Custom ebike kit vs ready built

[johnboy]

I am looking at converting this bike (scott sportser 50 lady. With a rear pannier rack battery and a bbs01 250w crank drive. Where is the best place to source the battery. I was considering the kit from woosh with the 15ah battery and storing that in my rucksack which would sit on the pannier. Do you think this would work or is there a better solution

 

[trex]

you could ask woosh to supply you with a rack battery, it costs about the same + £20 for the rack, like this one:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/2014/bigbear-ls/mini/saddle.jpg
Alternatively, Woosh GSM CD kit is £100 cheaper than the BBS01 and has a bit more oomph too (18A controller on GSM, 15A controller on BBS01).

 

[johnboy]

you could ask woosh to supply you with a rack battery, it costs about the same + £20 for the rack, like this one:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/2014/bigbear-ls/mini/saddle.jpg
Alternatively, Woosh GSM CD kit is £100 cheaper than the BBS01 and has a bit more oomph too (18A controller on GSM, 15A controller on BBS01).

Does the GSM have as much torque a the bbs01. Also the pannier rack batteries tend to be smaller capacity than frame mounted. If I just got the frame battery and put in a rucksack on the pannier is that silly thing to do.

 

[trex]

the GSM has a bit more torque when pushed hard. The rack battery on the Big Bear LS is 15AH, same capacity. The HL battery can easily be mounted on a seat post rack, but seat post rack is easily nickable.

 

[trex]

Scott Sportster 50 ladies:

as you are only 75 miles from woosh in Southend, it's probably worth your while to bring your bike to them and have it fitted. They have a selection of bottle batteries that they don't advertise, let them fit a few rivnuts to your downtube and choose a bottle battery that fits your frame.
If you want to carry the battery in your rucksack, they can make for you a 10S3P pack that weighs only 1.5kgs that they use in their Zephyr-CDN and good enough for 20 miles range or the zephyr-B battery, 1.5kgs, 30 mile range. The HL battery weighs about 3kgs, too much to carry on your back.

 

[johnboy]

Scott Sportster 50 ladies:

as you are only 75 miles from woosh in Southend, it's probably worth your while to bring your bike to them and have it fitted. They have a selection of bottle batteries that they don't advertise, let them fit a few rivnuts to your downtube and choose a bottle battery that fits your frame.
If you want to carry the battery in your rucksack, they can make for you a 10S3P pack that weighs only 1.5kgs that they use in their Zephyr-CDN and good enough for 20 miles range or the zephyr-B battery, 1.5kgs, 30 mile range. The HL battery weighs about 3kgs, too much to carry on your back.

Thanks, appreciate the advice. Will look into that. Do you know how long it usually takes for a conversion. Can it be done in a day or will it have to be something that I leave.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Gentlemen, it is 2015, ladies ride men's bikes and men (the saints forbid!) ride step-through frames, oh the horror. It is a low bar frame please.

I have the same type of low bar frame and my battery carrier is going to be mounted to a plate inside a pannier bag (9.95€) which is "permanently" bolted to the carrier. Inside the bag a warning sign saying "Danger! Risk of electric shock" might discourage literate thieves... The bag will also be holding charger, tools etc. when on the road. One could also mount a range extender battery in the same bag. And the pannier bag could be removable with the addition of a plug to the battery wire. Lots of options.

Why? I hate double decker made in China battery racks, they are as ugly as sin and are as noisy as hell on bumpy surfaces. I prefer a minimalist pannier bag rack, two tubes to hold the bags and a plate for the lights on the back, nothing more. If I need to carry more than two pannier bags I have a trailer.

 

[derf]

Gentlemen, it is 2015, ladies ride men's bikes and men (the saints forbid!) ride step-through frames, oh the horror. It is a low bar frame please.

I have the same type of low bar frame and my battery carrier is going to be mounted to a plate inside a pannier bag (9.95€) which is "permanently" bolted to the carrier. Inside the bag a warning sign saying "Danger! Risk of electric shock" might discourage literate thieves... The bag will also be holding charger, tools etc. when on the road. One could also mount a range extender battery in the same bag. And the pannier bag could be removable with the addition of a plug to the battery wire. Lots of options.

Why? I hate double decker made in China battery racks, they are as ugly as sin and are as noisy as hell on bumpy surfaces. I prefer a minimalist pannier bag rack, two tubes to hold the bags and a plate for the lights on the back, nothing more. If I need to carry more than two pannier bags I have a trailer.

i agree, I just fixed my double decker rack for lack of a better idea, also in a low bar frame. I kept thinking if only there was a mounting plate to mount it end on/vertically like a bottle battery on the frame tube, or a way to attach it securely on its own to the side of a conventional rack so it's centre of gravity is lower and it rattles less. But none of this seems possible. has anyone done anything like this? if I mounted it permanently in a bolted on bag it would either be vandalised and/or stolen in a week.

 

[trex]

Thanks, appreciate the advice. Will look into that. Do you know how long it usually takes for a conversion. Can it be done in a day or will it have to be something that I leave.

you leave the bike, go to the sea front for fish and chips then come back and collect your bike, but you'll need to book with Andy @ Woosh first. Middle of the week is best.

 

[anotherkiwi]

i if I mounted it permanently in a bolted on bag it would either be vandalised and/or stolen in a week.

I know a bag is a thief magnet. I am just hoping he will be discouraged when he opens to only find a solidly mounted battery carrier with battery locked in or not. The plan is to have an aluminium plate with rivnuts for the battery holder and at least one, preferably two of the bag attaching bolts hidden beneath the battery holder.

The getting the centre of gravity lower is also one of my goals. The idea is not mine it comes from seeing lead batteries on the first generation pedelecs mounted on the carrier like that.

 

[trex]

how about mounting the battery in front of the fork?

 

[anotherkiwi]

Keyde bottle battery:

This is the perfect size but it is only 33V, it mounts in a normal bottle holder. If a company could make a 10A 36V version of this I would have a pair of them in the blink of an eye.