2021 Swytch Pro Brompton Review after 8 months of riding

[@hepela1959]

I just got my Brompton Swytch kit. Easy to assemble. It is an amazing kit. I'm really happy.

[@carolleenkelmann4751]

This has been immensley helpful in my quest for a touring Brompton to suit my needs.

[@DrJamesT]

All the best with your journey!

[@Chrisb8s]

I just received my Swytch kit. I have a 24 in term folding bike and it took a little macgyvering to put together. The pedal sensor was difficult because of all the tubing down there. I did find a way to do it but it had to be flipped around. But hey it all worked. !!! So fun. I did get a throttle.

[@DrJamesT]

There are Dahon Tern specific washers available from Swytch for the front wheel to enable more cable space. Check out Swytch Bike Chat and search "Adrian Velasco" it's in the comments regarding his post on C washers.

[@dufff]

Thanks a lot for this, best Swytch Brompton video around - just wish more reasonably priced kits used torque sensors!

[@whazzat8015]

I have gone from "ghetto" ebike builds to e motor bikes, and found your review superb. The eBike market suffers from extreme stratification and fails to identify how each product is designed to match the needs of its target. Foldies and low power assisting balanced applications don't get your kind of thoughtfulness. Low weight graceful boost is important. Discussion as to how the products meet the goals is crucial. Thanks You need a link for those great torque arms

[@DrJamesT]

Thank you i'll be releasing another video soon that explores this further as I'll be reviewing a high end brompton conversion kit called ARCC. The torque arms are supplied by Swytch, which are likely from third party suppliers. They have moved on using fork supports that double as torque washers, which have a much cleaner look.

[@timallen6025]

Fascinating and insightful , well done . Astute stuff , thank you 😊

[@DrJamesT]

Thank you kindly. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@AmbienceSpeakers]

Very infomative video! Thanks for your time.

[@lonestarlaurel8620]

Interesting to find More info re electrifying my Brompton. Thanks, and happy trails.

[@CrappyProducts]

Great review! One big point is that at least with the Swytch you don’t get a true free wheel whereas the Brompton electric does. This means riding without the battery causes massive drag

[@DrJamesT]

Thanks! Swytch motor drag is tolerable at speeds below 7mph. You’ll feel it a lot more when you are pushing it beyond that. Ideal if the motor wheels have a quick release so we can swap it with the non-motor wheel.

[@matjaro]

I own both the official brompton ebike and a brompton converted with switch, both have drag!! Both tolerable indeed

[@DrJamesT]

@@matjaro Thank you for your valuable insight!

[@CrappyProducts]

@@matjaro That's clearly not what I observe. This is mine kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXrKfaiql79jqtU and this one is brompton's kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaGclYWPrL-jjpI

[@kentwydell9322]

@@matjaro Not what I observe either. I have a Brompton Electric and I don't have any extra drag when freewheeling or exceeding the assist cut off speed (15.5 mph) as the motor completely disengages in such circumstances. If yours doesn't there is something wrong. I have a freewheel test section on my ride and the Brompton performed better than any other bike I have had. Over quite a few years and many esoteric steeds. I can maintain 18 to 20 mph on the flat. Way beyond the assist range. I reached 40 mph by gravity alone going down the hill by my home.

[@ukrytykrytyk8477]

Very informative video! Thank you for the work put in the research of the subject. I have a few questions. Do you know why Swytch doesn't have an output for powering external lights, like Brompton Electric? Is it possible to use the new battery on different bikes with different wheel size? I also think that you have mentioned that with Swytch one looses carrier block but the battery mount doesn't have to be put there but on the handlebars. Also it would help if the text comments on the video were staying on for longer. 👍

[@DrJamesT]

1) Swytch philosophy is about creating kits for the masses by keeping costs down. This is very much similar to Tesla's business model building an electric car for the masses. To do that swytch is simplifying. I can argue the original swytch battery is more complex because it does have a usb charge port that you can attach you lights to and readable LCD info screen. The new swytch pro doesn't have or less of that. 2) Yes you can use the same battery for any of the motors they currently offer as long as it's 250w. The mount design is the same for all their kits. Pro and Eco is different by capacity and the integrated light on the pack. 3) You can choose to have it on carrier block or handle bar, which frees up the carrier block but prevents you from folding the bike unless you remove the battery 4) Thanks, I'll keep the text shorter and more spread out, like subtitles. Usually the block of text is for misc info. Some people might not need it and it will cover the video, those interested to pause the video to read it. A tip i learned from Casey Neistat.

[@kentwydell9322]

@@DrJamesT Tesla a car for the masses? It is a a clever piece of kit but not for the masses. I would have thought the Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe are more likely candidates.

