How to Properly Maintain Your E-Bike

News

E-Bike Maintenance is Essential to its Proper Functioning

If you are indeed the proud owner of an e-bike, or you are looking to take a step into the future of cycling by purchasing one, proper maintenance is essential to its longevity.

While it may seem as if an electric bike may not need the same careful attention as a conventional bike, they are typically heavier with more components that require specialist knowledge, so any non-functioning parts of the electronically assisted mechanism will make your ride twice as taxing.

 

E-bike

 

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a helpful guide to assist you in cleaning, fixing and generally maintaining your e-bike.

 

Maximising Battery Capacity

When putting the bike away in long-term storage, it’s preferable to keep the battery within a range of 30% to 60% charge – most manuals will tell you to do the same. In addition, lower temperatures can quickly drain the lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, so store your battery, or your actual bike if the battery cannot be removed, in a heated space during the winter months.

The way you ride and which mode you choose to cycle in also has an affect on the battery’s range. For example, a higher cadence is actually a more efficient way to ride, and combining that with the lowest assist setting on your model will extend the battery life by some measure. Conversely, riding with the highest setting will therefore drain it much quicker.

 

Taking Care of the Traditional Mechanisms

Fundamentally, maintaining your e-bike follows a very similar method to a conventional bike – the smaller components within the drivetrain such as the chain and cassette ultimately go through even more wear and tear due to the speed and mass of an e-bike.

A drivetrain covered in grime and dirt will create additional friction, slowing you down and ultimately chipping away at the integrity of the frame.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xAZZXQjM04

 

Be sure to wipe away excess dirt after every ride, particularly in the winter, and be careful not to use a power washer as this can cause smaller components to come loose. It is also absolutely essential to lube inside the chain. Begin by wiping the chain off with a rag to remove old oil and dirt, and apply fresh lube sparingly, being sure to wipe of excessive spots as this can also attract more unwanted girt.

 

Keep an Eye on the Tires

As discussed, greater speeds and even more weight culminates in greater wear on the tires, so keeping a close eye on their condition is even more apparent than with conventional bikes.

Firstly, a pre-ride check of your tires is a good way to regularly log their condition; an under-inflated wheel will feel noticeably different when on board, but will also struggle to support you efficiently.

 

E-bike

 

It is also imperative to obtain some sort of knowledge on the eventuality that a flat tire occurs. On a bike with a mid-drive motor, flat repair is the same as it is on a conventional bike. Hub-drive motors are more complex, though, requiring you to know how to disconnect and reassemble the electric hardwiring involved. In this case, it may be worth enquiring at your local bike shop to see if they can carry out the maintenance for you.

 

Share this article

Useful

Recommended

Latest

News

BIKE Magazine March 2024

Welcome to the BIKE Magazine March 2024 issue To read online click here. To order printed delivery to UK, USA, or Europe click here.…
BIKE Magazine March 2024 Cover