36v 12ah alternative?

[redsquirrel]

Hi All,

I'm totally new to this (and every) cycling forum, due to the fact I very recently aquired 2 electric bikes from a very generous freecycler - BUT - they both need the batteries replaced, and according to the "manufacturer" (Pro-Rider Mobility) these cost £289 each! I am Registered Disabled (have had 6 back ops) and cannot work, so finding the £289 for a battery is WELL ABOVE my means, so are there any cheaper-but-as-good alternatives please?

My 8yr old son wants me to accompany him when he is out on his bike - which is a great idea as I can teach him the Highway Code etc - but where I live in the Scottish countryside the roads are not level as in a town/city and there are MANY inclines that last forever, and although I CAN use the bike without a battery I feel it would be MUCH easier if I had one.

The company the bikes are from is --

Pro Rider Mobility and the bike is the E Tourer.

All help will be gratiously received, and I hope someone can come up with a very cheap but good solution?

Thanks

redsquirrel

 

[flecc]

This link shows the model, but it's listed as having a 36 volt 10Ah battery, not 12Ah as you've posted. That £289 for a lithium battery is not unusual. There are alternatives from China direct at near £200, but there's a risk of getting caught with import duties and VAT which could cancel the difference, and they may not be an exact fit and need modifying or mounting on the rack instead.

The only way to make a radical difference to the cost would be to use three 12 volt 12Ah SLA (lead acid) batteries housed in some way and rack mounted, but they would be very heavy and possibly have less life. The three SLAs could cost less than £100 from some sources.

Hopefully others can advise of a China sourced battery that will be an exact fit, and also suitable sources for suitable high discharge but low cost SLAs.

 

[Alan Quay]

I have used www.vbat.co.UK before, and purchased deep cycle SLA's. 3 x 14Ah SLA's cost me about £100, but you may get better price on eBay.

A setup like that will add 15 kilos to the weight, and rack mount is probably the only option. In my case, I had a range c. 15 miles, with 250 w motor, on moderate terrain, with large rider.

It works, and is better than nothing. I have since moved on to lithium.