NYCeWheels Electric Brompton Review

Nycewheels Electric Brompton Review 1
Electric Brompton
Electric Brompton 260 Watt Crystalyte Motor
Electric Brompton Bag Removed
Electric Brompton 260 Watt Crystalyte Motor
Electric Brompton Throttle Selector Bars
Electric Brompton Battery Bag
Electric Brompton Completely Folded
Electric Brompton Controller
Electric Brompton Frame Pump
Electric Brompton Front Chain Ring
Electric Brompton Internally Geared Hub
Electric Brompton Partially Folded
Electric Brompton Top View
Electric Brompton Split Battery Bag
Nycewheels Electric Brompton Review 1
Electric Brompton
Electric Brompton 260 Watt Crystalyte Motor
Electric Brompton Bag Removed
Electric Brompton 260 Watt Crystalyte Motor
Electric Brompton Throttle Selector Bars
Electric Brompton Battery Bag
Electric Brompton Completely Folded
Electric Brompton Controller
Electric Brompton Frame Pump
Electric Brompton Front Chain Ring
Electric Brompton Internally Geared Hub
Electric Brompton Partially Folded
Electric Brompton Top View
Electric Brompton Split Battery Bag

Summary

  • Custom folding electric bike configured by NYCeWheels in New York City USA, built on a Brompton frame
  • Multiple battery size options for increased range, powerful and quiet motor, optional lights and basket
  • Fairly light, very compact when folded and easy to use with trigger throttle but no pedal assist option

Video Review

Introduction

Make:

NYCeWheels

Model:

Electric Brompton

Price:

$2,795 USD

Body Position:

Upright

Suggested Use:

Urban, Travel, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Throttle on Demand (Class 2)
Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

Lifetime Frame, 1 Year Motor, 6 Month Battery

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2014

Bicycle Details

Total Weight:

45 lbs (20.41 kg) (Up to 48 Depending on Battery Size)

Frame Material:

Chromoly Steel

Geometry Measurements:

Folded Dimensions: 22.2 in High x 21.5 in Long x 10.6 in Wide

Frame Types:

Step-Thru, Folding

Frame Colors:

Black, White, (Apple Green for $100)

Frame Rear Details:

Rubber Bumper Suspension

Gearing Details:

3 Speed 1x3 Internally Geared Hub by Sturmey Archer

Shifter Details:

Slide Trigger on Right Bar

Pedals:

Aluminum Alloy Platform (Left pedal Folds)

Brake Details:

Mechanical Rim Brakes

Grips:

Foam, Flat

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe Marathon, 16" x 13/8"

Wheel Sizes:

16 in (40.64cm)

Tire Details:

Reflective Sidewall

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Chain Tensioner, Plastic Chainring Guard, Front and Rear Plastic Fenders with Mud Flaps and Roller Wheel, Zéfal Mini Pump (Mounts to Left Seat Stay), Optional Bags, Optional Basket, Optional Front Carrier Block, Optional Lighting System, Optional 8.8 ah Battery is Air Travel Approved

Other:

Maximum Rider Weight 250 lbs, Maximum Luggage Weight 50 lbs, Removable Battery Bag, Rollable Partial-Fold Design and Complete Fold, Anderson Battery Connectors

Electronic Details

Motor Brand:

Crystalyte

Motor Type:

Front-Mounted Gearless Direct Drive Hub
Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

250 watts

Motor Peak Output:

400 watts

Battery Brand:

Sanyo

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

5.6 ah (Optional 8.2 ah, 10 ah, 11 ah or 15 ah)

Battery Watt Hours:

201.6 wh (Optional 313.2 wh, 360 wh, 396 wh, 540 wh)

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium Polymer

Charge Time:

4 hours

Estimated Min Range:

10 miles (16 km)

Estimated Max Range:

40 miles (64 km)

Display Type:

LED Console

Readouts:

Battery Level, Throttle Power Level

Drive Mode:

Trigger Throttle

Top Speed:

18 mph (29 kph)


Written Review

The Electric Brompton is a custom build from NYCeWheels in Manhattan NYC USA. The leverage one of the lightest, sturdiest and highest quality three-speed folding bike frames made by Brompton and add a third party hub motor and battery pack at the front for power. This thing can still fold down as intended (as long as you remove the battery bag) and performs quite well in city environments. The narrow road tires are efficient but can feel a bit rough on bumps… thankfully the bike has a rear suspension block/bumper that compliments the steel frame to smooth things out. Depending on which battery option you choose it can get excellent range and thanks to a split-pack option it can also be carried onto planes if you plan on traveling. While it only offers a trigger throttle mode and no pedal assist, the motor performs well with solid acceleration and climbing. The internally geared rear hub keeps the drivetrain simple and on track and the optional lights and cargo basket add to the utility of the already included fenders.

The motor used on the Electric Brompton offers 250 watts of power with 400 watts peak output and it’s made by Crystalyte. It’s quite good for a lighter, smaller bike like this. The hub motor is smooth and quiet because it’s gearless and located in the front wheel to accommodate the rear three-speed hub. Putting the motor in the front wheel does add a bit of weight and inertia which can impact steering. The control unit, bag and battery are also located here but connect to the steerer tube so they don’t impact steering as much. The upside of this design is that the increased weight at the front provides traction right where power is being transferred to the groundd.

