Freeride

Community

Shaivpidadi

freeride

Manages free AI models from OpenRouter for OpenClaw. Automatically ranks models by quality, configures fallbacks for rate-limit handling, and updates openclaw.json. Use when the user mentions free AI, OpenRouter, model switching, rate limits, or wants to reduce AI costs.

Overview

Publisher	Shaivpidadi
Repository	`FreeRide`
Skill name	`freeride`
Stars	238
Forks	40
Bundled files	5
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
5 bundled files
Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.
Open source
Published by Shaivpidadi on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Freeride AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/Shaivpidadi/FreeRide/tree/main
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Shaivpidadi/FreeRide.git \
  .claude/skills/freeride

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Freeride in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Freeride on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Freeride is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

FreeRide - Free AI for OpenClaw

What This Skill Does

Configures OpenClaw to use free AI models from OpenRouter. Sets the best free model as primary, adds ranked fallbacks so rate limits don't interrupt the user, and preserves existing config.

Prerequisites

Before running any FreeRide command, ensure:

OPENROUTER_API_KEY is set. Check with echo $OPENROUTER_API_KEY. If empty, the user must get a free key at https://openrouter.ai/keys and set it:

bash
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-..."
# Or persist it:
openclaw config set env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY "sk-or-v1-..."

The freeride CLI is installed. Check with which freeride. If not found:

bash
cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/free-ride
pip install -e .

Primary Workflow

When the user wants free AI, run these steps in order:

bash
# Step 1: Configure best free model + fallbacks
freeride auto

# Step 2: Restart gateway so OpenClaw picks up the changes
openclaw gateway restart

That's it. The user now has free AI with automatic fallback switching.

Verify by telling the user to send /status to check the active model.

Commands Reference

Command	When to use it
`freeride auto`	User wants free AI set up (most common)
`freeride auto -f`	User wants fallbacks but wants to keep their current primary model
`freeride auto -c 10`	User wants more fallbacks (default is 5)
`freeride list`	User wants to see available free models
`freeride list -n 30`	User wants to see all free models
`freeride switch <model>`	User wants a specific model (e.g. `freeride switch qwen3-coder`)
`freeride switch <model> -f`	Add specific model as fallback only
`freeride status`	Check current FreeRide configuration
`freeride fallbacks`	Update only the fallback models
`freeride refresh`	Force refresh the cached model list
`freeride rotate`	User is rate-limited / fallback chain is dead — live-test and rebuild

After any command that changes config, always run openclaw gateway restart.

What It Writes to Config

FreeRide updates only these keys in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

agents.defaults.model.primary — e.g. openrouter/qwen/qwen3-coder:free
agents.defaults.model.fallbacks — e.g. ["openrouter/free", "nvidia/nemotron:free", ...]
agents.defaults.models — allowlist so /model command shows the free models

Everything else (gateway, channels, plugins, env, customInstructions, named agents) is preserved.

The first fallback is always openrouter/free — OpenRouter's smart router that auto-picks the best available model based on the request.

Watcher (Background Daemon)

For autonomous recovery from a "whole chain is rate-limited" deadlock — which the agent can't fix by itself, since calling freeride rotate requires inference and inference is exactly what's failing — the user can run a slim background daemon:

bash
# Foreground
freeride-watcher

# Persistent background
nohup freeride-watcher > ~/.openclaw/freeride-watcher.log 2>&1 &

# One-shot check (no loop)
freeride-watcher --once

# State / history
freeride-watcher --status

The daemon probes the current primary every 60s; if it fails, it rebuilds the chain with live-verified models. Recommend this whenever the user is leaving an unattended OpenClaw setup running.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
`freeride: command not found`	`cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/free-ride && pip install -e .`
`OPENROUTER_API_KEY not set`	User needs a key from https://openrouter.ai/keys
Changes not taking effect	`openclaw gateway restart` then `/new` for fresh session
Agent shows 0 tokens	Check `freeride status` — primary should be `openrouter/<provider>/<model>:free`

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Freeride AI skill do?

Why use Freeride on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Freeride is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Freeride in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/Shaivpidadi/FreeRide/tree/main. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Freeride?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Freeride?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Freeride with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Freeride AI skill free?

It is published on GitHub by Shaivpidadi. Check the repository for licensing terms. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

FreeRide - Free AI for OpenClaw

What This Skill Does

Prerequisites

Primary Workflow

Commands Reference

What It Writes to Config

Watcher (Background Daemon)

Troubleshooting

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

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