Optibike 1100R Commuting Data, Summer 2012

[Robert Clark]

So the battery is getting on 4 years old? How far can you get on fast mode, 15-18mi? Does it kick into the flashing red light? That is the battery voltage hitting a low limit and going into Safe mode to allow 200W and limp home. If you recycle power on the fly, it comes back up, as I expect you have discovered.

I found the Opti power and speed to be addictive. Riding in eco at 17mph seemed so slow, but it really isn't that bad compared to normal ebikes.

That battery will work fine. The 1100 pulls about 25amp max, so a 21ahr is ok.

Do you have a clamp on rack? The battery is 13", so spec out a set up before you order.

Good rides!

The reason I went with the Optibike in the first place was all the accessories on the bike were first rate, from the Rock Shocks to the fantastic hydraulic brakes. Some people think the design is somewhat dated, but I find it a fine piece of engineering. Because of the extra weight of the bike, it is very stable at speed and the full suspension is smooth.

I travel on main traffic roads in Houston, Tx. It is not a very bicycle friendly place and not many bike lanes or trails to ride on for my commute. So I find it much safer to go as close to 30 mph as I can to reduce the differential speed between me and the automobile traffic. With that said, I know I'm above the 'legal limits' for E-bikes, but I'm not a speed demon. I much prefer to ride at 20 mph when I can. But a 10 mile stretch of road that I have to ride on, the speed limit is 45 mph

You are right, in fast mode, the battery goes about 15 miles, then kicks into safe mode. So I'm thinking maybe a cell or two are laying down. I'm thinking I have the 18 Ah battery in my bike and sometime in the future I would like to attempt to rebuild the battery pack with the new high density batteries. As my bike is out of warranty of any kind, I'm ready to try this route. but in the mean time, I'm thinking of a aux battery to hold me over till I get the skill of building my own battery packs.

I do have the Optibike rack on the back, so I have room for the battery pack, but I will have to build the battery cable to connect to the rear socket on the bike. I'll open up the rear socket to check for polarity. I hope the wires are the standard 'Red' for Positive and 'Black' for negative. I'm not sure what kind of plug that is on the bike, but if I search electronic supply or automotive stores, I should be able to find one.

I like the aux battery and case from Optibike, but at $2400 dollars, it is not a cost effective option for me at this time. I'm hooked on E-bikes.

 

[Bike_On]

Robert,

I just saw this, sorry to reply so late.

You are on the right track and I agree a cell is dropping out most likely. Once the 36V battery hit 34V, it would go into safe mode. A hard slug of current will drop voltage in a bad cell like a hot potato. An external battery would work fine.

Guess what, I may have an old jumper cable I built for a LiFePo4 battery I ran with, and it interfaced to the aux port of my optibike.

You will need a voltmeter to confirm the pin out. You are welcome to it, send me a pm with address.

Also, about Opti being dated...it is an engineering feat and very stable. The power and battery capacity at 60lbs is amazing. The style is ok for me. They do need a removable battery, PAS, and an upgraded dispay, but the R series are a solid build.

I also designed a jig to allow a double bar bike rack support for my opti.

 

[msw4chl]

@Bike_On could you post details on how you wired a Cycle Analyst into this Optibike? We have no wiring diagram for the Optibike 600.

Also I see stabilizer bars for the Topeak seat rack, great idea! Did you add those or do those bars come with the Topeak pannier frame from Optibike?

Thanks, Mark

2008 Optibike 850Li with aero bars, throttle, spare battery, LED lights, wired tail light and cycle analyst. circa 2010.

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