Almost like every other bike, an E-bike needs proper maintenance to ensure a thrilling yet comfortable and enjoyable ride to the bikers.
Except for the electric parts, all other components need routine maintenance and regular check-ups.
Electric bikes provide you a comfortable and enjoyable ride in addition to better health options. So you should never overlook its proper care, although it might seem tiring at times.
Summer has already begun, and bikers are now all set to take their first ride of the year. So you must properly ensure your Electric bike maintenance before you get ready for biking and exploring the world. Without proper maintenance, your E-bike might get troublesome.
Again, if this is your first E-bike purchase, you must have many questions in your mind. Don’t worry, as you have clicked on the right article. Here we will break down each detail related to Electric bike maintenance and its smooth functioning.
We are also going to solve the significant FAQs. So make sure you get benefitted by reading out the entire article!
DIY Electric Bike Maintenance Quick Tips
E-bike maintenance is not that difficult thing to do! You can simply follow some basic steps and do it all by yourself. Here are some DIY (Do it yourself) tips shared for ensuring its proper maintenance at home:
Cleaning:
Cleaning the bike once or twice a week helps the motor eliminate any dirt or debris. There are specific bike cleaners available in super shops. With proper cleaning, your E-bike will serve you for a longer time.
Make sure you are gentle enough with the bike. Don’t use a heavy hose exerting much pressure and thus leading to a massive stream of water.
That might result in the motor and other electrical components’ malfunction, which ultimately leads to corrosion. It is better to use a wet rag or damp cloth and a low water-stream for cleaning purposes.
After the cleaning, wipe it off and let it dry. You can use some silicone bike shine products if you want extra protection over the paintwork. Make sure these products don’t get anywhere near the braking surfaces.
Lubrication:
After cleaning begins the task of lubrication. A lubricated E-bike works comparatively faster and smoother. Lubricate the chains, levers, derailleurs, and cables at least once a week if the bike is being used more often.
Before you start lubricating, use a particular cleaning solution to clean the chains first. Wear a pair of gloves and use good chain oil to lubricate the chain.
Make sure to use wet lubes during winter and dry ones during the summer. Let the oil get soaked for a while and wipe off the excess oil later. Avoid excess lubricating.
While lubricating the cables, use a light spray oil that leads to a PTFE layer. PTFE layer makes a lubricating layer to avoid dust and dirt.
Check the bolts:
Go through your e-bike and check any loose screws, bolts, and nuts on your bike. Tighten them if they are open and find out the reasons for those being loose. Don’t go for excess tightening.
On Bike Shop
If electric bicycle repair is getting difficult at home or by yourself, you can take it to a bike shop and let them do the appropriate maintenance.
But the majority of the bike shops might refuse to work with your e-bike. Some might be unfamiliar and inexperienced in maintaining and repairing an e-bike.
Again due to the higher price of e-bikes, people often buy cheap ones.
Some people add electric components to a conventional bike to make it work like an e-bike.
Hence, bike shops refuse to work with these cheaper components and mess it up more.
Taking care of motor and batteries
The battery and the motor are undoubtedly the most critical components of an e-bike. So proper maintenance of these is mandatory to enhance the smooth functioning of the bike.
Maximizing the battery range
Batteries are pretty much expensive, so replacing them wouldn’t be a good idea. There are some basic steps that you can take to maximize the range of your battery.
Stop keeping your battery open under the scorching heat of the sun or in the freezing snow for a longer time. Store the battery at an optimum temperature where it is neither too hot nor too cold.
Always keep your battery topped up.
Since most of the E-bikes carry Lithium cells in their battery, it is wiser to keep the battery topped up. If you neglect taking care of your batteries, they will stop functioning in no time.
Charging the battery
Like every other battery, your E-bike battery needs a full charge to optimize the performance so that you can enjoy a long thrilling drive. You can use ‘Eco mode’ as this also assists in extending the lifespan of your battery.
Bike experts recommend charging an E-bike battery once every two months. Otherwise, the bike’s capabilities will degrade, and eventually, it will stop working. Again, don’t overcharge it.
