Multiple Batteries?

[john peck]

I've got 2 batteries, an 8ah & a 21ah. I can probably get 50+mi. from the 21ah, but who rides that far in one go? It takes the 21ah about 5 hrs.
to charge from a 20mi. ride. My grocery run is just 2 mi. While the bike gobbles volts on the 8ah, it completely recharges in a 1/2 hr after a grub run. Being much lighter, it's less of a burden in my day pack when I load the bike on a bus. $2 for a 60mi. round trip to walmart, cosco, etc. Who needs a car?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

When on a journey I typically ride 45-60 miles per day.

At home about the shortest trips I make are 18-20 miles. Usually more like 20-25 with side trips.

Wal-mart and Home Depot are about a 120 mile roundtrip from my front door. And Costco is about 110 miles from my front door. And bus service is poor. So for those I need to drive.

 

[6zfshdb]

When I bought my Pedego's, I bought an extra 15AH battery for each bike. So far, my longest single day ride has been 42 miles and the battery gauge still showed 20% charge remaining. I estimate a 50 - 55 mile range is possible with the way I ride. At present, I doubt if I'll be able to ride that far in a single outing. I'm beginning to think I wasted my money.

 

[john peck]

Sounds like you're out in the boondocks, Coffee. I thought I was, but the population around here's bout 6 times what it was
when I moved here. I spose I could ride 45-60 in a day.....once anyway, but the next day would be highly questionable. Let
me know how you're doin' 15 years from now.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I live on the edge of the world. If you point due north from me the next paved road is about forty miles away in BC.

Yes, I'll let you know how I'm doing in fifteen years, but I suspect I could still put in the miles. I'd just kick up the pedal assist and it would be good.

 

[john peck]

You are to be envied

 

[opimax]

I carry up to 2 spares. I can ride all out all for up to 100 miles on level 3 on my st2. I go through Ortlieb bags pretty quick even after adding additional material to the bottom of the bags. An evening ride after work hopes to be 50-70 and weekends 80+.i have 3lightsnonthe front and 2 on the back, I don’t mind riding at night. I have issues with the racks too, warping and shifting. I would ride every other day if my schedule would allow it. About every third is my reality. I am 2.5 miles from the W&OD trail and can stay off roads all day but go on some that don’t bother me for variety. I think I avg 17-21 mph depending on many things. I am 62, over weight break even unless I try real hard to watch portions.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I've thought about getting one of the smaller 52 volt batteries for my CCS, John. Having a smaller battery than my 17.4 Ah makes sense for all the reasons you state.

 

[john peck]

I've thought about getting one of the smaller 52 volt batteries for my CCS, John. Having a smaller battery than my 17.4 Ah makes sense for all the reasons you state.

The 8ah is handy if you're just making a local run & want to save charge & charging time for the big pack. I think also using it will help
the 21ah to last longer. Most of my rides are under 15mi. 25 mi. is a long ride for me. Most anything longer, I can use the bus, in
which case the 8ah is simpler to lug around. Should I decide to travel, the 8ah could serve as a kicker spare. It will take a pretty good
charge in the time it takes for a leisurely lunch.
However, for distance touring I'm still leaning toward my 40cc gas bike. Even with the motor & fuel, it is12 pds. lighter than my CCS.
With the 42/34/24 chainring now on it, it pedals beautifully without power. Even modified with the 50/34, the CCS is a dog to pedal
without power. (I dearly love it, but it has it's limitations) With the added 3 liter jerry can I've easily got a 150+mi range motor only.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

...
However, for distance touring I'm still leaning toward my 40cc gas bike. Even with the motor & fuel, it is12 pds. lighter than my CCS.
With the 42/34/24 chainring now on it, it pedals beautifully without power. Even modified with the 50/34, the CCS is a dog to pedal
without power. (I dearly love it, but it has it's limitations) With the added 3 liter jerry can I've easily got a 150+mi range motor only.

Given that the energy-to-mass ratio of gasoline is about ten times higher than that of a fully charged lithium-ion battery (and the numbers are even uglier for the system energy-to-mass ratio) that isn't surprising. Then again, nobody will ever spill a supertanker full of electrons in Prince William Sound.

 

[john peck]

Given that the energy-to-mass ratio of gasoline is about ten times higher than that of a fully charged lithium-ion battery (and the numbers are even uglier for the system energy-to-mass ratio) that isn't surprising. Then again, nobody will ever spill a supertanker full of electrons in Prince William Sound.

I feel guilty for even talking about it on an ebike forum, but as much as I love my CCS, there's just a lot of +'s to the gasser. Those chain
drive kits are dangerous & the 66cc 2,strokes are notoriously unreliable, but my 40cc Japanese 2 stroke is cleaner than two other 4 strokes
I've had, came with a 7 year warranty for private, non-commercial use, & has a fraction of the moving parts of a four. 5 minutes to refuel as
opposed to 5 hours to charge. I've got $800 invested in it as opposed to $2400 in the CCS, (before personalizing). It's not as fast as the CCS,
but only because I put on a chainring that makes it easy to pedal without an engine. With a 52T it would outrun the CCS. On the downside,
it is more difficult to sync pedaling with the motor, But with practice pedaling & mixing fuel is easy.
I still spend more time on the CCS; it's so practical for errands & local pleasure rides. It's legal on the bike paths & it's quiet.