Had a thought that it might be a better idea to instead of buying a £5k ebike, to buy a £4k ebike and invest the other 1000 in a 2nd 630w battery.
I was hoping about 2 or so years in the battery price would come down, but i dont now think thats likely.
It's just really for the idea of bikepacking as not really fully understanding range, having a 2nd there might give the better option for a there and back type jaunt. Ride till the first battery conks out, camp a couple or few days, then fit the 2nd and use that to ride back again.
Just when you add the weights of kit, and Scotland's tracks et all are quite hilly which will drain the system, rather than worry you've overdone it, you can have that 2nd back up.
Better idea 😕 aye/nae
Not really a proper answer, but I have a mate who does that to do big local rides, they even do bag designed especially for it!
Well, I've got an Orbea Wild fs H25 on order.
The rrp is 4699 but you might not pay that if you know the shop.
Just ordered a second battery (just a 500wh) for 650.
Ridiculously expensive this ebiking game, but yeah, I went with the lower spec bike to keep the costs down 🤣 a bit...
The H30 model below that comes with a 500wh battery at 4300 which is basically pocket change, so you could then get a 625wh spare for around the 5k mark.
It’s a hell of a lot of extra weight to be carrying on your back though... unless some way of putting on the frame ?
IMO it’s kind of the design flaw of ebikes, great for short punchy rides, but not great for long distance all day rides as you have to compromise
The Orbea comes with the option of a range extender that fits where the bottle goes. it's 500wh so takes your total to 1125wh.
Still heavy obviously but carried on the frame, not your back.
I only ordered the spare internal version as my plan is to use it for self uplift where I have a car to leave the spare in.
I'd def go cheaper and the spare battery.
Get a dynamo hub and recharge it while riding?
Have a Orbea Wild FS with the extra battery. Insane range so far topping out at 75km and 2000m of climbing on a single ride with 2 bars remaining at the end. It’s heavy, very, very heavy though and changes the ride characteristics and I’d hate to have the bike come down on top of me - which happened in a crash on Sunday fortunately without the extra battery. I’ve carried the spare battery in my pack to see whether it’s any better for the ride characteristics and it is but I’m getting used to the extra weight on the bike on more tech trails slowly.
We've just taken delivery of the Orbea Rise which is weighing in at about 19kg, not bad really. you can still feel it but still pretty agile. Again you can get the range extender which bolts onto the bottle mounts. the downside is the main battery isn't removable so no easy switches there.
We’ve just taken delivery of the Orbea Rise
Really nice bike that. Sat on one in Leisure Lakes.
👌
I’ve done exactly this, although I didn’t need to buy the extra battery, as the one from my wife’s ebike fits.
Good way to extend the range.
But obviously weighs a fair bit and needs to be carried.
I used an alpkit koala seat bag, but not ideal for mtb as it sticks out behind the seat, and a dropper would be problematic too.
Maybe a bar bag would be better, but then it’s exposed in an OTB incident.
I wouldn’t fancy carrying it in a backpack tbh.
But as a concept, yeah, it works.
Not really a proper answer, but I have a mate who does that to do big local rides, they even do bag designed especially for it!
I think I would just shove it in a pannier or such. They do like to scrape your wallet dry given half the chance 😆
Just ordered a second battery (just a 500wh) for 650.
Didnt consider a 500w, and might be a better plane than the top battery at the top price. Aye expensive it is. I could get so much other toys 😕
IMO it’s kind of the design flaw of ebikes, great for short punchy rides, but not great for long distance all day rides as you have to compromise
Yeah, this is the big problem and they skirt around the actual range aspect while at the same time giving out a flippant 'All day rides' without really examining that claim too deeply.
riese and muller make as far as ive seen the only bike to have 2 batteries incorporated into the frame, as a 1000w option(Superdelite), but alas its outside my price range and tbh looks horrendous, plus its very basic spec on the running gear, so again seems more of a big mark up for very little extra really.
the option of a range extender that fits where the bottle goes. it’s 500wh so takes your total to 1125wh.
Im going to have to call out looks on this 😕 In fact its one of my bug bears on ebikes. I've always been put off by this adding to the power by placing it onto the bottle mount, I've always felt aesthetically its just horrendous, a bit like constructing a beautiful stripwood kayak, then strapping an petrol outboard to the back.
I've basically avoided this design of ebike just because of that. I think it looks utterly pants and spoils the overall.
Sure not many spots you can add a 2nd battery too, but its too reminiscent of early conversions and cheap cobbled together brands.
Get a dynamo hub and recharge it while riding?
That is a very good idea, though im not sure if theres any dynamos can supply enough power to charge or even if theres an option thats been considered by the bike industry.
. Insane range so far topping out at 75km
Thats actually only 45miles and to be honest you really need double that.
" I’ve carried the spare battery in my pack to see whether it’s any better for the ride characteristics and it is but I’m getting used to the extra weight on the bike on more tech trails slowly. "
I think thats a problem everyone will have initially, especially givent he weight of ebikes to begin with. Most are used to 13-14kg xc bikes and its a fair jump adding that extra 10kg, especially on a trail where youre more used to a more manoeuvrable bike.
The extra batteries appear to be about 3.5 kg, which isnt a great deal really. I think you could manage and maybe not notice it too much.
We’ve just taken delivery of the Orbea Rise which is weighing in at about 19kg
Thats probably one of the nicest looking ebikes out there.
Seems a better weight, but again its a much smaller battery, and its range im thinking off so unfortunately its the bigger battery 2x. I reckon i should look again at weights and who is offering what, but i fear currently theres not really many options and whatever i get it will be the 23-24kg mark 😕
I used an alpkit koala seat bag, but not ideal for mtb as it sticks out behind the seat, and a dropper would be problematic too.
Maybe a bar bag would be better, but then it’s exposed in an OTB incident.
I wouldn’t fancy carrying it in a backpack tbh.
But as a concept, yeah, it works.
I reckon we'll always have the problem as to where to put the spare. I'll take a look at alpkits bags.
the option of a range extender that fits where the bottle goes. it’s 500wh so takes your total to 1125wh.
Im going to have to call out looks on this 😕 In fact its one of my bug bears on ebikes. I’ve always been put off by this adding to the power by placing it onto the bottle mount, I’ve always felt aesthetically its just horrendous,
Well, if you want that capacity then you'll need to get over that. Battery technology currently will not get you 1125wh in a tiny little downtube space.
Are you doing multi day bikepacking epics in the wilderness or showing your pretty bike off at a trail centre car park? 😉
If you've got half a ton of sleeping bags, seat packs and Kelly kettles strapped all over your bike would you even notice an extra battery in all that visual noise?
We’ve just taken delivery of the Orbea Rise which is weighing in at about 19kg
Thats probably one of the nicest looking ebikes out there.
Seems a better weight, but again its a much smaller battery, and its range im thinking off so unfortunately its the bigger battery 2
If you look at the capacity of the Rise in isolation, it looks small capacity. However the whole idea behind it is that by dialling down the torque and making the whole bike lighter and requiring more rider input, the capacity and range is fairly on par with a heavier, more powerful bike with a bigger battery but closer to the feel of a non ebike.
If you went loading your bike up heavy for bike packing trips then I guess you'd lose that. You're back to a heavier, more powerful bike and big battery capacity.
You have to compromise somewhere currently.
May not be where the OP is heading but I'm mightily impressed by the ingenuity of ppl...
DIY Spesch battery extender half the price of Trailwatts et all... Not knocking the after market battery suppliers, as they offer warranty and better piece of mind but everyone likes a bargain.
