Upgrade Your Bicycle: Go Electric
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CREDIT: Ridekick International |
Want to upgrade your bike to an electric version? Now you can, with the Ridekick. It’s a trailer that links to any bicycle and pushes it along at up to 19 miles per hour. The trailer hooks to the bike with an arm and a hitch plate. It runs off a rechargeable lead-acid battery, and has a range of 8-12 miles. It also has storage space, so if it’s used to go shopping there’s an alternative to the handlebar- or rear-mounted basket. Charging is done from an ordinary outlet.
There are some drawbacks. One is the price. A new e-bike runs at $500 to start, and many models are twice that. Ridekick sells for $699, which is cheaper, but still a bit steep for a bicycle accessory. Weight is another. At 45 pounds, if the charge runs out while on the move it can be a slog to the next power supply. It also won’t fit every model of bike (though the company has a helpful set of pictures so you can check before buying).
That said, if you need a conversion to something like a moped and don’t want to increase your carbon footprint, this may be the thing for you.
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