Although nothing seems to be revolutionary in the world of electric bikes, the Skarpe motor turns an ordinary “bike” into a motorized one in a few simple steps. By simply tapping the saddle, which features the new clip-and-go motor, the rear wheel is electrically driven and disc braked. The first patent in the United States went to Ogden Bolton Jt. back in 1895.
That first battery-powered bicycle had a central motor mounted inside the rear wheel. Meanwhile, the battery was attached to the vehicle’s cross bar. Then, in Boston, two years later, came the invention of Hosea W. Libbey. In this case, the electric bicycle was driven by a motor located on the crank set shaft. Despite all the evolution of batteries and motors, the basic methods of propulsion remain almost unchanged.
Skarpe engine in a growing business
During 2020, sales of electric bicycles reached $41 billion. It is expected that by 2030 a total of US$120 billion could be invoiced. However, Odgen’s patent looks like a distant cousin of these latest high-performance models. However, modern machines still follow these same basic design principles.
The novelty is at a location in Camden, North London. There, Alastair Darwood invented a clip-on motor that is equipped with a battery that allows any bicycle, with disc brakes, to become its electric torque. This proposal, innovative in many ways, caught the attention of Chris Hoy, six-time Olympic champion and 11-time cycling world champion. Today he decided to invest in the project and has become very involved in the electrical project.
Fully operational
The Skarpe needs to have a rear disc brake rotor replacement done on our bike with their DiskDrive. Then you can see a good performance with the traditional disc brake rotor. At three kilograms, the unit features the battery and 250-watt motor that attaches to the vehicle’s frame. This DiskDrive rotor has been attached to the unit with a clip, which allows it to engage with the inner gear.
In terms of operation, the internal gearing of the motor turns the special brake rotor, which rotates the rear wheel. This small sensor, attached to the bicycle’s crank, measures the speed and cadence at each pedal stroke. The Skarper can reach 60 kilometers of autonomy, according to the maximum speeds legally allowed.
We are talking about 25 km/h or its equivalent of 18 mph, as in the United States. Once arrived at the destination, the unit is easily detached from the frame and stored in the accompanying bag. Full battery charge takes only 2.5 hours.
It is worth mentioning that Skarper’s story began as a result of confinement by Covid-19. There Darwood started working on an electric bicycle, until he came up with this product that allows to combine a conventional “bike” into an electric vehicle.