The battery pack (or packs) used on this bike are made by Sanyo and consist of Lithium polymer chemistry which is relatively light weight and long lasting. Depending on how far you need to go there are five options (all 36 volt power) offering 5.2 to 15 amp hours of capacity which is enough for 30+ miles. As mentioned before, there is a “split pack” option that’s legal to carry onto flights thanks to its smaller sized bricks. Unlike some of the more purpose built electric bikes out there, all of the batteries offered for this bike are a bit more exposed when taken out of the bag. The wires aren’t as well hidden and in fact the controller itself is zip tied right to the steerer tube. Aesthetically it’s not ideal but this is part of what keeps the bike foldable and keeps from voiding the Brompton frame warranty. Ultimately, the flexibility of choosing your own battery is nice and the front bag offers plenty of storage space for personal cargo in addition to the batteries.

Operating the Brompton electric bike is fairly simple. Just plug in the battery and press the power button on the small LED control panel. It will light up displaying how much battery capacity is remaining along with the power mode you’ve selected (there are three to choose from). From there, you only need pull the trigger throttle located on the left handle bar and the bike takes off. There’s no speed indicator or range readouts with this system but it gets the job done and I’m guessing the control panel would be less expensive to replace if it got bumped during transport or an accident. I like the high rise handlebars, bell, easy reach shifter on the right and rim brakes (which offer good stopping power). One drawback to the brake levers themselves is that they do not cut power to the motor… this could cause some instability if you forget to release the throttle when trying to stop or panic and just pull everything as hard as you can.

All things considered this is a solid folding electric bike. I love the fenders, different folding configurations, colors, shock absorber bumper and light weight that the Brompton frame offers but am a bit less impressed with the add-on motor, throttle-only configuration and lack of motor cutout with the brakes. This thing is expensive and most of the money goes towards the bike itself (which includes a lifetime warranty). NYCeWheels has done the best job I think anyone could to create an electrified Brompton without modifying the frame or voiding the warranty but as a result the cables and controller box are less aesthetically pleasing and all of the weight is in the front. If you love Bromptons and either live near New York City or are okay buying online this is an excellent option. NYCeWheels has an excellent reputation and has really refined this bike (you get a six month battery warranty and one year motor warranty). It’s not perfect but it performs well and is quite a bit better than I could imagine building for myself from scratch… in large part due to the custom Crystalyte motor that fits into the front fork without modification. There’s something awesome about the pull-behind fold configuration and the attention to detail that Brompton has put into the frame.

Pros:

  • The motor and battery setup are installed on the Brompton folding bike without modifying the frame (narrower Crystalyte hub motor doesn’t require widening the fork)
  • The bike can still fold as intended as long as you remove the battery carry case on the front
  • Lots of battery options to suit your range needs, one option with two small packs can be carried on airplanes
  • Steel frame helps to dampen vibrations when riding over cracks, potholes and bumps, rear suspension bumper is awesome
  • Removable battery + bag design is easy to disconnect and can be charged inside for reduced exposure to heat/cold
  • One of the lighter weight folding electric bikes, gets extremely small when folded and has a half-fold configuration where you can pull it along like a cart vs. carrying it
  • Great accessories including aluminum platform pedals and fenders with mud flaps
  • Gearless hub motor is quiet and durable (no gears inside rubbing around over times)
  • Three speed rear hub keeps the chain tight while keeping gears clean and hidden, requires less service than a traditional cassette and derailleur
  • NYCeWheels can actually install their drive system on your existing Brompton folding bike

Cons:

  • Relatively firm seat and narrow tires makes for a stiffer ride but rear suspension bumper helps
  • No pedal assist option, trigger throttle only (works pretty well with variable speed output)
  • Relatively expensive folding ebike but it does leverage the high quality Brompton frame with lifetime warranty
  • All of the weight from the battery pack, bag and hub motor are located in the front which changes steering a bit
  • Control box and wires aren’t concealed like some purpose built folding electric bikes, they stay out of the way but don’t look quite as nice (they run along the steerer tube and downtube of the frame)
  • The brakes aren’t wired into the controller so they don’t cut power to the motor like some purpose built ebikes

Resources:

Comments (6) YouTube Comments

ruben pampa chara
8 years ago

me gustaria comprar esa bicicleta donde puedo comprar y cuanto vale soy del pais de peru lima

  Reply
Court Rye
8 years ago

Hola Ruben , me gustaría poder ayudar a encontrar un distribuidor para esta moto eléctrica. Por desgracia , muchos modelos sólo están disponibles en los EE.UU. y Canadá. Algunas compañías se enviarán abrod y creo Daymak es uno de ellos . ¡Espero que esto ayude! Por favor , hágamelo saber si usted es capaz de encontrar una bicicleta , tal vez esto ayude a otros que viven en Perú :)

  Reply
Jose
7 years ago

Hi, I like to have a electric kit on my Brompton bike, how can i buy and how much this electric kit, and it is easy to install it.

Thank You. from Dublin Ireland, Jose

  Reply
Court Rye
7 years ago

Hi Jose, I don’t sell this kit (or any products here, just review them) but you can contact NYCeWheels through their website here which includes a phone number and contacts for email. I hope this helps!

  Reply
Pauli Mahlamäki
5 years ago

Hello. You do have elcric prompton. I Have MY ovn Prompton i am I am looking for “kit”. To make it alectric one. Have you that one. How can I order that one, can you help me please? Best regads Pauli Mahlamäki Finland

  Reply
Court
5 years ago

Hi Pauli! I don’t think NYCeWheels is in business anymore, but there are some alternative ebike kits and companies that might be able to help you! One is called the Electric Bike Outfitters. They custom make wheels in different sizes and I’ve reviewed some of their products here. I hope this helps! You may be able to ask others about different kits and solutions by joining the EBR Forums and looking at the ebike kits & DIY forum area.

  Reply

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