onboard charger

A List Of Great (And Inexpensive) Electric Bicycle Parts

I’ve been building electric bicycles for nearly a decade now. A few years ago I started this website as a place to freely share a lot of the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years. One of the questions I get asked most often is about recommendations for specific parts.

There are thousands of options out there for every single ebike accessory you could think of, so it’s hard for me to make an exhaustive list. What I’ll do instead is try to compile a list below of the ebike parts I use most often and that I generally recommend to others. Some of these parts I’ve written up full reviews for, and others I’m still planning to write more about.

For the sake of this list though, I’ll try to keep it less wordy and focus more on the links and the images. Also, most of the vendors I know are either in North America or China. If you don’t live in North America, the Chinese ones will likely be more helpful to you. I’ve tried to give examples of both in cases where I buy from both places.

Electric Bicycle Motors:

There are tons of motors out there, but these are some of my favorites.

For a pretty standard yet powerful 48V 1000W ebike, I like to go with a 9C-clone-style gearless motor like this one from Conhismotor, which also includes the controller, ebrakes, etc – basically everything you need except for the battery.

For genuine 9C motors, I recommend going with Grin Technology (AKA ebikes.ca), located in Canada.

For a smaller geared motor in the 500W range, I’d recommend ebike.ca’s Ezee kits here.

If you’re not in North America but still want a geared motor kit, this is a pretty decent one for an amazing price. For $400 you can have an entire ebike ready to be assembled. It’s not the most powerful kit, but it’s certainly good for cruising around town.

For a more powerful ebike, Kinaye Motor Sports in the USA is a great source for the MXUS 3,000W motors and all the other bits (controllers, throttles, etc) that you’ll need. If you’re outside of the US, you can get the MXUS 3,000W motors from a Chinese vendor here.

The BBS02 is an amazing mid-drive motor that is badged up to 750W but really puts out about 1,000W of peak power. One of the best prices I’ve seen is available here, and it’s available for a little more from a great ebike vendor in China, EM3EV, here. But if you’re prefer to buy it in the US, a very trustworthy and helpful vendor is California Ebike here.

Bafang released a higher power version of the BBS02, known as the BBSHD, which is good for about 1,500 peak watts. I’ve gotten one here, but the best price I’ve found so far is here, though prices change often and the market fluctuates.

Electric Bicycle Batteries:

Batteries are a little tougher because there are a million and a half options out there. Generally I build my own electric bicycle batteries, but when I buy batteries, these are some of the sources I use:

EM3EV has a great selection of batteries that they build in plastic cases, triangle shapes or standard rectangular bricks. These are some great quality packs.

For better prices though, I’ve sometimes used batteries from Aliexpress. I’ve had some great batteries from there and also found some lesser quality ones, so I’ll only link to the ones that were worth it.

I used one of these 36V 10AH batteries for a customer that simply wanted a replacement battery for a standard seat tube style battery.

This is a HUGE capacity 48V 30AH triangle pack for a price that you’d never find the US. You could ride for days or weeks on this battery without recharging, depending on your commute.

If that’s a little much for you, this is also a good 48V 20AH triangle pack made from Samsung cells.

A friend of mine bought this 48V 9AH battery for a great price and has been happy with it. Keep in mind that it’s a medium power battery though. Don’t try to pull more than 800 or 900 watts out of it.

A lot of people prefer a locking battery case though, and so this 48V 10AH battery is a better fit. For under $300 including shipping, it’s simply a steal.

This little 24V 10AH bottle style battery works great for my wife’s ebike, mounted just like a water bottle holder.

There are actually a whole pile of ebike batteries on Aliexpress but I’ve only tried a handful of them. The good thing about Aliexpress is they hold your payment in escrow until you confirm that the goods are working well, then release the payment to the vendor. So if you have a problem with a product that turns out to be problematic, they give you your money back if you file a claim. I’ve used the process a few times and it was actually confidence inspiring, I must say. It makes me feel better about taking a risk on a more expensive product since I know the buyer protection works.

It’s also one reason I prefer Aliexpress to eBay, since your money is held by Aliexpress and not released to the seller until you give the go-ahead.

Lithium Ion (Li-ion) 18650 Cells:

As I mentioned before, I build my own batteries most of the time, which means I buy a lot of battery cells, mostly Li-ion 18650 cells. Here are some of my main sources for cells:

Samsung 26F cells (2.6AH, 5.2A max) – These cells are good for lower power applications where you don’t need more than 2C discharge. I built a lot of 48V 15-ish AH packs from these cells. Great for low to medium power applications. I get most of my 26F cells here. That vendor’s prices are a little higher but I’ve worked with them a lot and know they are great quality and have good service/communication. Recently I started getting cells from here in higher quantities because the price has been better.

