Latest news with #bicycle
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kamingo Turns Any Bike* into an eBike in Just Minutes
Kamingo is launching a lightweight and effortless way to convert any standard 'analog' bike into an eBike. The latest in a constant stream of ebike conversion kits, Kamingo is said to take around 3 minutes to make the initial conversion, and then a mere 10 seconds for your daily ride. We've seen other similar concepts over the years, like the LIVALL PikaBoost, but Kamingo does look like it's a better implementation of the idea. The tool-free installation allows you to add a powerful 750W eBike motor to your existing bike. Kamingo claims it will work with 'any bike', but we're guessing there will be limitations to the design and how it attaches to the seat stays. It uses three modular components: a handlebar-mounted controller, a battery that can fit in a standard water bottle cage, and a rear wheel motor that mounts via a quick-lock base, and powers the bike by directly driving the tire. Kamingo will provide riders with three dynamic modes: Standby, for a natural ride experience, Assist, for 'adaptive' pedal support, and Cruise for throttle-powered riding. 'We created Kamingo because we believe people shouldn't have to choose between the joy of their favorite bike and the convenience of electric power,' said Julian Lee, CEO of Kamingo. 'This isn't just an upgrade—it's a way to make cycling more accessible, flexible, and fun for anyone, whether it's a daily commute or a weekend ride'. The controller can be easily mounted on the handlebars of your favorite bike. It allows you to raise or lower the assist motor, adjust the assist levels while supporting both wired and 2.4 GHz Bluetooth connections. The controller will display speed, range, and controller battery level. It also has an auto-alignment warning system for added safety. The Kamingo motor is mounted on the seat stay of your favorite bike using a quick-lock base. It delivers a claimed 250W of power and 750W at peak output. It's said to be quiet, efficient, and responsive. At its core is an advanced PMSM (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor) powered by an FOC (Field-Oriented Control) algorithm and a torque-boosting gear-reduction system. Thus, delivering up to 40 N·m of torque, allowing for smooth, powerful acceleration. Kamingo says it feels like a full e-bike with the assisted speeds reaching up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) in most regions. And up to 32 km/h (20 mph) where local regulations allow. The battery is easily installed in a standard water bottle cage and connects to the motor via a wire. It's rechargeable and features magnetic fast-charge (stated 3 hours), and is powered by 16 high-density 21700 cells (266Wh). The battery can also be removed for off-bike on riding conditions, assist mode, and terrain, the system delivers a range of up to a claimed 30 km (18.6 miles) per charge. The motor also uses what Kamingo calls Pressure-Adaptive Technology (PAT). This is an innovative motor lift system. It automatically adjusts contact pressure between the motor's assist wheel and the tire. This ensures smooth, consistent performance across different types of terrain and rider input. It is said that it takes approximately 3 minutes for initial setup. And then it should take 10 seconds to install or remove the motor. 3-in-1 ride modes: Seamlessly switch between Standby, Assist, and Cruise. Smart pressure-adaptive motor: Ensures perfect contact across various terrains. Fully modular design: Easy setup with a handlebar controller, bottle-cage battery, and rear motor. Lightweight: Weighs just 2.3kg for easy portability. 1x Kamingo Motor 1x Handlebar Controller 1x Magnetic Battery 1x Battery cage 1x Motor mount 2x Sensor 1x Magnetic battery charging 1x Screwer Includes a setup guide and a 1-Year Warranty. Retail: $589 (Super Early Bird Kickstarter price: $349) Motor Weight: 0.9 kg Battery Weight: 1.4 kg Motor Power: 250W rated / 750W peak Range: 90 km (60 miles) Top Speed: 25 km/h (EU), 32 km/h (US) Battery: 266Wh, magnetic fast charge Charging Time: 3 hours Ride Modes: Standby / Assist / Cruise Connectivity: Bluetooth connection for quick-lock control Waterproof Rating: IP66 App: iOS & Android compatible The post Kamingo Turns Any Bike* into an eBike in Just Minutes appeared first on Bikerumor. Sign in to access your portfolio
WIRED
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- WIRED
How to Convert an Analog Bike to an Electric Bike
