chuck

Thank you Flecc for your detailed answer. I'll do it the way you tell. Someone (French Suede owner) told he found it is 44 volts for his NiMh charged up to 80 %.

measuring the voltage to stop charging the battery at 80% Do you know which could be the voltage V of the (36v Ni-Mh) Suede battery when charging it up to 80% ? It should be useful once (and from times to times) to measure the voltage when charging (with a voltmeter), and then we'ld have the precise times for charging up to this V (after our usual ride / number of miles and conditions) ?

Suede battery: Giant France new info In "CYCLURBA" Forum (French "PEDELEC "Forum) : Batterie et chargeur NiMH pour le Suède : du nouveau ! Forum Cyclurba. Velos electriques Giant you can go to "vélo électrique Giant" if you understand French (or Babelfish...), there is a very recent thread about Suede battery; it tells that Giant France makes refitting new its bad batteries (the same NiMh) from "CIBLENERGIE" (French dealer for all kind of batteries) ... but you have to get (purchase!) a new charger, since the standard one are not kind with the batteries (the old charger, such as the one I have, makes "burning" too much the battery just before it shut the charging process; the solution with the "old" charger should be first to measure the voltage/tension and then to know how long time, depending how many miles, is enough to shut/cut the charging process, much before the battery is hot under the fingers!). In this thread, there is a quite different "mode d'emploi" telling how to manage in different situations regarding how and when charging the battery with its new charger. We're not at all happy to have to buy a new charger (and battery!) soon or later, since it's because the standard one is "poor" (not good) that we'll have all our batteries dead quicker than with other NiMh electric assisted bikes; "HopeThalidon" in the French thread is asking his dealer to get a new charger without paying anything since it must still be under warranty: wait and see... About the price, I'm still waiting for a quote and would tell you when I know something.

My Suede chain also was sometimes getting out (mainly when I'ld change gear too quickly / directly from slow to high speed), until the rear wheel position was somehow changed (puncture in the rear tire chamber); at 1000km I put some better oil: it's special oil-spray for motor bike: now the gear changing is much smoother and no more chain going outside at 1700km! happy! About the new battery: I ride 15km each day (windy, and some hilly parts) and there are still two lighted red leds; each day too I charge the battery, hoping to get more range with this way (inspired from what was said in the forum, in such a way as the Prius charges its NiMh battery.

Hello Bob and Flecc, That's much interesting to receive your answers and advices, these will help to go on with the Suede battery! Some Suede and Lafree owners think important not to wait until the battery is empty but they prefer to charge when the battery is 50% (up to 80%) discharged; they add that 500 cycles mean 500 total ones from empty to 100% (two charges from 50%=one total charge cycle?).

From France, several users with me, we got problems with our Suede NiMh batteries within first year of use; for me, it was after 1200km and 8 months, and the dealers offered one new battery. I'm still using my first battery (now 1500km) which still assist up to 10km (some hilly portions in my commute). I recharged it after each 32km (each 2 days), but some told me I'ld have donebetter recharging it more often (each 16km, each day), in order to get the battery lasting longer. Some questions: - Which should be the best way to get it recharged: after using the battery down to 50%, or 20%? Will you refresh it after each one or two months? - Do you think our battery "failures" (before one year using them) are due to: . hub motor draining too much current (hilly roads)? . bad quality? . bad charger, or else? - How much is one NiMh 36v Suede battery in UK? Thank you for your answers, Chuck, (south of France).

thanks Flecc! for detailing the conditions so how to store the new NiMh battery.

... Suede-e bought on 2007 February! The dealer told me on Sept that the battery should arrive on December.

giant suede-e battery My dealer (south of France) received yesterday the new battery for warranty exchange of the deficient one (after 1500km, Suede-e bought from him on 2006 February). I was waiting for this battery since the end of September 2007. Si I hope you'ld receive soon the Nimh battery you plan to get? My daily commute to work is 8 km (and 8 km back home), with hilly and windy roads; I'ld use the new battery later since the deficient battery still manages to assist the bike about 10 km, I'ld like to use it "until the end". Is it a good idea to keep unemployed the new battery (3 or 4 months?), and how to stock it: charged or uncharged?

Hello Andrew, My battery (SuedeE9 months old) makes impossible to climb my 200meters 12% slopy street, since one month; Giant (who opened it) told to my dealer the battery must be changed with a new one within the warranty. Now, I still use my "old" battery, charging it each 7 km; the dealer tells the new battery would come on december, but not sure... So I'm interested in a new cell pack that would be charged with the same charger: how much was your new cell pack and where did you get it? Why did you keep your old battery between this new cell pack and the connexions to the engine?

suede battery problem My Giant Suede is just 9 months old (beginning of February) and the NiMh battery now manages 8 miles only (since one month), and I have to cut off twice the switch to let the battery take a rest (mainly when climbing the short but sloped hill to my home) not to be out of power... The dealer sent my battery to Giant who opened it and agrees the warranty will work, but he tells that the new battery should be delivered by december (about 3 months to wait). In "Cyclurba" French forum, we're about 7 people with the same problem. One got an answer from Giant France who told him that they know about the problem, that we have to wait 2 months for the new battery (waiting for customs somewhere) to come, but that this battery will not be the ones they plan to improve...