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Top tube battery mount for RadMini

Started by Altema, July 01, 2022, 08:48:00 AM

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Altema

This was just an experiment, you know, in case the zombie apocalypse took place and I REALLY needed to add another battery, lol.
Actually, I was more interested in balancing out the weight distribution, and getting more choices in which batteries I can use together. Currently, I have one shark battery mount in the stock location, and the second battery MUST be on the rack. This option would let me to use two lighter batteries and leave the rack empty, or use two shark batteries and one rack battery for a three setup. If I really wanted to go crazy, I could run four batteries, and I do have the connection system in place for that!

The mounts were 3D printed in halves, lined up on the frame and screwed together with screws and nylon locking nuts. The screws for attaching the battery mount to the frame mount had to be trimmed precisely, otherwise they would mark up or damage the top tube. The nylon locking nuts for these screws are captive inside the top half of the frame mount, and I had to cut away part of the battery mount to clear the bike hinge. The battery mount screws to the frame mounts, the cable plugs into the power distribution block under my rear rack, then you slide the battery onto the mount and lock it.

Results
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On the good side, the battery position does not look that odd, and Super73 owners would probably like it. It does balance the front/rear weight distribution better than having both batteries in back. The bike does feel more stable, and I can still straddle the bike during stops, but it feels a bit weird having a battery there.
The downside is the bike has lost it's nimbleness, and I don't think I'd want to try our tight mountain bike trails and hairpin turns with it this way. I had to adjust the front suspension preload to compensate for the extra weight on the front. Was there a deal breaker in all this? Yes, and that was the bike not being able to fold unless you unscrew the battery mount and remove it from the bike. A possible workaround from that is just cutting off the battery mount above the hinge, and the lower part is not actively supporting weight anyways because there's no frame mount there. So, I may try that and see how it goes. Pics are below, let me know what you think, and questions are welcome!