E-Bike Maintenance to Consider
If you own an (electric bicycle) e-bike in Ottawa, then you have made a exciting investment. There are all kinds of books and videos to watch in order to learn how to use various e-bikes, but seeing that you are here, you are most likely looking for how to provide e-bike maintenance and care.
The proper care and maintenance for an e-bike is one of the most important items to consider, but it is also one of the easiest things to overlook. That is especially the point if you are a casual cyclist. It is relatively easy to simply park the electric bike and forget about it! Generally speaking, e-bikes need a bit more attention than a standard bicycle does, due to the additional electrical parts they have. But that does not mean you need to be a professional electric bicycle repair engineer in order to know your way around the proper care and maintenance of an e-bike.
Top Performing Bikes
Let’s take a look through some of the highly recommended items you can, and should, be doing to ensure your electric bike is always in perfect shape. We know that all makes and models differ slightly, so we are offering general guidelines. For specific information, contact the provider of your electric bicycle or read the manual that came with your bicycle purchase.
E-Bike Maintenance for Batteries
The battery of an electric bike is one of the most important components. Without the battery, you wouldn’t have enough power to run the motor. Therefore, there would be no pedalling assistance at all. Fortunately, e-bike batteries are designed to be extra durable and are very protected for this exact point.
There are a few key care and maintenance processes you can do in order to keep your battery running for as long as possible. To start, you should be charging your battery after every ride. This will ensure the battery’s cells are fresh and new, which in turn will prolong the battery’s entire lifespan. You should also make sure that you never let the battery empty completely. This can decrease the lifespan significantly. Each bike can be a little different, so make sure to go through the owner’s manual to search out the specifications on the battery that is in the bicycle you own.
If there happens to be times when you are not using your e-bike, make sure to charge your battery at least once per month. If the charge of the battery drains and stays empty, your battery can die completely. Replacing a battery is not an inexpensive fix – so you want to do proper care and maintenance on this valuable component of your bicycle.
Storing your battery is also another area that must be planned. Whether it is for storing your bicycle while you sleep or storing the electric bicycle during the off-season, you need to avoid keeping it in extremely hot or very cold temperatures. Either of these extremes can significantly reduce the life of the battery.
Motor Tips
The care and maintenance of the motor on your electric bicycle is another item that may cause some worry. Most of us don’t have experience caring for motors. But don’t worry! The good thing is that you don’t really have to worry about the motor on your electric bicycle. The motor is a completely sealed component and should function without any problems without you ever needing to be concerned about it.
As a general care and maintenance tip, we would suggest that you keep the area around the motor free of dirt and debris. On some models, there is wiring under the plastic/metal frame of the electric bike that you cannot see without searching under the frame/casing. If you tend to ride your e-bike in inclement weather or have been on dirt roads or rough terrain, we would suggest checking to ensure that this area is cleaned after each ride as well. If you do happen to run into motor issues, it’s best to engage with a local professional to review and provide the service you need.
Professional Servicing and E-Bike Maintenance
Every now and then, there can be issues with your bike that you either don’t know how to solve or simply don’t want to take on. For these situations, it is better if you contact a professional bicycle repair professional to work with you. This is absolutely the case if servicing is needed on any of the electrical parts of your bicycle. Also read your owner’s manual, as there probably are certain items that are covered under a warranty. All makes and models come with various warranties or the possibility of an extended warranty – so ensure you are aware of what could be covered.
Other Cleaning Habits
The rest of your e-bike can follow the usual electric bike care and maintenance procedures. One of the most important points is keeping your bike’s frame clean. Depending on where you ride, this may need to take place more often. If you keep the frame clean this will extend the life of the paint on your electric bike and will keep any rust from starting to form. Your bicycle will appear like it is brand new for quite some time!
The chain is just as important to keep clean. None of us wants to have a chain issue during a ride. It is really important to keep the bike’s chain clean and lubricated, even if you don’t think it is very dirty. It is better to be safe than sorry. This will keep you from ever having to walk your e-bike home.
In this blog article, we have shown some basic guidelines for the care and maintenance of your bicycle. From general cleaning ideas to how to extend the life of your battery – all of these are critical to the life of your bike. We really hope you get out and enjoy riding your e-bike often in Ottawa and keep your electric bicycle in top condition. If you are looking for any electric bicycle gear – check out our online shop for hats, shirts, and so much more!