Panasonic 18650PF cells (2.9AH, 10A max) – I use these cells for most of my medium to higher power packs. They have great energy density and are top quality, like the Samsung’s above, but are capable of higher power. I get them here or sometimes here.

Sanyo 18650GA cells (3.5AH 10A max) – These cells are a bit newer than the two previous cells and are great for medium to higher power packs as well. Basically any case where you’d use the Panasonic cells above but would like more capacity, this is the cell to use. I usually buy them from here.

Electric bicycle battery spot welder

I have a few different spot welders that I use for building lithium batteries from 18650 cells. The one I use most is this one, which I created a video review for, shown below.

I’ve also had good success with this one which has flexible welding probes which allow you to reach farther and get to the middle of a battery to make repairs. With my welder in the video above I have to do one row at a time as I build the battery since it doesn’t have the long flexible arms. Both methods work, it just depends on which you prefer.

When it comes to nickel strip for welding batteries, make sure you get 100% pure nickel strip. It should be indicated in the product description, but be sure to double check that it’s actually pure nickel when you receive it by using the test I invented here. I buy my nickel strip by the kilogram here, but you can also buy smaller amounts here if you don’t build as many batteries as me!

lithium battery BMS’s (battery management system):

BMS’s are available from a number of sources, but almost all of them are in China, so you’ll have to get used to sending some money overseas and waiting a few weeks to get your goods.

The best quality BMS’s I’ve seen are from BesTechPower. I’ve used their D131 a few times for some 72V packs and I love it. Their BMS’s are pricy though, and higher quality than most people need. You can spend a quarter of the money and get something that’s likely good enough for most applications.

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A common and very inexpensive 13S BMS I’ve used a bunch is this one. The same vendor (who I buy from often) has a good 14s BMS as well, and even a 20s BMS which would be good for you if the D131 above is too rich for your blood.

For inexpensive 36V BMS’s I usually go with this one and this one. They’re both comparable in price and quality.

Electric Bicycle Chargers:

There was a great charger vendor from China that I used but unfortunately went out of business last year. He was a young guy and just found it hard to compete with the bigger established countries. Since then, and with his recommendations, I’ve settled on a few other vendors that I use for chargers.

For my personal every day charger I use a Cycle Satiator from Ebikes.ca, which I wrote a full review about here. I use it to charge my 52V battery as well as other batteries of different voltages that I have laying around.

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When I need a charger to take with me on the road, I use this 52V charger.

I get most of my 48V 4A chargers from here and higher powered 48V 6A chargers from here. Those are both aluminum alloy shell chargers – I don’t use plastic chargers anymore.

For 36V chargers, I go with this little guy, and for 24V chargers I use this one, though I don’t buy 24V chargers that often.

Electric Bicycle Electronic Speed Controllers:

There are a lot of different controllers out there and they all have their specific uses. I build a lot of medium power ebikes so I don’t need anything too fancy. For the most powerful ebikes I build, I reach for a Lyen controller or an EM3EV controller, which are comparable for quality and price. Lyen ships from the USA while EM3EV ships from China, so that may affect your decision depending which country you live closer to.

For most of the medium power ebikes I build though, I don’t need controllers that are as nice as the Lyen and EM3EV controllers. I can get away with something a third of the price. I’ve been quite happy with this controller on some 72V ebikes I’ve built.

For 36V and 48V ebikes, I usually use this controller, which is appropriate for both voltages.

For lower power 36V bikes, I use this little controller, which can actually be used on 48V ebikes as well.

Electric Bicycle Throttles:

My favorite type of throttle is a half twist throttle. I get them here. Sometimes I use full twist throttles, like these. And when I use thumb throttles, I get them here.

Electric Bicycle Lights:

I wrote an article about electric bicycle lights here, but I’ll give you the summary of links below.

Ebikes.ca designed great front and rear lights that run off the main ebike battery, but they’re kind of pricy.

Most of the time I use this front head light instead, which also runs off the main ebike pack and is even brighter.

For a tail light, I go with this simple light that also runs off of my main ebike pack.

I built a set of running lights that run off of my main ebike pack using LED strips that I purchased here.

Electric Bicycle Horns:

I wrote a whole review on these horns here.

