Reviews

LightSpeed e-Bike kit review

Integrated battery and controller is awesome! 3 levels of pedal assist!
Slow charger provided with the stock version of the kit.
By Kamlesh Mallick on March 10, 2017 6:59 pm
Video Review
We review an eBike kit sent to us by LightSpeed eBikes, a company based out of Ahmedabad.
This company was formerly known as Indium Design but have rebranded as LightSpeed eBikes. 
​Apart from eBike kits, the company is hard at work on their eBike models.  They are working on the various approvals to sell them and also plan a crowdfunding campaign sometime in April 2017.

The PluginIndia team was given the LED version of LightSpeed eBike kit. This kit has an LED indicator on the handle bar, where the rider can adjust the pedal assist level. This kit is based on Lithium-Ion battery technology which makes it light enough to be mounted on a cycle. They have another kit which has an LCD screen just like the one we saw with the Spero eBike.  We will be reviewing that kit/eBike later!

We tried out the eBike kit on a single speed Fantom cycle. We rode the converted eBike in the city, away from the city and on hilly dirt roads.
​
Here are some photos of the kit and the test Fantom with the kit!

Specifications & Details

  • MANUFACTURED BY:
    LightSpeed Bikes
  • MODEL:  
    eBike LED Kit 
  • PRICE:
    The MRP is set to Rs 24000
  • SUGGESTED USE:
    Commuting with cities / towns and rides outside cities as we offer longer mileages per charge
  • WARRANTY:
    1 year replacement warranty on all electronic parts.
  • AVAILABILITY:
    The kit is expected to go on sale after the crowdfunding process of the company's eBikes.
    Sometime around May 2017.
  • MOTOR TYPE:
    Rear-Mounted Hub Motor
  • MOTOR OUTPUT:
    250 Watts
  • BATTERY VOLTAGE:
    36 Volts 
  • BATTERY WATT HOURS:
    Watt Hours = Volts x Ampere Hours
    36 V x 10.4 Ah = 374.4 Wh = 0.37 Units (KWh)
    BATTERY CHEMISTRY:
    Li-Ion - This is standard for most e-Cycles. Samsung cells are used in the battery pack.
  • CHARGE TIME:
    3 hours with a 3 Amp charger
    2 hours with a fast charger (sold as an accessory)
  • ESTIMATED RANGE:
    45 km on throttle
  • DISPLAY TYPE:
    LED indicators
  • READOUTS:
    Battery SOC, Pedal Assist Level, Walk Mode, On/Off toggle button
  • DRIVE MODE:
    Pedal Assist configured with Cadence Sensing Pedal Assist
  • TOP SPEED:
    25 kmph capped as per statutory regulations
  • TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE KIT:
    6 kg
  • BATTERY WEIGHT:
    2.5 kgs
  • MOTOR WEIGHT:
    3.5 kgs.
So here is our take on the LightSpeed eBike Conversion Kit:

What's in the box? : 6 out of 7

The box contains the motor, battery with integrated controller, pedal assist sensor, wire connectors, twist throttle, brake sensors, LED indicator, tags and grips.  
  • [+1] Motor integrated with alloy rim and spokes is a big plus. ​
  • [+1] The battery and controller is one single piece. Amazing!
    • This is the best part of the kit. Fitting the battery is such a piece of cake!
    • We have tried and used many eBikes which have a large box which acts as a controller, a large battery is mounted on top of the controller. This caused all sorts of issues regarding connections dropping, instability while riding on rough roads etc.  No such issues here!
  • [+1] The battery has an aluminum case, which really feels strong and durable.
  • [0] The 10.4 Ah battery feels heavy and is kinda large. 
  • [+1] The pedal assist sensor encloses the magnets in a plastic casing, this does not expose the magnets to dust or dirt. Nice.
  • [+1] Brake sensors are a good security feature. Most eBike kits come with these.
    • ​The issue is that, you will have to replace the brakes that you get with your cycle and use these which might be of lower quality.  Not a major issue.
  • [+1] Tags and grips are a nice touch.

Kit Installation : 4 out of 7

  • [+1] ​Installing the bottle battery is a piece of cake, if your cycle has a bottle holder.
  • [-1] If your cycle does not have a bottle holder, you are out of luck.  It would not be possible or you will have to make special arrangements to fit the battery on some of the unisex models or cycles that don't provide space for a bottle holder (like full suspension cycles).
  • [+1] ​Installing the motor is also easy with the integrated rim and spokes.
    • There are many kits out there, who don't give you a rim. But that is not the case here and the LightSpeed motor is very easy to install. Take out the rim, from the original cycle and add this rim in.
  • [0] ​Installing the pedal assist sensor needed some clarification and phone calls with LightSpeed support.
    The sensor has to be fitted near the crank on the right side. Also ensure that the sensor does not move. It needs to be stable.
    • Maybe a online video or an instruction manual on how to fit the pedal assist sensor can help beginners.
  • [+1] Installing the LED on the handle bar and the throttle is straight forward.
  • [+1] ​Wire connectors are marked for easy connections.
  • [+1] ​There aren’t many wires and cables hanging around, as the controller is inside the bottle battery and that lends itself to it’s neat look.

