Spring Has Sprung! Is Your E-Bike Ride Ready?
Hello, Spring!! Flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is warmer, the days are getting longer, and it’s FINALLY time to wake your e-bike from its winter slumber. Whether your e-bike has been in cold weather storage, you’ve been riding year-round, or you’re planning to get a new e-ride for upcoming spring adventures, use our pro tips to make sure your electric bike is in tip-top shape and ready to ride.
Get Cleaned Up
Keeping your bike clean helps to lengthen its life so you can keep riding for years to come. Start by using a basic cleaner, a toothbrush, and a dry towel to remove dirt. Be sure to use as little water as possible to prevent rust or damaging electronic components on the bike. Avoid using spray cleaners or spray lubricants near the brake rotors. The overspray can contaminate the rotors. When using a spray cleaner it is best to apply it to a towel and wipe it onto the bike. Use the toothbrush on any stubborn dirt and gunk that are commonly found on your drive train, especially the chain, under fenders, bottom bracket, down tube, and hubs. It’s also important to apply a lubricant to the chain. For more information check out our FAQ on how to properly wash your e-bike.
Get Tuned Up
If you didn’t get a tune-up before you put your bicycle away for the winter, now is the time. A bicycle tune-up is the best way to get your electric bike in top condition for the Spring season. This includes checking your brake pads, lubing your chain, and making any needed adjustments before rolling out. If you don’t feel like going down the DIY route, check out a mobile service (like Velofix.com) to see if there is a service provider in your area.Get Charged Up
Batteries are what power all your e-bike adventures, so you’ll want to charge back up prior to riding to get the best performance out of your electric bike. Make sure your battery ports are dry and clean before connecting to your charger. And always make sure you have a secure connection from the charger to the battery port before you connect to the wall socket. Lithium batteries are thermally sensitive and can lose life if left to sit for too long. It’s vital to store your bike battery in a warm and dry area at less than 80% voltage during the winter season. If your bike’s battery is unable to fully charge back up to full voltage or the battery simply won’t charge at all this may have been caused by improper storage. Contact our support team directly so they can help you troubleshoot the issue.
Get Ready to Roll
Just like your car tires, your bike tires lose air pressure in the winter. Cold air compresses, dropping the PSI in your tires. You should check your pressure routinely, but it is important that you take special care to refill before your first Spring ride. Press on the tire firmly with your thumb, if there is no resistance it needs air.Bust That Rust
Also check your gears, chain, and other components for rust. Now if there is some rust, don’t worry too much – rust that has built up on rotors will be sheared off within the first few rides you take. So expect slightly noisier brakes for a few miles, this is normal. Your bike is just waking up from hibernation. Now a really rusty chain from any salty winter rides will need to be replaced or you could be looking at a broken chain mid-ride which can cause a great deal of damage to the e-bike.Brake For Brakes
If you don’t check your brakes before your first ride, you could be in some trouble later. Look to make sure the brake pads are still intact and that they don’t make a loud scraping sound. If you haven’t changed your brake pads out in a few hundred miles this is a great time to do so. Be sure to also test the brake levers and cables to make sure they properly engage.Final Pre-flight Check
A standard pre-ride check is a must anytime you roll out. This is good practice to prevent issues that could leave you stranded out on the road. Watch this video for more details!