Suffice it to say that there are some great horns out there for ebikes, including a 48V horn that I love, and a similar 36V horn and many 12V horns.

For all of those horns you’ll need a button to activate them. This is the one I always use because it comes with extra buttons for lights, but any momentary contact button will work.

Bicycle Seats:

I actually buy most of my saddles locally, but I picked up this little number recently to give it a shot for my wife’s bike and she actually loves it.

Electric Bicycle Bags:

Oh boy, there are a ton of good ebike bags out there. I reviewed the Electric Rider bag a while back and still love that bag – it’s the largest one I’ve used.

The EM3EV bag is a classic that is well respected in the community. I’ve got a pile of them in my closet waiting to get used. If you don’t want to wait for (or pay for) shipping from China then you can get the bag from Kinaye Motorsports in the US here. There’s also the bag by Falcon EV that has gotten good reviews, but I haven’t used that one so I can’t vouch for it personally.

For a smaller bag in the US, I’ve had great luck with the Ibera frame bags that I’ve gotten on Amazon.

This bag is cheaper than the Ibera bags but almost as big, and I’ve found it to be quite good quality.

Lastly, I made a really small 36V 8.7AH battery to fit inside this under seat bag that worked great. I wrote a how-to for that battery here.

Electric Bicycle Wattmeters:

The best wattmeter in the ebike industry is without a doubt the Cycle Analyst designed by ebikes.ca and available directly from them here.

I almost always use a Cycle Analyst on my bikes. Sometimes on customer’s bikes I use a cheaper wattmeter like this one in cases where a customer doesn’t want to shell out for a real Cycle Analyst. It’s not waterproof or backlit, but it’s more than 10x cheaper than a Cycle Analyst!

I haven’t used one like this yet, but I plan to pick up one of those styles and test them when I get the time.

Electric Bicycle Tools:

There are a number of tools that are my go-to ebike tools. I really like this bicycle multi tool and keep it on my bicycle at all times for any quick repairs or adjustments. It’s great when I notice I need to tighten my brakes a bit.

My standard soldering iron is a really simple, really cheap adjustable heat soldering iron. I use it for soldering wires, connectors, nickel battery terminals, BMS’s…. basically everything. Mine is the 220V version, but there’s a 110V version for the US here. It’s a workhorse and took me a year and a half to finally burn through the tip. I just picked up a set of replacement tips here that will probably last me years at this rate.

I use heat resistant and non-conductive tape when building batteries. It’s not super strong so I don’t recommend using it in a structural application like electrical tape, but it’s a lot stickier than electrical tape so it’s perfect for cases where you need to cover exposed wires or contacts to prevent shorts, especially in an area that can get hot – like a battery.

Helping hands are an amazing tool for soldering. They help hold your small parts in place, which is great for soldering connectors onto wires. They also protect your fingers when trying to hold a wire that quickly heats up while soldering it. For me it is well worth a few bucks to make my life so much easier.

This is my favorite little wire snips. I use it for both stripping wire ends and for cutting wires. I don’t use it on anything but copper or aluminum wire, that way it stays sharp. Ok fine, sometimes I cheat and use it to cut zip ties flush, but those are soft compared to wire, right!?

Locks:

My favorite lock is the Kryptonite New York line of U-locks. They are simply beasts. I don’t know where to get them internationally, but in the US I used to get them on Amazon.

I like to use two locks at the same time to make my ebike extra theft-resistant. My secondary lock is usually a chain lock. I know that this chain lock doesn’t look like much, but it’s actually served me well and the chain links are quite hard steel. I never use cheap cable locks.

I recently got this “puck” style lock and have been quite happy with it. It’s a nice little secondary lock, but I wouldn’t rely on it as the only lock I would use.

This is a similar style lock that I haven’t gotten yet, but that I want to try out because it’s just a bit longer and thus likely more convenient.

I also have a really neat U-lock that holds just the wheel and comes with a built in motion alarm that I reviewed here.

Electric Bicycle GPS trackers:

I haven’t gotten to purchasing a GPS tracker, though I plan to very soon. I’m deciding between a simple one like this general purpose GPS tracker and a bicycle specific GPS tracker like this clever one hidden in the stem of the handlebars.

More to come…

And that’s the majority of the electric bicycle parts that I buy on a regular basis. As I think of more ebike parts that I’ve left out I will be sure to add them. I’ll also update as I find better prices in the future.

Do you have a favorite ebike accessory? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!

