Super Noob Incoming - E-bikes and Batteries

[bikewingg41]

Hi All,

This is my first ever post on here and as of Monday next week, I'll own my first ever e-bike!

Here is the bike I'm getting:

GigaByke 500W Swift Electric Bike

Gigabykes - electric bikes and scooters that offer you the best of both worlds. Come in and shop our huge selection of Gigabykes today!

www.bikeberry.com

Let's just call it a starter bike for now.

One thing I really don't like about this bike is the battery capacity... its just really really small. I want to get a second battery.

What do you recommend for this bike?

What should I know before buying a new battery?

I'm really hoping to get something that give me anywhere between 13aH to 17aH, but I don't want to buy a crappy chinese made battery that runs for a year then needs replaced.

Thanks so much for any help you guys can provide here.

 

[Ofarrell]

Interesting looking bike. They have two options for battery niether are 13 or 17 tho. Personally I would ask the seller or dealer what they recommend for compatible options. Just in case of any warranty issues. Just my two cents. Would like to know your thoughts on the bike after you try it out.

 

[6zfshdb]

It's always best to get a battery from the bike maker. That way, there won't be any warranty issues.

Your bike battery looks to be a dolphin style which may be available in a higher capacity from a 3rd party vendor. The battery contact configuration could be an issue though.

You really won't know your actual range until you try the bike. Who knows, it might be adequate for your riding style. If not, I would buy a second battery from the bike maker and carry it as a spare.

 

[Sierratim]

Hi All,

This is my first ever post on here and as of Monday next week, I'll own my first ever e-bike!

Here is the bike I'm getting:

GigaByke 500W Swift Electric Bike

Gigabykes - electric bikes and scooters that offer you the best of both worlds. Come in and shop our huge selection of Gigabykes today!

www.bikeberry.com

Let's just call it a starter bike for now.

One thing I really don't like about this bike is the battery capacity... its just really really small. I want to get a second battery.

What do you recommend for this bike?

What should I know before buying a new battery?

I'm really hoping to get something that give me anywhere between 13aH to 17aH, but I don't want to buy a crappy chinese made battery that runs for a year then needs replaced.

Thanks so much for any help you guys can provide here.

Fitting a battery into your downtube enclosure might limit available choices. I've had good results with PING BATTERY, though you're going to spend some extra $. Their 36V 15Ah battery is available in a range of sizes that might meet your needs.

On the other end of the spectrum are packs built with reclaimed batteries. These battery cells are sorted for quality from packs that have reached end of life, usually due to some, but not all cells, not holding a charge for long. THIS ONE is the wrong voltage for you, but highlights some of the concerns with these economical packs. If you're interested I'd suggest sending the above seller a PM asking for his battery site links.

 

[tomjasz]

It's difficult to tell if the battery case is reention or hailong, but it surely is anemic!

BATTERY
Lithium-ion 36V7.5Ah with Optional 36V/10.4Ah

 

[Dat]

I am strongly considering getting that bike too, for the low weight, belt drive, single speed, and disc brakes. I live in NYC and my trips are short, under 5 miles, and NYC is relatively flat, but I do have to travel across the East Hudson River bridges where having an ebike helps a lot.

Anyways, can you tell me how you like the Gigabyke Swift so far? I'm mostly concerned about how sturdy it feels, the quality of the parts if they do what they're supposed to without feeling like they're going to fall apart and be unreliable. I'm concerned because GigaByke has almost no online presence. I'm hesitant to pull the trigger since I can't find any reviews about their bike; I only see reviews of their e-scooters. Your feedback on the bike would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also considering the RadMission but it weighs a full 10 lbs more and comes with a chain drive instead of a belt drive. I live in an apartment and it would make it much easier to get the bike in and out of the apartment with a lighter bike.

 

[dunksalot]

Hi All,

This is my first ever post on here and as of Monday next week, I'll own my first ever e-bike!

Here is the bike I'm getting:

GigaByke 500W Swift Electric Bike

Gigabykes - electric bikes and scooters that offer you the best of both worlds. Come in and shop our huge selection of Gigabykes today!

www.bikeberry.com

Let's just call it a starter bike for now.

One thing I really don't like about this bike is the battery capacity... its just really really small. I want to get a second battery.

What do you recommend for this bike?

What should I know before buying a new battery?

