E-bikes—or more accurately, pedal-assist bikes—are not cheap. So you have a few options. You can continue treating every uphill climb as leg day on your good ol’ pedal-powered bike, or painfully part with your hard-earned money for an e-bike. Thankfully, there’s another option, and it’s called Kamingo.
Kamingo makes you ask, “Why buy a whole new e-bike when you can simply electrify the one already sitting in your garage?” So what really is Kamingo? Well, it’s a lightweight conversion kit that turns an ordinary bicycle into an e-bike in as little as 10 seconds. Well, technically, that’s after a one-time installation that takes about three minutes. Once the mounts are in place, the motor, battery, and controller snap on and off in seconds. It is almost like having two bikes in one. I am not even exaggerating.
It retrofits to most bicycles on the seat tube or seat stay, and no, you do not need to be a rocket scientist to carry out the fitting. When installed, Kamingo uses a friction-drive roller that gently presses against the rear tire. If that sounds old-school, the company has modernized the concept with Pressure-Adaptive Technology (PAT), which automatically adjusts how firmly the roller contacts the tire for better grip and reduced tire wear.
Under the hood is a 250 W rated motor capable of delivering up to 750 W of peak power, paired with a 266 Wh battery disguised as a water bottle. Together, they promise up to 90 km (55 miles) of assisted riding, magnetic fast charging in around three hours, regenerative braking, and three riding modes: Standby, Assist, and Cruise, the latter where local regulations permit. Better still, the entire system weighs just 2.3 kg (5.1 lb), so carrying your bike upstairs shouldn’t suddenly become a workout.
The best part is, of course, it gives your legs a superpower when they need one. Ride normally on the flats, and when the road starts pointing upwards, you can call upon it for assistance. The installation is completely reversible. You can remove the whole kit when you want your bike back in its original form.
If there is one thing worth mentioning, it is that friction-drive systems have always divided opinion. They are wonderfully simple and easy to install, but some riders worry about tire wear and wet-weather performance. Those worries are not unfounded. However, Kamingo believes PAT solves those concerns, though that is something we’ll have to wait and see once more people get their hands on it.
So where can you buy it? Well, about that. We are a little late on this. Kamingo was on Kickstarter last year, where early bird backers were able to snag one from US$349, before the expected retail price of US$589. The campaign has since ended—successfully funded to a tune of US$1.8 million from over 4,600 backers. Last check, it is listed as “SOLD OUT” on its website.
If it delivers on its promises, it could be one of the most practical—and possibly the most compact—e-bike conversion kits we’ve seen in quite some time.
Images: Kamingo.