Electric Bikes - Giant eSuede Is Crap

Hi Guys

I have a year old Giant eSuede bike, which is a pile of pooh and I struggle to get 3 miles out of the battery with hardly any throttle use - and it getting worse as the battery is wearing out. But the bike itself is pretty good...

Sooo, could I fit a new, improved LiFeP04 style battery pack into the Giant power pack unit and get more power and/or more miles? What would you suggest would be the best size and power (and where from), or should I dump the casing in a nearby bin and stick a pannier style bag over the rear rack and go for a different solution?

Or, if I dumped the battery and the motor could I replace it with a different front hub and battery pack and keep everything else in place to save a complete rebuild? What would be the best option for this...

Chris.

If you measure the battery you could have a lifepo4 built custom sized to fit in the case. Most lifep04 batteries can't handle high discharge rates and have a long life. You have to buy one where the amp hour rating is close to the max amps that the motor will pull. For instance, if the eSuede controller limits max amps to 24 amps (full throttle on a hill or something), the ideal lifep04 size is a 24 ah one, so you don't over stress it. A 20 ah battery will give you much better range than the little 9 ah one that came with the bike.

Your best bet might be to sell the bike and start with a different bike, using a better hub motor to begin with.

Don't have any personal experience with the bike, outside of seeing them in a LBS. But my favorite LBS, who has been very upfront and candid with me about a number of bikes, has sold eSuedes for a couple of years now and has had very positive experiences. Customers like them. They told me that people were getting 25-30 miles in pedal-assist mode.