I'm really hoping to get something that give me anywhere between 13aH to 17aH, but I don't want to buy a crappy chinese made battery that runs for a year then needs replaced.

Thanks so much for any help you guys can provide here.

First of all...welcome to the eclub!

I bought an NCM Moscow for the same price. I have never run the battery down to 50% but I also haven't gone more than 14 miles. The moment I bought mine I tested top speed...20 mph all thumb throttle (my hard requirement was that option should I wish to get lazy far from home) and I was able to pedal up to 23 mph.

After frying the motor I was scared but they shipped me a new one free after submitting a video of the issue. I ended up spending $90 in tool but I wanted those for long term anyhow.

I'm not trying to tell you what to buy - just my experience and choice. I am in San Diego and wanted something to play with on trails - so at least some suspension (nothing stopping you from upgrading later). It has been the best purchase for me ever. I now am looking to go bigger...trying to figure out what I want and I read a ton. It keeps landing me at Watt Wagons. But $6K is quite a leap - perhaps 4 or 5 months from now when I am getting ready for Spring trail riding.

 

[bikewingg41]

Hey guys, thank you for your input. I've just opted to keep the battery. I don't do more that 15 miles anyways! You're input was greatly valuable to me though as I'm looking to get my next ebike. One of you asked about the Gigabyke Swift. I wrote a review and wanted to share with you all here.

Let me fill you on the Gigabyke swift. So far I've had it for a full month. I ordered it through Bikeberry, it arrived in 2 weeks after (not so bad given the current climate of Covid!). When it arrived, I opened it up, no damage, everything came assembled except for the front tire and handle bars. I set it up in about an hour. Honestly, cost for value is great with this bike imo. I am by no means an expert here (this was my first ebike), but I can tell you what I do/don't like about the bike. Specifically, regarding your 'sturdiness' concerns. This is absolutely a road bike only, be weary of pot holes and curbs because the tires are NOT for any off-roading. The bike is sturdy, but man you sure do feel every bump in the road (you also get used to it). No suspension whatsoever. Albeit, I bought the bike because it was so light weight. I think its like 36lbs with the battery, which is awesome! The quality of the parts are surprisingly good. The $999 price you saw on Bikeberry is now $1099 because they wanted to give an enticing price to bring on buyers (worked on me!). I did have one issue with the bike, the Pedal Assist sensor broke on me within 1 week of owning the bike. I called Bikeberry and they gave me the run around - typical trouble shooting crap. Eventually, I got ahold of someone higher up who worked with me to identify the problem and eventually sent a replacement part and because I didnt have the tool, they sent that too! Super helpful support team. They also warned me that the price for the ebike was about to go up.... You guys can shun more for not giving you the insider information on that one (Whoops)...

The are a few negative things about this bike. The suspension, you have to be conscious of the dangers of pot holes/curbs, and the battery life (I got the lower Amp hour battery - mistake). You can upgrade, but its not a huge upgrade I didn't feel it was worth it and I still don't really have regrets buying the lower battery... The other thing that is a little annoying actually the battery reader (not sure if thats the right term), but I can't really get a good read from the LED screen on the actual 'life' left in my battery. I read that this is typically the case for low budget ebikes so not really surprised on that one.

This thing is quick though, I was really surprise by the power of the bike. Because its so light weight it actually feel more like a 750 watt bike. I can get to 20mph pretty quickly. The pedal assist works great now, but the bike doesn't have those fancy sensors that really 'flatten' hills so to speak... I like that I have to work a little bit because I'm usually a throttle junkie so if I want to get some excercise, I feel like there is still physical pedaling I can do to go a little faster.

All in all I'd give this bike a 7/10 - It's not my pride and joy, but is an excellent entry level e-bike for new riders (like me!) or riders who are having to shop on a budget. I'm not the best source of information because I have so little experience with e-bikes, but because it was priced under $1000 and had a lot of the major components I was looking for, it made good sense to me to get one.

 

[Dat]

Thanks for the overview. Good to know about the battery indicator. How do you know what 750watt motors feel like when you're a noob?

