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Removable or none removable battery ?

Solution
Benefit of non removable battery is that bike is probably lighter and stronger. Disadvantage that for example for working on your bike you cannot remove it so it's heavier to lift on to working stand, cable routing might be trickier to access etc.
Benefits of removable battery are opposite to above and disavantage is more weight, possible problems with battery covers etc. And of course much depends can you charge your bike indoors or not. Depnding of cable routing, I prefer fixed battery on emtb. Not that I haven't had one yet 😀 but didn't took Levo battery out so often or on current Bullit either. On Bullit it was also really easy to change rear brake and install lights because of removable battery...and change the battery also when...

Bndit

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2022
375
538
Finland
Benefit of non removable battery is that bike is probably lighter and stronger. Disadvantage that for example for working on your bike you cannot remove it so it's heavier to lift on to working stand, cable routing might be trickier to access etc.
Benefits of removable battery are opposite to above and disavantage is more weight, possible problems with battery covers etc. And of course much depends can you charge your bike indoors or not. Depnding of cable routing, I prefer fixed battery on emtb. Not that I haven't had one yet 😀 but didn't took Levo battery out so often or on current Bullit either. On Bullit it was also really easy to change rear brake and install lights because of removable battery...and change the battery also when it broke down...😂
 
Solution

ray.lambert

New Member
Oct 6, 2024
11
2
Co Durham
Benefit of non removable battery is that bike is probably lighter and stronger. Disadvantage that for example for working on your bike you cannot remove it so it's heavier to lift on to working stand, cable routing might be trickier to access etc.
Benefits of removable battery are opposite to above and disavantage is more weight, possible problems with battery covers etc. And of course much depends can you charge your bike indoors or not. Depnding of cable routing, I prefer fixed battery on emtb. Not that I haven't had one yet 😀 but didn't took Levo battery out so often or on current Bullit either. On Bullit it was also really easy to change rear brake and install lights because of removable battery...and change the battery also when it broke down...😂
Hi yes I can charge it in the garage but if I'm away in the caravan it could be more difficult.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,565
5,566
Scotland
My garage too cold so remove most times. If it's raining and you can't take bike indoors to charge eg hotel , hostel removable usefully again. I'm going away next week where I'm going insurance states no charging ebike on premises . Came across this a few times last year also asking in campsites to use circuit breaker plugs .
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,249
9,755
Lincolnshire, UK
"no charging ebikes on the premises" Yikes, I have never heard of that one! I hope that it doesn't catch on. This is one of the consequences of the insurance industry reacting to ill-informed media banging on about ebike fires.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,565
5,566
Scotland
"no charging ebikes on the premises" Yikes, I have never heard of that one! I hope that it doesn't catch on. This is one of the consequences of the insurance industry reacting to ill-informed media banging on about ebike fires.
Yes Steve afraid so , i was in Glenbrittle Memorial Hut in September its owned by Scottish mountaineering Club I believe. No bikes inside or outside not even under the porch no running of cables to charge outside. I'm staying in Elphin caving hut next week its owned by Grampian Speleological Group no charging Ebikes inside but you can run a waterproof extension to North end of carpark. Campsite i was looking at was Rcd plug required if you had hook up in a tent.Won't affect most people but I usually take a bike when I'm going away for the weekend with the walking club I'm in and do something enroute. All Insurance requirements is usually quoted.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,249
9,755
Lincolnshire, UK
Yes Steve afraid so , i was in Glenbrittle Memorial Hut in September its owned by Scottish mountaineering Club I believe. No bikes inside or outside not even under the porch no running of cables to charge outside. I'm staying in Elphin caving hut next week its owned by Grampian Speleological Group no charging Ebikes inside but you can run a waterproof extension to North end of carpark. Campsite i was looking at was Rcd plug required if you had hook up in a tent.Won't affect most people but I usually take a bike when I'm going away for the weekend with the walking club I'm in and do something enroute. All Insurance requirements is usually quoted.
A bit of warning on the booking details would be nice.
I can see it now on a sign outside the door: "No travellers, no dogs, no smokers, no e-bikes".

Oh, and for the avoidance of doubt, the "travellers" in that amended quote above refers to travelling salesmen. The signs used to have a few other categories back in the 60's.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,565
5,566
Scotland
A bit of warning on the booking details would be nice.
I can see it now on a sign outside the door: "No travellers, no dogs, no smokers, no e-bikes".

Oh, and for the avoidance of doubt, the "travellers" in that amended quote above refers to travelling salesmen. The signs used to have a few other categories back in the 60's.
Yes the place I'm going no one there so it has code to get in how to switch gas on etc . This was all sent to me . QUOTE all in bold writing is insurance requirements. Sign of the times.
 

#lazy

E*POWAH BOSS
Oct 1, 2019
1,421
1,556
Surrey
If I stayed somewhere and it stipulated no electric shavers to be recharged I wouldn’t think twice about plugging one in !
Some of these rentals really take the piss , we staying at a cottage over Xmas that was very expensive and the oven keep tripping, the cinema room wasn’t wired properly and the dimmer light switches flickered !
Ps There wasn’t any effing pots and pans either !
Fxxk the lot of em 🤬☺️
 
Last edited:

Amber Valley Guy

Active member
Oct 15, 2023
193
188
Alfreton
Easily removed batteries are great...but...if your bike has a down tube battery cover like mine.. moisture gets in their even when using a couple of velcro straps to hold it tight (Shimano). If you don't get in there and remove the battery after a wet ride (or wash) and remove the battery and wipe it dry and let it air out then your asking for trouble at some point (and I bet most people don't even check). I've had small puddles of water near the bottom of the down tube around the battery connection which I can 100% guarantee some people will be oblivious to...until it's to late.
 