Review: Cycle Satiator – A better ebike charger

It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited by an electric bicycle charger. In fact, my ebike charger is usually my last thought – just something I use at the end of the day to top up my battery. But that was until I bought a Cycle Satiator from Grin Technologies, an innovative Canadian ebike component company.

I’ll start with a quick summary of my thoughts on the Cycle Satiator. For me, it was a must-buy because it allows me to charge many different ebike batteries, replacing a pile of chargers. It also allows me to dial in the charging power and time I want based on different situations – no more waiting for my battery to slowly charge when I’m in a rush to get going. The charger is a bit expensive at $295, but below I’ll show you how this is actually quite a deal and can even save you more money over the life of your battery. So if you want to learn about a great quality charger that can pay for itself, keep reading!

Grin Technologies – ebike innovators

You guys might remember Grin (or better known as ebikes.ca) from my article on the Cycle Analyst – one of their first ebike inventions. They’ve developed all sorts of new ebike technologies in-house at their headquarters in Vancouver. From watt meters to cycle lights, they’ve lent their ingenuity to a number of different ebike developments, and now they’ve set their sights on redefining the conventional ebike charger.

Grin Technologies Cycle Satiator Ebike charger

Grin Technologies hits gold again with the Cycle Satiator

The Cycle Analyst represents years of R&D aimed at correcting all the frustrating problems associated with cheap Chinese ebike chargers, namely:

Poor quality
Low reliability
Loud noise
Limited voltage range
Lack of adjustability

Let’s take a look at how the Cycle Satiator improved upon all of these areas, below.

Ebike chargers – quality matters!

Today’s lithium batteries are usually very safe, but it is important to remember that these batteries contain a lot of energy in a small package. Charging of these batteries has to be done is a safe way to ensure that the process occurs without malfunctions. Although ebike fires are incredibly rare considering the huge number of ebikes out there, those rare fires almost always occur during charging. The fault: usually a cheap charger. Here’s an interesting story from a guy whose charger burned up, convincing him to get a Cycle Satiator.

A typical cheap electric bicycle charger

The Cycle Satiator has been developed from the ground up with safety in mind. The design is highly efficient, generating much less waste heat than cheaper electric bicycle chargers. The Cycle Satiator is also 100% sealed, meaning no water or foreign objects can get into the charger. The charger has made it through all the testing, legal and regulatory hurdles to ensure that it meets all major international electronic standardizations, something that most cheap Chinese chargers can’t claim. All of that regulatory testing is expensive, and has helped contribute to the higher price of the Cycle Satiator, but this is a case of “you get what you pay for”. When you spend a bit more, you get a better, safer charger.

The regulatory logos on the Cycle Satiator make the charger safer and reliable – something you won’t find on most cheap overseas chargers!

An electric bicycle charger you can count on

That attention to quality has helped make the Cycle Satiator one of the most reliable ebike chargers out there. The charger initially rolled out a limited beta-test run, giving Grin Technologies time to work with users and ensure the Cycle Satiator performed well in diverse real-world environments and uses. I got my charger over a year ago for testing and I haven’t had one single issue yet.

I’ve used dozens of other ebike chargers over the years, and I’d say that perhaps a third to one half of all cheap ebike chargers I’ve used have failed on me at one point or another. Of course my only one year with the Cycle Satiator isn’t enough to speak about its long term reliability, but I’ve had many other ebike chargers fail in less than a year. Wire joints break, cases become brittle, electronics burn out, connectors corrode or fail, etc.

Cycle Satiator’s waterproof Singatron connector

So far I haven’t had any of those issues with the Cycle Satiator. The case is beautifully machined out of high quality aluminum – not plastic. The connectors are genuine (and expensive) German manufactured Neutrix connectors and waterproof Singatron connectors. Every detail has been considered to make sure the Cycle Satiator will continue working strong for years to come.

The Cycle Satiator – eerily silent power

I like powerful ebike chargers, meaning a high current charger that can pump a whole pile of electrons through my batteries in a short period of time. The only problem with high power chargers is that they generate a lot of heat, which means they need powerful cooling fans.

Before I bought a Cycle Satiator I was using a medium power 48V 4A charger (about 200 watts). It worked pretty well, but the cooling fan could be heard from any room in the apartment and drove my wife crazy. It left me trying to schedule my charging for when I had the place all to myself.

The Cycle Satiator is even more powerful, giving you the option to charge at up to 8A, about 350 watts. Despite this, it has absolutely no cooling fan. Instead, the designers aimed for high efficiency to reduce waste heat and used a well designed heat sink allowing the Cycle Satiator to passively cool itself, no noisy fan needed. At 95% efficiency, the Cycle Satiator is the most efficient ebike charger out there and leaves very few excess watts to escape as heat.

