Can Wearing the Hypershell Exoskeleton on a Bike Replace an E-Bike? I Tested Both

Can Wearing the Hypershell Exoskeleton on a Bike Replace an E-Bike? I Tested Both I’m an out-of-shape cycle enthusiast. I tested the Hypershell exoskeleton on a regular bike versus an e-bike and found a clear winner.

Can Wearing the Hypershell Exoskeleton on a Bike Replace an E-Bike? I Tested Both Can Wearing the Hypershell Exoskeleton on a Bike Replace an E-Bike? I Tested Both I’m an out-of-shape cycle enthusiast.

I tested the Hypershell exoskeleton on a regular bike versus an e-bike and found a clear winner. Our Experts Written by Adam Doud Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Reviews ethics statement Adam Doud CNET Contributor Adam has been a leader in the tech media field for over a decade, with bylines at a number of different publications. When he's not hosting the Benefit of the Doud podcast, he's busy getting his hands on as many phones, tablets and laptops as possible. He regularly uses both iOS and Android (six-month rotation for each), and he fully embraces technology.

He hasn't carried cash money since 2018, and pays for everything with his phone wherever possible. Expertise Portable power stations | Consumer electronics | Computing | Yard & Outdoor | EVs See full bio Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

I found out whether wearing a Hypershell exoskeleton while riding a regular bike is comparable to riding an e-bike. Adam Doud/CNETI recently received a review sample of the Hypershell X Ultra S exoskeleton for testing in the Grand Canyon. What I was particularly interested in was whether Hypershell could help me, a 50-year-old, 270-pound guy, keep up with my 15-year-old competitive athlete daughter.

The device uses a 5,000-mAh battery to power its motors. The motor attaches to arms strapped to the wearer's thighs, which should help the them pump their legs farther than they would without its assistance.But hiking is not the only tool in Hypershell's bag of tricks.

While testing the exoskeleton, I noticed there was a cycling capability.Granted, a 50-year-old, large guy isn't your typical stereotype for a cyclist, but as it happens, I've been one for the past 15 years -- that is, until e-bikes ruined me. As a technology reviewer, I come across new forms of tech all the time, and I've been testing quite a few e-bikes over the past few years that have left my Trek 7.

1 bike hanging, forgotten, from the rafters of my garage. The Hypershell afforded me the opportunity to dust off the cobwebs and get back to pedaling. So I did.

The Hypershell X Ultra S exoskeleton was developed with the aim to reduce fatigue and increase endurance. Adam Doud/CNETMy three-ride test with the Hypershell and an e-bikeSince I have a lot of experience with e-bikes, I wanted to see if the Hypershell X Ultra S could give a normal bike an equivalent upgrade. This is not a small task, but if it can reasonably help, you can get a nice upgrade without having to replace your bike wholesale for a $1,999 price that sits below most midrange e-bikes and certainly below premium offerings in the category.

One particular feature of my neighborhood in the Chicago suburbs is that there is no flat ground anywhere around me. I don't live among mountains, to be sure, but you can bet that if you're biking around my area, you're climbing or descending. I got used to that over the years of cycling, but I lost that ability quickly once I started letting e-bikes do the work for me.

To test the effectiveness of the Hypershell X Ultra S, I hit the road on my regular bike with no assistance. I took off at a casual pace and tried to keep it casual as much as possible along the 6.5-mile route I had chosen.

Once I arrived back home, I rested until my heart rate returned to something approaching normal, and then I strapped on the exoskeleton and hit the road again. Finally, after cooling off for a bit, I grabbed my favorite e-bike, the Engwe LE 20, and headed out one last time, letting the bike do some of the work. My beloved Engwe LE 20 e-bike.

Adam Doud/CNETAnecdotal evidence: Speed, time and heart rateMy first time out of the gate on the bike with no assistance… did not go well. I actually had to stop and rest for a couple of minutes in the home stretch before I was able to complete the ride.

I was absolutely floored by the time I got home. Again, my neighborhood is no joke when it comes to hills, and there was a fair amount of wind resistance as well. But I made it home, and I didn't die, so I'm putting it in the win column.

The second ride with the Hypershell X Ultra S seemed to go better. I felt the exoskeleton actively pus