Welcome to Mod Monday! This is your weekly newsletter on all things brilliant and bizarre in the world of DIY riding.
Here at Mod Monday, weāre on the hunt for stories from backyard tinkerers, self-taught hackers, garage innovators, and more.
This edition of the newsletter will feature unique modifications, aka Mods, made to electric bikes, scooters, skateboards, and more. Anything from boosting power to motorizing a couch (yes, someone did that) is welcome here.
If youāre a DIYer looking for inspiration, or just someone who appreciates creativity and innovation, this space is for you.
PS: If you come across a cool mod, or want to see one of your own projects highlighted in this newsletter, post a picture or video to Instagram, X (Twitter), or TikTok with the tag #ModMonday. Each week weāll share the best posts here.
What You Need to Know Today
Motorcycle influencer Priyanka Kochhar, better known by her handle BikeWithGirl, recently took a stab at a major towing attempt on an electric motorcycle. Watch as she successfully pulls a bus and a box truckātogether weighing more than 14 tonsāat the same time behind a tiny Ultraviolette F77.
This ebike mod from China features an absolutely insane 8,000W engineāand boy does it whir. But at that level of power, should it be considered an ebike, a moped, a motorcycle?Ā Something else?
Ebike enthusiast Maximum Charge took his Wired Cruiser to the next level, outfitting it with a Varia radar light that blinks when cars are approaching, 203 mm brake rotors, and 4.0 inch thick fat tires. Whatās more, this decked-out cruiser hits a peak power output of 3,000 watts.
Giving new meaning to the expression āriding the rails,ā a California engineer and YouTuber Cam Engineering modified his ebike for cruising along an abandoned railroad line on the scenic Pacific Coast. The bike features two folding arms with wheels that attach directly to the tracks, allowing the rider to pedal along with ease.
The rest of Cam Engineeringās bike is also custom jobāand it isnāt exactly street legal. In this video he dives into the design, including his decision to go for a rear hub motor which he says ārides like a mechanical bull.ā
Winter is comingā¦ and if youāre looking to get your ebike ready for the ice and snow, you may want to make some modifications to your fat tires. These snow straps from Bakcou look like they could do the trick.
It's a car! Itās a bike! Itās aā¦couch? Behold, the pinnacle of modern transportation technology, the E-Couch. Powered by an ebike conversion kit from Boost, this nifty little armchair sits on four wheels and runs on dual batteries. Itās operated by a handheld, RC-style remote control and, dare-I-say looks very comfy.
When it comes to electric bikes, it can be tough to buy on a budget. This userās simple, effective project shows how a few adjustments can make even the most affordable rides into something extraordinary.
This Redditor modded the heck out of a Walmart ebike, the Hyper eRide City, by adding a dual motor mod and a disc brake mod.
Another Redditor modified their ebike for camping adventures. This off-road fat tire two-wheeler took the Ascend Moher fat bike from Cabelas and added a 1500W rear hub motor kit from Ebay along with a 48v 30000mAh battery.
Thatās all for todayās inaugural Mod Monday newsletter! Remember to use the hashtag #ModMonday if you want us to cover your project. Tune in next week for more mods.
When will the Micro all electric city urban car come to America? Car manufacturers in the USA are only making expensive all electric cars usually above the MSRP and nobody is making a purpose built all electric city/urban affordable car for the masses. How about making just a little profit on each sale, have a creative marketing program and sell thousands to those who drive 50 miles a day or less. In the USA I would suggest a range of at least 150 miles to end range anxiety. The Mitsubishi IMIEV was a good car, but, it had a range of 63 miles which was a "deal breaker" plus they had almost no marketing. They did not sell in the USA from 2012 to 12017 and were withdrawn. Goes to show you need a range that exceeds daily needs for an anxiety cushion. There is a near vacuum in the USA for an affordable city/urban car. When will yours be coming to the USA???--Freddie