With my new Ebike build in progress, I am faced with where exactly to mount my battery.

My first idea was to get my battery made in two packs. One pack on each side of my rack, placed down a little lower to lower my weight distribution.

Reality has me thinking. Mounting the battery as one pack, on top in the center will be much easier to do, and keeps in close to the controller. Also, it allows me to move it forward a little, to keep all the weight in front of the rear hub.

So, I am thinking I'll mount it on top of the rack instead.

However, with the extra 15lbs up there, how much of a differance would I feel while handling and riding the bike with this much weight mounted up so high?

Has anyone had a hard time with this?

With my new Ebike build in progress, I am faced with where exactly to mount my battery.

My first idea was to get my battery made in two packs. One pack on each side of my rack, placed down a little lower to lower my weight distribution.

Reality has me thinking. Mounting the battery as one pack, on top in the center will be much easier to do, and keeps in close to the controller. Also, it allows me to move it forward a little, to keep all the weight in front of the rear hub.

So, I am thinking I'll mount it on top of the rack instead.

However, with the extra 15lbs up there, how much of a differance would I feel while handling and riding the bike with this much weight mounted up so high?

Has anyone had a hard time with this?



Yes, it is funny in the weight department, but more when you're still than when moving. It also messes with your kickstand working on some.

Couple other points are to set the batteries on something a little soft, like a piece of carpet, or camp mat foam. If they're ganged cells, like a made up pack of NiMh-F's or something with spot welded tabs, you'll want to lay the pack on it's side, as vibration can wear thru those straps or wires over time. Last, you want to waterproof the pack, as moisture will rust connections or even batteries themselves.

I have a 20 lb pack on my bike, and it's sometimes awkward when I try to lift it.

It will feel kind of strange. You'll probably feel kind of wobbly when accelerating. Once you get used to it, it doesn't matter. I have a large container on top of my rear rack and I've carried upwards of 30 pounds back there. If you have a bike that has a lot of weight on the back, then if you brake hard it sort of pitches your weight forward and suddenly the bike feels more stable.

It makes a HUGE difference to me, to have the packs divided in two and down low. The lower the better. I tried it on top of the rear rack at first (I am dealing with a LOT more weight - six SLA's!), and it was horrible. I mounted my girl's in metal WALD baskets, three per side. MUCH better. I like the lower center of gravity so much, that I went ahead and mounted all six of my SLA's in my B.O.B. trailer. It's like always having an eighteen wheeler, but you get used to it, and it also works as a SOLID kick-stand!

I also like the extra carrying capacity and keeping the weight off the rear tyre, made a HUGE difference in how the bike handles!!! It's so much more nimble with the batteries weight supported by that third axle!

I realize I'm dealing with a LOT more weight than fifteen pounds, (somewhere around fifty lbs!), so I'm sure you'd be able to get away with a lot on your particular rig.

Fifteen lbs doesn't seem like much, but I'm sure you'd feel a difference, (for the better) with them mounted lower, in your saddle bags. Good luck to you.

Danthesoundman -

the problem with trying to mount a lifepo4 pack in two places is that the packs are pre-wired and you'll have to cut wires (one for every 3 volt cell that you are positioning somewhere far from the BMS, plus a few non-BMS wires) and re-connect the cut wires in order to divide the pack in two. AND you'll have to repackage the cells into sub-packs or you'll have a bunch of loose cells that will fall off of their wires.

That's why I would recommend placing the pack on top of the rear rack if you can stand the way the bike feels like that.

Is your pack small enough to make frame mounting feasible? Directly in the center of the frame is one of the very best places to put weight.

Well, I was considering having the pack made with the BMS and power leads long enough to have them seperated, as it is an option. Then, maybe have the leads extra long, so i can mount it down lower on the sides of the rack. Not sure yet.

Yes, it is funny in the weight department, but more when you're still than when moving. It also messes with your kickstand working on some.

Couple other points are to set the batteries on something a little soft, like a piece of carpet, or camp mat foam. If they're ganged cells, like a made up pack of NiMh-F's or something with spot welded tabs, you'll want to lay the pack on it's side, as vibration can wear thru those straps or wires over time. Last, you want to waterproof the pack, as moisture will rust connections or even batteries themselves.

I have a 20 lb pack on my bike, and it's sometimes awkward when I try to lift it.
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This is going off topic a bit, but after looking at your bike trailer WernMax, would you share some information on it. It looks like it is very usefull!. Did you make it yourself, and how is it attached to the bicycle?