CrunchBytes

Member
Oct 7, 2021
43
21
Warwick, UK
I don’t think it matters re: removable or fixed, but I would say look into what batteries are ‘standard’ from the manufacturer. We have an Orbea Rise each and my partners integrated battery has failed at about 3 yrs old. Its propriety, specific to the Rise and can only be ordered from an Orbea dealer, and they have to order from Orbea direct. So far: £540 lighter, 3 weeks and we’re still waiting for it… I believe Bosch systems are more ‘standard’ so it should be easier to obtain a replacement if you ever need one. (PowerTube, PowerPack, PowerMore etc.). I’m guessing there will be differences in model years, but as Bosch makes the batteries for their motors, it should be generally easier to source.

My next ebike will take this into account (proprietary or standard battery size), as well as motor reliability, warranty, ease of fixing an outside of warranty failure, etc., etc.
 

ray.lambert

New Member
Oct 6, 2024
11
2
Co Durham
I don’t think it matters re: removable or fixed, but I would say look into what batteries are ‘standard’ from the manufacturer. We have an Orbea Rise each and my partners integrated battery has failed at about 3 yrs old. Its propriety, specific to the Rise and can only be ordered from an Orbea dealer, and they have to order from Orbea direct. So far: £540 lighter, 3 weeks and we’re still waiting for it… I believe Bosch systems are more ‘standard’ so it should be easier to obtain a replacement if you ever need one. (PowerTube, PowerPack, PowerMore etc.). I’m guessing there will be differences in model years, but as Bosch makes the batteries for their motors, it should be generally easier to source.

My next ebike will take this into account (proprietary or standard battery size), as well as motor reliability, warranty, ease of fixing an outside of warranty failure, etc.,

I don’t think it matters re: removable or fixed, but I would say look into what batteries are ‘standard’ from the manufacturer. We have an Orbea Rise each and my partners integrated battery has failed at about 3 yrs old. Its propriety, specific to the Rise and can only be ordered from an Orbea dealer, and they have to order from Orbea direct. So far: £540 lighter, 3 weeks and we’re still waiting for it… I believe Bosch systems are more ‘standard’ so it should be easier to obtain a replacement if you ever need one. (PowerTube, PowerPack, PowerMore etc.). I’m guessing there will be differences in model years, but as Bosch makes the batteries for their motors, it should be generally easier to source.

My next ebike will take this into account (proprietary or standard battery size), as well as motor reliability, warranty, ease of fixing an outside of warranty failure, etc., etc.
Some great advise there, thanks for that 👍
 

Bndit

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2022
375
538
Finland
Easily removed batteries are great...but...if your bike has a down tube battery cover like mine.. moisture gets in their even when using a couple of velcro straps to hold it tight (Shimano). If you don't get in there and remove the battery after a wet ride (or wash) and remove the battery and wipe it dry and let it air out then your asking for trouble at some point (and I bet most people don't even check). I've had small puddles of water near the bottom of the down tube around the battery connection which I can 100% guarantee some people will be oblivious to...until it's to late.
Ebikes are designed so that water goes down and out from the frame. Problems starts if those holes at the bottom are clogged somehow. Or if you hose wash your bike upside down. I have two bikes with removable batteries and I ride all kind of shit weather and hose wash my bikes. My battery connections looks like they are new. I have never cleaned or protected them any way. But I store my bikes in warm place.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,565
5,566
Scotland
Ebikes are designed so that water goes down and out from the frame. Problems starts if those holes at the bottom are clogged somehow. Or if you hose wash your bike upside down. I have two bikes with removable batteries and I ride all kind of shit weather and hose wash my bikes. My battery connections looks like they are new. I have never cleaned or protected them any way. But I store my bikes in warm place.
Yes a warm place must help a lot My levo is filthy inside when I take cover off the side with cables. Not the easiest place to clean mud out of and small delicate wires on the plugs. . The hole in the bottom of the battery guard lets a lot of crap in to that area coming off the tyres or puddle splashing. Saying that cables been ok till three weeks ago I needed a new TCU.
 

Bndit

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2022
375
538
Finland
Yes a warm place must help a lot My levo is filthy inside when I take cover off the side with cables. Not the easiest place to clean mud out of and small delicate wires on the plugs. . The hole in the bottom of the battery guard lets a lot of crap in to that area coming off the tyres or puddle splashing. Saying that cables been ok till three weeks ago I needed a new TCU.
Yeah, I had Levo too. There was always dirt inside the motor cover but never moisture. There was known trick to stuff motofoam inside so that shit stays out but water can go through but I never used it.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
3,565
5,566
Scotland
Yeah, I had Levo too. There was always dirt inside the motor cover but never moisture. There was known trick to stuff motofoam inside so that shit stays out but water can go through but I never used it.
Just did that today. I am wondering is there a better cleaner bike out there for me. Sitting on fence regarding a new bike. I had a crack on bolt mountings and it broke off during torquing today so ???? . 5 and half years old , well a few of the original bits are . See what tomorrow brings.
 

irie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 2, 2022
2,961
3,065
Chichester, W.Sussex, UK
Our 2022 (alloy) Trek Rails came with removable batteries. Have now removed the battery lock hardware etc. with a large high up weight saving and batteries are now fixed in place using two bolts. No battery rattle either. Bikes are kept in a well insulated but unheated external garage, but if temps drop below typically 5C then use auxiliary heating.

 
Last edited:

kla456

Member
Mar 8, 2020
97
23
Scotland
Removable is optimal for me: facilitates charging when travelling (in room), for a bit more bike security and battery sustainability/temperature when bike is in garage, for reduced weight on the car rack. I recommend this battery bag from Amazon - a 'must have' for today's heavy batteries.

tempImageJoPBwy.png
 

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