[@DrJamesT]

@@kentwydell9322 Model 2 is coming out for $25k, same price as Nissan Leaf

[@NoZenith]

Thank you so much for this thorough review. I'm shopping the Swytch kit and SO many videos just show a basic instalation and they don't really explain the mechanism. I really like the fact you even show the possibility of replacing the battery pack. I haven't seen the battery itself (replacement cells) priced out. This is something I am concerned about as I understand batteries have a life expectancy and the motor will probably last through a couple three batteries before it gets worn out. Any chance you know how much new cells will cost?

[@DrJamesT]

look up 36v battery packs for e bike on aliexpress. In the FB forum Swytch Bike Chat a few have added extensions. Its a simple plug and play. In Brompton Hack group someone used high capacity pack to make a smaller size package stored in a neat leather bag. I haven't seen anyone replace the actual cells yet but I assume they are 18560 cells. As long as it gives 36V and 5 Amps and above you're good. This is one of the reasons I bought the original kick because the cells are replaceable.

[@NoZenith]

@@DrJamesT thank you so very much for your thorough and straightforward response! Coming back to say I just subscribed :-)

[@DrJamesT]

I just replaced the inner battery pack for my Gen 1. Cost £70 ($100USD )for a 10ah. Made by Aerdu. Plug and play. Also 700g lighter than the 50 mile kit.

[@NoZenith]

@@DrJamesT that's really good to know :-) I've decided I'm not ready to do any modifications and spend the additional money right now so hopefully there are good options on the market in a couple years so I don't have to fight for a gen 1 switch kit

[@abene5000]

Hi! New subscriber. I recently preordered the swytch kit for 20 inch bikes and I can’t seem to decide which kit is better. If money is an issue and warranty matters would you prefer the vekkit or the swytch? I waited months on that list and finally went ahead and jumped the gun and purchased it. The only problem is that I can’t seem to decide if I made the right choice. Any advice?

[@DrJamesT]

Hopefully you would have used the referral link to get yourself a discount. Between Vekkit and Swytch I would say Swytch because Swytch customer support and warranty is solid now. Vekkit has faster delivery but quality and support is unknown.

[@abene5000]

DrJames Thank you for the quick reply and advice! I’ll stick with the Swytch. Thanks!

[@docloco86]

Question on the swytch bike, with the battery/motor off, does the front wheel freewheel smoothly? Mine seems to only just do 1 revolution which makes me wonder if I have installed incorrectly. It caught me out yesterday when my battery died and I was struggling to ride it as I normally would with my normal wheel.

[@handsonbrompton7875]

Very helpful and interesting... 👍

[@DrJamesT]

Glad it was helpful!

[@luishsteuer1660]

How does this compare to the ARCC or Nano kit and which might you reccomend to a Bromptoneer?

[@Myyt6908]

nicely done!

[@DrJamesT]

Thank You

[@Gabrielkingdom]

Hi there, Great video and thanks for sharing. I'm new subscribe, Ive pre order swytchbike kit for Brompton H6L a month ago. Ive order Thumb Throttle, don't know where I should put it, the handlebar is small, do you have any suggestion or idea that I can put my Thumb Throttle? By the way, where can i get GPS TRACKING DEVICE? hope to hear from you soon, thank you.

[@DrJamesT]

Suggest getting an Apple AirTag to track your Brompton. The Apple network is much more reliable than GPS because it works indoors too. The folks at Brompton Hack Facebook group are experimenting with this idea. Put the throttle right at the vertical part of the bar immediately after the bend. Your thumbs will still reach it. You just need the throttle to start you off or get you out of a uphill. So you don't need the full motion range. Search Throttle in the Swytch Bike Chat Facebook group for visuals.

[@Gabrielkingdom]

@@DrJamesT thank you so very much for your thorough and straightforward response!

[@Gabrielkingdom]

Hi Dr James, hope you are keeping well. I need help, my Brompton motor wheel stop working, but pedal sensor have red light connect to power pack. Do you know anyone or technician, can fix motor wheel.

[@slatermethuen]

Is the FT-21X throttle shown at 9:08 definitely compatible with the Swytch? I contacted two eBay sellers. One said it probably would work and the other said it wouldn't work.

[@DrJamesT]

Yes it's been verified by so many users on the Swytch Bike Chat.

[@missylorna688]

Hi Great information. When you say "slight drag in the hub" The web site says zero drag. How many times would the wheel rotate with a good spin? I want to be able to ride without the battery at times. Thanks.

[@DrJamesT]

Watch a few seconds from this segment where I showed the stats of spinning the wheel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmrRdGB3YpWdgrM

[@dylanclements2485]

Great content thank you 🙂👍

[@DrJamesT]

Thank you for your support!

[@onthewater4020]

I know I'm pretty late to the game, I just ordered two Swytch kits for myself and my partner. Thanks for the tip on the throttle - do you know of any aftermarktet brake sensors that work with the Swytch kit?

