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Choosing a format

Which battery case, for the bike you are actually building

Six formats, and the differences that decide it are not the ones the listings talk about. Below is what separates them, including where each one is the wrong choice.

Side by side

FormatModelsMax 18650Max 21700MountingLooks
Hailong1511780Down tube, railVisible
Silver Fish27130160Down tube, railVisible, slim
Integrated2810480Inside the frameHidden
Downtube21200160Down tube, bolt-onVisible
Rear Rack1710478Carrier over rear wheelVisible, on the rack
Water Bottle25230Bottle bossLooks like a bottle

Maximums are per mould; a single range covers several, so the ceiling is the largest variant, not every model. Put your own configuration in the case selector to see which specific models hold it.

The six formats, and what each one costs you

Hailong

also sold as the standard down-tube case

15 models · up to 117 cells on 18650 · 80 on 21700

A rectangular case that bolts to the down tube and slides off on a rail. The most widely used format, so mounting brackets, controllers and replacement shells are all easy to find.

Works well when
  • The widest choice — we mould 15 variants, the largest range we carry
  • Fits frames that were never designed around an integrated pack
  • Cable exit, charge port and mounting centres are selectable at order
Worth knowing
  • The pack sits outside the frame, so the bike reads as electric
  • Length is capped by the down tube, which limits how far capacity can go before you have to change format

Best for: Conversions, commuters, and any frame where you want the battery removable

Silver Fish

what we call the rear plug-in format

27 models · up to 130 cells on 18650 · 160 on 21700

A long, slim case that follows the down tube closely. Same mounting idea as Hailong, but stretched: the internal envelope is taller and longer for the same footprint on the frame.

Works well when
  • Where the high-capacity builds live — up to 104 cells in 18650
  • The narrow profile leaves clearance on frames with a tight triangle
  • 27 variants, so most length requirements are covered from stock tooling
Worth knowing
  • The extra length is the whole point, so it needs a long down tube
  • On 21700 the ceiling is lower than the 18650 figure suggests — check both numbers

Best for: Touring, cargo and long-range commuter packs

Integrated / in-frame

hidden housings and conversion kits

28 models · up to 104 cells on 18650 · 80 on 21700

The battery lives inside the down tube or the frame body rather than bolting onto it. Nothing shows from the outside.

Works well when
  • The bike still looks like a bicycle — this is the reason brands choose it
  • 28 variants, from 20-cell compact frames to 65-cell touring frames
  • Aluminium sections available where the frame needs a structural member
Worth knowing
  • Fitment is measured against the frame, not against a bolt pattern, so it needs your drawing — this is the format where guessing costs the most
  • Harder to service: the pack comes out of the frame, not off a rail

Best for: Brands designing a clean silhouette, and the assemblers supplying them

Downtube

the retrofit default

21 models · up to 200 cells on 18650 · 160 on 21700

The classic bolt-on down-tube mount, usually with a lockable top cover and a recessed anti-theft fit. The format most kit conversions end up using.

Works well when
  • Works on a frame that was built as a normal bicycle — no frame change needed
  • 21 variants spanning 40 to 104 cells in 18650
  • The format most often bought one or two pieces at a time, so MOQ 1 matters here
Worth knowing
  • Visually the most obviously 'an electric bike' of the six
  • Mounting centres vary more between moulds than in the Hailong family — measure before you commit

Best for: Retrofit conversions, and replacing a cracked case on a bike already in service

Rear rack

carrier-mounted housings

17 models · up to 104 cells on 18650 · 78 on 21700

The pack rides over the back wheel instead of in the frame, which frees the entire frame triangle for other things.

Works well when
  • The largest envelopes we make — up to 104 cells in 18650, 78 in 21700
  • Frees the down tube completely, useful on step-through and cargo frames
  • Easy to lift off for charging, and easy to swap between bikes
Worth knowing
  • Weight sits high and behind the rider, which changes handling — a non-issue on a cargo bike, noticeable on a light road frame
  • Adds length to the bike, which matters for storage and for tight doorways

Best for: Cargo, commuter and step-through builds; trikes

Water bottle

bottle-boss mount

2 models · up to 52 cells on 18650 · 30 on 21700

Mounts where a water bottle cage would go. The smallest and least intrusive option, and the one that reads as an accessory rather than a component.

Works well when
  • The least visually intrusive of the six
  • Two stock models: a 30-cell envelope in both formats, and a 40 / 52-cell 18650
  • Often used as a second, range-extender pack alongside a main battery
Worth knowing
  • Small by design — a small range is all this format genuinely supports, so if you need more than about 52 cells a downtube or rack case will serve you better
  • Bottle bosses were not designed to carry a battery; check the frame's limit

Best for: Minimal builds, folders, and range-extender second packs

Start with the frame, not the capacity

Whether the frame was designed around an integrated pack decides more than any other single thing. Everything else is a trade-off you can manage.

Then the internal envelope

Cell count on a listing tells you less than the interior length. A case with a bigger number and the wrong interior shape will not close.

Then whether it must come off

A removable pack rules out nothing, but it does push you toward a rail-mounted format. If the battery can live inside the frame, you gain the clean silhouette for free.

Still not sure which one?

Send us the frame envelope or the pack drawing. We will tell you which format works and which one does not — including when the answer is that none of our moulds fit and it needs a new one.