Bosch range boost - questions

[tpete61]

Just a thought, not a plan. That said, it is bothersome that Trek/Bosch design a great looking RIB system that requires an ugly attachment like the Range Boost to utilize an additional battery.

It would be a better deal for Trek to either include the 625watt battery or offer it as an upgrade when purchasing the bike.
The 625w would be ideal for me as the 500w is a littler short of the distance I like to ride.
So I had to spend close to $1000 to get the needed range.

 

[Ezdozit!]

Dumb question time to William from Bosch...
Is it possible to plug my spare Powertube battery I’m carrying like the picture into my Allant+7 and have them both power the bike like Range Boost option?
View attachment 68762

Hello Dallant!

After a year of my Specialized Turbo Creo SL serious biking (recently Mt Rainier’s & Mt St Helen’s), my biking pals still left me in dust during these rides and even steeper rolling hills. After further analysis, I realized their bikes (3 Bulls, a Stromer, and a Trek ebike) had a lot more torque in the range of 65 - 75 nm while mine had a wimpy 35 - no wonder!

I think it’s time to get that Trek Domane+ HP with its lightweight carbon-version and a decent-sized 75 nm.

My goal next year is a credit-card cross-country bike ride, solo or w others. I aim to do that with this Trek model.

If I may, I have two questions for you:
- In your above photo, what’s the top tube bag’s mfg/model. It’s just what I’d like for containing an spare removable integrated battery rather than a range booster extender to make space for a frame bag.
- How are you doing with your Trek ebike?

Appreciate your time, thanks!
Steven

48mi ride - Tour de Blast (Mt St Helen)

 

[Dallant]

I really like the bag but honestly haven’t used it much yet as I’m still waiting (after 8 months) for my 625wh spare battery. BTW, I did a little careful surgery on the largest bag (to remove the foam insulation) to allow the RIB battery to fit. Not sure the Domane +HP battery is the same size as my Allant+7 batteries.

Amazon.com

Man, I’m jealous of you getting to ride the Cascades! I moved to Richland in 1980, right after St. Helens erupted and camped at Mt. Rainier many times.
I love my Allant+7 and now have over a year and over 1600 totally reliable miles on it. Bought a Lowstep version for my wife and she loves hers too!

 

[Ezdozit!]

Whoo! It’s great to get feedback on your wife’s enjoyment of her new bike. My other goal is also to her my wife an ebike.

You sure missed that blast - it looked phenomenal in person seeing where the blast came through as per photo below.

A 625 RIB? Wow, that would be grand. May I ask where is this place you ordered from?

BTW Do you remember the mfg name of this top tube bag?

 

[Dallant]

Whoo! It’s great to get feedback on your wife’s enjoyment of her new bike. My other goal is also to her my wife an ebike.

You sure missed that blast - it looked phenomenal in person seeing where the blast came through as per photo below.

A 625 RIB? Wow, that would be grand. May I ask where is this place you ordered from?

BTW Do you remember the mfg name of this top tube bag?

MSH was a total disaster area when I first saw it. I ordered the 625 from my Trek dealer. The Amazon link I sent you has all the info you need.

 

[Ezdozit!]

!

 

[Ezdozit!]

Thx. Take care now.

 

[Sparky731]

Picking up on this thread --- I am researching adding Trek's 500W Range Boost battery to my Allant+7s. (True ugly!) However, Trek's website indicates maybe a 8%-12% range gain when paired to the Performance Speed motor vs. up to 100% range gain when paired with the Active Plus motor. $1,200 for 6 more miles is crazy!
What have others found re: the real range boost from the Range Boost battery?

 

[tegnamo]

The range boost will double your range if you run a 500Wh battery already. It's an extra 500Wh! My Domane+ HP goes from 25 miles to 50 miles (for Turbo, as an example). If you have a 625Wh battery already, then you'd get more like 80% more range.

 

[Ezdozit!]

The range boost will double your range if you run a 500Wh battery already. It's an extra 500Wh! My Domane+ HP goes from 25 miles to 50 miles (for Turbo, as an example). If you have a 625Wh battery already, then you'd get more like 80% more range.

Sadly, no such 625 for Domane+ HP. Heck, a combine 1000 is still fantastic!

 

[Alaskan]

I'm curious about Bosch's range boost for those that have them. I've been dreaming up some long distance rides (100+ miles) and I'm wondering what the charging process is like for the whole 80% charge thing.

When you have both the powertube battery in the frame and the range boost attached, how does charging work?

- Does the single port that's on the frame charge both batteris? YES in sequence, first one and then the other

- Does 1 battery (i would assume the main powertube) charge to 100% then continue to charge the boost battery? Not sure what you mean, The charger charges one battery and then the other one after the other.

- OR do both batteries charge at the same time? If so - how do you charge both to only 80% - since both are completely different amp hours or watt hours or whatever - I would imagine the time it takes to reach 80% would be different for both. Even at that - different 625 powertube batteries might even be different - not much different I imagine - but still charge at slightly different rates depending on overall battery health. If I want a controlled charge on each battery and want to limit that to 80% or less then I remove both batteries and charge them individually with two chargers. I rarely actually charge both batteries on the bike. Normally I charge the 625 in the bike and the 500 power pack in the bench.

