If you bought an e-bike recently, then the first issue in order is a congratulation on New Bike Day! Second? Learning how to take care of it. As you know, e-bikes are a large investment, and desirable care and upkeep are key to keeping them rolling trouble-free for a lengthy time.

Whether you’re new to biking or come to e-bikes from a long experience with pedal-only bikes, it’s vital to take note that e-bikes are different. They’re nevertheless bikes, and they have many of the equal components and restore needs, says MacKenzie Hardt, owner, and mechanic at Hardt Family Cyclery in Denver, but there are some specific variations that require distinct care. Here’s what to know about e-bike maintenance:

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What Makes E-Bikes Different?

Well, duh: the motor, you say. And you’re right. Electric bikes differ from pedal-only bikes in two important ways: weight and power. An e-bike’s lightweight electric motor and battery add about 12 to 15 kilos to the weight of a bike relying on the system. The bike standard is additionally constructed more sturdily than pedal-only models, which provides a few greater pounds. Generally, an e-bike is somewhere from 12 to 20 pounds heavier than a pedal-only version. But in phrases of wear and tear, the delivered weight isn’t a primary problem when considering the full device weight of the bike and rider (cargo, if you’re carrying any, can be an exceptional story).

The higher trouble is how an e-bike supercharges a rider’s herbal strength output. “An e-bike can produce up to 300 percent greater torque than you would on your own,” says Tern Bicycles’s Arleigh Greenwald, a former bike save owner and longtime professional mechanic.

That creates more stress on components like the body and wheels, and more wear on “consumable” bike components like tires, brake pads, and drivetrain components like chains and cassettes. One way to help decrease that is to modulate your bike’s aid mode; if you run it in Turbo or Boost all the time, you’ll replace chains and tires greater regularly than if you trip frequently in the Eco or Touring model.

When You Get an E-Bike

Charge the battery to full the first time, due to the fact it has probably been sitting, inactive, in a partly charged nation for some time. After that, don’t worry about topping off your battery every ride; it will close longer if you cost less frequently.

And pay attention to tire pressure. The stiffer casing on e-bike tires helps offset some of the introduced weight, however, if you raise cargo you have to account for that more mass, too. There are no set components for the right pressure, however, Hardt says that for cargo bikes specifically, he tends to go close to the top of the range listed on the tire sidewall (never over it). Check strain at least weekly, due to the fact that all tires slowly leak air over time. “Most of my clients who get a flat on a cargo bike didn’t test the tire,” says Hardt.

Buy E-Bike Specific Replacement Parts

Beyond staring at your aid mode, there are not lots you can do to get more existence out of consumable bike parts. But you can prolong replacement intervals by buying e-bike unique versions of certain ones.

Chains: E-bike precise chains characteristic thicker side plates and superior hyperlink pins to take care of the elevated torque of an e-bike. They’ll put on longer than everyday chains and are less prone to failure. Greenwald and Hardt each stated KMC’s e-bike chains as a durable, dependable favorite.

Tires: E-bike tires differ in two ways. First, the rubber compound is generally slightly more difficult than normal tires, which makes them close longer (the brought bike weight helps maintain them feeling grippy). Second, the casings are regularly different, with reinforced, multiply construction that handles nicely under load and better resists flats. Schwalbe and Continental tires are both located on some higher-end utility e-bikes and are extremely good improved brands for your first alternative set. Hardt particularly likes Schwalbe’s new Pick-Up, ($53) the company’s first cargo-specific e-bike tire.

Brake Pads: Not all groups make e-bike unique pads (Shimano and SRAM don’t, for two extremely good exceptions). If you desire more durability, attempt e-bike-specific substitute pads from Galfer or Kool-Stop, which characteristic compounds that put on more slowly and manipulate warmness better.

Exactly how regularly you need preservation or replacement parts relies upon use. “There’s preservation because an object wore out,” says Greenwald. “And there’s a repair because something broke.” Maintenance is always cheaper. Be alert to unusual noises or sensations from your bike. But the nice way to cease troubles from turning into high-priced repairs is to commonly ease your bike, because, Hardt says, that’s your first-class chance to carefully inspect it.

