Riding an e-bike can be a fun way to get exercise or ease your daily commute. However, it’s important to make sure you’re taking proper care of your e-bike year-round, as winter weather can pose a threat to its safety. If you live in a cold climate that frequently gets snow or rain, you’ll want to regularly service and store your e-bike in order to get the most use out of it. Here are a few tips:
Take Special Care Of The Battery
The most fragile part of your e-bike is going to be the battery, which is why you’ll want to take special care of it during the winter. You can definitely ride an e-bike in temperatures that are below freezing, but you should remove the battery and store it at room temperature whenever you’re not riding it. Make sure to slow-charge the battery at room temperature to avoid damaging it.
Clean Your E-Bike Regularly
Riding your e-bike in the winter will expose it to things used in road maintenance such as sand or salt. Because these elements are typically used in winter to melt ice and snow on the roads, you may end up getting your e-bike much dirtier than you would in the summer. To keep your e-bike clean in the winter, wipe it down with a damp cloth after each ride. Be sure to clean the chains as well with a special lubricant for bicycle chains.
Watch Out For Rust
Rust can also pose a danger to your e-bike during the winter, as excess water in the air can cause the build-up of water on your e-bike. Use a special rust prevention spray to cover all of the exposed metal parts on the e-bike and protect them from rust. Make sure you avoid the electronic components, however, as these sprays can damage this part of the e-bike.
Use Winter Tires
If you live in a climate that frequently gets snow or ice on the roads, you’ll want to use winter tires anytime you take the bike out for a ride. Just like a car has special winter tires for driving through the snow, so does your e-bike. You can buy studded or fat tires to help you maintain balance on the ice and snow. Be careful when riding on the snow, and start off without motor support to keep the tires from spinning in the snow.
Store It In A Dry Place
Just as the battery should be stored in a dry place, so should your e-bike. If you can store the entire e-bike in a place that’s both warm and dry, then you won’t need to remove the battery each time you store the e-bike. However, if you can take care of your e-bike inside an unheated garage or basement that’s safe from snow or rain, then that will be enough to protect the bike itself as long as you store the battery someplace separate and warm.