The Cycle Satiator – silent and beautiful

Now that doesn’t mean the charger won’t get hot. Sometimes I’m surprised at how warm the case feels during charging, but that’s a sign that it is working well, as the case is built into the heat sink and helps transfer the heat from the charger out through the case for passive air cooling. It certainly doesn’t get too warm to hold, and I just make sure to not leave the charger under anything that would obstruct the airflow around the case. Basically, don’t stack a pile of jackets on it then charge at 8A.

Ironically, I used to know my battery had stopped charging when the white noise of my ebike charger’s cooling fan in the background suddenly cut out. Now, I actually have to check the Cycle Satiator’s screen to see if the charge cycle has ended. It’s the same volume when it’s charging as when it’s unplugged – silent.

Charge every ebike battery you own

One of my favorite features of the Cycle Satiator, and the reason it’s the only charge I use now, is the fact that it can charge batteries of different voltages. My daily driver ebike has a 52V battery. I also use a 48V ebike on occasion. My wife’s ebike is 24V, though I have a 36V battery that I sometimes put on her bike when we go cruising and she wants a bit more power.

I used to have four different chargers for these batteries, but now I only have one – the Cycle Satiator.

The Cycle Satiator’s high quality Neutrix adapter (unfortunately sold separately)

To charge all of these different types of batteries, the Satiator can come with an optional adapter, shown above. The adapter works for a few of my batteries with the same type of connector (anderson powerpoles), but I made a few more adapters to charge the other batteries in my collection.

The process of making a custom adapter is very simple – you just need to solder the connector that matches your battery to a short piece of wire connected to an XLR connector that matches the Cycle Satiator’s DC output. Grin Technology has pre-made adapters that you can buy (I have the one pictured above, it’s great) but I’ll also be writing up a how-to article showing how to make your own custom adapters as well.

The many adapters I’ve made for my Cycle Satiator

The Cycle Satiator also allows you to create profiles for each of your batteries so you can quickly choose which battery you want to charge and adapt the charger for any pack. And you’re not just limited to lithium batteries either. Sure, Li-ion packs are the majority of the market, but you can also charge a lead acid and NiMH packs as well!

Cycle Satiator’s profile setup page

The first version of the Cycle Satiator only went up to 60V, meaning you could charge a battery up to 52V (14 cells, which charge up to 58.8V). That covers almost all of the ebike community. However, some custom ebike builders like to push the envelope of power and speed, meaning they use higher voltage batteries, from 72V and higher. Grin Technology has recently released a second version of the Cycle Satiator that can charge up to 103V, though the original version should be enough for most ‘normal’ ebikers out there.

“Satiate” your battery for longer life

The Cycle Satiator admittedly has an odd name. The “satiate” part comes from the unique ability to dial in an exact battery charge voltage and undercharge your battery as much as you’d like.

Why would someone want to undercharge their battery? Recent research in lithium batteries has found that charging a battery to a point less than 100% can increase the cycle life (the number of recharges you get before the pack dies) of the battery.

The chemistry here is fairly complicated, but the simplified version is that the higher the charge level of a lithium cell, the faster a non-reversible reaction occurs on the electricity conducting material inside the cell that inhibits its transfer capacity over time. So basically, the longer a battery is at 100% charge, the worse it is for the health of the battery. Charging to just 90% means the battery doesn’t sit around all day in that fully charged state that slowly degrades the battery.

According to Grin Technologies, charging to 90% instead of 100% capacity can increase the life of the battery 1.5x, and charging to 80% capacity can double the life of the battery. Obviously the downside here is that you have less range due to not fully charging the battery, but the added lifespan of the battery is worth it for many ebike riders.

Charging your battery to only 80% or 90% makes it last much longer!

If you plan on having your ebike and/or battery for many years, the cost savings of doubling your ebike battery’s lifespan can more than cover the cost of the Cycle Satiator. For me, I tend to go through batteries fairly quickly, building new ones and selling my current ones. That means I don’t benefit as much from the added cycle life of undercharging. But for most people that have a battery for its entire useful life, this could be a big deal.

Make it an on-board ebike charger

Due to its 100% sealed design, you can mount it directly to your ebike and turn it into an on-board ebike charger. I’ve tried this with other ebike chargers and it’s always failed due to cheap components and an inability to completely seal off the charger. But the weatherproof and shockproof design of the Cycle Satiator finally makes an on-board charger a reality. You no longer have to remember to bring your charger with you on a long trip. Simply charge anywhere you can find an extension cord!

