EBikes + Removable Batteries = Am I Overthinking It?

Partly for this reason and for other more controversial reasons mentioned in a minute, I'm thinking of going Specialized again.

I was all set for getting an Avinox bike next, as it's no secret that I like to deristrict my bikes. I'm also conservative with the power, but do like it on tap if I want it. Avinox have now locked their motors, so in the UK they can no longer be VPN hacked.

Specialized are still fairly easy with a Levociraptor and BLevo app.

Back to the original point - I'd never really want to ride it sans battery, but the battery is removable. The S-Works frame option now comes with 900Wh battery. You can also buy a lighter 640Wh battery and a 280Wh range extender. It can be run on the range extender only and restricts power to 50%. I would think you can remove the extender and charge it in your room.

The Spesh motor is 111Nm (S-works only) and 850W, which whilst not up there quite with Bosch and definitely not Avinox, I'm sure will be ample coming from 90NM and 565W

Mate has a Cube One77 though and it absolutely flies - can't keep up with him uphill on my deristicted Gen 3 Levo

Not over thinking it (IMO)

I've got a Trek Rail. The removable battery wasn't massively high on the priority list when I bought it.

However - I now wouldn't be without it for the reasons you highlight.

There have been many times when it would have been really inconvenient to get the bike charged. 

Also, consider how you'll be transporting the bike. It's a lot easier to manoeuvre with the battery out due to the weight saving (e.g. to put on racks etc)

Removable battery is very handy if you ever planned on flying anywhere with the bike. 

Also I think the removable battery could turn out to be more important in the coming years as battery fires cause insurers and businesses to restrict where batteries can be charged.

My e-bike doesn't have a removable battery but I've considered one of those portable power stations by Bluetti or Jackery. 

As well as being useful for all kind of remote use and camping and stuff I could charge the bike while I'm driving or parked up somewhere. I could easily leave it plugged in overnight in the with the bike in the boot.

I also bring my battery indoors in the winter to try to prolong it.  Not sure on non removable batteries yet

Mine doesn't have a removable battery and day to day it doesn't bother me. I just need to run an extension cable down into my lower hall to charge it as there are no sockets.

Posted by: citizenlee

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Mine doesn't have a removable battery and day to day it doesn't bother me. I just need to run an extension cable down into my lower hall to charge it as there are no sockets.

Day to day stuff is fine for me, its more if I'm away from home and for example, the hotel's secure bike storage doesn't have power. 

I had my first trip to Golfie recently. I took the battery from my Crafty into the hotel room each night to charge. So, imo, removable batteries is a big plus.

Levo Gen 4 old models (Fox suspension and different colours) are currently on sale.

The removable battery was one of the things that swayed me. I like to do multi-day trips, I also have to put it on a roof rack on occasion, which makes a removable battery a deal breaker for me. On the levo gen 4 it comes out really easily.

I have to say, so far it's a remarkable thing. Rides like an XC bike to get to the trails, and then like an enduro bike on the trails. I wish I'd bought one years ago.

I do use it to commute, and do wish that it had a faster speed limit for use on the road, but even so it's a great bike.

also firmly in the removable battery camp, for all reasons mentioned above but especially for winter charging. bike in garage can get very cold, battery inside nice and warm gives better range and happier charging (Bosch service centre rapped me on the knuckles last time bike was in, diagnostic warned there were multiple charges below -6c or something which is apparently 'not good').

I'll add - also easier to remove battery and dry out everything internally when needed. 

See also the faff with heated blankets etc that some of my fellow local eeb riders go through to either keep battery warm or try to dry it all out. (you know who you are 😆)

Removeable batteries have been an absolute must for us; just the other week for example, we stayed at a really lovely Airbnb that was advertised with bike storage etc. It didn’t have anywhere suitable, so bikes stayed locked in the van and it was no fuss to pop out the batteries and charge them in the cottage. 🙂 we have needed to do that several times this summer! 

Re the Cube One77, I would highly recommend, it’s a ridiculously good bike. The battery cover is excellent and mega easy to pop off / put back on.

Mines doesn’t have removable. Ideally they all would but they don’t, and a lot of the better ones don’t so i wouldn’t limit the opportunity 

My whole bike always goes into hotels or I wouldn’t leave the bike in a car over night

At home my bike lives in the garage which although not warm is much warmer than a shed etc. From what I’ve gathered the battery is less of a worry/equal worry to trying the electrics in the motor 

Personally these days I couldn’t exclude the dji just because it’s not removable 

I'd say best opt for removable if you can. Both of my bikes have removable batteries, and the commuter i remove to charge, but the scott genius i've actually yet to remove for anything, but the option is there should i suddenly need to replace it, or if i need to reroute internal cabling(brake/mech).

Better to have the option than not.

As to removing it to recharge. I as such havent actually looked at the scott battery itself(bosch), so i dont know if you can and just plug it in, or if it needs to stay on the bike and you recharge via the onboard socket- I think you can, just havent done it.

Posted by: big_scot_nanny

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See also the faff with heated blankets etc that some of my fellow local eeb riders go through to either keep battery warm or try to dry it all out. (you know who you are )

Dunno who you mean 🤐 

Mine's non-removable. TBH a removable battery barely entered my thoughts when I was researching buying mine. Mainly as I wanted a e-bike that rode as close to a normal bike as possible (geometry/sizing, weight, etc but with the power), and secondly my use case rarely means charging away from home would be an issue.

My garage gets sub-zero over winter but I've never had to charge in those temps. Worst case I'd wheel it into the main house but it's not come to that yet.

Or, I'd join fellow local riders who've bought heated blanket things to wrap around their downtime/battery to let them charge in cold conditions 😆 

I've also had a go on the Avinox system. It's impressive, and it's a step on from the Specialized motor, but IMO it's not a night and day difference.

My Whyte has a removable battery which I expected to be useful when away from home (at home my bikes are stored indoors) but in over 3 years I have only once taken the battery out to charge, and even then it was only to try it out. My Giant has an integrated battery and it has never been an issue.

It depends how you store and charge your bike I guess. I have space and a cooperative partner at home and we tend to use self catering accommodation when away so can always charge bikes indoors 

Integrated battery here (Bosch SX / Norco). Previously an Orbea Rise, also with fixed battery. I've not had any issues charging, although I have considered a Jackery/Bluetti power thing to give me mid-ride top ups when riding trail centres.

If everything else was equal, I might prefer removeable over a fixed battery but wouldn't see it as a big thing either way.