Batteries & chargers

Stokemonkey will work with any battery pack capable of sustaining 20 amps at 36 volts. Unlike a great many electric bike products, we have deliberately avoided any proprietary battery requirements to protect your investment and give you more price/performance choices.

After sourcing, assembling, selling and supporting our own battery packs for several years, we are now stepping aside to let third parties fulfill these functions.

The most desirable (lithium) batteries for electric bike applications are increasingly classed as "class 9 dangerous goods" for shipping purposes. The stringent handling and certification requirements for shipping these items legally are such that only higher-volume, dedicated battery providers can engage in this business sustainably.

We have worked with the good people at E-bikeKit.com to assure availability of batteries packaged for plug-and-play use with Stokemonkey. The Stokemonkey-specific version of their packs come with superior connectors and a wiring harness ideal for Stokemonkey use.

Another battery supplier (and Stokemonkey dealer!) we trust is the Renaissance Bicycle Company, in Vancouver, British Columbia. They offer an ever-changing range of suitable 36V packs and chargers in varying chemistries and form factors, though you may need to be comfortable with basic wiring concepts and techniques to complete your project.

Nickel Metal Hydride clearance

We have drastically reduced the prices of our remaining NiMH battery and charger stock (LIMITED QUANTITIES). We will warrant these packs for 3 months.

These packs feature rugged ABS enclosures and quality locking connectors with carrying straps and rubber end caps, and are designed to fit neatly in the inner pockets of the Xtracycle FreeLoader carrier slings, but can be lashed or stashed any number of other places. packs

The packs consist of 30 “D” or “F” cells (8 or 12Ah), spot-welded in series, with 30A discharge fuses. A thermistor and temperature fuse provide redundant overcharge protection, while the enclosures are ventilated to help keep the packs cool. A single connector port serves both charge and discharge functions.

Comparison

E-bikeKit 10Ah LiFePo4 with 2A charger 8Ah NiMH with 3A charger 12Ah NiMH with 3A charger
Physical 10lbs, 14×5.8×2.75″ 12lbs, 12.5×5″ 19lbs, 18.5×5″
Cost ~$600 $200 $300
Typical range* 20-50 miles 15-40 miles 25-60 miles
Pro
  • Lowest total cost of ownership (~1500 charge cycles)
  • Lowest weight
  • Lowest bulk
  • Lowest initial cost
  • Lowest cost per unit of range
  • Highest range
Con
  • Highest initial cost
  • Lowest range
  • Lower performance at higher discharge rates
  • Highest total cost of ownership for a given daily range (~200 charge cycles)
  • Heaviest; can upset handling
  • Bulkiest; compromises cargo capacity more and a tight fit in the FreeLoader inner pouch.

* Because Stokemonkey has a manual throttle, and you continue to pedal as before, your powered range depends entirely on how liberally you use the throttle, how much you are carrying, and how steep the terrain. Experience suggests that your working range will be the same as it is on a light, unassisted bike, but that you will arrive sooner, much less fatigued, and can carry much more.