[@DrJamesT]

Go to swytch bike chat facebook group for listings. brake sensors IMHO are not needed. The motor stops the moment you stop pedalling. There's probably just one situation, going downhill without the foot on the pedal, is where you need a brake sensor.

[@onthewater4020]

@@DrJamesT Unfortunately I don't have Facebook. Are there alternative forums? My main thing is that there are times when I want to maintain a very low speed (crowds) so it would be good to have a "disengage" option without changing the settings.

[@barbbiggs]

This is all very well, but then you can't use the front bag. Is there an option to have it on the handlbar? And if so, does the bag still fit on?

[@DrJamesT]

Yes you can have it on the handle bar and fit brompton bags

[@steriltech63]

what size front rim are you using? did you have to send it away for them to install the motor on your rim???

[@DrJamesT]

Everything is DIY. Schwalbe marathon racers and regular marathons that fit the original brompton rim fits the supplied rim perfectly,

[@turbulanceism]

Question could you in theory attatch a swytch kit to an ebike with a rear motor!? Get dual motor power!?

[@DrJamesT]

yup make sure they have the same power and capacity otherwise one motor will drag the other

[@turbulanceism]

@@DrJamesT how would one find this information to buy a motor!? Also could a motor be attached to the existing wheel!? My wheels are gorgeous and I don't want to lose the aesthetic

[@syncrovibes]

Hi James, I am posting since you mentioned the JUDDERING issue you also had. I have just replaced the controller that Switch provided to me but it is not solved 100%. Let's say that it seems only much smoother but I can still feel the vibration when I decrease the pedaling rate... You have much more miles on your back with this, can you share your experience? or references to some forums..? thank you

[@DrJamesT]

Film this test: Flip your bike over or place it on a rack to test the motor wheel. Start applying the brake to create work for the motor. Bike should start vibrating. Send that video back to Swytch. They will sort you out. In the mean time adjust the power settings it might reduce it to 0 vibration. There no such thing as pedal rate because the bike doesn't measure cadence. You're either pedaling or you're not according to the motor. check wheel alignment. Swytch Bike Chat in FB is the biggest forum for this.

[@pedrocols]

No doubt a lot of engineering but the price is crazy.

[@trepicks]

Cytronex make a specific model for the USA ie 25mph cutout and they ship too!

[@DrJamesT]

i wonder what motor they used to make it to that speed.

[@trepicks]

@@DrJamesT Same motor. They programme the electronics to cut it out at a higher speed. Unlike many conversions the electronics are in the battery bottle.

[@lookoutleo]

Do you think it's worth the money the kit?

[@ThomasGutierrez-zy9hu]

I've been riding this bike for about a month kzbin.infoUgkxwC0IIeIomGQVeBWg-kKJaToZkLEFIA2W and a half now and I think it's fantastic. It helps me get to work on time every day since I'm able to fit it inside of public transportation rush hour. The price is great too, people are always shocked when they ask me how much I paid for the fold up and I tell them "200". It's easy to fold and installation when it ships is insanely easy. All you have to install when the bike arrives is one foot pedal, everything else is done for you. I do recommend you carry some sort of wrench to tighten any loose screws on the handle bar and seat whenever they get a little bit loose. Other than that I think it's a fantastic bike. Easily fits in the home, can fit inside a car trunk and can even fit in subway rush hour.

[@mitchelllance5290]

Temps in Phoenix, AZ are the reason battery and even solar not taking off. Well that and the greed of the Solar companies $7,000 of parts yet costs $16,500 for 5Ke system. Temps above 113°f inverters shutdown as will your bike and batteries. Overcharging of cold batteries also in wintertime also BMS warnings and cold packs for Summer help. High pressure tires a must to avoid broken tube neck movement kevlar tires too. Someday wheel chair tires and rims should be standard no tubes to deal with in my Goat head thorn hell that is Phoenix, AZ.

[@DrJamesT]

wow you need space technology for AZ

[@mitchelllance5290]

Quality racers and bearings in the neck are a must revolt people demand bike makers quit making junk.

[@DrJamesT]

You get what you pay for

[@DrJamesT]

Just spotted this, a E-Brompton Clone with the battery built into the frame www.unitedbike.com/bikes/e-trifold

[@jamesuhl3995]

That bike is

[@lilianasimoescarvalho9051]

My swytch kit has a broken rim spoke. How can I get a spoke... :) any ideia?

[@DrJamesT]

Contact Swytch support they can sort you out even when it's out of warranty by selling you parts at cost price. Otherwise go on ebay or aliexpress.

[@EgilMollerNielsen]

So if money doesn't matter is the best Human Cycle or simply to buy Brompton Electric?

[@DrJamesT]

If money doesn't matter and you want the lightest most compact conversion kit, get Human Cycle's Driiven. The official electric brompton lacks innovation compared to this.

