Electric bikes are just like regular bikes, but with some extra parts. That means taking care of electric bikes and, for Canadians in cold weather climates (uh, almost all of us), is just like getting a regular bike ready for winter storage but with some extra steps.
With e-bikes, though, a couple of these steps are very important. Not properly storing your e-bike over the cold winter months could actually cause serious damage.
Here’s the basic steps to get your e-bike or eMTB ready for winter storage.
1) Clean your bike
This is the first step in getting any bike ready for winter storage, and it applies to e-bikes, too. Letting a bike sit dirty for months at a time can cause damage to the frame, drivetrain and other bearings. The cleaner you put your bike away, the easier it is to get it ready to ride in the spring.
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2) Battery charging
When you’re riding your e-bike regularly, you probably want to have it charged up and ready to go. But, when you’re planning to store it for months at a time, the rules are different. Ideally, you want to store your battery at around 60 per cent charged (anywhere between 40-60 per cent is good). Leaving a battery fully charged for months causes stress on the battery cells. Leaving a battery to sit empty for months could lead to a flat battery that might not revive come spring. That is an expensive fix, if it is fixable.
Put your battery away with a 60 per cent charge. Then, if possible, check every month or so to make sure it’s still holding a good level of charge.
3) Don’t leave your bike plugged into a charger.
Do not leave your bike or battery plugged into its charger for long periods of time. Not only is it bad for the battery to store fully charged for long periods of time, it could also be a fire hazard.
4) Store in a warm dry place
Where you store your bike and battery matters. A warm (above freezing, up to room temperature) place is ideal. For Canadians with cold garages, that means it could be a good idea to bring the bike, or at least the battery (if it is removable) indoors for the winter.
Most e-bikes are relatively weather proof, but leaving them stored in a damp location all winter still isn’t a good idea. Especially if there’s any chance that resulting condenstaion could freeze on the bike.
5) Store your bike right side up or vertical.
Most e-bikes, whether commuter, road or eMTB, use hydraulic disc brakes….
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…