Personally I never mounted my Cycle Satiator on my bike, partly because then I couldn’t use it to charge all the other batteries I have for other bikes. I did use the convenient mounting holes to screw it to the leg of my desk though, which kept it out of the way but accessible as well. A charger with mounting holes, what an idea!

Digital screen

Do you ever look at your ebike charger, sitting in the corner humming away, and wonder how far its charged your ebike? It’s hard to know until it stops — it’s either charging or it’s done. But with the Cycle Satiator, you always know exactly how far along your battery is thanks to the digital readout on the charger. Not only can you see the instantaneous voltage of your battery, but you can also see exactly how much energy has been pumped into it, showing you exactly how depleted your battery was.

The Cycle Satiator pumped 4.39 AH into my battery in about 2 hours.

The two-button interface can be a bit confusing at first, but you quickly master it. There aren’t that many options anyways, so it’s hard to get lost in the interface.

Cycle Satiator’s force start feature

One aspect of the Cycle Satiator that caught me off guard was related to its force start feature. Basically, if the charger detects that a battery’s voltage is below the minimum voltage for the battery profile selected (for instance, you try to charge a 24V battery using the 36V or 48V profile) it will not start the charging process. This is an important safety feature, but it can occasionally cause a problem. Some BMS units will actually cutoff the discharge leads from the circuit when the battery reaches its minimum safe charge level. This means the Cycle Satiator will actually see a low voltage, usually between 0-10V.

Hold the bottom button to force start charging

To force the Cycle Satiator to start charging the battery (once you’ve confirmed that your battery really is the proper voltage for the selected profile), simply hold down the lower button while the battery is plugged in and the Cycle Satiator is stalled on the “Please connect battery” screen. That’s it! Your Cycle Satiator will now start charging, which immediately gets your BMS to click back on once it senses a voltage above its minimum safe level.

Always up to date

Another great feature of the Cycle Satiator is that you get free updates for life. Grin Technologies has already released a few updates to the firmware to improve the functionality and add features.

You might be thinking, “What do I need to update a charger for?” Consider this: battery technology is always developing and improving. One year from today we could have an entirely new type of battery that requires a different charging profile. Any other charger would be obslete, forcing you to buy a new charger. But not the Cycle Satiator, it’s ready for the future!

For that matter, updating and programming the Cycle Satiator is quite simple. You can make all of your profiles on the device itself, though the two button interface makes this process a bit slow and uncomfortable. In addition, you can do all the setup and profile creation you need on a simple computer program available from the Ebikes.ca Cycle Satiator page in the “Downloads” section. The program runs on Windows, Linux and Macintosh, so you’ve got all your bases covered.

Cycle Satiator programming software – “Satiator Suite”

Grin Technologies also developed a really cool charge simulator that is available for free on their website, even if you don’t have a Cycle Satiator. It allows you to test charging profiles on different batteries and customize everything. This can give you a good idea of how your charging times and performances will look in different conditions. Once you have a profile the way you like it, you can even download it and add it to your own Cycle Satiator.

Cycle Satiator charge simulator available at www.Ebikes.ca

Conclusions

To summarize, I’ve been very happy with my Cycle Satiator. I’ve been using it for over a year now and it is working flawlessly. It’s every bit as good as the day I bought it.

The construction and quality is top-notch. It’s got a small form factor and it’s absolutely silent.

Sure it’s a bit pricy, but as I pointed out above, I believe this price is well worth it. The Cycle Satiator has the capability of a box full of other chargers, all in a small package. Not only that, but it can actually help your battery last up to twice as long, easily paying for itself over the life of your battery.

If you’re going to pick up your own Cycle Satiator, I recommend purchasing it directly from Ebikes.ca here. There are some resellers online but I like to give my money to the company that invested the dollars and brain equity into developing good products. Plus by buying directly from Ebikes.ca, I always know that they’ll have my back if I ever have a problem – their service is the best in the industry.

Do you have your own Cycle Satiator or want to learn more? Let me know in the comments below!

What Is Range Anxiety?

Imagine: it’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining and you’re cruising down a wide open path on your electric bicycle. You and your ebike crest a hill and begin the descent as the whoosh of a gentle breeze rustles the leaves around you. The weather is fantastic and so you decided to take a longer scenic route on your joy ride today. The birds are singing in the trees, admiring your ebike as you cruise off towards the horizon.

