Who has a spare battery

Beekeeper

🍯Honey Monster🍯
Aug 6, 2019
1,751
2,197
Surrey hills
Batteries degrade over time whether they are used or not.
If I had a second battery I’d probably only use it a few times a year and it would therefore be dying a slow death sitting on the shelf for most of the time. I’d rather have a bigger battery to begin with.
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,849
1,579
USA
I do only because my original battery lost 10% of its capacity after 50 charge cycles, and Shimano or Pivot wouldn't warranty it. That kinda sucked.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,004
9,423
Lincolnshire, UK
The early Focus Jam2 came with a 378Whr battery in the frame. You could also buy an extra 378Whr battery to slot onto the down tube. I bought one of those "at cost". Whenever I have used it I have never needed it! I only take it out now and again because I think it needs the exercise.

It turns out that its main use is to allow me to run down the frame battery to zero (which I do now and then), yet still be able to ride home.
 

Beekeeper

🍯Honey Monster🍯
Aug 6, 2019
1,751
2,197
Surrey hills
Thinking about it, so I can do 60 - 70+ mile runs.
Managed 42 miles and 4000ft climbing yesterday on a 625Wh.
Not a lot of juice remaining at the end.

Carried a couple of tins of soup in my backpack, to simulate carrying a second battery.

If they were £100 it would be a no brainer.
But at £700 also weighing up how many times I will get a pass-out for an all-day ride.

I would rotate every week or so, if not changed on a ride.

In these difficult times I think I’d spend the £700 on tinned soups ? instead of lithium ?
 

D

Deleted member 7464

Guest
I have a spare and it's come in very handy when I have forgotten to charge the one on my bike,which happens quite often at the moment as I use it a fair bit with being able to go out each day.
 

Weeds

Member
Mar 5, 2019
31
25
Leavenworth, WA
I have two that I rotate every 10 charges. The reason for two is we travel 500 miles sometimes from home to ride. After the original battery was replaced under warranty, I decided I did not want to be far from home with no bike to ride.

I live in the western US.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Only reason I had tinned soup in the cupboard. ;)

But just checked the weight of carrying a spare Bosch 625Wh Powertube.
3.5kg :eek:

Equivalent of six or seven 500g tins of soup in the back pack.
Just tried it. I think it is a non starter.

You really don't notice the weight in a decent backpack. I'd reasoned it wasn't going to be too much trouble because in midsummer I regularly travel with a 3 litre water bladder in a Deuter backpack. I replaced the bladder with the battery and it really wasn't an issue on an 85km ride (didn't need to change the battery. It was just my "range anxiety").

I'll be getting myself the Evoc Eride Backpack for summer - because I'll be needing the water too!
 

Russell

Well-known member
Dec 16, 2018
211
149
Iow
I've recently been taking my wife's battery with me as a spare. It's good being able to ride till the first battery dies then swap it over and head for home. Luckily my top tube is a square tube so it's easy to strap a battery to it. I tried it in a back pack but it's way to heavy.
 

RedTed

Member
Oct 1, 2019
45
35
Sheffield
I've recently been taking my wife's battery with me as a spare. It's good being able to ride till the first battery dies then swap it over and head for home. Luckily my top tube is a square tube so it's easy to strap a battery to it. I tried it in a back pack but it's way to heavy.

Your post has given me a great idea! Buy my wife the same bike (not an XL obviously..) so I can use her battery too. Genius! Trouble is she prefers Specialized to Trek so I may have my work cut out... Or sell my Trek and buy two nice shiny new ebikes?
 

BBear

Active member
May 18, 2019
105
86
Bristol
I have a spare battery for my 2018 Focus Jam2. It clips onto the downtube but I only use it on big days in the hills as it definitely affects the handling of the bike. Gives me 756Wh tho!
 

cozzy

E*POWAH Elite
Subscriber
Aug 11, 2019
935
1,044
Hampshire UK
Rotate. I saw little point in only having one battery when driving 2.5 hours to wales for a ride. It just wouldn't be worth it. Back to the van at lunchtime and swap.
 

Tedgar

Member
Dec 29, 2019
67
43
Sebring, Florida
Wife and I both have 2019 Levos. I have 1 spare battery. We ride till both @ 50% then swap her battery. She is at 100%, me at 50%. Ride till mine is done and swap mine. Both at 50% now.

Took me a few beers to figure that out. Lesson learned..... An empty battery is just as heavy as a full battery. ?
 

Cyclopath1000

Active member
Apr 26, 2019
313
125
Davis Ca
My Shimano original batt for my commencal meta power 27 lost its range by about 20%. ( Now have 2800 km on it ) so I got a second one ...but I've also totally stopped wearing a backpack for ALL rides because of my janked cervical vertibrae, so forget taking a second battery for a ride. I switch them out sort of. Eventually I will send the original out for rebuild . Considering how many peeps on this forum seem to be buying multiple e bikes ...I don't see how the $500 or whatever I paid for the second one is excessive spending.

15872274234324567192628736221918.jpg
 

Russell

Well-known member
Dec 16, 2018
211
149
Iow
If you got a couple of thumb buckles and a bit of rubber shaped like a figure of eight to make a flat pad to sit battery on on you could probably strap one to your top tube. I wouldn't do it if you're precious about your paintwork.
 
Last edited:

Cyclopath1000

Active member
Apr 26, 2019
313
125
Davis Ca
Yes I've considered it. It's hard enough to pack what I have on a bike that doesn't have a water bottle mount. The one on my bike is an sks strap on with a 12 oz sippy cup..which actually works. Plus the round front bag holds 2 16.9 oz Arrowhead waters ..the top tube bag has a pump, Stan's darts, multi tool, chain tool , spare lungs , quick chain connect , motor key, hangar , plus a few other ditties . I have a $6.98 waist pack with my phonr and little fruit and nut bags I found at Walmart
 

OldGoatMTB

E*POWAH Master
Mar 24, 2020
423
253
27284
Wife and I both have 2019 Levos. I have 1 spare battery. We ride till both @ 50% then swap her battery. She is at 100%, me at 50%. Ride till mine is done and swap mine. Both at 50% now.

Took me a few beers to figure that out. Lesson learned..... An empty battery is just as heavy as a full battery. ?
Just don’t teach her how to turn the bike on!
 

MB1

Member
Dec 28, 2019
38
31
Cumbria
I rotate and use the excellent evoc backpack, it’s expensive but reall well made. As others have said, once it’s on, you don’t notice it.
 

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