Michael Venutolo-Mantovani You can save yourself thousands of dollars on an electric bike by upgrading your current ride. Let us walk (or cycle!) you through it. Courtesy of Science Photo Library via Getty Images All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Say you want to get a bicycle up and down hills with a minimal amount of pedal power. What do you do? The first option is simple: buy an electric bike. However, ebikes aren't cheap. These days, the least expensive but still reliable ebike you can buy is Aventon Soltera 2.5, which costs around $1,200. You can rent an ebike, or find a city bike program that uses them, or, if you're really lucky, find an ebike in a lending library. Or you can just make your regular bike into an electric bike. That is, you can slap an aftermarket unit on your traditional bike, creating a motor-assisted ebike with little more than your bicycle and any of a variety of aftermarket power sources. What used to be a very niche field with only a small handful of offerings has become a cottage industry full of contenders and pretenders, and any number of startups offering a readymade conversion for your bike. So how do you turn your traditional bike into an ebike? And what are some of the best offerings out there? We'll walk you through it. If you don't see anything you like, make sure you check out our guides to the Best Electric Bikes or the Best Electric Scooters. Hot to Throt Well, first, you need to decide what kind of conversion you want. There are two basic kinds of ebikes, pedal-assist and throttle, with many newer models boasting some combination of both. Pedal assist is a mechanism that provides an added boost of electric power when you're pedaling. Via the use of cadence and/or torque sensors (how fast your pedals are rotating and the power that's being applied to them, respectively), pedal-assist units kick on at a certain point, making pedaling easier. Sometimes pedal assist can be so minimal, it's difficult to tell just how much work you're doing versus how much of the load your bike is handling. Throttle units act more like a motorcycle or moped, allowing the rider to either twist a tube mounted near the handgrip or use a thumb-based knob to deliver immediate power to the wheels. Throttle-based ebikes can be ridden without pedaling. When it comes to ebike conversions, where your power comes from and how it's delivered can look several different ways. Some mechanisms deliver power to either your bicycle's rear or front hub. Others are situated in the bottom bracket (that is, where the cranks meet the bike frame). And some newer conversion kits act something like a treadmill mounted to your bike, using rollers to help propel your wheel forward. Roll the Clip Photograph: Stephanie Pearson Having said all that, it's important to consider your level of bicycle know-how when it comes to what kind of ebike conversion you want to undertake. If you're a wrencher, the conversion process is generally straightforward, regardless of the type of unit. If you can change a tire or swap out your cassette, you'll probably be fine with a bit of trial and error and the help of YouTube tutorials. If you're asking yourself, 'What's a cassette?' it's probably best to visit your local bike shop and have a pro handle the work. Those 'treadmill' style conversion kits—such as the Rubbee X, Livall PikaBoost 2 rear-wheel units, or the Clip front-wheel unit—are typically the easiest to install, as you simply need to fix the machine to either your bike's seatpost frame or its fork, make sure its rollers are contacting your tire, and off you go. However, that 'contacting your tire' bit is a bit of a rub (pun intended), as the added contact with your rubber might lead to some extra wear. As disc brakes are becoming ever more the norm (as opposed to a traditional rim brake), Skarper offers a conversion unit that is equally as simple to install to your bike's disc-brake mounts and can be done by almost anyone who knows how to use an Allen wrench. The cool thing about each of these aforementioned units is the ease with which they can be attached and removed, meaning your ebike conversion isn't permanent. With them, you can use your road bike as a commuter during the week, yet keep on with your weekend group rides on the weekend. Hub It Out If you're looking for something more permanent (and way more powerful), units such as the Bafang M-Series replace your traditional bottom bracket with a motor that can deliver up to 1,000 watts of added power to the crank arms of your bike. However, as replacing a bottom bracket is one of the more involved things you can do on a bike, this isn't something you'll want to swap in and out. Somewhere in between the clip-on ease of units like the PikaBoost and the more permanent solution the M-Series offers, are the aforementioned hub-based power units, which tuck motors into the hubs of your wheels. Many of these units also offer battery packs that are meant to be attached to your bike's existing bottle cage mounts. Among the many options for hub-based power units, it's hard to beat the Zehus, which requires nothing more than replacing your existing rear wheel with a Zehus-outfitted wheel. Similarly, Cytronex, one of the earliest and longest-standing ebike brands around, offers a hub-based conversion kit that, while a bit more involved, should take no more than a few minutes of setup. With the explosion in popularity in ebikes, this list is barely scratching the surface. For each of the units mentioned here, there are a dozen or more aftermarket competitors offering similar products. Do your research, talk to the experts at your local bike shop, and decide which unit is right for you and your needs. Once you do that, keep the rubber side down! Power up with unlimited access to WIRED . Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today .