- Silly question and not as important as the above questions - but what's the total weight of the boost battery plus the rest of the equipment to install to the frame and whatnot (the 'holder', etc..)? The 500 watt powerpack at 5.7 lbs. is lighter than either the 500 watt powertube (6.17lbs) or 625 watt powertube (7.7 lbs). The Trek range booster can't weigh more than two pounds.

The Bosch system automatically uses 5% from one and then 5% from the other, back in forth on down. So when you stop in the mid discharge they are more or less equally discharged.

 

[Sparky731]

My plan is to piggy-back the 500W Range Extender (again, ugly!) with a 625W PowerTube (when the back-ordered battery arrives) with hopes of max electrons for those short trips to the grocery store. If I could get 50+miles on Turbo -- thanks, tegnamo! -- it may be worth the upgrade (in stock today).

The battery-balance algorithms described by Bosch could be interesting between a 500 & 625 battery charging at the same time. It may melt the charger! May need to charge them separately. I am also trying to get through to Trek Tech support to get more clarification. Either way, the more lithium I can horde now, the better.

 

[tegnamo]

It won't melt your charger. Bosch intends for you to be able to use a single charger to charge thru the single port on your bike, with both batteries installed. I do it all the time. Also I have a Tern GSD that supports dual battery from the start and I've done that also.

 

[tegnamo]

Sadly, no such 625 for Domane+ HP. Heck, a combine 1000 is still fantastic!

Yeah I just meant on the Allant+, if one had the 625Wh instead of the 500Wh.

 

[TrailSeeker]

Hey guys, quick question on range booster. Sorry I asked this before but can't find the post. My issue Is the second battery doesn't lock when the Integrated battery is locked into the frame. I have an allant 7s. Someone said to tighten the screw but yesterday I found the screws are hard to access and I couldn't get scuffing to lengthen.

Is there acting I can do to get the second battery to kick into the bike while the primary battery is locked with the key? Thanks

 

[Alaskan]

There is supposed to be a small stainless hex screw that threads into the underside of the big button, passes through a small hole in the top of the down tube into the powertube compartment. You push at the top end of the range boost to remove the battery. It should protrude just enough so that, when the release button is pushed in, the flat head of the bolt makes contact with your interior power tube battery, preventing it from engaging the unlatch mechanism, unless you move the powertube battery out of the way. That way the one battery lock works to secure both batteries. Unlock the main power tube battery and remove it, then push the button to free the power pack from the outer range boost mount. If the bolt is adjusted too far out in it will interfere with complete insertion of the powertube. It should be adjusted so that the power tube just clears underneath it upon insertion, clear of any contact. I think using some blue locktite thread sealant would be wise to keep the screw from either working its way in or our and remain in proper adjustment.

 

[TrailSeeker]

@Alaskan , thank you! That is great information and super helpful. I'll see if I can lengthen that screw to prevent the 2nd battery from releasing.

 

[Tyson]

Sadly, no such 625 for Domane+ HP. Heck, a combine 1000 is still fantastic!

Sadly is right. I am posting to reiterate this because I was previously posting Trek Domane+ HP official specifications that diagrammed using a 625. After other posts mentioned that basic measurement of the Domane+ HP will show that a 625 physically cannot fit, so the Trek document is not accurate. The 625 won't fit.

What I wish is that they made a water bottle cage that would snap into the range boost cage for when you didn't want the battery. It would still be a big ugly base, but at least I could get back some functionality.

 

[Alaskan]

Sadly is right. I am posting to reiterate this because I was previously posting Trek Domane+ HP official specifications that diagrammed using a 625. After other posts mentioned that basic measurement of the Domane+ HP will show that a 625 physically cannot fit, so the Trek document is not accurate. The 625 won't fit.

What I wish is that they made a water bottle cage that would snap into the range boost cage for when you didn't want the battery. It would still be a big ugly base, but at least I could get back some functionality.

Someone should make a 3d printed tool/personal accessory case that would snap in the range boost unit when a 2nd battery was not needed. I wonder if Bosch could be pursuaded to sell empty battery enclosures that could be modified to have a hinged plastic or rubber snap-on lid. Riese & Muller used to make one for their pre-powertube dual battery Delite that was soft sided with a zipper on one side.

 

[Paul CX]

An update on the Range Extender questions. I have just taken delivery of a Haibike Allmtn 5 with the Performance Line CX 85Nm motor and the range extender.

Myself and the bike dealer found out that you can not charge the batteries from the in-frame charging point. You have to charge them from the charging port in the bottom of the range extender bottom battery holder. This means that the in-frame battery connector does not charge even the internal tube battery. It's not a problem - but anyone thinking of buying the extender should know this.

On another point I have found the power assist levels very strange. There seems to be no difference between the power assist produced between Eco and Tour mode. They are the same output. Also the eMTB mode has a delay in kicking in, which makes it useless when you need instant extra power assistance. I'm not sure if this is a fault or just how these power levels work on the CX motor. Turbo mode works well. I also have a 2015 Haibike with the standard Performance Line motor and there are very distinct differences between the 4 modes - so I know it's not my imagination.

Anyone got any views of the CX power mode issue?

Cheers,
Paul