Per your original post, I did some searching and came across this battery supplier. This looks like a compatible Hailong style battery with the option for Samsung cells, and at prices shipping included that seem reasonable if the construction and cells are legit. They offer as high as 17.5Ah capacity batteries:

US $214.00 20%OFF | 36V 17.5Ah 15Ah 13Ah Electric eBike Battery Smallest Hailong Bicycle Batteries for Bafang BBS01 BBS02 TSDZ2 500W 350W 250W Motor

199.2US $ 20% OFF|21700 Hailong eBike Battery 36V 19.2Ah 17.5Ah 14.5Ah 48V 14.4Ah for Bafang TSDZ2 1000W 750W 500W 350W Electric Bicycle Motor|36v 15ah|battery pack 36ve bike battery - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

 

[tomjasz]

Thanks for the overview. Good to know about the battery indicator. How do you know what 750watt motors feel like when you're a noob?

Per your original post, I did some searching and came across this battery supplier. This looks like a compatible Hailong style battery with the option for Samsung cells, and at prices shipping included that seem reasonable if the construction and cells are legit. They offer as high as 17.5Ah capacity batteries:

US $214.00 20%OFF | 36V 17.5Ah 15Ah 13Ah Electric eBike Battery Smallest Hailong Bicycle Batteries for Bafang BBS01 BBS02 TSDZ2 500W 350W 250W Motor

199.2US $ 20% OFF|21700 Hailong eBike Battery 36V 19.2Ah 17.5Ah 14.5Ah 48V 14.4Ah for Bafang TSDZ2 1000W 750W 500W 350W Electric Bicycle Motor|36v 15ah|battery pack 36ve bike battery - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

UPP budget batteries are generic cells. A toss-up for quality assurance. They use nickel-coated steel cell connections not PURE nickel. Ask for pure nickel, it's industry standard, ask to upgrade to a cell balance BMS. We get a cheap nearly functionless BMS otherwise.

 

[Dat]

UPP budget batteries are generic cells. A toss-up for quality assurance. They use nickel-coated steel cell connections not PURE nickel. Ask for pure nickel, it's industry standard, ask to upgrade to a cell balance BMS. We get a cheap nearly functionless BMS otherwise.

Good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[bikewingg41]

Thanks for the overview. Good to know about the battery indicator. How do you know what 750watt motors feel like when you're a noob?

Per your original post, I did some searching and came across this battery supplier. This looks like a compatible Hailong style battery with the option for Samsung cells, and at prices shipping included that seem reasonable if the construction and cells are legit. They offer as high as 17.5Ah capacity batteries:

US $214.00 20%OFF | 36V 17.5Ah 15Ah 13Ah Electric eBike Battery Smallest Hailong Bicycle Batteries for Bafang BBS01 BBS02 TSDZ2 500W 350W 250W Motor

199.2US $ 20% OFF|21700 Hailong eBike Battery 36V 19.2Ah 17.5Ah 14.5Ah 48V 14.4Ah for Bafang TSDZ2 1000W 750W 500W 350W Electric Bicycle Motor|36v 15ah|battery pack 36ve bike battery - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

My parents have (2) 750w e-bikes. I must protect my honor ;-)

 

[Dat]

UPP budget batteries are generic cells. A toss-up for quality assurance. They use nickel-coated steel cell connections not PURE nickel. Ask for pure nickel, it's industry standard, ask to upgrade to a cell balance BMS. We get a cheap nearly functionless BMS otherwise.

To clarify for other people reading, as I understand it, UnitPackPower by default will use crappy Chinese cells, nickel-plated steel busbars and a crappy BMS that will not perform cell-balancing UNLESS you specifically request from them when ordering that you want a battery built with name-brand non-chinese cells (Big 5: Samsung/LG/Sony/Panasonic/Sanyo), pure nickel busbars, and a BMS that performs cell-balancing.

 

[tomjasz]

To clarify for other people reading, as I understand it, UnitPackPower by default will use crappy Chinese cells, nickel-plated steel busbars and a crappy BMS that will not perform cell-balancing UNLESS you specifically request from them when ordering that you want a battery built with name-brand non-chinese cells (Big 5: Samsung/LG/Sony/Panasonic/Sanyo), pure nickel busbars, and a BMS that performs cell-balancing.

EXACTLY! However, you may still get cell groups glued together rather than using plastic/CNC cell holders separating cells.

