I am learning more about the battery from the Specialized Levo forums, rather than Creo. Levo is the mountain bike model. Levo riders seem to stress the battery more than Creo riders.
I am learning that the battery pack configuration, series and parallel, affects charging rate. I am also learning that certain cell characteristics such as chemistry also affects charging rates. Battery chemistry and cell construction is a fairly technical topic, so progress is slow.
I am not convinced that the Specialized SL battery pack is the tool for my goal. I am under the impression the electrical system is designed to make the bike as easy to ride as possible, rather than to make it go as fast as or as far as possible. An excellent balance of compromises is difficult to achieve.
I use a Venn diagram to analyze compromises:
A - Battery Capacity
B - Battery Charging
C - Battery Convenience
You can name the intersections to understand your needs.
S - Symmetry a 1:1:1 ratio of equally balanced factors
AB - Practical, Highly Inconvenient, Typical charging rate.
- The internal Specialized SL Battery Pack seems positioned inside AB.
- Battery pack can only be removed by first removing the bottom bracket motor
BC - Fast charging rate, Small battery capacity, Convenient
SC - Highly convenient, low capacity, very slow charging rate
- Specialized SL "Extender"
- External bottle cage
My conclusion:
- The internal battery is acceptable at AB.
- The external battery is unacceptable.
- The opposite of my needs.
- The perfect solution is the Extender with a 6A charger.
- I could recharge it while taking a break, e.g., food or drink.