My Agattu has done over 600 miles since I bought it but the battery is less than satisfactory. When new I did the two full discharge cycles and the range was measured at around 37 miles using my journey to work. This was all done in high powered mode as I don't particularly like arriving at work sweaty. The gearing was too low for me so I fitted a 18 tooth sprocket - I knew the range would be reduced but my return journey is only 20 miles. I didn't do a range test but found that at the end of the day I would have 1 or 2 bars left - all this in high powered mode. I have watched the leds go out earlier and earlier on my journey and now do it all in mid power except for the last hill on the way home. Now I consider myself lucky if I have 1 bar left on the battery - it is quite often flashing. One other thing, 50 cycles advised in a previous post that if you hold down the battery button until all the lights go out they will re-light showing the capacity (I think) of the battery - this can be done whether the battery is fully charged or not. All the bars used to light up but now only 4 of the 5 bars light - does this means it now has only 80% of the original capacity? Has anybody else experienced any decline in battery performance? This is all depressing as one of the main reasons for swapping to the Agattu was because of all the battery problems I was having with the Torq, but history seems to be repeating itself. I have yet to talk to 50 cycles and I know from experience that I will lose the battery for two weeks while it is tested so I will have to wait for a convenient time. Everybody seems so happy with their Kalkhoffs that I wonder if it just a one off duff battery.
Agattu battery life
- Thread starter HarryB
- Start date
Hi Harry,
You might have read my posts but I feel I could have the same problems as you also.
When I first got the bike I could do the 2 days commute to work which came to 20.5 miles with a 2000+feet climb in all, in high power all the time with 1 LED left on the battery and much more pannier weight on the bike.
I still had the factory 22 tooth Spocket on the bike.
Adding the remaining LED I would have probably got about 26-27miles on the bike to flat.
Ive since changed to the 18 tooth spockets and calculated this as my new mileage on high power like this....
27 divided by the 22teeth = 1.2272727 x 18teeth sprocket = 22.09 miles.
Since the 18 sprocket change I have initially got 25 miles in constant high power before the battery went flat.
I have since moved to the medium power setting, but at present I have no clear data and I will need to completely redo my testing.
I continue to ride the bike daily, though often without my gps attached to measure exact distances, but I do feel that the battery is stating to lose its range after only 3 months ownership.
I post the exact medium range test ASAP.
You might have read my posts but I feel I could have the same problems as you also.
When I first got the bike I could do the 2 days commute to work which came to 20.5 miles with a 2000+feet climb in all, in high power all the time with 1 LED left on the battery and much more pannier weight on the bike.
I still had the factory 22 tooth Spocket on the bike.
Adding the remaining LED I would have probably got about 26-27miles on the bike to flat.
Ive since changed to the 18 tooth spockets and calculated this as my new mileage on high power like this....
27 divided by the 22teeth = 1.2272727 x 18teeth sprocket = 22.09 miles.
Since the 18 sprocket change I have initially got 25 miles in constant high power before the battery went flat.
I have since moved to the medium power setting, but at present I have no clear data and I will need to completely redo my testing.
I continue to ride the bike daily, though often without my gps attached to measure exact distances, but I do feel that the battery is stating to lose its range after only 3 months ownership.
I post the exact medium range test ASAP.
It certainly sounds like it Hal. 50 cycles have a fully working Panasonic folder with one of their much earlier batteries which still works reliably at about 4 to 5 years old now, this from the days when they were the agents for them.
With an 18 tooth sprocket you should expect about 26 miles or so if running in standard mode, or that same distance with the normal 22 tooth sprocket if running in high power mode all the time. 600 miles is nothing compared to the 3500 plus miles and 253 charges the lithium battery I'm testing has done since mid January, and that's lost less capacity.
P.S. Just seen Burncycle's post above. Maybe the effects of a sprocket change dents things more than expected. The Agattu that A to B had hammered around Dorset for the review and which I tested later adding more miles showed no indication of range loss, quite the reverse as it was better than expected. All that was done on the standard sprocket though.
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With an 18 tooth sprocket you should expect about 26 miles or so if running in standard mode, or that same distance with the normal 22 tooth sprocket if running in high power mode all the time. 600 miles is nothing compared to the 3500 plus miles and 253 charges the lithium battery I'm testing has done since mid January, and that's lost less capacity.
P.S. Just seen Burncycle's post above. Maybe the effects of a sprocket change dents things more than expected. The Agattu that A to B had hammered around Dorset for the review and which I tested later adding more miles showed no indication of range loss, quite the reverse as it was better than expected. All that was done on the standard sprocket though.
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Bob, how many mile have you done on the battery so far? Also what happens when you press the battery button for 10 seconds (until it goes out and re-lights) do you get the full 5 bars? I hope your battery isn't doing the same as mine because I would prefer it if it was just my battery that was dud and not a pattern forming.
I don't think it is the change of sprocket - I did this when the bike was a couple of weeks old and certainly the range has dropped over the summer (I dread to think what would happen in the winter with the cold). What do you make of the test that 50 cycles suggest? I am not sure what it is supposed to be testing - 50 cycles say the capacity, in which case I am assuming losing a bar is losing 20% which is dramatic after 600-700 miles.
Ive done about 700-800miles on the bike Harry.
Ive got 5 LED's after 10seconds but the battery is fully charged.
How many miles have you clocked Harry?
