Frequently Asked Questions

The main factor determining whether SmartBikeWheel will fit your bike is the width of the front fork. SmartBikeWheel needs around 4" between the fork ends (where the wheel connects to the fork).

Some forks are tapered, so there is one other measurement to do - 5 and a 1/2 inches up from the fork ends, SmartBikeWheel needs roughly 3 and 1/4 inches of room.

Sound confusing? Then download one of our sizing templates, and know for sure.

Yes you can - even if you don't consider yourself handy, it's a simple process and we provide detailed instructions and videos to help.

There are 3 steps:

  1. Loosen your front brake and remove your front wheel - either using your quick release lever or the included wrench.
  2. Install your SmartBikeWheel with the included wrench and reconnect the brake - adjust as needed.
  3. Download the app, connect it to SmartBikeWheel and update your settings.

That's it!

SmartBikeWheel does not work with thru-axles. The axle on SmartBikeWheel is flat on two sides to allow it to fit into the slot of a standard drop axle front fork.

The combination of slots and flat sided axle allows the axle to stay firmly in place so SmartBikeWheel can pull the bike forward.

With a thru-axle, there is no slot, so even if you could get SmartBikeWheel mounted, it would just spin in place.

For more info on thru-axles, click here.

You can download a PDF version of the Installation Instructions here.

Setting the gyro is critical to proper operation of SmartBikeWheel.

The Gyro setting allows SmartBikeWheel to know if you are travleing uphill, downhill or on level ground.

No, SmartBikeWheel remembers the Gyro setting. The Gyro needs only to be set once.

Most orders are being shipped from China. Because SmartBikeWheel products contain Lithium batteries, we aren't able to ship by air, so orders from China are shipped by sea. The tracking number you see (usually from UPS or Fedex) and covers the transportation from the US port to your home. An update won't be shown until the US carrier gets your order at the port.

We list a range of "up to 35 miles per charge", but your actual mileage will vary based on terrain, wind, temperature, assitance level, rider weight, tire pressure and so forth. There is no standard for elecric bike mileage like there is for cars, so all the manufacturers test their bikes in optimal conditions to get the greatest range. For comparison sake, we tested SmartBikeWheel on a flat road on a 77 degree day, no wind, a 132 lb rider at an average speed of 15 mph with 50% assist. SmartBikeWheel was able to go 56 miles under these conditions.

Are you going to get 56 miles per charge? probably not - these were pretty ideal conditions for testing. So, rather than claim 56 mile range and have you disappointed, we claim up to 35 miles per charge because that's the range our customers say they get.

We know everyone isn't alike, so we created 3 different ways SmartBikeWheel can be controlled:

  1. Smart Assist - When you use the app to setup SmartBikeWheel, you tell it a few key things and calibrate its gyroscope to level. SmartBikeWheel's SmartAssist knows how fast it's going, what level of assist is selcted on the app and whether it's going up or down a hill. It uses this data to determine how much assitance you need. Are you struggling going up a hill? - SmartBikeWheel will provide the right amount of assistance to fix that. Are you riding down the otherside? - SmartBikeWheel knows not to help. It really is smart!
  2. Pedal Assist - Pedal assist bikes need a sensor on the crank to know how hard your pedaling. With SmartBikeWheel we offer an optional Pedal Assist Sensor that uses bluetooth, so no wires are needed. You just strap the sensor on the crank near your pedal, connect it to SmartBikeWheel using the App, and you are ready to go. SmartBikeWheel now knows when you're pedaling and when you aren't and provides the assistance you select only when you pedal.
  3. Manual - With Manual mode, you have an optional throttle on your handlebar to control your speed. You just use your thumb on the lever to tell SmartBikeWheel how fast you want to go. Releasing the throttle puts SmartBikeWheel back in Smart Assist mode.

You can absolutely use your own tire. The rims are standard sized with a 19mm interior dimension. Schwalbe has a great chart showing tire width to interior rim dimensions here.

Yes, SmartBikeWheel is designed to completely disengage when the battery is low - allowing your bike to ride like normal. Please charge your battery, though.

