E-bike Spring Check

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How do you get your electric bike ready for the season?

When the days get longer again, the temperatures reach double-digit plus degrees, and nature awakens, the desire to ride electric bikes increases again. Because when it's not cold and wet, it's undoubtedly the most fun you can have on your e-bike.

However, your bike with an electric motor needs an all-around check after the winter. Only then will you be able to ride safely on the roads. In addition, you increase your riding comfort if the brakes, chain, and tyres function optimally. You can also see if any worn parts need to be replaced with an entire ebike check.

In this e-bike check, we at ESKUTE show you how to put your beloved bike through its paces and prepare it for the new cycling season. It doesn't matter whether it's an electric city bike, an e-mountain bike, or an e-bike trekking.

What is particularly important when spring cleaning an e-bike?

Ideally, you should have already given your e-bike an intensive cleaning before it went into hibernation. But your e-bike can still get a little dusty during the winter months. Maybe you even rode your e-bike during the cold season so that wetness and dirt have left their traces. Either way, a thorough cleaning is essential to make your electric bike ready for spring, check its functionality, and detect defects more quickly.

When cleaning, make sure that electronic parts do not contact water unnecessarily. For cleaning, remove the bike's battery and the onboard computer. The motor and battery contacts should be cleaned more carefully with a dry cloth.

For rough cleaning, water, a cloth and possibly special bicycle cleaners are sufficient. Use a toothbrush or a coarse brush to clean the hard-to-reach areas. Then polish your e-bike with a soft cloth after it drys.

High-pressure or steam cleaners are not usually necessary for cleaning your electric bike. The electric motor and other bicycle parts are very robust. However, improper use of these cleaning devices can sometimes cause damage and push dirt and water into the bicycle bearings. In addition, you remove the essential lubricating films.

How to care for and maintain the electric bike after cleaning?

After cleaning, you can lubricate and oil individual components of your e-bike. This includes, for example, the chain, the bearings, the gears, or the bicycle hubs. Many components have permanent lubrication, but checking and re-lubricating them doesn't hurt. On the other hand, the chain needs to be lubricated more often during the cycling season. Always make sure that no oil or grease gets on the brake pads. This can impair the braking effect. Excess oil is best removed with a dry cloth.

Also, check that the bolts are tight. The saddle, handlebars, mudguards, pedals, and rear rack must be tight. If the bolts are too loose, the bike parts can fall off. But be careful not to overtighten the bolts. A torque spanner will help you do this, and you can find the correct torque for the individual screws in the user manuals.

What should I pay attention to with the electric motor and battery?

The electric motor and battery are the heart of an electric bike, which are different with conventional bike. That's the reason you should pay the most attention to them when checking your e-bike. The battery may have become deeply discharged if you have not used your e-bike during the winter months. This is not ideal. This shortens the service life and reduces the battery's capacity.

Therefore, you should plan to charge the battery regularly if necessary for the following winter, but never 100 %. A charge level of about 40 to 60 % is sufficient. This way, the battery life lasts longer and is more powerful. In addition, you should not store your battery at temperatures too low. Storage at room temperature is better.

Always check your battery for dents, cracks, or other damage after the winter. If the battery is damaged, please remember do not to charge it, you can take it to a bike repair shop, or get a new battery replacement. Also, inspect the charger for damage, corrosion, and dirt on the plugs and cables.

Then inspect the motor housing for damage. If you find any damage, it is best to go to a bike shop for getting bike serviced. You can also have the battery capacity checked there. The motor of e bikes is usually maintenance-free. If you hear unusual noises when you pedal, it makes sense to have the problem solved by a specialist workshop.

After you have charged your battery, please insert it into the e bikes and, after switching it on, check that the display is functioning correctly. In unsolvable faults, it is best to consult a specialist garage. Also, check the plug connections for corrosion damage and clean them. You can also treat the plug connections with contact grease.

Also, make sure that the software of your onboard computer is up to date. Sometimes, there are updates from the manufacturer that increase the range of functions and positively affect driving comfort. If you cannot or do not want to carry out the updates yourself, the bike dealer can help. If you are no longer satisfied with your electric motor? Then take a look at our shop where you can buy ESKUTE e-bikes with Shimano mid-motor.

How to care for the brakes of an e-bike?

After the heart of the e bikes, functioning brakes like brake levers are critical. Therefore, first, check the disc brakes or brake pads. Are the disc brakes perhaps rubbing? Are the brake pads worn down? You can tell how durable the brake pads are with rim brakes by the notches or test grooves. If these are no longer visible, it is time to replace them.

Also, check the ease of movement of the brake levers and the brake pressure of hydraulic disc brakes. A little penetrating oil can loosen up stiff brake cables. You can replace older brake cables. Always check the brake cables for damage such as breaks or cracks. Hydraulic brakes may need to be bled. You can either do this yourself or have it done by a bike workshop.

How do I maintain the chain, sprockets, chainrings, and gears?

Clean your drivetrain thoroughly, as it is one of the parts subject to wear. You can measure the wear of your chain with a chain wear gauge. If your chain has become elongated, you should replace it. Otherwise, the sprockets and chainrings will wear out faster.

After cleaning, you can apply oil and grease to the chain, sprocket, and chainrings. However, make sure that the chain is not too smeared. This will attract dirt. It is, therefore, best to wipe the chain again with a cloth.

Then take a short test ride to check that the gears move smoothly. If the gears run "smoothly," then everything is in order. However, if you have problems shifting gears and the chain "jumps," a closer inspection in the bike workshop is advisable.

How to get your e-bike tyres ready for spring?

Check your e bikes tyres for wear on the sidewalls and treads. If the tyres show cracks or foreign bodies and appear porous, extreme caution is called for. Above all, check the tread depth of the tyre casing. Sometimes the tread is already worn down, so a tyre change is advisable. Also, check the functionality of the wheels and the fit of the spokes.

After a winter break, the tyre pressure may have dropped. The minimum and maximum pressure are stated on the tyre's sidewall, make your tyre pressure as recommended. Generally, narrower tyres require a higher tyre pressure than thicker tyres. You can quickly reach the recommended tyre pressure with an air pump with an integrated pressure gauge. Otherwise, you can also pump up your e-bike at many bike dealers.

A safe start to the cycling season with an e-bike check

A spring check of your electric bicycle is important to ensure safe and in good working order. After all, everyone wants to enjoy cycling and arrives safely at their destination. A well-maintained electric bike will also give you pleasure for longer spring rides. As you have read in our guide, you can do a lot of the work by yourself. However, if you notice any problems during the spring check, you should visit a competent bike repair shop, or contact with us to know more knowledge to finish the Spring check.