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Ask the owner of any vehicle used for transportation what the most important part of ownership is, and you’ll probably get a familiar answer: Maintenance, maintenance, and maintenance! Just like a car or a boat, proper servicing is critical when you own any kind of bicycle. And eBike maintenance is by far the easiest way to keep your bike operational for years to come.
If you’re new to the electric bike world, you might be wondering how to service your electric bicycle and how it differs from caring for a traditional bicycle. Don’t worry; we have all the info you need right here.
- Maximize Your Battery Life
- Find a Trusted Repair Shop for eBike Maintenance
- The Chain Is Crucial
- Take Care of the Tires
- Inspect Your Brakes
Read on to find out how you can service your eBikes properly:
Maximize Your Battery Life
Are you worried about overcharging your battery and making it useless? Don’t sweat it. There’s no chance that you can overcharge your battery, and lithium batteries are made to be charged over and over before they begin to wear down. Your lithium battery should last for about 1,000 charges before it starts to wear out, so if you’re riding twice a week, you’re going to get a lot of use out of your battery before you even have to think about changing it.
You’ll want to only charge the battery in good weather and store it properly when you aren’t charging it. If you leave it out on an excessively hot or cold day, you’ll limit the battery life and won’t get anywhere near the performance that you should. Be sure to find a safe, temperature-controlled place to store your battery; it should stay there whenever your eBike isn’t operating or charging.
PRO-TIP: Do not overcharge the battery. Keep close tabs on it while you’re charging and remove the battery from the charger when it’s topped off. Most batteries take anywhere from three to five hours. So no leaving it plugged in overnight!
Many SWAGTRON electric bikes, such as the EB7 Pro Plus, the EB9 and EB12 (among others), have removable batteries that makes keeping tabs on your battery temperature super easy. And if you find that after a year or two of consistent, daily rides, your battery simply isn’t holding a charge — no worries! You can simply buy a new, replacement battery. No need to spend money on an entirely new electric bicycle!
Find a Trusted Repair Shop for eBike Maintenance
Over time, you’re going to need to make repairs to your electric bike. It’s tempting to try to handle the repairs on your own and save some money, but the reality is that the short-term financial benefit can be offset by the long-term cost of voiding your warranty.
Unless you’re certain your eBike is out of warranty, it’s not a good idea to try to perform repairs on your own. Instead, you should check with your manufacturer’s customer service department and ask them for repair shop recommendations.
If you’ve purchased your bike from SWAGTRON®, you’re in luck. Our live-chat service can help you find an authorized repair dealer in your area within minutes.
Once you find an approved repair shop that you trust, head there for all but the most basic eBike maintenance needs. Bottom line: If it’s more complicated than lubricating your chain or adding air to your tires, it’s best left to a professional repair shop.
The Chain Is Crucial
Just like with a traditional bike, if you don’t take care of your chain on an eCycle, you’re going to run into a lot of problems in a hurry. Your chain needs to be cleaned and lubricated on a regular basis, and the good news is that it’s a rather easy task.
All you have to do is wipe off your chain with a clean, dry cloth and then add lubricant to each link in the Follow up by wiping off the chain again to ensure that you didn’t add too much lubricant. The right amount of lubricant is vital to your eBike’s health — if you put too much on, you can create a real mess. That’s because all of that lubricant can attract dirt, grime and other roadside particles that you don’t want on your chain.
Because it’s so easy to make a mistake, caring for your chain can be a time-consuming process. That said, it’s well worth it to ensure that your electric bicycle isn’t afflicted with a rusting chain!
Take Care of the Tires
Some cyclists tend to stick to flat, well-paved roads, while others prefer rugged terrain. When it comes to caring for your tires, it doesn’t matter what kind of terrain you prefer; you’ve got to make sure to keep your tires properly inflated and ready to grip the surface.
Regardless of what surface you ride on, your tires will wear down over time just like they do on a car. The easiest way to prevent a flat is to visually inspect your tires each and every time that you ride your electric bicycle. Be sure to press gently on your tire and take note of whether its shape holds or it starts to flatten out. A flat tire yields with gentle pressure, so if your tire has too much give, you need to add air.
One key thing to remember: Just because your tire might be underinflated once doesn’t necessarily mean that the tire is damaged. As temperatures change, so does the PSI inside your tires. So if both tires are a bit underinflated on a cold morning, you probably don’t have much to worry about. But if one tire is continually underinflated while the other one isn’t, it’s probably time to turn eBike maintenance into a tire replacement.
PRO-TIP: Always follow your eBike’s manual for appropriate tire pressure. Do not rely on the PSI/BAR that’s embedded on the tire itself. That number represents the maximum the tire can hold safely. But “maximum” does not mean “optimal.” When in doubt, follow your eBike’s user manual.
Inspect Your Brakes
I’m sure we all agree that being able to stop is much more important than being able to go. And, being able to stop quickly is only possible if your brakes are in top working order. Learn how to inspect your brakes and spot a problem before things get out of hand. SWAGTRON eBikes with manual brakes have a couple ways to adjust them with just your hand or a wrench. But not all electric bikes are built with that same focus on user-friendly design.
As always, if you don’t feel comfortable adjusting your eBike’s brakes, find a local bicycle shop.
To test your brakes, try rocking your electric bicycle back and forth and seeing if you have any unexpected parts that come loose. If anything starts to wiggle, you might have an issue with your brakes, especially if the wiggling comes from the bike’s calipers. You don’t want to end up with your rotors rubbing against the calipers.
Give your wheels a spin to make sure the brake pads aren’t dragging on the rims, and check that the pads aren’t worn down or dirty (a common cause of squealing). Always give both brakes a good squeeze to make sure they’re working before starting out.
As long as you’re taking proper care of your eBike, it’s going to be one of the best purchases that you’ll ever make. Maintenance of eBikes isn’t difficult as long as you take the time to examine your bike regularly. On larger repair issues, always take your eBike to a trusted, warranty-authorized shop. Remember, taking care of small problems early on helps keep them from growing into big headaches later.