Then disaster strikes! Your battery gauge flickers and then the lights abruptly go out. The battery is empty and there’s not an outlet in sight!

You gasp and awake abruptly in a cold sweat. It was a nightmare, just a dream. But a scary dream nonetheless. That fear of running out of battery before you’ve reached your destination is known as “range anxiety” and it affects thousands electric vehicle owners.

Range anxiety and electric bicycles

Electric bicycles have one big advantage over other electric vehicles when it comes to range anxiety: pedals. If your battery ever dies in the middle of a ride, you can always pedal to your destination. However, depending on where you are this can be easier said than done.

For many people, pedaling either isn’t an option. For others, pedaling still isn’t a very convenient option.

A lot of ebikes are heavy and use direct drive motors which can make them extra hard to pedal without any motor assistance. When I pedal my ebike with a large Nine Continent motor, I have to keep it in low gear and go slowly if I’m not using any motor assist. It’s great exercise, but if I’m on my way to work or running errands then I’m usually not in the mood for some strenuous aerobic fitness.

Electric bicycles also allow people to travel to places they normally wouldn’t think of visiting on a regular bicycle. With increased range, speed and power, ebikes open up a whole new world of possibilities. I love climbing big hills on my ebike and then flying down the other side. This often takes me to new places that I never would have seen on a regular bicycle. The problem is that running out of battery here would mean I’m far away from home and in terrain that is very unfriendly to pedaling a heavy bike.

A lot of people use their electric bicycles for errands around town. Running out of battery can be a huge inconvenience when you’re trying to get somewhere on time or have a full load of groceries.

There’s no two ways about it, range anxiety can have a big effect on people who use their ebikes regularly. But don’t worry, there are things you can do to calm yourself and better prepare both yourself and your ebike.

Beat range anxiety, know your limits

One of the most important ways to remove the worry of running out of battery is to know exactly how much battery you have left. There are many different types of battery gauges for ebikes, but the two most common ones are LED based voltage indicators and LCD screen watt meters such as the Cycle Analyst.

The LED voltage indicators are usually found integrated into throttles and they work by measuring the voltage of the battery, not the actual capacity of the battery. Voltage gives a rough indication of the battery capacity because as the battery capacity diminishes, the voltage reduces.

However, this decrease in voltage with decrease in capacity isn’t a linear relationship, so LED battery indicators that measure pack voltage are notoriously inaccurate. At best, they give you an approximation of whether your pack is full, partially depleted or fully depleted. What they can not do is tell you exactly how much battery capacity you have left.

Wattmeters and Cycle Analysts, on the other hand, measure the exact amount of power being used at every instant and can thus tell you exactly how much energy you’ve consume from your battery, even down to two or three decimal places. These gauges are highly accurate and over time can give you a really good idea of exactly how much energy your battery can provide.

Ebike batteries often don’t live up to their rated capacities because ebikes usually draw higher amounts of power than the batteries are rated for. So a battery that is rated at 10AH may only put out 9AH when used on an ebike. But with a watt meter or Cycle Analyst, you can see exactly how much of that usable 9AH has already been consumed.

If you’re riding along and see that the wattmeter tells you that 4.5 AH has been used already, you know your pack is half empty. Even better, Cycle Analysts can tell you exactly how many watt-hours you use per mile or per kilometer, which tells you roughly how many miles or kilometers you have remaining if you continue with the same style of riding.

Increase range, decrease range anxiety

Another way to reduce your range anxiety is to do everything you can to maximize your range. Check out the article I wrote about small changes that can help you eek out every last mile or kilometer from your battery here.

You can also increase your effective range by keeping a charger on your bike. I recommend that ebike owners buy a second charger so they can take one with them if they know they will be on a long ride. Chargers aren’t very big and can easily be thrown in a backpack or stashed in a bike basket with little notice. You’ll be happy to have it though if you end up needing it.

If you commute daily to the same location, such as to work, you can also leave a second charger there. Consider a smaller, low powered charger without a fan so you can charge your battery silently under your desk.