SmartBikeWheel's shipping weight is 23 lbs, but that includes the packaging, charger, tools, etc. SmartBikeWheel on a 26" rim with a 1.95" tire weighs only 16.7 lbs. An average 26" aluminum rim with a 1.95" tire weighs 4.1 lbs. So we can say SmartBikeWheel will add only about 12.6 lbs to your bike.

Don't skip this installation step or you won't get all the advantages of SmartBikeWheel's Smart Assist. The gyro tells SmartBikeWheel that you are riding on a hill, level ground or downhill. If the gyro isn't set to your bike, it may not give you extra power going up a hill or turn off when going down a hill.

Unfortunately, we can't preset the gyro for all bikes. Not all forks are at the same angle to the ground, plus bikes with suspensions are often at different angles with a rider than without.

For safety and performance reasons, it's critical that the gyro be properly set to your bike.

Like most modern devices, SmartBikeWheel uses Lithium Ion batteries. Lithium batteries last longer when they are not fully drained - we recommend not going below 20% on your batteries.

Lithium batteries do not have a "memory effect" like NiCad batteries, so don't feel you need to drain them fully before charging. You can charge them after every ride, so your SmartBikeWheel is always ready to go.

The Original SmartBikeWheel can only connect to one BlueTooth device at a time, the Pedal Assist Sensor actually connects to the App. The App then passes the Pedal Assit info on to SmartBikeWheel. So you need the App to use pedal assist.

Gen II SmartBikeWheel uses Bluetooth 5 to allow simultaneous connections of multiple Bluetooth devices. This means a GenII SmartBikeWheel can connect with a Pedal Assist Sensor, Throttle/Display and Phone app in any combination.

We do have an update coming to address this, but the current version of the Throttle/Display can only handle one Bluetooth connection which it needs to connect to SmartBikeWheel. Without an available Bluetooth connection, there isn't a way to connect to the Pedal Assist Sensor.

The Pedal Assist Sensor has a coin cell - like a watch battery - in it. To make this battery last as long as possible, the sensor turns itself off after a while of not being pedaled.

Just move the pedals when you start up SmartBikeWheel, to wake up the sensor and your app will find it.

Sure. Simply tap on the crank and pedals icon on the main screen of the app to enable/disable the pedal assist function. Tapping on the icon lets you easily switch between modes - even while you are riding.

Yes, totally normal. You may not recognize it, but people are often momentarily stopping and restarting pedaling while riding - going around parked cars, over tracks, potholes, speed bumps, etc.

To keep your ride as smooth as possible, SmartbikeWheel doesn't react immediately when you start or stop pedaling.

We do recommend you fully charge your SmartBikeWheel before storing, to increase the longevity of your battery pack.

We offer a 12-month warranty on SmartBikeWheel. Plus, we also offer a "You'll love it guarantee" - if you don't love SmartBikeWheel in 21 days, you can return it for a full refund. Terms and conditions apply, of course.

We think you will love your SmartBikeWheel,
but if it doesn't float your boat, we'll take it back for a full refund.

In order to get your refund, you will need to follow the rules...

The Rules

1. You have received your SmartBikeWheel and within 3 weeks, you have determined it does not meet your needs.

2. You have not put more than 5 miles on your SmartBikeWheel.

3. Your SmartBikeWheel is in like-new condition - no scrapes, dents, bent spokes etc.

4. You have your original packing materials to ship it back.

5. You have all the components - cover, charger, phone holder, tools, manual to return.

6. Send us an email at info@smartbikewheel.com with the subject line "Return request" to start the process.

All of our products are made for us in China.

China has a long history of manufacturing electric bikes and components. They have the manufacturing facilities that allow them to deliver consistent quality product at scale.

We are in San Francisco, California. We stock the products here, manage shipping, returns, sales and tech support. If we don't have an item in stock, we will order it from the factory for you.

Sure. You can download our Shipping and Return policy here.

Yes. A recent study has shown that people ride more often and ride longer with an eBike - it's just more fun.

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