Bosch extended battery installation labor cost

[Bruce4401]

My LBS will soon be installing the Bosch Extended Range 500 WHr battery on my Trek Allant+ 7s. This shop has never installed this battery, nor do they have much ebike experience. I'm I concerned their training experience will be reflected in the installation labor cost. What should I expect for the billed time and labor charges for this installation? Does Trek suggest a flat-rate charge for this type of work?


Edit: June 26, 2022 > Update as promised < The work has been completed. It took 10 days for the extended battery kit to arrive at the LBS and another 14 days to complete the work. There was a significant delay when the shop had to order the RIB battery alignment plate as recommended in a Trek TSB. (The plate attempts to correct the "flying battery" issue). I'd originally asked the LBS to order the alignment plate when the battery was ordered. However, they failed to do so until the bike was in the shop.

My cost was the list price of the extended battery kit plus $30 USD for the firmware update. The shop waved the installation labor (estimated earlier as $75-$150) due to the delays. The firmware update is a required step in the installation process so it should have been included in the total labor cost. I didn’t argue the point.

As a side note I have another Giant ebike, also purchased in May 2022, presently in a different shop. Giant replaced the entire original bike after 2 weeks. That bike simply failed to charge. Due shortages Giant stated it was easier to replace the bike than to wait several months for the parts. The replacement bike's electronics failed after another week. At Giant's direction the cable harnesses were inspected, the battery was replaced - twice, firmware was updated, and now we're waiting for a replacement controller. That replacement bike has been in the shop for three weeks now. So, with my experience with these three ebikes I'd say the LBSs and manufacturers are unprepared to properly support them.

 

[fooferdoggie]

my mechanic had to build it from scratch because it is usually only sold with the battery. but f it is bought as a unit its fully assembled. the y wire has to be run and connected to both and all the hardware installed. should take a hour or so. there are videos online showing how to do it.

 

[mjp_hyi]

My LBS will soon be installing the Bosch Extended Range 500 WHr battery on my Trek Allant+ 7s. This shop has never installed this battery, nor do they have much ebike experience. I'm I concerned their training experience will be reflected in the installation labor cost. What should I expect for the billed time and labor charges for this installation? Does Trek suggest a flat-rate charge for this type of work?

Your concern is justified. Last time I talked to a bike shop about this, they kept saying they'd seen a training video on it, but had never done one, that it should take only! 4 hours, but they wouldn't guarantee that. And they would bill at about $120/hour, and you'd just have to pay to cover the hours they spent. Luckily for me, they eventually, after lots of pressing discovered that the dual battery kit they had wouldn't work on my bike. I'm sure any instructions they have will say to remove the DU, but that always be the case, and that can save a lot of time. If the Motor is a Gen 4, then you should check they shop actually has a T40P Torx bit, or else you'll be replcing the motor mounting bolts in the future.

 

[rich c]

The kit looks incredibly simple, don't see how it would even take an hour. Seems to me those are all questions for the dealer. Here's a post that may help you. https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/i-want-to-ask-the-user-of-bosch-range-boost.32605/

 

[Bruce4401]

OP here. Thanks everyone for your comments. @rich c, I'd read the post you'd referenced earlier and found it helpful. Despite the apparent simplicity of the install there are certainly ways of doing it every so slightly wrong. I met with my LBS twice. They are unsure/unclear of the labor required to install the battery since they only had watched a video some time ago. They had to provide four parts quotes over that many days until they finally got the parts list sorted out. (There's only one part number for the complete "kit".) They're learning... I too expect one hour's labor to be sufficient. I was hoping Trek had a flat-rate book price for the installation but apparently not so.

While that work is opened up I asked they install the battery alignment plate (ref Trek service bulletin dated March 2021) which corrects the risk of the RIB battery being spontaneously ejected. (My buddy's Trek RIB battery self-ejected last week and went skidding down the road.) This plate is standard in the newer factory builds. (I'd purchased this bike 30 days and 600 miles ago.) The LBS was unaware of the fix and would not commit to installing it. The LBS will also have to find a home for a screw I found lying in the battery compartment. All of the visible screw locations were occupied so I suspect this screw had been part of the upper RIB battery docking bracket.

I'll update this post after the work is competed. Hopefully within a couple of weeks.

 

[fooferdoggie]

my mechanic had to order all the parts separately and eve then some where missed or not listed. then it was like a jigsaw puzzle to assemble it from scratch. since trek sells it as one part. one thing was not clear was the way the y wire was installed there was no info on that. I don't think trek does many of these it was the first for him.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I love these threads.
Ohh all the major advantages for buying a pricey name brand bike with factory and LBS support.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I love these threads.
Ohh all the major advantages for buying a pricey name brand bike with factory and LBS support.

yes better to try to hack it yourself because that always works out well. I mean there are only a couple of threads about the few peoples people have on home built or online bought bikes. I mean almost no posts at all.