Just checked the mileage - 738 miles, so about the same as you. That test should be independent of charge. I get 4 bars whether it has 1 bar or 5 bar of charge. Your battery sounds ok if it has the full 5 bars.
My Agattu battery is showing 4 leds i.e. not fully charged. If I hold down the battery button for approx 10secs the leds go out and then I get all 5 leds relighting.
My total mileage is 500miles.
No sign of any reduced battery range. I usually get about 10miles per battery led when using the low to mid level assist settings. This is similar to the initial range checks I did when the bike/battery was new.
My sprocket is 18t.
My total mileage is 500miles.
No sign of any reduced battery range. I usually get about 10miles per battery led when using the low to mid level assist settings. This is similar to the initial range checks I did when the bike/battery was new.
My sprocket is 18t.
My battery is fully charged and when holding the test button down for 10 secs I get 5 LEDs then nothing and then the 5 LEDs relight again - indicating a healthy battery. I have the 18T sprocket change as well and have covered 2100 miles since late December last year. I get nothing like 10 miles per LED. My commute to work is 18.8 miles one way and I charge the battery at work. In favourable conditions (i.e. not Winter, no a stong headwind), I arrive a work with 1 and sometimes 2 LED's. Coming home is more downhill and I usually have 2 LEDs, sometimes 3. When the conditions are unfavourable (i.e. cold, wet and windy) I arrive at work with 1 LED flashing and on the way back 1 or 2 LEDs. This just demostrates how variable things can be with the same rider and bike. I do think your battery sounds like it has a failed cell - very unlucky -and you should send it back under warranty and get a new one.
I am at 300 miles now, nearly all high power. Everything is fine, getting 30 miles on a 18T,
John
John
Scott,
To your first point, yes I have tried this test (fully charged but it is not charge dependent) and get 4 out of the five bars - so 8 amps. Can you confirm that my battery is only giving 8 amps and that would explain the range reduction?
Yes I did the initial charge and conditioning as recommended and found no problem for the first month or two. The battery is used for work (20 miles) and charged every working day so does not ever get taken down to zero. My problem is the way the battery is deteriorating.
I get slightly worried when the supplier starts talking about the users having damaged the cells. Maybe this would be true of the Ezee batteries but the battery management on the Kalkhoff bikes is incredibly sophisticated and would never allow a user to damage the cells like this. Thats after all why I bought the bike (and after all the trouble I had with Torq batteries).
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This sounds similar to mine Citrus.
My 2 days commute is a total of 20.5miles.
In constant High Mode I got home with 1 LED flashing.
You didnt say what mode these figures are from....
High or medium mode?
Also what total climbs are you doing in your commute?
I climb just over 2000 feet in the 20.5miles.
Hi Burncycle,
My outward journey is 18.8 miles with a climb of 1124 feet. I do this part of the journey in medium mode the whole way. My return journey is obviously the same distance with a climb of 963 feet and done in a mixture of medium and low mode. I think our figures are fairly similar, your battery getting a rest between your shorter journeys, whereas my battery gets more of a beating with continuous use over nearly 19 miles.
Hi Citrus, thanks for that return.
I think our situation sounds pretty much the same and that reassuring.
Regards Bob.
Hm. I had been wondering (after my first week of using my Agattu for my very short commute) whether short trips offer poorer battery performance. I cycle 4 miles a day - 3.5 in Standard and .5 uphill in High. Each day knocks out one light on the handlebar indicator, and the battery low light starts flashing before the return trip on the 3rd day.
12 miles between charges? I'm 16st and have a toddler on board.
In a sense, it doesn't trouble me, since I'm using the bike for a specific single purpose and can schedule recharging accordingly. But should I be more concerned?
12 miles between charges? I'm 16st and have a toddler on board.
In a sense, it doesn't trouble me, since I'm using the bike for a specific single purpose and can schedule recharging accordingly. But should I be more concerned?
Short journeys with regular charges are actually good for you battery. I am assuming you have conditioned it correctly for it's first two runs? You would find it better to top up charge the battery after each run, the lithiums will last a little longer if you do this instead of always letting it run right down before re charging. Also are you making sure the battery if fully charged before taking it off charge? ie. making sure all 5 lights have gone out on the battery? As mentioned before on here the battery is not fully charged when the lights are all lit up. It still need further charging. One last thing, the range will be reduced if you tow, we don't have figures to show by how much, but it would be reduced.
Also just a quick note to everyone on here, please make sure your tyre pressures are correct. This does have an effect on your overall range. Agattu is recommended 65psi and Pro Connect 85psi. More pressure = less resistance = better range!
Kalkhoff Battery Performance
Hello
I weigh more than 16st and have the power on High all the time on my Tasman. After 18 - 19 miles the last battery light is flashing, indicating 0-10% power remaining. That is clearly a lot better than you are getting.
Iain
Hello
I weigh more than 16st and have the power on High all the time on my Tasman. After 18 - 19 miles the last battery light is flashing, indicating 0-10% power remaining. That is clearly a lot better than you are getting.
Iain
I think I would check your brakes arent rubbing. I had a severe loss of range the other day and thought "oh oh, battery is wearing in", but it was just my rear brake slightly rubbing. Somehow the rear wheel had come a bit loose on one side and moved on that side in the dropout causing the brake to rub.
I am doing 21 miles on high with a break in between and still have 2 lights normally, but isnt much of a climb to mention on the journey.
John