Ebike Batteries 101
BATTERIES AND BATTERY PACKS, THE LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR ELECTRIC BICYCLE
Plug and play?... not always that easy and certainly not very simple for most of us.. or is it?
A good Lithium battery pack can cost as much, and often even more than the rest of your electric bike kit. Picking the right pack for the job is very important. Below, you will find information to get you on the right path to ebike happiness!.. Read-on!
Back in the late 90's when I first started learning about ebikes and related electric bicycle conversion kits, I found myself looking at a website offering a Lead Acid 150$ battery pack and then scrolling downwards, a NIMH pack, the holy grail option at 1200$ ! .. say what ? … nearly 10x the price for only double the range? That can't be right ?. can it ?
The Big Question: How do you get the most battery for your hard earned money?
Well, the first step is to learn about and get an understanding of the basics regarding battery packs, then determine what you need and what you can afford. The last thing you ever want to deal with, is being far from home and suddenly losing power! Going out for a ride with confidence, knowing that you will have a great time, enjoying the ride, the sights and sounds and then getting home without any stress is the ultimate goal and will result in you wanting to do it over and over again.. Every day.. "Ebiking" is a way of life for some of us, equipment failures and getting stranded far from home, not on my list, at any price!
Range, how far can you go on a full charge? Well, ladies and gentlemen, my personal number one pet peeve, Range Estimates! Every company, website and sales person struggles with this, on one side you have the desire to claim the best case scenario as it makes the best sales pitch, but on the flip side, if it looks too good to be true, It usually is. Fact is this, expect typically 20 miles / 32 Km from an average 6 to 8 Lb Lithium battery, that is the universal truth and pretty much the most honest statement a company can make.