Re: Lowering the transport weight of an Optibike

[Jerome Daoust]

For people like me who worry about how much weight is on their bike
carrier, I had this idea to lower the transport weight of an
Optibike...

Not put batteries inside the bike, and only rely on a touring package
(external battery), which would lower the transport weight of the
bike. I know it would raise the CG (center of gravity) but that may be
a non-issue.
I'm assuming that the external touring package battery can quickly be
removed/installed so that weight can be carried inside the vehicle.

I submitted the idea to Optibike.

[Bike_on]

Jerome,

A fixed and sealed battery is a mixed blessing. It ain't gonna happen
with this version of Opti - their frame is custom in order to hold the
battery and electronics, and be integrated. External batteries look
like DIY types....

Bike like Liberty, Giant, Ezee thread the needle hear. There
batteries are behind the center post, and removeable - less weight,
flexible charging.

I personnally LIKE to see my battery - do checks, etc.

Keep the ideas going -

DR

[OptOut]

Is the Optibike internal battery user removable?

Best,
Joe (mobile)

On Sep 16, 2008, at 5:28 PM, Jerome Daoust <EyesTo...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Jerome Daoust]

About a month ago I heard they were considering writting instructions
for owners to replace the batteries themselves.

[remf]

It is with some effort & help from either a video or instructions from
Opti.

My 600's dead internal NiMH is soon to be removed & replaced with
lithium.

rem

On Sep 17, 8:42 am, OptOut <optib...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is the Optibike internal battery user removable?
>
> Best,
> Joe (mobile)
>

> On Sep 16, 2008, at 5:28 PM, Jerome Daoust <EyesToThe...@gmail.com>  

[pierrino]

A big problem when you park your Opti is anything stealable. Batteries
on the inside are safe;and,indeed the externals must be unplugged and
carried inside or will be stolt.
Pierrino

[OptOut]

Dr rem,
Will you be performing the surgery?

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[deerfencer1]

Seems to me it's one of the signature trademarks--and beauties-- of
the Opti to have the pack nowhere in sight. The idea of making the
pack more user accessible/serviceable is a very good one, and I'd be
very surprised if Opti isn't working hard on this issue as we speak.
It's absurd to expect customers to have to ship their bikes back to
Boulder every time there's a battery glitch.

One possible interim solution (perhaps already in place?): make it
user friendly to remove a problematic imbedded pack and temporarily
replace it with a rack-mounted aux pack so that the fun can continue
while the A pack is sent for servicing/replacement. Ideally, swapping
out your pack ought to be both easy and relatively quick.

LH

[deerfencer1]

> Not put batteries inside the bike, and only rely on a touring package
> (external battery), which would lower the transport weight of the
> bike. >

BTW Jerome, this is exactly how I transport my SX since I long ago
ditched the problematic WC A hub: bike on hitch-mounted Saris carrier,
batteries inside the van. Once at my destination, it takes all of 5
minutes to mount the battery packs on the rear rack with a few bungees
and/or in my rear panniers.

And I've rigged the wiring so that I can charge the packs in place
once I get home, so no daily on/off regimen when I ride locally. Also,
I have a 3 to 1 splice set up to allow for as many as 3 packs in
parallel, but can also run a single or double as well. I continue to
love (and recommend) the heavy-duty Anderson 75A connectors--very easy
to splice and configure, and the contacts are huge.

LH

On Sep 16, 5:28 pm, Jerome Daoust <EyesToThe...@gmail.com> wrote:

[OptOut]

Personally I would like a simple key lock to keep the pack secure in
the frame and also to enable the electroncs. Preferably the same key.
Or a wireless key for the bike electric. Practically every potentially
dangerous machine I own has a key switch.

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[OptOut]

I use the smaller 45 Amp Andersons the same way with no problems as
long as you leave them exposed to the air - not covered by the
neoprene foam wrappers that TFs come with. Especially the rear
Anderson at the motor. On that one I also keep the 2 wires apart
allowing greater air surface for cooling the connecters. They were
originally glued together.

Recently I met someone and parked my bike and locked the 2 packs in
their car. Later put them back on to go home. Only took a couple of
minutes I'm very happy with my set up except it would be really easy
for someone to steal the packs if I leave them on.
Uncle Al posted a nice steal mesh security net that would work nicely
to secure the packs against casual theft.

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[Jerome Daoust]

I spoke with Craig (Optibike) and he says that removing the internal
batteries (to only use an external set) is not an option.

[OptOut]

Jerome,
Thanks for posting.
Would it be too hard to remove the main battery for light trailering?

Best,
Joe (mobile)

On Sep 17, 2008, at 2:24 PM, Jerome Daoust <EyesTo...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>

[Jerome Daoust]

> Jerome,
> Thanks for posting.
> Would it be too hard to remove the main battery for light trailering?
> Best, Joe (mobile)

I believe it would be (too much work). Replacing batteries on an
Optibike is apparently not a trivial affair.

[remf]

Joe, yes I'll be performing the operation, there'll be nurses, sponge
baths, the lot! :D

Larry, great points...I had an eZee for a brief time before I got my
Opti, although nowhere near as capable and elegant as the Opti, you
could lift the hinged saddle & pull the battery out. A very big
solitary advantage over the Opti. I'd be surprised if it hasn't been
considered at Opti HQ although it would require a substantial
redesign. Absolutely agree, sending a problematic battery back to
Boulder is much easier than sending the whole bike, especially from
where I live.

My interim solution is to simply use the aux rack lipo with the dead
NiMH still in place.

rem

[Tor Atle Lunde]

2008/9/17 Jerome Daoust <EyesTo...@gmail.com>:

> I believe it would be (too much work). Replacing batteries on an
> Optibike is apparently not a trivial affair.

Well that's just bad engineering. I would insist on changing a dead
battery myself. What a terrible waste of resources shipping a bicycle
across the globe for something like that. Reminds me of the owner of
an exotic car who had it airfreighted from the middle east to europe
to change oil - duh!

Tor Atle

[remf]

I think I'm qualified to comment on this, having been waiting for a
new battery for a while now....bad engineering?...dare I say
it...maybe! In relation to the battery only, it could be done better.
In terms of minor modifications, Opti have had to modify the size of
the new LiCo battery in order to be able to retro-fit it to pre-800
bikes, delaying their release.

To implement an easily replaceable battery, a huge amount of
modification would be needed. For a start, the battery would have to
be installed from the top instead of the bottom, as it currently is.
This would require some type of hatch in the top part of the frame
which may introduce possible water penetration issues. It could also
spoil the clean lines of the bike. Then again, if Opti could engineer
this bike, I'm sure they can improve the battery access.

rem

On Sep 21, 10:56 pm, "Tor Atle Lunde" <toratle...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 2008/9/17 Jerome Daoust <EyesToThe...@gmail.com>: