E-bike maintenance is essential to keep your bike running smoothly and safely. According to [Bicycling](https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a40217768/ebike-maintenance-owners-need-to-know/), e-bikes require maintenance similar to traditional bikes, such as lubing the chain, adjusting shifting, and replacing cables. However, there are some additional considerations for e-bikes. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for battery care and charging to avoid damaging the battery, as overheating can be dangerous (source: [REI Co-op](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/intro-to-electric-bike-maintenance.html)). Additionally, e-bikes are heavier than traditional bikes, so it’s important to check the alignment and function of components such as the chain, freewheel, chainring, and derailleur, as well as the wheels, for wobbling or squeaking (source: [Bluejay Bikes](https://bluejaybikes.com/blogs/news/your-complete-guide-to-e-bike-maintenance-and-care)). When cleaning an e-bike, use low-pressure water and avoid hitting delicate components with high-pressure water (source: [Cycling News](https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/electric-bike-maintenance/)).
What should I do if my e-bike spokes are loose?
Loose spokes often go unnoticed, especially when you rarely have time to check-up on your e-bike maintenance. These lapses when unchecked can cause damage to all other spokes as they all work as a whole. Even if there would only be one spoke that is loose there is a huge chance that other spokes would be loose and break eventually, causing a bigger damage.
Usually, the rear wheel of a bicycle gets a lot of stress compared to the front. As a result, the rear wheel has become more prone to damages such as loose spokes so it’s better to always check e-bike maintenance.
As a precaution and as a way of taking care of your e-bike maintenance, it is important to routinely check the spokes of your electric bike. And if you noticed that one of the spokes is loose, you need to tighten the spokes before riding the bike again.
When tightening the spokes, you don’t actually need to turn the spokes. There is a nipple that holds the spoke into the rim, that nipple is what needs to be turned to tighten the spoke. You have to make sure not to tighten the spoke too much as it may cause for the rim to bend.
How can I transport my e-bike?
Transporting electric bikes for an e-bike maintenance sure is a hard labour. They are much heavier than regular bikes considering the fact that it comes with motors and batteries. Though there are electric bikes that are foldable and can fit into your trunk, most of these electric bikes are unfoldable.
Unfoldable electric bikes obviously can’t fit into your trunk like a regular bike. When transporting your electric bike, you might have to buy car racks as an option. Car racks vary as well as not all can carry electric bikes. Electric bikes can weigh up to sixty pounds that some car racks can’t handle. Most car racks can only carry up to forty pound per bike, some typically have thirty-five pounds weight limit per bike.
The most appropriate e-bike maintenance and the only option for transporting your electric bike is a tray style hitch car rack. This kind of rack can carry up to two bikes with each weigh a hundred and twenty pounds in total.
One of the best all around tray style hitch-mounted rack is Thule T2 Pro XT. The rack weighs fifty-two pounds itself and can carry two electric bikes, each weigh sixty pounds. Though it’s a bit pricy, the rack is designed to last longer than other racks out there, its durability is no joke. The rack is not only well built but also easy to use.
What is the correct tire pressure for my electric bicycle?
Having the exact and correct tire pressure for an e-bike maintenance may sound a bit too much and overly meticulous, but it is a very reasonable move when you want to take care of your e-bike maintenance. When you measure how much air pressure should go into your tire and does it right, it will increase your electric bike’s efficiency and prevent flat tires when you ride it.
Pumping the correct tire pressure into your electric bike tire lets you ride the bike smoothly and with no prone to flat tires.
Correct tire pressure varies with the type of tire your electric bike has. There are road tires, mountain tires, and hybrid tires. Each tire has its own required PSI that are either printed or engraved on the side of the tire.
Narrow tires like road tires require much more pressure from eighty PSI to one hundred thirty PSI. Wider tires like mountain tires on the other hand require lesser pressure from twenty-five to thirty-five PSI. If you have hybrid tires, they require an average of forty to seventy PSI.
