Are frame-mounted batteries going to get damaged in a crash?

[bikeman242]

I am looking into buying an eMtb with a yamaha motor, and a frame-mounted battery.

One concern I have, relative to the Bosch/Brose systems, is how exposed the frame-mounted battery is. Will get damaged/broken in the event of a crash, either on the off-road trails or on a flat bike path?

Looking for some real world input.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

One of my e-bikes has so-called "semi-integrated" battery, that is, the lower half is integrated in the frame and the upper one projects outside. I had a bad fall at a side at 30 km/h. No problem with the battery. On the other hand, a badly inserted fully-integrated battery may fall out the socket even on a regular ride and it almost happened to me with my Vado; other users often complain for the same with different e-bikes. Not sure if this information helps you though.

 

[indianajo]

I've got mine bolted out front, so the fire won't be between my legs. I'm more likely to be rear-ended by a car than hit head on.

 

[trainman]

So do ebikes have to be crash tested now, getting the government involved in ebikes with bring another $500 worth of not needed addons to the price of your ebike. I can see it now a 500 word disclaimer attached to the frame of your new ebike. "Riding this Ebike can cause Death to the Rider" etc., etc., etc.

 

[Alaskan]

In 13,000 miles of ebiking I have had four crashes that put me and my bike on the ground. In all three cases I was more damaged than the bike so they were not all that violent. In no cases were my Bosch powered bike batteries knocked off their mounts or damages, other than a few scratches.

 

[bikeman242]

By crash, I am more talking about falling off the bike on a bike trail than getting hit by a car.

 

[harryS]

Crash bad enough to bend frame will break a bone. First priority is rider,

I slid on a patch of mud at 12 mph two years ago. That's my only crash in 50 years of adult riding.

Nonetheless, one good strike in the right place, and it's possible that a battery could go up in flames. That would be very bad luck.

 

[tomjasz]

I believe that most battery fires happen with homebuilt, cheap Chinese, and poorly designed batteries.
Another good reason to know where your battery came from and how it's constructed.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I think the bigger issues and much bigger risk is dropping a battery when removing it (or putting it back on). Basically if you drop the battery, especially onto a hard surface like concrete, you should assume the battery is damaged until you can get it to someone who can evaluate whether it is safe to use.

I suspect nearly all of the e-bike battery fires that did not involve homebuilt or poorly designed battery systems were caused by dropped battery packs. And remember that even if the battery didn't catch on fire when you dropped it, it might catch on fire the next time you charge it or the next time you use it.