Orbea Gain auxiliary battery
- Thread starter Inveral
- Start date
Yes but it's real world use that counts after all.
Like you I get insane range out out my Cube Touring ALP but for the opposite reason - I only turn the motor on when I feel it's needed.
I did a 4 hour 70km trip at the weekend and used circa 25% of the battery up. Maybe one third of the time motor was off and two thirds of the time on Eco.
But if I am hammering my 40km round trip commute on Tour mode that will use up 40% of the battery on its own, and a really steep climb on Turbo like going up over Werneth Low might drain 20% in a couple of km.
So we all understand it's about context but real world usage info is still invaluable...
Orbea have marketed the bike cleverly as a lowish KG road bike with a little help for those hills, the promise of a range extender battery to come is a little teaser. Once you have spent a good sum buying the bike you have but no choice to buy the battery if you want more range.
It is the problem with closed systems bikes you can't willy nilly parallel another battery in.
That's the main reason I why I like China kits easy to work with and batteries even with great cells are a lot cheaper.
It is the problem with closed systems bikes you can't willy nilly parallel another battery in.
That's the main reason I why I like China kits easy to work with and batteries even with great cells are a lot cheaper.
Most people on here are very happy with the range though as far as I can tell: https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/orbea-gain-e-road-bike.33598/page-3
Not that these cyclists represent the "average joe", who mostly pedals around with the maximum assist level active. In that case, the range extender will probably be needed.
Sorry to ask a few dumb questions about the orbea gain.
I have the d30, have good range, about 60 to 70 miles but would love the reserve battery. Why cant a battery pack of same voltage and Wh capacity be just plugged in. Ebay have water bottle battery for 220 GBP. Alter power lead from charger with waterproof connectors.
What stops the main battery just accepting the second battery as a charger whilst being ridden? What is the closed system alluded to previously?
Even using the second battery when stationary would extend the range when stopping for a coffee break.
I have the d30, have good range, about 60 to 70 miles but would love the reserve battery. Why cant a battery pack of same voltage and Wh capacity be just plugged in. Ebay have water bottle battery for 220 GBP. Alter power lead from charger with waterproof connectors.
What stops the main battery just accepting the second battery as a charger whilst being ridden? What is the closed system alluded to previously?
Even using the second battery when stationary would extend the range when stopping for a coffee break.
Likely that the Orbea system won't excep a third party battery, it depends on any comms between battery, controller & display info via the app.
Only connect batteries in Parallel if their voltages are pretty much equal.
You could try Paralleling another pack but both will need to be at or very near the same voltage otherwise to much current will flow high to low which may be dangerous. The current can be high if voltage is out by a lot so don't try charging one with another. The current flow causes a lot of heat and if the wiring can't cope it or connectors will melt as well as component damage to the battery bms/pcb. If all were able to cope with the current flow cell damage will also occur.
A closed system is where the component parts use comms/protocols to speak to each other, like Bosch,Yamaha & Steps systems etc. So battery, controller and display electrically speak to each other sending the correct info.
Only connect batteries in Parallel if their voltages are pretty much equal.
You could try Paralleling another pack but both will need to be at or very near the same voltage otherwise to much current will flow high to low which may be dangerous. The current can be high if voltage is out by a lot so don't try charging one with another. The current flow causes a lot of heat and if the wiring can't cope it or connectors will melt as well as component damage to the battery bms/pcb. If all were able to cope with the current flow cell damage will also occur.
A closed system is where the component parts use comms/protocols to speak to each other, like Bosch,Yamaha & Steps systems etc. So battery, controller and display electrically speak to each other sending the correct info.
Thank you for your detailed reply but I assume that a lot of that is assumed as well. I see no information that it is a closed system. If the charger cable were examined are you saying there may be more than two cables other than power charging cables? The reserve battery states it as three setting even charging when above speed limit. So am I correct in assuming that the voltages would be different at that point so how does the system recognise that?
Again sorry for dumb questions but 400 to 500 Gbp for a battery is excessive for 100 gbp for parts
Again sorry for dumb questions but 400 to 500 Gbp for a battery is excessive for 100 gbp for parts
If the mooted price of £510 for 203W/hr is correct it's not even just 'excesssive for parts'. All closed system battery prices are 'excessive for parts' as the manufacturers take a very healthy mark-up up on them but this seems excessive even compared to other closed system battery prices like the Bosch/ Yamaha and Fazua ones.
Bosch is generally regarded as the most expensive mainstream battery pack and that's £650 for a new 500W/hr tube battery (so £1.30 per W/hr).
This would be a simply astonishing £2.51 per W/hr if true.
Bosch is generally regarded as the most expensive mainstream battery pack and that's £650 for a new 500W/hr tube battery (so £1.30 per W/hr).
This would be a simply astonishing £2.51 per W/hr if true.
If you're going to do that, you might as well make your own from scratch, which, as I already said, would be about the same cost for the whole bike as the Orbea replacement battery, and you get complete flexibility over speed, power and range.
Orbea don't make the batteries, they buy them from the company that makes the motor who probably doesn't make them either but subcontracts. By the time all of those people have added their markup you get ridiculous retail prices (the LBS has his cut too). That is the way of closed systems.
Remember this bike is targeted at people who will pay up to 12,000€ for a bike, Decathlon sells bikes without a motor that cost more than the entry level Gain...
Remember this bike is targeted at people who will pay up to 12,000€ for a bike, Decathlon sells bikes without a motor that cost more than the entry level Gain...