We sat down with Ryan, one of our top techs at Hamilton Electric Bikes for a little Q & A. We asked Ryan what are some of the most frequently asked questions he gets in the course of a week and how does he usually answer them. Below is a list of the top questions and his answers.
Questions
- How do I properly store my e-bike through the winter?
- How do I know when my ebike needs to be serviced?
- What is the difference between all your Tune-Up options?
- How do I keep my ebike efficiency and safety high during cold weather riding?
- What is the average lifespan of an e-bike and its components?
- Why do gears matter, especially on an ebike?
- How can my riding experience become more comfortable?
- Are e-bikes good for exercise, is it not cheating?
- How do I prevent my e-bike from being stolen?
Answers
How do I properly store my e-bike through the winter?
First and foremost,I recommend bringing your e-bike in for an end of the season tune-Up before storage, to keep the components clean and ready when the next season starts. As for the battery, which is the most important part of the e-bike, you will want to store the battery in a temperature controlled climate (like your heat garage, basement or mudroom). And keep the charge at around 40%-60%, and make sure to check it at least once a month to maintain its charge. As for the e-bike itself. We recommend giving it a good cleaning before storage: Wipe the frame down, wash the chain with a degreaser, or water and soap. Then thoroughly dry it off and regrase the chain. As for the brake discs, use a clean rag and isopropyl alcohol, and let them air dry. Finally for the storage of the e-bike. Most e-bikes nowadays are weatherproof (not waterproof). If you leave it outside all winter or stored under a tarp it could sustain some damage or unnecessary wear and tear to the mental parts, electronics, grips and seat. If possible, store your bike in the garage or shed (with a tarp, battery off and be sure it’s been thoroughly dried off first), in the basement, or even your living room if need be. It makes for a nice conversation piece when family and friends come over 🙂
How do I know when my ebike needs to be serviced?
There are a couple of factors when considering when service is needed. The most obvious is when you are having troubles with the performance of your bike. Get it in right away to get checked out. But preventive maintenance is always the best. I do not recommend leaving service until it is needed as it can wear other components quicker which ends up being more costly and can affect the longevity of your e-bike. The best way to keep track of when service is needed would be your mileage. Every component wears differently, depending on the quality. For example, the brake pads on most e-bikes will need replacing every 1,000-2,000 Km or so, depending on where and how you use them. As for the chain they typically wear every 2,500-4,000 Km depending on the type of riding you do (for example mountain biking will eat through a chain faster than city biking), how often you clean and grease your chain. As for the motor bearings, they should have a deep clean and re-grease every 15,000-20,000 Km. For simplicity sake we tell our customers to bring their e-bikes once a year, preferably at the end of the biking season late fall or right after the New Year to avoid the early Spring rush.
What is the difference between all your ebike Tune-Up options?
Here at Hamilton Electric Bikes, we have three different Tune-Up Options; Basic ($49.99), Complete ($99.99), And Overhaul ($249.99).
- The Basic Tune-up is an option we provide for those on a tight budget, in a rush or with an ebike that is still fairly new, We recommend this tune up if you are having small problems with brakes or gears or heading away on an extended trip with your ebike and want to be sure everything is operating correctly. With this option we do the basics; Align shifters and adjust gears, align and adjust brakes for best performance, inflate tires to recommended pressure, lubricate chain.
- The Next Option is the Complete Tune-Up which is the standard tune-up most customers get. We recommend this tune-up once a year to keep your bike performing properly and extend the life of your bike or e-bike. With this option you get everything from the Basic Tune-Up plus a drivetrain deep cleaning, lubricate chain, top up hydraulic fluids, inspect chain tolerance, inspect teeth wear on chainring and cassette, inspect truing / spoke tension, and check to be sure torque specs are correct.
- Finally the last option is the Overhaul Tune-Up which is the most detailed option, we recommend this tune-up every couple of years, to see the progress of your batteries health, and is a good option if you plan to sell your e-bike or if you are a snowbird heading south for months with your bike. With this option get everything included with the Complete Tune-Up plus: replace brake pads and align for best performance (includes cost of pads), flush and replace hydraulic fluids, inspect truing / spoke tension, run a battery health test and generate report (you can use this report to gage the health of you battery over time or to give to give to a potential buyer to prove that your battery is healthy.
How do I keep my ebike efficiency and safety high during cold weather riding?
Like any other vehicle, when the thermostat drops and the snow hits you have to change a few things and ride a little differently. Because of the cooler temperatures, lithium batteries won’t perform as long or efficiently. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about this except putting a battery cover on it help keep it warm and clean. As for traction the wider the tire you have will increase your grip, but depending on the e-bike, changing the tire may not be an option, the next best thing would be tread with metallic studs. Visibility is also very important. I highly recommend that you install extra lights, the brighter and flashier the better, consider wearing a reflective vest or bright clothing and invest in a good helmet that has lighting built in.