 

[Gionnirocket]

yes better to try to hack it yourself because that always works out well. I mean there are only a couple of threads about the few peoples people have on home built or online bought bikes. I mean almost no posts at all.

That's not the point.
The always given main reason for going the more expensive major brand / LBS route is because of their expertise and manufacture support.
Expecting you to now pay again and even more for their learning curve is laughable

 

[fooferdoggie]

That's not the point.
The always given main reason for going the more expensive major brand / LBS route is because of their expertise and manufacture support.
Expecting you to now pay again and even more for their learning curve is laughable

So every shop should know everything? just like every single car mechanic is fantastic??

 

[Gionnirocket]

So every shop should know everything? just like every single car mechanic is fantastic??

Yes...They should know what they sell.
Especially when advertised as manufacture authorized.
And if something new or unfamiliar... eat the cost of their education and learning experience.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Yes...They should know what they sell.
Especially when advertised as manufacture authorized.
And if something new or unfamiliar... eat the cost of their education and learning experience.

And yet thats what my mechanic did. Hell he had to build it from parts. but he had never installed one and he is a certified bosch mechanic. so guess what s*it happens there are good and bad mechanics. but its still better then having to depend on some company to send you a part and hope yo can install it and its actually what's wrong with the bike.

 

[rich c]

I love these threads.
Ohh all the major advantages for buying a pricey name brand bike with factory and LBS support.

That didn't take long. I was waiting for more of a Bosch bashing, but you got it started just fine.

 

[Gionnirocket]

And yet thats what my mechanic did. Hell he had to build it from parts. but he had never installed one and he is a certified bosch mechanic. so guess what s*it happens there are good and bad mechanics. but its still better then having to depend on some company to send you a part and hope yo can install it and its actually what's wrong with the bike.

Certified Bosch Mechanic... Now that's laugh Must be the same one hour course as the Specialized Certification. Mostly what size t-shirt do you wear.
But then again it's not as complicated as they'll have you believe... but when they can just keep justifying bending you over and you keep smiling... I guess it's just another win/win

That didn't take long. I was waiting for more of a Bosch bashing, but you got it started just fine.

It's easy when well deserved.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Certified Bosch Mechanic... Now that's laugh Must be the same one hour course as the Specialized Certification. Mostly what size t-shirt do you wear.
But then again it's not as complicated as they'll have you believe... but when they can just keep justifying bending you over and you keep smiling... I guess it's just another win/win


It's easy when well deserved.

right glad you like to insult people you don't know. But I am sure you could do a better job yourself. I mean I am sure you can do all the work and assemble and take care of a multitude of bikes because your so much better trained. then after that you can go design rockets too. Well lI trust my mechanic as he has done great and even got me a new motor after the warranty. but hey your google certificate is in the mail.

 

[Alaskan]

right glad you like to insult people you don't know. But I am sure you could do a better job yourself. I mean I am sure you can do all the work and assemble and take care of a multitude of bikes because your so much better trained. then after that you can go design rockets too. Well lI trust my mechanic as he has done great and even got me a new motor after the warranty. but hey your google certificate is in the mail.

Valliant effort at being reasonable...there is just no way to convince a determined troll the error of his ways. We are dealing with a fundamental character flaw here...no changing that. The only way to deal with the willfully ignorant is to ignore them.

 

[Gionnirocket]

right glad you like to insult people you don't know. But I am sure you could do a better job yourself. I mean I am sure you can do all the work and assemble and take care of a multitude of bikes because your so much better trained. then after that you can go design rockets too. Well lI trust my mechanic as he has done great and even got me a new motor after the warranty. but hey your google certificate is in the mail.

You got a new motor as they knew it was defective and you paid for it five times over... but more importantly, easily bent over.
But your dead on with the rest and my certificate was emailed.. still waiting on the t-shirt though

 

[Sparky731]

Had my Trek shop install the Range Boost on my 7s. Labor was included in the $1,099 cost (last year). FYI, I also swapped the 500w RIB for a 625w RIB.

 

[rich c]

Had my Trek shop install the Range Boost on my 7s. Labor was included in the $1,099 cost (last year). FYI, I also swapped the 500w RIB for a 625w RIB.

Some real direct information! How refreshing.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Some real direct information! How refreshing.

Yep my guy built mine from scratch had to work out the details no charge though maybe he should have charged me.