach to your bicycle to provide it e-bike power.
I obtained a possibility to check out the PikaBoost 2 on the program flooring at CES 2025 Livall’s PR firm, WeBranding, flew me out to Las Vegas for CES 2025 to look into the PikaBoost 2, among its various other brand names’ devices, for myself– and I need to say, it seems to be an effective yet affordable way to get the power of an e-bike without having to change the bicycle you already have.
The PikaBoost 2 essentially connects to the back of the framework of your bike, expanding out toward your back tire, as long as the tire is in between 23 mm and 32 mm in width. There’s a rubber wheel at the end of the gadget, which turns your tire when you trigger it, spinning the tire so you do not have to by hand. It’s all regulated with a wired remote that’s an attached to the handlebar for very easy gain access to.
When you mount it utilizing the included propriety tool (for safety), you’ll get accessibility to strong electric performance. To be clear, the PikaBoost 2 doesn’t rather reach the power of numerous e-bikes around, which have a lot more effective electric motors. However, for such a little and cost-effective device, it does offer solid efficiency, getting to 500 W of peak power, or 100 W of consistent power. The tool can reach rates of up to around 15 miles per hour.
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You can use it in a couple of various settings, consisting of exercise mode (which adds resistance as opposed to taking it away), eco mode (a pedal-assist setting that just kicks in on hills), or cruise ship setting (a steady power setting that removes the requirement to pedal).
Under the hood is a 158 Wh battery that Lithall claims uses a series of around 43 miles, though exactly just how much variety you get from the device will certainly depend on just how you utilize it. There’s also an alternative for an upgraded battery, which has a range of 59 miles. And once it runs out juice, you don’t have to remove the whole thing– merely detach the battery and plug it in to bill. The battery sustains USB-PD 3 1 and QuickCharge 3.0, and Lithall states that it can credit complete in three hours.
Naturally, the gadget isn’t the very first e-bike conversion package that can turn your conventional bike right into an e-bike– however what establishes the PikaBoost 2 in addition to the competitors is the reality that it’s so easy to mount and reasonably low-cost. Lithall claims the PikaBoost 2 will certainly enter mass production in late August, with units delivering beginning in September. It will be readily available for $ 500 from the company’s site, and will become offered on Amazon as well, though it may be a little bit much more costly there.