52 Volt Battery Proceed With Caution

52 volt batteries have become popular, but are they really living up to the hype? Are they safe? We sold 52 volt batteries for about 1 year because of the constant customer requests, this is what we learned and why we no longer advise using them. 1- 60% of 52 volt packs we sold had failures...

www.empoweredcycles.com

 

[Dat]

I ended up upgrading my Gigabyke Swift bike with a bigger 17.5 Ah battery from Unit Pack Power. It cost $400 total shipped for Samsung cells plus balancing BMS and 100-percent nickel strips. It took 22 days total for the battery to be built in China then delivered to me in New York.

I made a mistake and didn't realize that the new Hailong battery was 5 pin instead of the 4 pin and I had to do some connector surgery on the battery dock/controller to swap the old 4 pin for the 5 pin connector that came with the new battery to use the new battery on my bike. Unfortunately I can't use the old battery anymore after the connector modification. The battery dock was also a slightly different width. If anyone is interested in buying my lightly used (138 miles, 10 or do charge cycles) 36v 7.8 Ah 4 pin Hailong, make me an offer.

The new battery works better than I expected. Maybe I'm imagining things but I seem to be able to climb hills easier now and the throttle seems to get me going with more pep. I have more torque/power somehow? The current now quickly gets pegged at 8.8 amps (36v x 8.8 amps = 350 watts, what the motor is rated for). I don't know for sure if this didn't happen before because I wasn't monitoring the current draw before. Maybe the original battery was crappy and power delivery was substandard because of generic 18650 cells, fake nickel, or some other reason? Does my bike now having genuine Samsung cells make a difference in performance? Does the battery capacity have something to do with performance? Does my controller like the new battery more and can more easily deliver power from the battery to the motor? I wish I understood why my bike seems quicker and climbs hills easier now. If I'm not crazy, it seems like a different bike with the new battery.

Anyways, I'm pretty happy so far with the new battery, even though I had a pin compatibility problem and had to do some unexpected soldering.

Final note: I hated the Unit Pack Power branding that came on the battery. I scratched off the branding graphics the best I could using my fingernails and a piece of plastic which left behind bits of white and glue residue. I was able to get the remaining white bits and glue residue off using trusty old Goo Gone. The battery now looks like it never had that ugly branding and fortunately there's no scratches or any evidence that I removed the branding.

 

[Dirty_ken]

This is the only place on EBR that I found any discussion re the GigaByke 500 Swift. I am new to ebikes but have an extensive collection of regular bikes. Way too many bikes per my wife. I recently bought a GigaByke 500 Swift directly from BikeBerry so that I could learn. I purchased the 52 cm frame size with the 10.4Ah battery. I did some of my own measurements using fish scales and tape measure.

Bike weight: 36 lb (without battery or kick stand)
10.4 Ah Battery wt: 3.5 lb
Kickstand wt: 0.5 lb
Seat post tube length: 52 (20.5 in)
Stand over height: 31.5 in
Reach: 16.5 in
Wheel base: 41.5 in
Cabin length: 25 in (handle bar to center of seat post)

I have about 110 miles after about two weeks of use. I really like the bike. Managed to puncture the rear tube on a rough pavement spot, so I got to experience rear hub removal and reinstall. Removal went according to obvious plan. However when I tried to reinstall the hub I found the rear forks were “sprung” together about 0.25 inch (6 mm) at the forkends compared to the hub assembly. The forkends securely “pinch” the hub after it is installed. I do not know if this is design intent or simply fabrication tolerance. After a couple hours of trying to physically spread the forks and install the hub assembly, I was tired! Eventually I carved out a wood spreader that could be placed thru the spokes and pressed between the forks. Using a small hammer I pushed spreader upwards between the forks, I was able to elastically spread the forks just enough to slide the hub into place thru the forkend slots. After I removed the spreader the forks were firmly supporting the hub assembly.

I have never noticed this problem on my regular bikes.

 

[Shaunpro3]

Interesting looking bike. They have two options for battery niether are 13 or 17 tho. Personally I would ask the seller or dealer what they recommend for compatible options. Just in case of any warranty issues. Just my two cents. Would like to know your thoughts on the bike after you try it out.

I also have a Gigabyte Groove v1 scooter, 48v 750w, best ride Ever but 27 mph is fastest it goes..

 

[indianajo]

Wow!. That 28 mm tire on the Swift would be the worst thing I think. I ride 57 mm; much more comfortable on pavement with actual potholes.

 

[Shaunpro3]

I also have a Gigabyte Groove v1 scooter, 48v 750w, best ride Ever but 27 mph is fastest it goes..

Lol. Gigabyke!