[@EgilMollerNielsen]

@@DrJamesT Thanks.

[@EgilMollerNielsen]

@@DrJamesT Ok so you mean install the Human Cycle + on a normal Brompton? I have a normal Brompton and was considering to sell it and buy electrical Brompton or apply e-bike kit.

[@DrJamesT]

@@EgilMollerNielsen Sure you can do that. If you're based in the UK and don't mind driving to cambridge, you can have ARCC as an option. Their system is much better than the official electrical brompton. Wireless remote, keep original brompton bags, and Bosch Powertool batteries. Longetivity-wise ARCC is the way to go. Batteries are the consumable and will degrade after 1000 cycles. Bosch batteries are widely distributed and sold. If you work for a company that has bike to work scheme you could get e-brompton tax free. I know money is no object for you but i'm sure rich folks just love tax optimisation.

[@fryfromfuturama]

Looking for a bike shop to build one in london - any recommendations?

[@DrJamesT]

Swytch is based in hackney wick, london maybe you can ask them.

[@fryfromfuturama]

@@DrJamesT great thanks!

[@s.irvingbeer1207]

See Trustpilot before you give them a nickel

[@tsuyang4173]

you missed one called "hiddenpower" lol... don't look it up. it sucks. have one and got a swytch instead.

[@DrJamesT]

I almost bought a hidden power from ebay for £200. But it requires chopping off my air pump holder and it's has slippage in the rain.

[@tsuyang4173]

@@DrJamesT lol. i found that out the hard way about the rain. when it works it's great. but any dirt or water.... forget it.

[@DrJamesT]

@@tsuyang4173 since you have it you can use their friction wheel, which replaces their metal wheel. Expect your tire to be eaten up 3x as fast

[@NoZenith]

@@DrJamesT 😆

[@borisgurevich5504]

I see references to this Brampton all over the Internet, mainly from Brits. It looks like a pretty ugly machine. What makes it popular?

[@CosgroveNotts]

Sounds complicated. Faulty parts? Engineers, it don't sound good

[@DrJamesT]

I've picked out the established players in the last half of the video, expect to pay more for the white glove treatment.

[@musmanov4642]

If pedalling non e brompton, can achieve average 20mph. If spend £500 to make it e brompton, top speed is max 18mp/h. So why wasting money and make it heavier and slower? I really can understand🤷‍♂️

[@DrJamesT]

Because hills.

[@petergilbert72]

Interesting, well done. There’s quite a few others too: One, also a Belgian company can’t remember its name, Pendix with its crank motor, and more! A spreadsheet of them all would be really useful. 😁. I had my native B E stolen last week so am considering whether to replace with another, or do something different like the ARCC. B E’s quality issues are a thing of the past on its motor and I believe they’ve made some small improvements to prevent any future failures. They are also continuing to improve their app. The more I read of the alternatives the more I’m drawn back to the native B E.

[@DrJamesT]

Even if Native BE works perfectly. It's heavier and lacks a few unique features that ARCC has. Like it can be taken on a plane as a carry on.

[@petergilbert72]

@@DrJamesT yes, I reckon ARCC has four advantages. However I no longer travel by plane and looking for the Bosch batteries they aren’t as widely available as I had imagined - the DIY stockists do other sizes of Bosch. Then there’s the issue of longevity. Will the pull of the motor damage the front forks and steerer (both are parts Brompton reinforce on their model) and will ARCC be around in a few years to honour their warranty? So, as I don’t have a Brompton to convert, I’m tending to go with the native. I also have a bag and battery, and my partner has the same model, so mutual compatibility will also be useful (shared charger etc). And the native ones are available ftom Brompton whereas a new or used H6R don’t seem to be. Think I’ve decided 😁.

[@kernkraft404]

Swytch manipulates reviews, they are an awful company and their entire business model is based on misleading the customer about full price and delivery times.

[@DrJamesT]

I aim to be objective and neutral. I agree with your comment about their marketing and comms. They have improved a lot since the 1st round. It was really bad back then even their own marketing intern agreed.

[@DrJamesT]

3D print Brompton Luggage block Duc Pham www.thingiverse.com/thing:4853233 3D Print the pedal sensor holder for Brompton Duc Pham www.thingiverse.com/thing:4861507 3D Print Cap for the Battery Mount LeiEn www.thingiverse.com/thing:4913946 Seat tube battery carrier block Chris Capel www.thingiverse.com/thing:4890444

[@DrJamesT]

Earn a free kit or a further $70 discount on top of their 50% off with their referral. www.swytchbike.com/referrals/?r=biglea730Y

[@DrJamesT]

If you're looking for a more premium kit check out ARCC kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmrRdGB3YpWdgrM

[@twylaingerson5945]

get to the point. blah-blah overload.

[@DrJamesT]

Here's the point: buy it