This Attachable Motor Can Turn Almost Any Bicycle Into an E-Bike
If you really like your bike but don’t want to pedal literally all the time, a CLIP friction drive may be right for you. This lightweight electric motor will turn your regular bike almost into an e-bike. It attaches to your front wheel in seconds and gives you an extra boost of energy to cross a bridge or climb a hill on your way to work.
I recently attached a CLIP to my bike and spun it around and here’s what I think.
A quick look at the CLIP
The CLIP is definitely a neat little gadget, but it’s not for everyone.
Pros
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Brilliant design . A lot of effort has been put into making this product easy to use and effective.
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Easy Installation : Attaching and detaching the CLIP takes about 10 seconds and requires no tools.
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Portable : CLIP is small enough to fit in your backpack when you travel to work or school.
Cons
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Limited Power : It won’t take you far or up big hills.
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Price : $499 or $599 is a lot for an e-bike part.
Installing CLIP is easy.
Both the local bike shop where I purchased my CLIP review unit and the company that makes the product offered to help me with the installation, but I turned them down. I wanted to see if their “easy to set up” claims were true. Verdict: Absolutely true.
The CLIP installation took about 45 seconds. You don’t need tools, screws or wires – you don’t even need instructions. You can see the side arms are spread out to attach to the fork and the small CLIP wheel rests on the front wheel without a diagram. The rest of the installation involves attaching the wireless button to the steering wheel using a magnet. Easy, simple. I estimate this is 8000 times easier than full e-bike conversion kits.
However, CLIP is not designed for every bike. It does not fit bikes with front suspension forks and is designed for tires between 26 and 28 inches in diameter. So please check this compatibility tool on the CLIP website before purchasing.
What it’s like to ride a bike with CLIP
When I first attached the CLIP, I was concerned about safety. The Explorer CLIP weighs nearly 10 pounds, while the Commuter weighs nine (most of the weight comes from the Explorer’s 96 Wh battery and the Explorer’s 192 Wh battery). It’s not a lot to carry, but it seems to be enough to throw him off balance. bike. However, once I pedaled a little, physics took over and everything became completely stable.
If you’re used to riding e-bikes, you’ll have a bit of a learning curve with the CLIP. Unlike an e-bike, it does not deliver power based on cadence or pedal torque. CLIP transfers power based on the rotation of the front wheel, so it propels you forward until you stop adding power to the system, and then maintains the speed you’ve built, reaching a top speed of about 15 mph. It’s a lot more fun than pedaling to get that speed.
A typical e-bike will stop delivering power when you hit the brakes and won’t turn on again until you step on the pedals, so if you slow down, you’ll roll over. However, if you slow down with CLIP from, say, 15 to 10 mph, it will maintain a speed of 10 mph after braking. It’s not a big deal, but it takes some getting used to.
The red button provides an increase in power. It works, but given the relatively small motor and CLIP battery, it’s better to let it help you pedal rather than expect it to drag you.
Speaking of battery, they’re not lying about the six or 12 mile range. Luckily, the CLIP battery charges to full capacity in 30 minutes for the commuter model and an hour for the Explorer model.
To perform the CLIP stress test, I rode my bike over potholes and uneven surfaces to see if it shook while remaining firmly attached to the front wheel.
Overall, the CLIP is a fun little addition to your bike, perfect for short commutes to school or work, but there are a lot of things that the CLIP is not designed for.
Everything that CLIP is not
While CLIP is useful for some types of cycling, it has a narrow range of capabilities. It should not be used in the rain or on a wet street; Range per charge is short—6 miles for a passenger, 12 for an explorer, even with regenerative braking—and power output is minimal. It will help you get up the hill, but it won’t pull you up.
CLIP is not designed to turn your bike into a full e-bike; it’s designed to improve your ride, and it does it very well. Whether it’s worth the price is subjective, but the two CLIP models retail for $499 and $599, so it’s not cheap, especially if you can buy a quality budget e-bike like the Propella 7S for $899 or take your chances. Amazon’s no-name e-bike is even cheaper.
Total for CLIP
The CLIP is a good option for riders who already love their bike and want a portable, lightweight motor for short, mostly flat city rides. It’s easy to set up, easy to use, and provides the energy you need to run errands or attend class. Despite being a minimal bike motor for city commuters, the CLIP gets the job done well. Just don’t expect it to turn your bike into a full-fledged e-bike.