The Kranke motor adapter might just be a true quiver killer. The product is designed to turn an eMTB into a regular mountain bike, saving weight and expanding ride possibilities into new territory. While products like the Bimotal Elevate seek to make mountain bikes electric, the Kranke adapter allows eMTBs to go unplugged.
Two years in development
Australia-based Kranke founder Pete Fisher told Singletracks he’s been working on the adapters for two years. “The original adapter was made for my Kenevo SL after I was in a position where I had motor issues, and that required several weeks for it to be resolved.”
With a bike trip to New Zealand planned and no time to complete the repair, Fisher didn’t want to take his chances with a rental bike. So, he asked his machinist friend Sandy to create a rig that would allow him to remove the motor from the bike and run a normal crankset. Luckily, that first prototype worked as intended.
“I was able to take MY bike to NZ and enjoy the trip with all the confidence of knowing my bike setup,” Fisher said.
The pair worked to refine the design, adding a bash plate and testing over some of the roughest DH trails in Australia. At Sea Otter Australia late last month, Kranke showed off adapters designed to fit bikes with Bosch, Specialized, and Avinox motors.
Why take the motor out of an eMTB?
For Fisher, the initial need for an adapter stemmed from a broken motor, but another use case seems far more interesting: owning a single bike that can be ridden electric or non-electric. Depending on the e-bike, removing the motor and battery easily saves 10-12lb, bringing the weight of an eMTB much closer to a non-electric bike. And without motor drag, the bike will pedal just as efficiently as a standard mountain bike.
With trail access limited for electric bikes in some areas, Kranke opens up the ability to ride more trails legally. Or, in the case of air travel, where large eMTB batteries aren’t allowed in luggage, riders can bring their favorite bike and pedal it like a non-electric bike, as Fisher did on his trip to New Zealand.
Most enticing of all is the possibility of switching between days riding lifts at the bike park and days spent pedaling up the mountain. Removing 10+ pounds makes for a lighter, more playful ride experience in the bike park where a motor isn’t needed.
“It has brought a new purpose to my bike, as I can preserve the expensive motor and battery for when I’m home and riding my local at Mt. Narra on the northern beaches in Sydney, and change out to the adapter in under 10 minutes for a weekend or overseas trip of DH shuttles,” he said.
Compatible with most cranksets, and adapters for more motors are coming
We’re told that Kranke adapters feature a “typical bottom bearing” that will work with most cranksets. With the motor removed and the Kranke adapter in place, the motor’s original bash plate can be attached for a seamless look.
Fisher says an adapter for the Shimano EP8 motor is currently in development. “The Fazua ride 60 and TQ would also be amazing, and are on our list of projects in the future.”
Adapters are priced around $300 USD. For buyers who own an eMTB and a non-electric mountain bike, this could be a good way to free up some room in the garage or to consolidate resources into a single bike.
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