Internal battery jam2 bike in garage?

[Andy.M]

Been considering a s/h Jam2 with the internal battery. I have read that you should keep the bike indoors to avoid killing the battery. I keep my bike in an unheated garage. Is this a total no-no for the battery? I'm guessing it gets down to 3 or 4 degrees in there as water never freezes in there.

 

[Peaky Rider]

Been considering a s/h Jam2 with the internal battery. I have read that you should keep the bike indoors to avoid killing the battery. I keep my bike in an unheated garage. Is this a total no-no for the battery? I'm guessing it gets down to 3 or 4 degrees in there as water never freezes in there.

My Jam2 is on its third winter up here in the Peak District and it lives in the garage, although it is an integral garage and I have never had liquids freeze in there.

If it is expected to be very cold I do try and wrap the down tube in some form of insulation, usually a pair of old curtains.

The main thing to remember is to keep the charger warm as certain models don't always work if cold

 

[Andy.M]

Thanks for input.

Been looking for my perfect bike. Every time I think I've found it, I read up a bit more and discover a fly in the ointment!

When I bought my first emtb simply bought blind online because it had a healthy discount on Black Friday LOL

Now 3 years later fancy something a bit more sexy and its impossible. Theres virtually no new bikes without waiting months, secondhand ones have inflated prices but I just can't decide what model to really search for.

Just not sure if the Shimano Focus will suit me now, could be aggravating having to keep the charger indoors but on the other hand hardly a third world problem is it? But if I start having winter charging problems .......

 

[steve_sordy]

I have been keeping my Focus Jam2 with Shimano motor in the garage for the last two years. there was a problem with a faulty charger that would not charge below 10degC, but that was sorted. Zero other problems with low temperature.

 

[Andy.M]

I have been keeping my Focus Jam2 with Shimano motor in the garage for the last two years. there was a problem with a faulty charger that would not charge below 10degC, but that was sorted. Zero other problems with low temperature.

Heres a question for you. Would you swap your Shimano one for a current Bosch powered with 625 battery?

 

[Peaky Rider]

Heres a question for you. Would you swap your Shimano one for a current Bosch powered with 625 battery?

Here's my two-penneth Andy.

I have never ridden a Bosch powered bike but, on paper at the very least, the new Bosch powered Jam 2 seems to enjoy advantages over the original model.
A more powerful motor and a larger, removable battery to name but two, or is that three.
The lighter weight of the original Jam 2 might be cited as its advantage but, in reality you end up adding another 3 KG with the TEC battery for a decent ride, unless you are just fluffing around a trail centre for a couple of hours.

In answer to your question, it would be the Bosch powered bike for me if only for the battery.

 

[steve_sordy]

Heres a question for you. Would you swap your Shimano one for a current Bosch powered with 625 battery?

I have thought about that occasionally, but thankfully it's not a decision I have to make for quite a while (I hope).
I have not ridden a bike with the latest Bosch motor, so take my comments in that light. It has more torque than the Shimano e8000 motor, but I doubt that I would use it all anyway. On my e8000, I have the Boost mode turned down to medium.
Whenever I look at what type of bike I would get next I always come back to "another one just like mine please". My bike with its 378 Whr frame battery weighs 20.4kg and the 378 Whr TEC pack weighs 2.2Kg. I only use the TEC pack occasionally and when I do I have a 756 Whr battery with a bike that weighs 22.6kg, which is still several kg lighter than most bikes with only 625 Whr. What's not to like?

The weights are without pedals but include the mounting rail for the TEC pack, tubeless conversion and heavier grips.

 

[Andy.M]

Been thinking hard about it. You have said exactly what my conclusion was (until I change my mind again )

My usual single rides are around 15 miles using bridleways, single tracks through woods and across fields and footpaths so a 378w 20kg bike will be a joy and at least the same range as my 25kg 400W Yamaha equipped Lapierre I would think.
I would only need the tec pack for big rides and still be lighter than my current ride!

Its just the fiddling around with keeping the charger indoors and walking back and forth across my longish drive to the garage.

 

[Stoneham]

I have a Sam2 for over a year and keep it in an unheated garage and have no problems what so ever with the battery or charging it in the garage over the winter months.

 

[steve_sordy]

.........

Its just the fiddling around with keeping the charger indoors and walking back and forth across my longish drive to the garage.

That is what is called a 1st world problem!

 

[Andy.M]

I know, what am I like ?

 

[Tooks]

I’ve got both the 4.5A and 4.0A chargers, and although I had one fail (a 4.5A one) they both work fine after 18 months. The bike and chargers are kept in an unheated brick shed/workshop, and I’ve never had them refuse to charge or the bike itself fire up in any temps.

I like the small battery in the Shimano Focus Jam2, covers my 10-15 mile rides very well. I’ve also made a DIY Tec Pack that gets me another 10 miles, so I’m happy.

 

[highpeakrider]

Heres a question for you. Would you swap your Shimano one for a current Bosch powered with 625 battery?

Yes I swapped my focus for a Whyte E160, although it had the old motor I wouldn’t go back..

 

[OldBean]

Agree with Steve ....My Jam is 3 years old, kept in an unheated garage and never had a charging problem although the battery performance is dropping off a bit .
Most rides are bridle path woodland trails etc with a few trail centres thrown in I get about 30 miles on a charge but ride in off mode where possible and hardly use boost it copes well with the Suuuuuuuufuk mountains !
Have said before will only change it for the anticipated Revonte One powered fully auto NON DERAILLEUR bike due out in 2nd half of 2021.....I hope.

 

[steve_sordy]

I too have had over 30 miles from the frame battery, but I also once got only 10 miles! Of course it depends upon how steep the hills are and how fast you want to go up them. Anything above the cut off speed doesn't use battery, nor does coasting or descending (mostly).

I bought the Focus Jam2 because it was the first emtb that I had ridden that felt natural to me, I just forgot it was an emtb. At the time I bought it I was only managing about 10 miles every 2-3 days on my ordinary mtb (knee problems), so the 378Whr battery was not a concern. But as I got into it and my riding distance steadily increased, I started to feel range anxiety. Where I ride the most, and how I ride, I'm good for 18 miles on one charge without having to worry about getting into the red. If I'm planning anything above that or going somewhere new, I take the TEC pack with me. I really do not notice it when riding, or feel it. Although it does not look good, I must admit.

But when I add the TEC pack, I have a bike that is several kg lighter than many bikes that have a smaller battery.

 

[Ritz]

I’ve got both the 4.5A and 4.0A chargers, and although I had one fail (a 4.5A one) they both work fine after 18 months. The bike and chargers are kept in an unheated brick shed/workshop, and I’ve never had them refuse to charge or the bike itself fire up in any temps.

I like the small battery in the Shimano Focus Jam2, covers my 10-15 mile rides very well. I’ve also made a DIY Tec Pack that gets me another 10 miles, so I’m happy.

Hi, im looking for a 2nd battery charger that I can just leave to my work place. Can u fell me more about your diy tec pack pls.
cheers

 

[Tooks]

Hi, im looking for a 2nd battery charger that I can just leave to my work place. Can u fell me more about your diy tec pack pls.
cheers

This is the one I made, but there’s lots of info elsewhere in the same thread about DIY packs, and more professional than mine!

Making your own tec pack?

Hi,where did you find this cable? do you think it fits in the xt60? Thanks a lot , i think for my configuration will fit perfectly. And it's a very good price That looks like xt60 to me

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