Performance & Range : 8 out of 8

  • [+1] The handling and balance feels perfect, owing to the placement of the battery pack and controller at the center. One would certainly consider it as a daily commute option.
  • [+1] The torque is instant! Especially when you use the throttle. The Pedal assist at the 'High' mode, too feels very torqy!
  • [+1] The throttle is programmed to start after few seconds. That is a good thing. As many people play with the throttle, when the eBike is parked and stationary, as a result we have seen eBikes fly!
    • If you are using the throttle most of the time, physical gears are recommended accessory on your cycle. With a single speed e-Cycle, pedaling from a standstill at 0 kmph is tougher and you tend to use the throttle right from the start, and that drains more power from the battery. With a geared e-Cycle, you can use the lower gears to pedal easily and use the electric throttle when you reach a certain speed. Thus having gears with help your e-Cycle go further, as you are seeking the motor’s assistance more efficiently. Which means more range per charge.
  • [+1] The cadence based pedal assist sensor does a great job. You can clearly see the difference as you cycle through the modes
    • The cadence sensing pedal assist kicks in after few revolutions of the pedal. 
    • I could easily climb small hills, flyovers, bridges just by using the pedal assist. 'High' mode is recommended while encountering steep hills.
  • [+1] The battery only consumes 0.37 units (kWh) of electricity to fully charge and goes 45 km
    • In our tests, we got more than 45 km especially if you combine pedaling and the throttle.
    • Very good economy for those who decide to use it as a means of daily commute.
  • [+1] Test ride 1: Chinchwad to Baner
    • Distance - 15 km
    • Time, road & traffic condition - Late night, regular roads
    • Verdict - Ripped across the city with pedal assist mode 'High' combined with throttle. There was than 3 bars remaining at the end of the ride
  • [+1] Test ride 2: Baner Hill trails
    • Distance - 3 km
    • Time, road & traffic condition - Early Morning, empty narrow mud trails with lots of pot holes.
    • Verdict - Very impressed with the stability and the firmness with which the bottle battery held its position.
  • [+1] Test ride 3: Baner to Amanora Park Town
    • ​Distance - 25 km
    • Time, road & traffic condition - Morning. The traffic had gotten quite dense. 
    • Verdict - Very easy. The best way to use this kit during start and stop traffic is to use the throttle. When you get long stretches of roads with no traffic, we recommend pedaling and enjoying using pedal assist in 'High' mode.  We still observed 2 bars on the battery SOC meter at the end of the journey.

Charging : 3 out of 4

  • [+1] The charge indicator is on the LED display and gives a fair idea about the SOC (State of Charge).
  • [0] Three hours is TOO slow with the slow charger provided with the kit.
    • ​The quick charger is a separate accessory that needs to be purchased and will charge the battery in 2 hours. 
  • [+1] Charging process is very easy​.
  • [+1] We loved the charge indicator lights on the battery.  A very unique circular design.

Pricing and Availability : 2 out of 2

  • [+1] Rs 24,000 is a great price for a kit that provides so much. There are kits in the market that are more expensive and have less features compared to the LightSpeed LED kit.
  • [+1] The kit would be available during May 2017.​​

Extra Features : 3 out of 4

  • ​[+1] Key is provided to open or lock the battery.
  • [+1] LED panel is great.  Very basic and functional.
  • [+1] Tags and grips are included in the kit. That is a nice touch. 
  • [0]  No LED light or Electric horn provided with the kit
    • ​There are kits in the market that provide these. But we understand that these can be an accessory
    • Extra accessories purchased separately
      • Quick charger

Long Term Ownership Details

  • The battery may need replacement every 2.5 years depending on usage. 
    • The cost of an extra battery or replacement is not known.
    • The battery pack uses Samsung cells.
  • Dealers and service provided is still an unknown. The company assures us that customer issues would be promptly dealt with.
  • ​Currently FAME India (under NEMMP 2020) is not applicable to e-Cycles. It would be great if the government looked into this.
This is a great option to transform your daily commute into something fun and relaxing! 
Heck! You can even fit the kit on a geared cycle and take them to the hills on weekends!
Thank You!
The PluginIndia review team would like to thank the following people for being very nice and co-operating with us in order to work on this review.
  • Mr Rushad Rupawala partner at LightSpeed Bikes.

Other Links
www.lightspeed.bike
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