Electric drives on bikes and trikes are great for transportation and for enabling anyone to get out and ride, but until now, most people have had to hodgepodge together a way to carry the battery. Batteries are big, dense and valuable, and you don't want to just stick them anywhere. A rear rack sometimes works, but then the wires have to be extended, the weight is up high, and you can't use the rack for anything else. Introducing T-Cycle's new and improved Battery Mount! An even better way to attach your valuable, heavy battery: centered, low down, and out of the way. You'll hardly know it's there! Height and angle can be adjusted to fit just about any bike or trike on the market. CNC machined mounting clamps precision made for all the most common frame sizes. This battery mount is the super sturdy, elegant battery solution that the recumbent world has been waiting for. Works on left, right, and even both sides if you want to run two batteries. Right side configurations usually require the optional extender to clear the chain.
FAQ
1. What does this do?
This mount allows you to mount a battery under the seat and close to the centerline of your bike or trike. This is usually the very best place to mount a battery, because it's low and centered for better stability. Mounting heavy things like batteries up high over the rear wheel often leads to handling issues. This mount was designed to solve that. We make different Battery Mounts specific to the ICE trikes. If you have an ICE rigid or rear suspended trike, we recommend the specific mounts because they are carefully designed to work with the fold (the battery winds up on top after the fold, where it doesn't interfere with anything). If you have an HP Scorpion trike, due to the complicated main tube, these mounts won't work- there's just no good place to attach. We are working on Scorpion battery mounts that attach where the HP racks do, but are reconfigurable for any Scorpion, on either the left or right side. Stay tuned.
2. Where does it go?
It depends on the bike or trike, but on the main tube, generally just behind and under the seat. Whether it goes on the left or right side depends on the bike or trike. Most folders need the battery on the right side so it winds up on the outside after the fold. An optional extender moves things out past the chain on the right or out past other obstacles on the left. All the parts can be flipped and reversed and reconfigured to get a wide range of mounting positions on either side of your bike or trike.
3. What kind of batteries can I put on it?
All sorts of them. The battery shelf is large and sturdy. We drill and tap it for some of the common batteries, like the BionX and NeoDrives that use standard bottle boss spacing. For other batteries, in shrink wrap or nylon housings, you can usually just strap them on or use zip ties. We make special, additional plates to mount unusual batteries like the BionX rear rack battery and the Falco flat batteries.
4. What size do I need?
We machine clamps to exactly match the size of your main frame tube, so the size needs to be exact. When you tell us the make and model of your trike, we can pick the right clamps for you.
5. Do I need the sideways extender?
The sideways extender moves the vertical plate and battery shelf out 2.5 inches (6.35cm). Smaller amounts of sideways positioning can be done with custom bushings. If you need to clear a chainstay or some other obstruction by positioning the battery further out sideways, you probably need the extender. If you have an unusual situation and might need custom bushings, let us know.
6. What about unusual batteries?
We have an adapter plate for larger batteries with mounting holes specific for the BionX, Falco, and Shimano rear rack batteries. The adapter plate is also useful for supporting large brick type batteries. We also have a special mounting rail for the Shimano Steps downtube battery.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
The mount consists of a heavy duty clamp that attach to the frame, an angle adjustable vertical plate that attaches to the frame clamp, and a battery shelf that attaches to the vertical plate. The frame clamps are sized specifically to your trike. The vertical plate and battery shelf can be rotated to different angles depending on what is needed for your trike. The parts can be combined in different configurations, flipped over, reversed, and used on opposite sides. The combination of adjustments allows the battery shelf to be positioned at different angles and heights according to your needs.
- First, hold the battery in the area where you would like it to go to get an idea of where the shelf, adapter plate, and frame clamp need to be.
- Remove the clamp arch, hold the clamp against the frame, and reinstall the arch.
- Be sure to route any cables over the clamp, so they don't get pinched.
- Tighten the frame clamp, then adjust the angle of the vertical plate as needed.
- When the vertical plate is positioned, install the shelf at the angle that works best.
- Attach your battery to the shelf with bolts, zip ties, or straps, as needed. That's it!
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Frame clamps are available in all common main tube sizes: 1.125, 1.25, 1.375, 1.5, 1.625, 1.75, and 2.0 inches; and 40, 50, 54, and 60mm; and the square tubing of Greenspeed Magnum, Anura, and GT20. We can often shim to other sizes, email for more information on that. Shims usually run $12-$15.
- The frame clamps require a 5/8 inch (16mm) area of straight, round, obstacle free main tube. Cables passing by is OK, but it's important there is nothing welded onto the frame right where the clamps might need to go. If you have any questions, you can email us a photo of your frame and we can determine what locations would work.
- The optional extender moves the vertical plate and battery shelf out 2.5 inches (6.35cm). Smaller amounts of sideways positioning can be done with custom bushings.
- For unusual situations, we have a dual battery mounting plate that attaches under the main tube. Contact us for details.
- Mounts are machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and black anodized. Frame clamps are 5/8 inch (16mm) wide. The frame clamping bolts are m6 stainless steel, so they are able to support batteries up to about 15 lbs (6.8Kg). Battery mounting holes are m5x0.8, threaded through 0.25 inches (6.35mm) mounting plate.
- The battery Shelf is 5in x 2.5in (13cm x 7cm) and has 14 m5x0.8 threaded holes for attaching batteries or battery adapter plates. The holes are in 2 rows, one with bottle boss spacing and the other with the spacings used by common batteries.
- If you let us know, we can provide bolts and spacers specific to the popular BionX down tube battery. If your battery uses standard bottle boss spacing, it will probably bolt right on. For other batteries, because there are so many different kinds out there, you may need to arrange the fixing of the battery to the shelf. There are extra holes on the battery shelf that are usually sufficient, and you are free to add to them as needed.
- The optional extender moves the vertical plate and battery shelf out 2.5 inches (6.35cm). Smaller amounts of sideways positioning can be done with custom bushings.
- We have a adapter plates for the Battery Shelf for longer/larger batteries like the BionX, Falco, and Shimano rear rack batteries. We also have a special mounting rail for the Shimano STePS downtube battery.
- Recommended maximum battery weight is 15 lbs (6.8Kg). These mounts are very stout and can probably handle more, but due to the wide range of conditions out there, we rate them for 15lbs, which is actually a lot of battery.
- The Frame Clamps are made in a variety of sizes for almost every round tube used on bikes and trikes, and the vertical Plate is highly adjustable, so it is usually possible to install this mount on nearly any trike as well as many bikes. The mount can go on the left or the right side, or both sides, depending on your needs.
