Trek Rail - Gen 4

[Trek-Rail-eBike]

My 2024 Trek Rail 9.7 : Gen 4 Bosch Motor, with a 2nd battery for all day riding (total 1500Wh)

I've had this for 2 years now with some superb days out on it : Bike Park Wales, DYFI, Revolution, Afan, Cannock Chase, Forest of Dean, LLandegla, Coed-y-Brenin, Sherwood Pines

 

[Stihldog]

My 2024 Trek Rail 9.7 : Gen 4 Bosch Motor, with a 2nd battery for all day riding (total 1500Wh)

I've had this for 2 years now with some superb days out on it : Bike Park Wales, DYFI, Revolution, Afan, Cannock Chase, Forest of Dean, LLandegla, Coed-y-Brenin, Sherwood Pines

Did a battery swap on my Trek Rail 9.7 this morning. Took out the 650wh battery and tried a 500wh. What A Difference …wow! Less than 20 kms but with steep climbing and gravity back home.

80% battery left. I couldn’t believe it.



I’m thinking …things are gonna change. This tank felt like a SL. Fast and nimble.

 

[irie]

Find the same when install the 500Wh batteries our bikes originally came with, completely changes (improves) the handling.

Isn't only due to the 0.7kg weight reduction from the 3.5kg 625Wh battery to the 2.8kg 500Wh battery, is also due to the weight being lower down and further back.

 

[Stihldog]

Find the same when install the 500Wh batteries our bikes originally came with, completely changes (improves) the handling.

Isn't only due to the 0.7kg weight reduction from the 3.5kg 625Wh battery to the 2.8kg 500Wh battery, is also due to the weight being lower down and further back.

Is that all the weight savings? 0.7kg.

Completely changes the feel. Amazing.

Wonder if I should tell my wife?

 

[nickf]

You can save almost half a kg by removing the battery lock mechanism and RIB. I removed the lock/handle block on the end of the battery and fitted an angled plate which then holds the battery in place with the two bolts through the frame that originally captured the lock mechanism. Yes it now takes a bit longer to remove the battery (I need to undo the 2 bolts and jiggle the battery with its new bracket to slide it out), but now I mostly charge it on the bike. No downsides for me and 440g less up high where you don't want it!

- RIB 160g
- Battery handle unit 70g
- Lock 250g
+ new bracket 40g
Total weight saving 440g

 

[irie]

Is that all the weight savings? 0.7kg.

Completely changes the feel. Amazing.

Wonder if I should tell my wife?

That is the weight saving.

As an experiment to see if they really do have better puncture resistance than the previous version (with which we got punctures) instead of front Maxxis Assegais DD fitted EXO+ which are a little lighter (180 grammes) which had much the same effect (centrifugal force and all that). No punctures so far but taking spare tyres etc. with us when we go to France on Thursday for a couple of weeks.

 

[irie]

You can save almost half a kg by removing the battery lock mechanism and RIB. I removed the lock/handle block on the end of the battery and fitted an angled plate which then holds the battery in place with the two bolts through the frame that originally captured the lock mechanism. Yes it now takes a bit longer to remove the battery (I need to undo the 2 bolts and jiggle the battery with its new bracket to slide it out), but now I mostly charge it on the bike. No downsides for me and 440g less up high where you don't want it!

- RIB 160g
- Battery handle unit 70g
- Lock 250g
+ new bracket 40g
Total weight saving 440g

Did that a couple of years ago, batteries now bolted in. A previous member @RolfRapRap printed the brackets and sold some on eBay which I bought for both 500 and 625 batteries (different bracket lengths).

 

[Stihldog]

Did that a couple of years ago, batteries now bolted in. A previous member @RolfRapRap printed the brackets and sold some on eBay which I bought for both 500 and 625 batteries (different bracket lengths).

Swapping out to a smaller 500wh battery is a game changer for me. Could have done this years ago …oh well.

The next step is to get rid of the gen4 locking mechanism on two or three of my Trek’s. There’s a Minor problem though. Sourcing out a supplier that’s not in the EU. Sometimes the logistics of shipping can be difficult to get it here in Canada. Any suggestions? Links?

