Easiest way to purchase a tranzx bl17 battery from the US?

I recently bought a factory electric bike with a 500w currie rear drive hub motor and tranzx bl17 battery. While I can't say that I'm thrilled with the bike's performance and the lack of support from the dealer, overall I've had a very pleasant experience with my first electric bike. I just wish the claimed range of 25-45 miles per charge was more accurate. Level four will get me around thirteen miles before the battery is flat. Level one assist with a bike loaded for work and my weight (220 lbs) will get me twenty one miles. That's a little too close for comfort considering my commute is nineteen miles one way. Charging the battery at work isn't a problem.

The dealer washed their hands of it as soon as it was loaded into my car. I explained the issue and asked for my money back. No luck there. None of my options were very appealing and just seemed like a money and/or time suck. I could disassemble everything and send it the factory for inspection and possible repair, upgrade to one of their higher line bikes (another $1500 and a restocking fee), or buy additional enhancements to the bike to increase the range (lower profile tires, etc). That $300 markdown makes a lot more sense now. Meanwhile I'm stuck with a bike that turns into a lovely paperweight should I decide to be lazy.

I've been looking around for an online resource to buy a second battery but haven't had much luck. I'm curious to see if anyone else might be able to point me in a better direction. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

First, just some advice about batteries, ebikes, and range: vendors and dealers pretty much always lie about the range, either deliberately and outright, or by not mentioning any of the details of the range test performed. (like, it was with a tailwind and a strong pedaller cranking hard the whole time, or it was done at only 5mph on the flats with no wind and with no stops and pedalling was done the whole way, etc etc).


Next: It's possible the battery is simply unbalanced from sitting around or whatever. Try leaving it on the charger for a few days. You might get more range out of it. (probably not what they claimed, but more than you get now).


After that, it'd be good to post the details of where you bought it, so others can avoid them if they think they might have issues that require dealer help.

Welcome to the forum.
Most of those vendor claims are based on things like an 80 pound kid riding in a tuck position wearing spandex on an aerodynamically perfect recumbent bike and rolling on road so smooth you could slide on it in socks. Real world conditions are usually far different. They also tend to state the maximum range possible, but what most people need to know is the minimum distance that battery will carry you.

It would help us to know what country you are in. we're an international forum, and bikes available in your part of the world may not be available here.

Also, any information on the bike and the vendor will help. that model number may be meaningless outside of that specific vendor, but the battery might be common from other vendors with other names and numbers.

Thanks for the welcome.

I'm in Seattle if it helps. This is the bike in question - http://www.diamondback.com/bikes-ebike-trace-exc

My concern isn't so much about the bike itself - it's doing what it was designed to do. I'm more interested in purchasing a second battery. I was hoping to find an online resource to compare prices.

ok, that gives us more to work on. the battery is a 48 volt 8.8 AH battery, and sized for 12 miles of range at 20mph. with slower speeds and pedal assist, you can go further.


While I can't see the connectors or mounts in detail, the battery looks identical to the iZip E3 Dash, which is a much more common bike. That leads me to believe the battery is probably a standard Currie battery, but the part number is specific to Diamondback's bike.

Best advice I can think of is hit up a local Ebike shop that specializes in the =Currie bikes and see if the batteries are compatible.
I'm not endorsing this store, its just the first hit on google for a local shop to you, but they may be able to help : http://www.currietech.com/electric-...bikes-electric-bikes-northwest-seattle-98107/ Take your battery in and see if it will fit iZip. If it does, it may be easier to get that way.


In reality, any 48 volt battery will work, but you won't be able to carry it on the frame the same way unless it fits the mount. There are plenty of other options if you want to replace the battery with something else entirely, they just won't be as seamless.

if it is a lithium ion battery then post up a picture of your battery and the charger so we at least know what you are talking about.

open the battery case and expose the BMS inside and take pictures so we can show you where to measure.

do you have a voltmeter? if not then go buy one now. measure the voltage on the output of your charger and post it here. measure the voltage of your battery on the charging terminals of the battery.

See lots of dealers on diamondback web site. Get on the phone and call some of them. Ask if they have a lower price for cash?
http://www.diamondback.com/

Here is another web site that might give you more information on what you are looking for?
http://www.tranzxpst.com/

A battery is a battery. You might be able to use a different battery. Show us a picture of the connector that connects the battery to the rest of the system. Get a volt meter if you don't already have one. More Ah or Ampere-hours will give you more range. More Ah will also make for a heaver battery. Where you mount battery on bicycle is important. Lower is better.

Now I see.... At least one new post has been made to this topic. You may wish to review your post in light of this.
Looks like Drunkskunk and Dnmun type faster then I do. We all say mostly the same thing.

if it is a factory produced lithium ion battery then it will have a BMS so it should be protected. but cannot help him if he doesn't wanna help figure out what is wrong. in that case he should just buy a new battery like he has been told to do.

I know I am posting to a old Post but wondering the same except a different bike and a bit more powerful battery. The bike is the Haibike Urban plus and battery is the 10 amp version for the TranzX gts m25 motor. Was wondering if someone found it cheaper then the dealer at 525?