Don’t Buy it, Build it: DIY Electric Bicycle

Interest in consumer bicycles is growing every day, with major manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and even IKEA trying to get in on the e-bike action. They’ll have to compete against clever startups like VanHawks and Local Motors, too – who each have their own clever ebike solution. Still, despite the growing variety of electric bicycle species out there, their numbers still can’t compare to the vast array of “regular” bicycles available from brands trendy, storied, or technified (which is a word, now).

So, what do you do if the slick new road bike or classic Schwinn Stingray (the 3 spd., of course) of your dreams isn’t an e-bike, then?

You make it one.

Micah Toll, a mechanical engineer who’s been featured in Forbes, Wired, and USA Today, wants you to know that it’s not as difficult as you might think to turn your two wheeled transport into a bona-fide, highly reliable electric bicycle with just a few simple tools – and, often, at a fraction of the cost of some of the bikes we mentioned, above. His book, the Ultimate Do-it-Yourself EBike Guide, is all about teaching ordinary people how to build your own electric bicycle for cheap.

Recently, Micah launched a Kickstarter campaign to help get the word out about his new book. He’s already shattered his initial goal with almost 3 weeks left to go, but most interesting of all, I think, is the $100 coaching option, which allows backers to connect directly with Micah so he can help walk them through the build of their unique electric bicycle. You can check out Micah’s project in the video, below, or head over to his Kickstarter page for all the details. Enjoy!