Dollar Store eBike Battery Box

Updated 2023·12·10
By Stuart Green

My Lectric XP 2.0 ebike typically covers a range between 20 and 25 miles, subject to terrain and weather conditions. To help me on my mission to identify and ride ride all the rail trails across of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont I picked up a second battery.

Since I'd already removed the rear rack and fenders to reduce weight, I didn't want to reinstall them just to carry a second battery. Carrying it in a backpack wasn't very desirable either. Hence I devised the dollar store battery b, constructed with little more than a few pieces of cheap crafting wood, glue and duct tape fixed to the frame with some bent steel bar.

Amazingly the Crafter's Square Wood Hanging Decor selling for $1.25 at Dollar Tree stores in the United States is exactly the correct width for the job already, though you will need to shorten the lengths and cut two narrower side lengths and an end piece. The crafting wood was thin enough that it was more accurate to cut it with multiple passes of sharp knife instead of a saw blade. Leaving a little room for movement, I glued together a box, then when it was dry I reinforced it with duct tape.



Steel bar is available from almost any hardware store, but I already had some on hand from a TV soundbar bracket mount I'd previously built. A power drill was necessary to make some holes, and the bends were easy enough to achieve with a hammer and a little brute force. I later rebuilt the L-shaped bottom bracket after these photos were taken, making a tighter radius bracket and notching the box to accommodate heads of the bolts that connect to bike frame, so it could sit snug against the frame and provide increased tire clearance.

The battery box has been successful for the last twelve months and has helped me complete some of the states' longer rail trails. I've needed to retighten some of the bolts, but everything else is working out fine. There's some foam in the bottom of the box to soften out some of the impacts of bumpy rides and I popped an air-tag in there too. I also considered adding a lid to hold the battery in place but it turned out not to be necessary. I do get a little some water ingress, but I'm not overly concerned since I can always build another box for $5!


Overview of the battery box mounting.


The width of the Dollar store crafting wood is perfect.


Please read description for an improved bottom bracket.


Top bracket made with some bent steel bar.