Urban X is a device that allows you to transform your bike into an electric one by changing a wheel and inserting a small accelerator on the handlebars
You are pedaling uphill and at a certain point you are forced to stop. You are too tired to continue. And it's right at this moment that you regret not buying one of those pedal-assisted bicycles. A startup has come up with an idea: a system that turns a traditional bicycle into an electric one.
How? Simply by changing one wheel, the front one to be precise, and adding a small tool to the handlebars. That's it. Your dear old bicycle will as if by magic begin to "trot" thanks to the push that comes from the electric device. Urban X, this is the name that the small company has given to the system, takes a few seconds to be installed: 60, according to the startup. Startup that to finance the project has launched a campaign on Kickstarter, one of the main crowdfunding platforms. How many types of bicycles can be converted? Almost all.
Features of Urban X
Now let's take a closer look at the e-bike. Let's start with the wheel, the heart of the device. It is powered by an electric motor and a removable battery. There are two versions of the motor: the 350 Watt one, which allows the bike to cover 30 miles (in kilometers more than 48) and reach a top speed of more than 30 kilometers per hour. The 240 Watt model still has the same autonomy as the larger motor, but allows Urban X to reach a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour (24 in km/h). A key role is played by the accelerator, to be placed on the handlebars of the bike, with which you can activate the pedal assistance.
How the e-bike works
Once mounted the smart wheel and accelerator, to transform the bike into e-bike will simply connect the two parts with a cable. And that's it. The "magic" wheel offers three levels of pedaling: hybrid, fully electric or traditional. The modes can be changed through a special app. Application that also allows you to collect information on the condition of the battery, distance traveled and speed.
Price and release date
Urban X, according to the startup's roadmap, will begin to be delivered to backers (the financiers) starting in July 2017. As for the price: the basic version will start at $299, while the "premium" version will start at $399.