Whenever you return home after a ride, charge it within 24 hours to keep it healthy and function properly. This will increase your bike’s battery’s longevity and you would love riding over and over again.
Motor Maintenance
The motors of Electric bikes are structured so that they share the same lifespan as the bike itself. At present, these motors either get sealed or require no service. Hence you don’t have to worry about motor maintenance.
Rectifying electrical faults
Unfortunately, if your E-bike encounters any electrical fault, contact the dealer from whom you have purchased it or take the bike directly to the shop. They are familiar with these issues and will come forward to help you.
In such cases, don’t get messed up by trying to solve electrical faults all by yourself. Do not try to deconstruct the battery and the motor. Don’t remove any plastic covers.
It might interfere in the internal parts functioning and thus lead to a more damaged and messed-up situation. You might even loose your warranty. It might even let you have some electric shock! It’s dangerous, so be aware!
The technician or the dealer of the E-bike shop will use a specific tool named SM-PCE02, which checks whether each electrical component of your e-bike is functioning correctly or not. Then they get some error codes on the display of your E-bike, understand it and solve accordingly.
Other things to do
The most important things for an E-bike are the battery and the motor. Besides these, other components need your attention.
Maintaining tire pressure
An e-bike contains a motor, battery, and a strong frame so it is heavier than conventional bikes. Plus it is faster and can travel longer distances than conventional bikes. Hence the necessity of a good set of tires for your e-bike is enormous.
Bike tires are more robust than those of cars, so the tire pressure topping is more than that of cars. Topping up the pressure of the tires helps to prevent the breakage of the sidewalls and avoid punctures.
Under-inflated tires fail to roll appropriately and eventually wear out. They increase the amount of drag that’s why the battery dies more quickly. Under-pressurized tires move on to the rim and the inflation stem enters the tube leading to leakage.
To determine the ideal pressure for your e-bike, check its sidewalls and determine the suggested PSI. In this case, using a floor pump and a pressure gauge is a lot easier. If the pressure is too low, your tires will sink once you push with your finger.
Use the floor pump to pump and inflate according to the force determined by a pressure gauge. It is better to check the pressure and pump your tires monthly.
Adjusting the brakes
Since e-bikes are pretty faster than conventional bikes, it is essential to have perfect brakes to avoid accidents. Before you start your ride, check if the brakes are properly working for your safety.
Pull the lever and check how your brake pads are holding up. If the lever touches the grip, replace your brakes or brake pads.
If the brake pads look worn out, replace them as soon as possible. Brake pads are cheap, so it is easily replaceable.
There are different brake features such as rim brakes, hydraulic disc brakes, mechanical disc brakes, and more.
Check the manual where you will get instructions for service. If you still get confused with the maintenance, consult an expert.
Check our complete guide adjusting bike brakes
Storing the bike
If you want to store your bike somewhere, make sure it is clean, dry, and full-charged. The next time you get ready for a ride, just turn it on and get set!
Inspect it after every few days. It just takes five minutes so don’t check in a rush!
Ensure the place where your e-bike has been stored maintains a neither too damp nor not too humid temperature. Again, to hold, don’t cover up your bike and its battery. Store it in an open place.
Frequently asked quastions about electric bike
Here are some FAQs based on E-bike maintenance you might like to know:
1. How often should I give the bike for servicing?
If you nourish and take proper care of your E-bike regularly, taking them for servicing once or twice a year would be enough.
The experts will check if your bike experiences any potential problem or it just needs any firmware updates.
2. Can I use pressure-wash to clean my bike?
Never! Although E-bikes claim to be stronger than conventional bikes, they are vulnerable to pressure-washing.
Using pressure-wash increases the tendency to form rust and corrosion among the electric components, due to which an E-bike might even stop working at all.
Conclusion
Finally, Electric Bike Maintenance is a crucial factor that requires proper concern and attention. If you want your E-bike to last longer and function smoothly, there is no shortcut to ensuring its proper maintenance.
E-bike maintenance needs a few couple of minutes but maximizes a longer lifespan. So don’t act lazy and neglect nurturing your E-bike.
We wish you a comfortable and enjoyable ride!