How to Clean an E-Bike

You may already comprehend that it’s now not a precise idea to spray high-pressure water on a traditional bicycle. That goes double for e-bikes, says Hardt. “There are some strain washers that say they’re designed for bicycles, but I still steer clear of the use of them on e-bikes specifically,” he says. For e-bikes with motor structures from name-brand corporations like Shimano, Bosch, and Yamaha, Hardt has no trouble hosing a bike down gently, due to the fact those motors are all well-sealed in opposition to the elements. (Generally, it’s high-quality to leave the battery in place; the seal between the battery and the cable connector will forestall water from getting in.)

But often, Hardt says, he virtually uses a rag and a mild degreaser to go over every section from the front to back. “Some ancient T-shirts and toothbrushes and Simple Green or even dish cleaning soap does a lot,” he says. A second wipe with a rag wetted only with water clears off any residue.

Just like a pedal-only bike, an easy e-bike will have much less wear-and-tear than a soiled one, especially on the drivetrain, saving you cash and hassle. But the procedure of cleaning the bike, Hardt says, is additionally an inspection, where he finds worn brake pads, broken electrical wiring, unfastened spokes, bubbled body paint, and other telltale symptoms of stress. 

Pay shut interest to tires and the motor system’s electrical connections. Bald spots on the tire, casing threads showing, or huge cuts or sidewall tears are a sign you want clean rubber. Loose wires or wiring that’s fraying or exposed from its housing suggest you have to take it to a shop.

This is also an appropriate time to check bolts for tightness. Hardt recommends a beam-style torque wrench because they’re affordable, easy, and intuitive to use, and don’t require calibration like click-type torque wrenches. It’s nearly not possible to locate one with a torque range that spans each and every bolt on a bike, but Hardt factors out Park’s TW-1.2 ($40) as the most economical alternative for most components on a bike. Its torque gauge goes up to 14Nm, best for necessary connections like stems, handlebars, and seatposts.

Finding a Good Shop

An e-bike is still simply a bike, says Hardt, and there’s a lot of maintenance owners can nevertheless do on their own, from lubing the chain and airing tires to adjusting moving and changing cables, if you’re at ease with that. One thing you shouldn’t do? Mess with the motor machine itself. E-bikes nowadays are a lot like cars, with specialized firmware and complex internal components that require specialized equipment and knowledge. “Most e-bikes on the market are intended to be diagnosed in a save by using a licensed, insured mechanic with the desirable software,” says Hardt. Shops have to get right of entry to plug-in diagnostic structures that can help them locate and restore bother spots in a motor or battery.

With that potential, you need to locate a trusted keep partner. Obviously, the dealer where you sold your bike is a precise start, but if you moved, or it closed or no longer incorporates that brand, look for an unbiased bike save that has Bosch and Shimano protection certifications. Both requirements imply that mechanics at the store have taken unique coaching to service those systems, and mechanics additionally want to periodically take refresher publications to re-certify. A keep with licensed mechanics is now not solely certified to take care of warranty troubles for that brand of the motor; it’s a sign that the store makes e-bikes a priority and the mechanics have a higher ability level than a keep that services e-bikes infrequently. It needs to go except announcing but: take your bike to a save that specializes in that variety of riding. A mountain bike store isn’t the quality preference to diagnose guidance linkage problems on a frontload cargo bike.

You can additionally ask if the shop includes a unique insurance plan for working on e-bikes. “That’s a signal that they understand what they’re doing,” says Hardt. “The proprietors stand at the back of their mechanics” and are investing in ideal education and certification.

E-bikes are evolving and changing rapidly, which potential it’s important for your keep to stay up on the technology. “That relationship between you and the mechanic is truly important,” says Hardt. “It ought to be an individual that cares about you and your household and the bike you’re riding.” Find that shop, and you observed the human beings who will assist you with the skills, parts, and aid you want to hold rolling.