I haven’t seen this modification or upgrade on any Trek bikes near me. But it looks like it’s worth the effort.

 

[nickf]

Sourcing out a supplier that’s not in the EU. Sometimes the logistics of shipping can be difficult to get it here in Canada. Any suggestions? Links?

When I removed the lock over a year or more ago I don't think Rolph was still selling the 3D printed adapters that irie bought. I just made my own from a right angle steel plate that you can buy from a DIY store and then welded on some nuts to take the two frame bolts. I glued a piece of inner tube around the end that bolts into the frame which serves to fine tune the gap between the battery cover and the frame hole. I recall that someone on this forum was also making the same kind of piece from thicker aluminium, but that was quite some time ago so I doubt if he's still producing them.

This was a prototype I knocked up to test the dimensions and fit. The plate with the label attaches to the end of the battery. If you're a handy DIYer it's a fairly simple job. This was for a 625Wh battery, so you'd need an extended version to take the 500Wh. Hope this helps?

 

[Stihldog]

When I removed the lock over a year or more ago I don't think Rolph was still selling the 3D printed adapters that irie bought. I just made my own from a right angle steel plate that you can buy from a DIY store and then welded on some nuts to take the two frame bolts. I glued a piece of inner tube around the end that bolts into the frame which serves to fine tune the gap between the battery cover and the frame hole. I recall that someone on this forum was also making the same kind of piece from thicker aluminium, but that was quite some time ago so I doubt if he's still producing them.

This was a prototype I knocked up to test the dimensions and fit. The plate with the label attaches to the end of the battery. If you're a handy DIYer it's a fairly simple job. This was for a 625Wh battery, so you'd need an extended version to take the 500Wh. Hope this helps?

View attachment 187222

Interesting . I might be able to fabricate something from some alloy angle bracket. (Trial and error stuff).

Maybe add some anti-vibration like Irie suggested.

 

[Tone461]

0.7 kilos you say hmm, looks down at sausage and egg belly and considers life choices....ah well
But I agree. I think the Trek Rail is massively underrated.
I love mine even after 3 yrs. Not much original stuff left on, but that's half the fun.

 

[irie]

When I removed the lock over a year or more ago I don't think Rolph was still selling the 3D printed adapters that irie bought. I just made my own from a right angle steel plate that you can buy from a DIY store and then welded on some nuts to take the two frame bolts. I glued a piece of inner tube around the end that bolts into the frame which serves to fine tune the gap between the battery cover and the frame hole. I recall that someone on this forum was also making the same kind of piece from thicker aluminium, but that was quite some time ago so I doubt if he's still producing them.

This was a prototype I knocked up to test the dimensions and fit. The plate with the label attaches to the end of the battery. If you're a handy DIYer it's a fairly simple job. This was for a 625Wh battery, so you'd need an extended version to take the 500Wh. Hope this helps?

View attachment 187222

Or use a spacer to extend the 500Wh battery to the same length as the 625Wh. Is what I did because our Rails came with 500Wh batteries and spacers. Might be Trek part number W582323

 

[nickf]

0.7 kilos you say hmm, looks down at sausage and egg belly and considers life choices....ah well

You could save another 300g by removing the aluminium battery cover (it's also aluminium on carbon framed bikes). How many sausage and egg dinners does that equate to?

Of course you'd have to find something to fill the hole. I've considered cutting out a panel from some closed cell foam sheet but haven't been bothered yet.

 

[irie]

You could save another 300g by removing the aluminium battery cover (it's also aluminium on carbon framed bikes). How many sausage and egg dinners does that equate to?

Of course you'd have to find something to fill the hole. I've considered cutting out a panel from some closed cell foam sheet but haven't been bothered yet.

When I bought the battery lock deletion stuff I also bought lighter (-200gm) battery covers. They creaked and drove Mrs and I crazy so went back to the OEM battery covers.

 

[nickf]

Maybe I should get cutting out my closed cell foam sheet. That won't creak!