Leaderboard

FTFY- added "Caliper" above, as the Rotor and Master do not follow a single standard. Also, handlebar clamp is not standard. Last time I was shopping for bars I bought the smaller diameter with a set of adapter shims, as it was 30% lower cost than buying the same bar with a diameter matching the stem on the bike. Granted, it has gotten better. For those who have dealt with this for long enough to learn the ropes it has become second-nature to take the steps to assure the right part is ordered. Still, for new people coming into the sport it can be frustrating having to wallow through all the minutiae just to make sure the part you receive is the part that will work. But, this is veering further off topic. Which was that a standard battery spec could lead to several significant advantages for the OEMs and their customers. Based upon reality, the complexities of the higher spec bicycle industry, and a long history of branded designs geared more toward finding their own way than collaboration, I won't be holding my breath waiting for this to happen. It is the nature of the beast.

I view standards from a higher level. If a bike company is pushing a proprietary standard then there is a lock in - buy brand X I am tied to brand X for some small universe of parts. But my wheel spacing, wheel size, brake mounting, handlebar clamp, bottom bracket, etc. are all standard. I can change components far easier today than in the past. Now, bike component makers might have proprietary parts, but you have the choice. I can choose between SRAM and Shimano because they will both fit on any of my standardized bikes. But when I broke a Shimano brake lever blade like I did earlier this year, I could only buy Shimano. So what. I think the bike industry has gotten much more standardized, the bike component industry is still proprietary but I'd rather have proprietary at the $35 brake lever blade than the $800 suspension fork.

As funny as that is true, a standardized replaceable battery would result in an economies of scale cost reduction and interchangeability between brands. The bicycle industry has a long history of only standardizing as a last resort.

Listened to an interestig piece on NPR discussing the shift to battery-powered cars and the price paid by the people who live where the raw materials are mined and the ecological impact of mining those materials vs the impression that battery power is completely green and clean. But, I digress. These last few weeks, I've really started looking at e-bikes, knowing one is in my future. Advancing age + difficulty in recovering due to some health issues + plus the side effects of medication for those health issues -- I'm there. My main concern is how long a ride will a battery support because I'd like to use one for short, overnight bikepacking trips that would likely be on two-track or bladed roads with no options to stock up on water. Yup, we're talking SE Utah and SW Colorado. Thanks for the TREK Marlin link, it looks like a possibility, but I'll be looking around. A few weeks ago I did find a website on hardtail e-bikes, comparing battery storage capacity.