Stay strong and defeat range anxiety

Getting rid of range anxiety is all about learning to be comfortable on your ebike. Keep the following important tips in mind:

Know your battery and how far it can take you
Use a battery indicator, preferably a Cycle Analyst
Use some sort of bicycle computer or watt meter to keep track of your distance
Charge your battery every day to make sure it’s always full when you need it

Any vehicle powered by any kind of onboard energy source will always have a range limit. As batteries grow smaller and cheaper, ebike ranges will continue to increase. In the meantime, learn to be comfortable with your ebike and you’ll enjoy many hours and miles of pleasant riding. And if the worst ever happens and you run out of battery, remember that those pedals aren’t just for keeping your feet off the ground.

photo credit 1, 2, 3

Should I Use An Onboard Charger On My Ebike?

No matter how much range your electric bicycle has, eventually you’re going to have to charge it. It’s the achilles heel of every ebike, being tied to its charger like a junkie needing his next fix.

If your ebike has a removable battery then the process isn’t so bad – simply slide out the battery and bring it to your charger. But if your battery is fixed to your ebike, on the other hand, charging can be a real pain. A potential solution is to mount an ebike charger “on-board”, which has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Why mount an onboard charger?

An onboard charger makes it much more convenient to charge your ebike’s battery, especially when the battery isn’t removable. Instead of trying to snake the charger or extension cord through a window or around your house, you can use a smaller extension cord to go straight from the outlet to your ebike, no matter where you’ve parked.

An on-board charger also gives you the freedom to charge anywhere you can find an outlet. One of the biggest problems with electric cars is “range anxiety” which is the act of worrying about always being within range of a charging station. By mounting your charger on-board, all you need to charge your ebike is an extension cord and an outlet. Suddenly any coffee shop, book store, or restaurant is a charging station. Your city just got a hundred thousand ebike charging stations! Just remember to as you ask if you can plug in your extension cord first – not everybody’s outlet is a public charging station.

An extension cord is easier to hide in a bag or basket than a bulky ebike charger, giving you more freedom when you’re out on a ride. And if you ever forget to bring an extension cord but still need a charge, many places will already have one that you can use for a quick top-off charge. Service stations and gas stations are a great option for a quick charge, just ask if they’d mind you borrowing a cord and plugging in for a few minutes.

Onboard charger disadvantages

But an on-board charger isn’t without its disadvantages as well. Chargers get hot while they operate, especially higher power chargers. If the charger is hidden in a bag or other enclosure on your ebike it could begin to overheat, causing problems and even posing a potential fire hazard. This risk can be mitigated by making sure the charger has room to breathe.

On-board chargers also pose the risk of debris and other foreign objects entering the charger through the vent ports. One of the biggest issues is the potential for road salt, used during the winter in cold areas, to enter the charger and destroy the components inside. I’ve seen this exact problem happen multiple times.

One way around it is to install a flap of material over the air ports on your charger. While riding, the flap will remain down and cover the exhaust port. During charging, the air exiting the charger will lift the flap up and out of the way. Just make sure to use a light enough material that the exhaust air can still lift it. And don’t cover the air intake, which could cause the charger to overheat.

The best method is to point the exhaust port forward, that way the intake is pointing to the rear and less likely to pick up foreign objects. Of course you can also look for a lower power ebike charger to use instead. Low power ebike chargers don’t require a fan and are completely sealed. These chargers are great for on-board chargers but will take a little longer to charge your ebike.

This low power charger is completely sealed with no vents that would allow foreign materials to enter

Another issue with onboard chargers is battery drain. Leaving the charger connected to the battery all the time can slowly drain the battery. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first method is to unplug the charger from the battery when not in use. Depending on where you’ve mounted the charger, this option can be less appealing. Also, one of the advantages of having an on-board charger is not needing to repeatedly connect and disconnect it from the battery, so this method totally removes that advantage.

A better method is to install a switch between the ebike’s battery and charger. The switch will open the circuit to the charger any time you aren’t charging the bike. When you are ready to start charging, simply plug in your extension cord and flip the switch. When you’ve finished, turn the switch to its “off” position and unplug your extension cord.

Lastly, you need to consider the extra vibration the charger will be experiencing. electric bicycle chargers weren’t generally meant to take the bouncing around and shock forces of daily riding the way your other ebike parts can, so you’ll want to mount it accordingly. It is important to mount the charger in a way that allows for some form of shock absorption.

I like to mount a thin piece of foam between the charger and the frame. If you go with foam, just make sure not to completely surround the charger – it still needs room to breathe! Another option is to use a bag to hold the charger, since the bag will absorb most of the forces during riding.

On-board chargers come with a series of issues that need to be addressed, most importantly heat dissipation and battery drain. When you take of these issues though, an on-board ebike charger can be an elegant solution to increase your range and make charging a much more pleasant process.

photo credits 1, 2, 3