Maintaining Your Ebike: Simple Steps For Peak Performance

Hey there, electric bike enthusiasts! Ready to learn the ins and outs of keeping your awesome electric ride in top shape? These bad boys are gaining popularity for making commuting, leisure, and exercise a breeze—and with some consistent TLC, you'll enjoy their benefits even longer. Whether you're a cycling newbie or an electric bike convert, this guide is packed with tips on how to keep your electric bike riding like a dream. Let's dive in!

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Cleaning Your Electric Bike

How often should you clean your electric bike? There’s not a simple answer to this question, because like every rider, every electric bike has its own needs which often depend on the rider.

How often you need to clean your electric bike depends entirely on how you are using it. For instance, for city riding, you may not encounter as much mud and dirt as you would if you were roaming the outdoors, so you may not need to clean your electric bike as often. On the other hand, if you are splashing puddles and mud often, you’ll likely need to clean or wipe up your bike up after every ride.

A Clean Bike Is Essential For Improving Longevity

Dirt, water and grease can put wear on your electric bike and its parts. It can affect the efficiency of your bike and require maintenance more often; and that will cost you more money in the long-run. To get the most miles out of your electric bike, you want to keep your bike as clean as possible.

When washing your bike, avoid using a hose with a powerful jet as the water pressure could force its way into places it really shouldn’t be. Using a low pressure hose, or a bucket and rag should be just fine. And with that said, make sure your electric bike's battery is stored properly in its housing and turn the electric bike off before you start washing it.

One area to focus on is the charging port as it is a spot on your ebike that can easily accumulate dirt. We recommend using a brush or a dry cloth. Other areas to clean on occasion are the battery contacts and speed sensor magnets (if your bike has one). If you have a range-extender battery installed, always removed that before cleaning.

Be sure to dry off your bike when you are done but DO NOT come in contact with the disc brakes as you may contaminate them with cleaning chemicals or oils that should not be on them.

Lastly, if your bike has real leather components like the genuine leather handles on the Emerald ebike, you’ll want to use a leather cleaner, or a simple homemade solution of vinegar, water and natural oil.

Lubrication

Maintaining your electric bike’s chain will require lubricating it more often than you would with a standard bicycle. You’ll want to regularly apply a high-quality lubricant to your chain to ensure the transmission runs as efficiently as possible.

And be sure to use the right lubricant tailored to your riding habits. For instance, if you are riding in the rain, a reliable lubricant like the WD40 Specialist Bike Wet Chain may be your best bet. Otherwise, there are all-weather lubricants that should be perfectly suitable.

If your chain looks dirty, you’ll definitely want to give it a proper cleaning before you apply any lubricant. Use a quality degreaser and apply with a brush. For a convenient home remedy, you can also use Dawn soap for degreasing. Then just rinse and be sure to dry afterwards. Then apply your lubricant!

When applying your lubricant to your chain, be sure to apply it evenly. To do this, you can hold your bike up using a work stand or with the help of another person, and turn the pedals so that the lubricant can be dispersed more evenly on the chain. If your bike happens to have a walk mode, be sure to set it to that as well to make applying the lubricant easier.

Checking Your Tire Pressure

You should frequently check the pressure of your tires, since an underinflated tire can pose a serious threat to your safety. On top of this, they can cause your ebike to run less efficiently and drain your battery faster. 

At the same time, you don’t want your tires to be overinflated either. If your pressure is too high, it can compromise the comfort of your ride and in particular your grip on the road or off-road. Be sure to follow the recommended pressures indicated for your particular electric bike.

Fatter tires, like those found on the Emerald ebike will provide a comfortable ride at a lower pressure than bikes with thinner tires like the Aventon Soltera.

Check For Loose Parts

This is pretty basic and something you’ll need to concern yourself with when it comes to any bike. Make sure everything is fastened and where its supposed to be. Pay attention to loose bolts and spokes, and any parts that may be broken.

Maintaining The Motor

This is simple. DO NOT. The motor is usually factory sealed and should never attempt maintenance on it yourself. 

If there is a problem with the motor, take your bike to a reputable dealer or speak to retailer that sold it to you. Your bike may be under warranty, in which case the manufacturer may repair or replace it.

How To Maintain An Ebike Battery

Maintaining your ebike battery is essential in getting the best performance from your bike. Every ebike’s battery will deteriorate over time but some batteries will certainly deteriorate faster than others. A more reliable battery like a Samsung may last you longer but you still need to take precautions to minimize battery damage over time. 

Cleaning the Battery

If you remove your ebike battery regularly, be sure to clean it with a damp cloth or brush. And as mentioned earlier, you should also clean the battery contacts and lightly lubricate them. 

Charging and Storing the Battery

Always try to store or charge your battery at room temperature to minimize battery damage from extreme temperatures. Conditions should also be dry, so if you need to charge the battery separately inside your home, be sure to do so. 

Over time, a battery that is just sitting will lose its charge, so you’ll want to charge it every now and then to maintain its charge. Ideally, you want to keep your electric bike's battery charged anywhere from 30 up to 85 percent.

And on that note, avoid leaving your battery fully charged or discharged for extended periods of time. Both overcharging your battery and letting your battery completely deplete will damage it.

Lastly, make sure you are using a charger designed for your electric bike. The wrong charger could potentially damage your battery.

Software Updates

Many manufacturers release software updates for their electric bikes. Some apps can log ride statistics and other information from your phone via a downloadable app or feature built-in displays for adjusting the settings on your electric bike. 

To check for firmware updates, check out the corresponding app or check the manufacturer’s website. Updating software make require visiting your electric bike dealer in some cases.

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