Motor 1
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Skoda Turns Its Big Wagon Into a Truck With a Weird Door
Skoda traces its roots to 1895, when founding fathers Václav Laurin and Václav Klement established Laurin & Klement to manufacture bicycles. Car production began in 1905, and the company evolved into Skoda Auto in 1925 after being acquired by the industrial conglomerate Skoda Works. The year 2025 marks the 130 th anniversary of the original company's founding, and Skoda is celebrating with a special vehicle that pays homage to its humble beginnings as a bicycle manufacturer. The L&K 130 is a Superb wagon converted into a pickup truck by students from the Skoda Auto Vocational School. It's their tenth one-off special project and the first based on a plug-in hybrid. Skoda engineers collaborated with 28 students to reshape the B- and C-pillars and remove the rear section to accommodate a custom bike rack. Photo by: Skoda The two bikes rest on an electrically extendable bed with integrated rails that lift and tilt them at a 35-degree angle, allowing them to fit when the rear section is closed. A third bike can be mounted on the roof, but perhaps more intriguing is the rear door on the passenger side. It not only swings outward and slides backward but also features two locking mechanisms and two handles. Opening the minivan-style door reveals a single seat. The three-person rear bench from the original Superb wagon was removed to make room for a cool box and an external speaker kit. A new rear window was designed to suit the modified body style. Up front, Skoda added a radio transmitter and a tablet that displays footage from a rear-mounted camera. Beyond the structural modifications and reworked interior, the students applied gold, red, white, and black accents as a tribute to the Laurin & Klement logo. The original L&K badge, dating back 130 years, replaces the familiar winged arrow emblem that has been in use for the past century. The unique wagon-turned-pickup project required over 2,000 hours to complete. The L&K 130 will be showcased next month during the 112 th edition of the Tour de France, which Skoda has supported for over two decades. As with previous Student Cars, a production version isn't planned. Skoda L&K 130 pickup truck based on the Superb Combi 18 Source: Skoda See Other Skoda Student Cars: Skoda Afriq Debuts As Lightweight AWD Concept With Drinking Water Generator Skoda Mountiaq Debuts As Rad One-Off Pickup Based On Kodiaq Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Washington Post
11 hours ago
- Health
- Washington Post
In Uganda, a tougher bicycle offers hope for better health coverage in rural areas
LIRA, Uganda — The bicycle parked in Lucy Abalo's compound doesn't belong to her. Any one of the hundreds of people in her village can show up and ask to use it. A man might wish to take his pregnant wife for a checkup. A woman might need transport to pick up HIV medication. An injured child might need a trip to a hospital.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Montreal bicycle rental company sets new records during public transit strike
Montreal's main bicycle rental company says its users smashed records during the recent transit strike, travelling the equivalent of more than 50 times around the Earth. BIXI Montreal, which rents bikes for short rides, says its users made more than 80,000 trips a day during seven of the nine strike days, including more than 98,500 trips on June 11. Each of those seven days surpassed the busiest day in 2024, when 79,868 trips was a record at the time. Pierre-Luc Marier, spokesman for the non-profit, says the company's bicycles made about 10,000 trips per hour during rush hour on the busiest days. 'It was three rentals per second across the entire network, so it was very, very popular, with a lot of frequency,' he said in a phone interview on Wednesday. In total, he said nearly 700,000 trips were made during the public transit strike, covering about 2,200,000 kilometres, 'which represents 54 times around the Earth.' The strike by 2,400 transit maintenance workers reduced bus and metro service between June 9 and June 17, with full service on the weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix. Service was most limited during the first three days, when the buses and subways didn't run outside morning and afternoon rush hours and late at night. Marier said the company added staff and capacity at docking stations to help ensure renters found a steady supply of bicycles to rent and places to park them. Those staff included 'valets' to smooth the bike-return process by accepting bicycles when docking stations were full. Stations in residential neighbourhoods tend to empty out quickly in the morning as workers head downtown, where docking stations fill up. That pattern is reversed later in the day. Marier said the company had all of its trucks on the road, and even rented extra, to help redistribute the bicycles and ensure an even supply. He said the company uses machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to predict the demand at each station. He's optimistic that many of the people who tried the service for the first time during the strike will embrace cycling — and BIXI — on a longer-term basis. The company surveyed new users, and found that 86 per cent of those who tried the service for the first time intended to use it again. 'It's very encouraging for active mobility in general, not only BIXI but for cycling,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
