battery too big to fit in triangle.

[cycling weakly]

I have just bought an, as new Norco Charger 7 with a 17 inch frame. I intend to fit a BBS02 motor, my battery is a Woosh 15 ah HL. It is simply too big to fit inside the frame triangle. Would it be practicable to fit the battery upside down under the downtube. Both the rack & the bottom of the battery are plastic. I can hang it off 4 rivnuts, the battery weighs about 3kg. Have any of you any experience of anything similar?
Steve

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I think the rivnuts will get ripped out. Also, you have to allow for the wheel going closer to the frame when the suspension compresses. I think that it;ll be better on a rack.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I have just bought an, as new Norco Charger 7 with a 17 inch frame. I intend to fit a BBS02 motor, my battery is a Woosh 15 ah HL. It is simply too big to fit inside the frame triangle. Would it be practicable to fit the battery upside down under the downtube. Both the rack & the bottom of the battery are plastic. I can hang it off 4 rivnuts, the battery weighs about 3kg. Have any of you any experience of anything similar?
Steve

Welcome to the small triangle club Steve! I agree with d8veh on the rivnuts ripping out but I don't think you will ever touch the front wheel on that bike. How about on the top bar? I was going to go that way but I can hardly lift my left leg over the frame let alone a battery...

If you still want to fix it underneath the frame you are going to need a secondary way of holding the battery to the downtube and stop it moving in the battery holder, like velcro for example. Won't look too bad but will soon get boring removing battery and making sure it is nice and tight.

 

[Fordulike]

Totally agree with the others on this one. Rivnuts alone won't be enough to keep it attached.

If you go for a rack, don't go for a cheap aluminium seatpost style. Been there, done that.... and it snapped within 2 miles

 

[Deleted member 4366]

An upside down battery will probably let water in too.

You can make a very strong rack out of aluminium or steel tube from Wickes and a bit of plywood. Steel will last for ever. Aluminium will break some time in the future due to metal fatigue. That's the same with any rack.

Cut the tube to length, bash the ends flat and drill holes. You can make it any size to suit the battery. If you want to cover it, the plywood goes inside the bag before bolting to the aluminium.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Option 2 with a stock standard rack (Tubus Fly Evo)



This is where my battery lives, when the photo was taken the controller was in the pannier as well.

My plan was also a bit of ply with battery holder(s) attached and in turn ply attached by bolting the ply through the pannier to the rack. The CG of the battery is where the cross is so a little far back but down nice and low. The battery is still locked to the bike and can be removed. It is protected from the elements. It is pretty stealthy - I have noticed people don't see the motor if you don't point it out to them! There is still room for rain gear, tools...

The LiPo battery lives there now in an "aluminum" attaché case and the CG is still about the same place.