E-Bike Maintenance to Consider
If you are the owner of an (electric bicycle) e-bike in Chicago, then you have made a exciting investment. There are all kinds of manuals 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 components to consider, but it is also one of the easiest things to forget. That is especially the case if you are a casual cyclist. It is quite easy to simply park the bicycle and forget about it! Generally speaking, e-bikes need a bit more care than a standard bicycle does, due to the additional electrical components they have. But that does not mean you need to be a professional bike repair professional in order to know your way around the proper care and maintenance of an e-bike.
Top Performing Bicycles
Let’s take a look through some of the highly recommended things you can, and should, be doing to ensure your e-bike is always in top-performing shape. We know that all makes and models differ slightly, so we are offering basic guidelines. For specific information, get in touch with the provider of your bike or read the manual that came with your bicycle purchase.
E-Bike Maintenance for Batteries
The battery of an electric bicycle is one of the most crucial 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 couple of key care and maintenance processes you can do in order to maintain your battery running for a very long time. First, 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 life. You should also make sure that you never let the battery empty completely. This can damage the lifespan by a fair amount. 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 electric bicycle you own.
If there happens to be a time when you are not using your electric bike, make sure to charge your battery at least one time per month. If the charge of the battery empties and stays depleted, your battery can die completely. Replacing a battery is not a cheap fix – so you want to do proper care and maintenance on this expensive part of your electric bicycle.
Storing your battery is also another area that should be planned. Whether it is for storing your electric bicycle overnight or storing the 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 bike is another part that may cause some worry. Most people do not have experience maintaining motors. But don’t worry! The good thing is that you shouldn’t really have to worry about the motor on your electric bike. The motor is a completely sealed system and should run without any issues without you ever needing to worry 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 are cables under the plastic/metal frame of the bike that you can’t see without going under the frame/casing. If you tend to ride your bike in muddy weather or have been on dirt roads or rough terrain, we would suggest checking to ensure that this area is cleaned regularly as well. If you do happen to run into motor issues, it’s best to call a local professional to take a look and provide the service you should have.
Professional Servicing and E-Bike Maintenance
On occasion, there can be issues with your bicycle that you either do not know how to deal with or simply don’t want to take on. For these situations, it’s better if you contact a professional bike repair professional to help you out. This is especially the case if servicing is required on any of the electrical components of your bike. Also read your owner’s manual, as there may be certain components that are covered under a warranty. All makes and models come with various warranties or the possibility of an extended warranty – so make sure you are aware of what might be covered.
Other Cleaning Tips
The rest of your bike can follow regular electric bike care and maintenance procedures. One of the most relevant points is keeping your bike’s frame clean. Depending on where you ride, this may need to happen every now and then. If you keep the frame clean this will prolong the life of the paint on your e-bike and will prevent any rust from starting to form. Your bike will appear like it is brand new for years!
The chain is just as important to keep clean. None of us wants to have a chain issue during a ride. It is absolutely 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 to be sorry. This will keep you from ever having to walk your electric bike to your desired destination.
In this blog article, we have shown some basic guidelines for the care and maintenance of your bike. From general cleaning tips to how to extend the life of your battery – all of these are important to the life of your bike. We really hope you get out and enjoy riding your bicycle regularly in Chicago and keep your bike in wonderful condition. If you are looking for any electric bicycle gear – go to our online shop for hats, shirts, and so much more!
