How to store and maintain an ebike during the winter
When the cold and rainy season of winter arrives, you should pay more attention to keep your bike in a good shape and in perfect working order. Today we talk about maintenance and storage of an electric bike, and we are going to see how to properly maintain an ebike during the winter with low temperatures and water.
So, how to store an ebike during the winter?
The maintenance and control operations will be essential to extend the life of your pedal assisted bicycle, considering that during the winter you will use it in the presence of low temperatures and a lot of humidity. Electric bikes have a certain degree of waterproofing, but remember that water can pose a real danger to the electrical system of your ebike, causing a dangerous short circuit or malfunction.
In detail, we will see how to check and protect the battery, transmission and wheels. If you do these routine operations, you can avoid running into far more expensive problems that require the intervention of a professional mechanic.
So let's see what needs to be done to protect the bicycle from the elements, adding several tips for winter maintenance of your e-bike.
How to store the battery during the winter
The battery is one of the most important and expensive key components of an ebike: despite technical advances it is still quite delicate under certain circumstances. For example, lithium batteries suffer from low temperatures, recording a temporary decline in performance and total capacity.
This happens when the temperature is rather low: according to the definitions of the major battery manufacturers we can identify this circumstance with temperatures below 5 degrees. The discharge of the cells occurs above all when the battery is stored in very cold environments, while if it is used with low temperatures, it is less exposed to this problem, as during use the battery tends to overheat slightly, reaching a higher temperature.
If you wonder how to store an ebike battery during the winter, keep in mind that it will always be better to keep it indoors, or in environments with a milder temperature. The ideal temperature range lies with around 20 degrees.
Likewise, to optimize the duration and complete the charge correctly, it must be recharged in a temperate environment. So during the winter it is preferable to store and recharge the battery indoors, and then insert it on the ebike only before leaving.
Ebike drivetrain: winter maintenance
The ebike allows you to pedal faster even uphill thanks to the precious help of the motor: this aspect, however, also has a negative side, since the extra force tends to stress the drivetrain more. The electric bike components are subjected to higher mechanical stress because of the higher speed and torque. For this reason we must always pay attention to the chain lubrication, in order to have greater pedaling efficiency and to avoid component breakage.
A neglected chain produces more friction and tends to wear out the sprocket faster. The lack of lubricant facilitates the fouling and oxidation of the links, which will weaken and may break when they are under use.
To keep your transmission always effective, you must keep it well lubricated, remembering that chain oil is also available with different characteristics. For a humid season characterized by a lot of rain and water, you must choose a Wet oil, which is viscous and resists water washout.
On the other hand, a Dry chain oil is made for the summer, and during the winter it would be washed off the chain very easily, leaving it uncovered to the elements. So remember to choose the right product and periodically lubricate your chain.
Dry the rain and water before storage
If you come home after a moment of strong rest, you can wipe off the excess water with a clean rag, immediately after when it is dry, you can add some new Wet lubricating oil.
Remember to wipe off the water or snow before storing the electric bike, especially if it has to be parked for a long period. The remaining water and humidity can cause short circuits or oxidation, and we must avoid finding rust over components.
Dry it’s a foundamental operation to properly store your bike during the vinter.
Take care of wheels
The grease that covers the bearings tends to wear out and is easily washed off in the presence of water. During the winter season, if you ride in very wet conditions, the hub grease may dry out quickly and the bearings risk rusting if the bike is stored in a humid environment after use.
If water seeps into the hubs, the result is a stuck wheel that struggles to turn. In this case, if you hear squeaking or clicking noises coming from the wheels, it means that your bike is in urgent need of thorough maintenance.
The wheels of an ebike work exactly like those of a traditional bike, therefore ordinary and extraordinary maintenance must be carried out. The wheel hubs contain ball bearings or sealed bearings, in both cases, after a certain number of kilometers or time, it will be good to carry out a check to replace and renovate the dirty grease.
This is a medium difficulty operation, which requires various tools and the necessary mechanical skills: if you lack the equipment or do not know how to do it, you can schedule wheel maintenance at your trusted bike workshop.
As you see, with a few steps you can keep your bike in a perfect shape and conditions, for a long lasting performance also after the winter storage.