When pumping up pressure to your tire, you also need to consider your weight or the load the bike would carry. The more weight the bike carry, the more pressure you have to pump in the tire. But make sure it is just within the number mentioned above for e-bike maintenance. Do not pump more or lesser pressure from what is required of your tire.
Make sure to check your e-bike maintenance tire’s pressure before riding it as the air seeping out of the tire is inevitable. At least a few PSI is lost overnight of your tire, so it is important to check just in case.
How expensive is it to do e-bike maintenance?
E-bike maintenance can cost differently from the various type of which electric bike you have. When it comes to purchasing electric bikes, you usually get what you pay for. When you buy an electric bike of quality that has a higher price, you can expect a much lesser maintenance cost. The bike’s reliability matters and if you spend a bit more, you’ll also save more in the future when it comes to running costs.
The maintenance and running cost of the bike itself, excluding the motors and batteries, can cost just the same as a normal non-electric bike.
On the other hand, the batteries are the main concern of e-bike maintenance. As said earlier, if you pay for a higher price on a quality and reliable electric bike you’d probably pay less on the maintenance. Most reliable electric bikes have advanced batteries that have longer life span, which you’d have to replace for the next eight years at most. Buying a replacement for these types of batteries usually cost up to five hundred dollars.
While some batteries have longer life span, some also run short. Cheaper electric bikes usually use basic batteries that can last up three years at most. The cost of replacing these batteries can run up to three hundred dollars.
As electric bikes run with batteries, it requires charging from time to time as its batteries run out. Charging its batteries can cost up to fifteen cents per charge.
Electric bikes also require servicing and when it comes to servicing, the cost may vary as well. The running cost of servicing will vary on how frequent you bring your bike to service centres. The frequency of visiting service centers also varies from the type of electric bike you own. Mountain e-bikes for example have more tendency of going to the service center more often than casual e-bikes. Mountain e-bikes are used on much harsher conditions. In conclusion, servicing cost can range from thirty to sixty dollars.
Can I ride off-road with my e-bike?
There are tons of electric bikes out there and each varies functionality and durability. The most common use of electric bikes nowadays is for commute as more and more people think its efficiency is great health wise for e-bike maintenance.
Though most people think electric bikes are great for commute, some buy electric bikes that are meant to be ridden on rough terrains. Some might have bought one but is not sure if the electric they bought can be ridden off road.
The answer depends on what kind of electric bike you have. Mountain e-bikes are designed for off roads and is the most appropriate for riding on rough terrains.
Electric bikes that have fat tires can also ride off road on rough terrains as they are designed especially for that occasion. Most electric bikes that are used to ride off road have a capacity of seven hundred watts of motor drive.
If you are planning to buy a bike that you can ride on any terrain, fat tires is the best option out there. We have a list of the best electric bikes to ride off-road for you to choose from and its e-bike maintenance.
Can I ride my e-bike in the rain?
If you are planning to buy an electric bike, you might wonder of the possibility that the new bike can’t be ridden on the rain. The thought of how the bike is run on electric motor and battery brings us to that conclusion. The conclusion that it might be impossible to ride the bike on the rain or the bike can’t ever get wet and that once it does it will break. But that might not be the case for an e-bike maintenance.
Though electric bikes are run electrically buy motors and batteries, you can ride it in the rain and it can get wet without breaking. Manufacturers intended the bikes to function much more efficiently better than your normal bikes as they cost you more. Does this mean that you can ride your electric bike in the rain?
Yes! They made the electric components of each electric bike to be highly resistant water for an e-bike maintenance.
All electric bikes are rated IP65 before they are distributed and sold. This means that the electric components of each electric bike are enclosed accurately to protect it from intrusion, dusts, accidental contact, and water.
Though the electrical components of an electric bike are water resistant, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can splash water to it however you want. For example when you are washing your electric bike, you can’t use a pressure washer to clean it as it can only resist but not totally be safe from such pressure.
Also, before storing your electric bike, it is necessary to check if it is dried up completely for an e-bike maintenance. Before washing your electric bike, make sure you already take your battery out.
