The best electric bike conversion kits 2024 and how to fit them

With one of the best electric bike conversion kits you can add power to your own bike at a fraction of the cost of a full machine

Best electric bike conversion kits: Swytch Max battery on a handlebar
Swytch Max battery on a handlebar
(Image credit: Paul Grele)

E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular amongst cyclists. Why? The best electric bikes increase the distances possible with commuter bikes and replace a car for running errands around town. It doesn't stop there. There are now electric bike options for every type of rider, regardless of whether you're a mountain biker or just a casual road bike enthusiast.

Of course, e-bikes aren't cheap and is an e-bike worth it?

Enter the e-bike conversion kit.

Put simply, e-bike conversion kits add the electric boost to an 'analogue' bike without the price tag of a full e-bike.  

You'll need to consider a few factors before buying an e-bike conversion kit. Obviously, the kit will need to fit the dimensions of your forks, the width of the rear stays and wheel sizes and the type of brakes you have. You’ll also want to consider where the motor will be located. Front hub motors are typically the easiest to fit, while mid-drive motors require more effort.  Other considerations include the type of battery and the wattage rating - 36 or 48 volt battery is standard, with wattage usually running from 300 to 600 watts.

But fear not...it's far more simple than it sounds.

We'll guide you through the benefits an e-bike conversion kit has to offer and—crucially—how to perform an e-bike conversion. For a walk-through on how to do it, you can check out the video above or read on for a step-by-step guide. 

Naturally, you’ll also need to consider the cost, and how much you chose to spend on an e-bike conversion kit will be dictated by not only your budget but also your needs. If you’re unsure of just how much you’ll use the converted bike then it’s prudent to opt for a cheaper kit—you can always upgrade down the road. 

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Content Director

Rob has been Content Director of Cycling Weekly - and stablemates Bikeperfect, Cyclingnews.com and MBR - since May 2021. Before that he spent two years in similar role at Bikeradar, which followed 12-years as Editor-in-chief of Cycling Plus magazine and eight years at Runner's World. In his time as a cycling journalist he's ridden from London to Paris at least twice, London to Bristol once, completed the Fred Whitton Challenge, L'Etape du Tour and Maratona dles Dolomites. He's also jumped into the broom-wagon at La Marmotte and Oetzaler Radmarathon.