This lightweight electric motor turns your regular bike into almost-an-e-bike.
I strapped a CLIP onto my bike and gave it a spin recently, and heres what I think.
Pros
Ingenious design: A ton of thought went into making this product easy to use and effective.
Easy set-up: Attaching and detaching the CLIP takes about 10 seconds and requires no tools.
Portable: The CLIP is small enough to fit into a backback when you get to work or school.
Cons
Limited power: It wont take you far and it wont take you up big hills.
Price: $499 or $599 is a lot for only part of an e-bike.
I wanted to see how true their claims of “easy to set up” actually are.
Verdict: extremely true.
The CLIP took about 45 seconds to install.
You don’t need tools, screws, or wiresyou don’t even need the instructions.
The rest of the installation is attaching a wireless button to your handlebars with a magnet.
I estimate that it’s 8,000 times easier than full e-bike conversion kits.
The CLIP is not designed for every bike, though.
So check thiscompatibility toolon CLIP’s website before you buy.
It’s not too much to carry, but it’s seemingly enough to unbalance a bike.
Once I pedaled a bit though, physics took over and it felt entirely stable.
If you’re accustomed to riding e-bikes, there’s a small learning curve with a CLIP.
Unlike an e-bike, it doesn’t provide power based on your pedal cadence or pedal torque.
This is way more fun than having to pedal to get to that speed.
Not a huge deal, but something it’s crucial that you get used to.
The red button provides a boost of power.
Speaking of the battery: They aren’t lying about the six or 12 mile range.
It will give you some help getting up a hill, but it won’t pull you up.
For what it isa minimal, grab-and-go bike motor for city dwellersthe CLIP does its job well.
Just dont expect it to turn your bike into a full-fledged e-bike.
