What do forum peeps think of this battery location?

[Fordulike]

I posed this same question over on Endless Sphere, to see if our ideas differ from across the water.

" Things have definitely changed from the days of batteries stuck on a rack at the rear of a bike.
Haibike have an an aesthetically pleasing battery on their range of bikes, placed where the water bottle usually mounts.

But I spotted this electric bike with the battery actually where the seat down tube should be:

Bike with battery in seat down tube

Ignore the pricing, drivetrain and other components, is this battery location a good idea or just another gimmick?
I kinda like it and it would look fairly stealthy once you plonk yer bum on the seat "

One good answer from ES, was that it doesn't elongate the frame like Cyclamatic type bikes.

 

[trex]

ugly.

 

[Fordulike]

ugly.

Hee hee trex, I was hoping for more constructive comments, but hey, you might have just summed it up in one word

 

[Aushiker]

Assuming you want to actually ride this bike, i.e., pedal then it is a poor design as you cannot set the rider position correctly (unless there is a seat height adjustment there).

If it is just a moped with pedals then I guess it does not matter.

Andrew

 

[trex]

1. how do you adjust the saddle height? manipulate a 4kg seat post?
2.do you need chimpanzees' arms to remove said battery? how do you prevent water ingress when the battery is removed?
3. No possibility to have sprung seat post

Too many design defects.

 

[Fordulike]

Yeah, I did wonder about point number one.
I've just sent the seller an e-mail asking that very question, just for my own curiosity really.
Will post if I get an answer

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Nice try, but no cigar. I bet you have to chuck the whole $4000 bike when the battery packs up in a couple of years. it's much better to get something that's available from a number of sources.

 

[Gringo]

Your 3 day late to use this as an April fool.
dose it come with giant clown boots and parachute pants.
If I was given one, I would ride it wearing a full face helmet so I wouldn't get recognised
Not my cup of tea

 

[peerjay56]

I think that's 5-0, fordulike
Oops, forgot to add mine. 6-0

 

[Fordulike]

You've got to admit, electric bikes are becoming sexier and more appealing to the general public. Think Nokia 3310 versus Samsung Galaxy S5.
My first ever mobile BTW, the 3310 not S5. Can't afford a new phone for this damn ebike hobby

 

[SRS]

ugly.

I agree

 

[Kudoscycles]

That oval seat tube containing the battery is available from Cube....I thought it had a contemporary design but most of my engineers thought it ugly.
I still like the water bottle shape and position,the Bosch batteries are really a restyled version of same,for balance this 'on top of the down tube' position seems ideal but it won't work for a step through.
My current thoughts of battery position is as follows.
X-bar bike.....on the down tube
Small wheeled bike......behind the seat tube,but this makes the wheelbase too long on big diameter wheels
Step through bike....on rear rack.
These positions are really only based upon the current economical battery shapes available....I have experimented with a battery wrapped around the down tube,this could suit most applications but it is difficult to make it look attractive . Batteries inside the down tube tend to be low volume produced and therefore expensive to replace,there are also patent implications.
Battery shape and location is one of the more interesting elements of e-bike design.
KudosDave

 

[Aushiker]

Izip seem to do a better job of this idea with their E3 Metro.

Andrew

 

[Fordulike]

Izip seem to do a better job of this idea with their E3 Metro.

Andrew

As a commuter/utility bike I like it