First Look | FAHRER battery sleeves for all brands
For those keen to get in some great riding this winter it’s obviously a good idea to get your bike prepped for the cooler months ahead. As motors found on e-bikes are especially susceptible to low temperatures, with the battery needing to be kept at a decent working temperature in order to deliver the same distance, this is where the Berlin-based FAHRER step in, promising to warm us to the core with their neoprene covers for e-bike batteries.
The idea of protecting the weakest parts of an e-bike – namely the battery, the motor and the display – from bitter temperatures, road spray, dirt, trail debris, crashes and scratches is nothing new. After all, any damage to these is likely to result in reduced capabilities in terms of distance. But these specific covers, which are made of neoprene and Cordura, are worth a second look, especially at this time of year.
Retailing at 44 €, the cover for the Bosch Powerpack 300/400 is simply pulled over the battery and secured with a small interior adhesive pad. This means that the well-designed 4mm-thick cover fits snugly, leaving satisfying gaps for the keyhole and the battery life indicators. The upper part is made of neoprene while the underside takes Cordura. However, the casing is too thick for many frames, which means that the battery is reluctant to fit back onto the frame (without undue force). So while it fitted our Haibike NDURO, it didn’t fit the Flyer Uproc, for example. There is a special cover available for the Bosch Powerpack 500.
The Yamaha cover, which also comes with a 44 € price tag, is kinder to the union of the frame and battery. It is secured in the same manner as the Bosch cover with equally as high standard seams and material choices. While the battery life indicators are left visible through cut-outs, the keyhole and the charging socket are left wholly open, which makes FAHRER’s 19.50 € socket protector a worthwhile investment.
Retailing at 39 €, the downtube protector does away with the small openings for the keyhole and battery life indicators to ensure that it remains universally compatible with diverse models. These universal protectors can serve e-bikes that take batteries with a downtube volume of 29-38cm and measure no further than 53cm. There’s a tastefully manufactured Velcro fastener that keeps things simple when mounting the protector. The cover is around 3mm in thickness to guarantee a certain amount of stretch.
Features
Cover for Bosch/Yamaha
- Neoprene upper
- Abrasion-resistant Cordura on the frame
- Well manufactured
- Gaps to access the keyhole and reveal the battery life indicators
Downtube protectors
- High quality neoprene and well manufactured seams
- Cordura on the Velcro fastening prevents damage
Conclusion
During the cold months of winter, the FAHRER products promise to compensate for the reduced battery reach. Naturally, it’s important to use the pedal-assist from the offset so that the battery reaches a working temperature of 15-25°C without risking cooling down first. In temperatures dipping below freezing, the battery should ideally be stored in a heated room. If the FAHRER covers really help to increase the reach of your E-bike battery in cold conditions still needs to be evaluated in a long-term test. If it gets dirty, the cover can easily be washed under running water. However, Bosch riders should be aware that certain models don’t have sufficient space between the downtube and the battery to allow for the presence of a FAHRER cover.
With a host of well-considered design features, the FAHRER covers have come on leaps and bounds since their early models and present a welcome wintery warmer.
For more information on the covers and other FAHRER products, head to their website.
Words & photos: Noah Haxel
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