What is the average lifespan of an e-bike and its components?
As I’m sure you are aware, everything in the world has a predetermined shelf life, including e-bikes. As the old adage goes, “you get what you pay for” and better quality ebikes like the brands we carry at Hamilton Electric Bikes tend to last longer and have parts that can be fixed or replaced when needed, many of the cheaper bikes don’t have replacement parts. Better quality ebikes also come with better warranties than you’ll get at the box stores or online retailers. Plus we can actually diagnose and fix your bike when needed unlike the box stores or Amazon specials.
Here is a short list of major components and their average lifespan and service recommendations:
- Battery: With e-bikes the most important and expensive part is the battery, which will typically last 3-5 years or 500-1,000 Cycles depending on how you take care of it.
- Tires: The tire tread is the easiest part of your bike to see wear and tear. It’s hard to estimate the distance as everything becomes a variable, but a good tire typically lasts 1,500-5000 Km’s.
- Brake Pads: As for the brakes, the pads will need to be replaced every 1,000 to 2,000 Km’s. Mountain e-bikes 500-1000 Km’s.
- Hydraulic Brakes: The brake fluid (which is usually a special type of mineral oil) needs to be replaced every 3-4 Years as it ages over time.
- Bike Chains: Your chain needs replacing every 2,500-4,000 Km as dust and dirt mix together making a kind of sandpaper paste that wears down the metal. Plus the torque or constant tension and stretching makes your chain loose over time and not properly line up with your derailleur and cassette (that’s the rings of teeth that your chain travels up and down on when you change gears) .
I recommend cleaning your entire drive train at least once a month, depending on how frequently you ride, and regreasing afterwards with proper bike chain lube (NOT WD40). All the other drive train components need to be changed depending on the former, at around 15,000-25,000 Km.
Why do gears matter, especially on an ebike?
In a nutshell gears are put on a bike for the following reasons:
- Make pedaling easier or harder: Gears help you pedal easier when going uphill and harder when you’re riding on flat or downhill.
- Match the terrain: Use low gears for hills—makes pedaling less tiring. High gears are for flats or going downhill.
- Control your speed: Picking the right gear will help keep your speed comfortable and safe.
An ebike is no different. Gears on an ebike help do the following:
- Work with e-bike motors: On e-bikes, gears help get the most out of the battery and motor for longer rides. While still allowing you to get a workout.
- Save energy: Helps keep you from getting too tired or using too much battery.
- Stay comfortable: Makes biking feel less like a workout and more enjoyable.
- Ride anywhere: Gears on your ebike let you ride in many different places, from cities to mountains and in many different conditions from very steep hills, strong heads winds or longer rides
Gears make biking easier, safer, and more fun, whether you’re on an e-bike or a regular bike!
How can my riding experience become more comfortable?
If comfort is a problem for you and your riding, there are a few solutions and combinations that can help with that. The first thing that comes to mind would be your body position. Your seat height should be at your hip. When you are on your bike you should be on your “Tippy Toes”. This will ensure your knees are at an optimal height at the peak of the pedaling position. Next would be the handlebar positioning. Whether you prefer an active position or a cruise position, the angles are everything. Make sure your wrists are straight in a straight back seated position, and adjust seating angle and rail position. You may want to check the height of the handlebars as well. As for the cushy parts, most brands install a generic stock quality seat or as we call them “Saddles” as a way to save money and because everyone has a specific preference. Picking the best saddle for you can be a game charger. We carry a number of different styles of saddles with different levels of cushion and widths. So don’t be shy to ask us for help when choosing a saddle. When you come visit the shop you are welcome to try as many seats out as you wish to see what would work best for you. Finally, you should seriously look at suspension. If you do not have front forks suspension on the ebike your like, that can usually be installed afterwards. However, depending on the type of riding your plan to do you may only need a good seat suspension post. The SR Suntour NCX Suspension Seat Post is our go to for both the quality and comfort.
Are e-bikes good for exercise?
With many aspects of cycling seemingly focused on performance gains, electric bikes are often met with skepticism for providing a helping hand on hills or a sweat-free ride to work. However, riding an electric bike can still improve your fitness. You can still push as hard as you like on an ebike. You just have added assistance when you need or want it. Although ebikes are famous for making hill climbing, dealing with headwinds or long commutes generally easier. You are still moving your body and getting real exercise. The difference is that you have the option to use more or less pedal assist depending on your fitness level or riding goals. That’s backed by researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah. They tracked the heart rate of experienced mountain bikers on purely pedal-powered and electric mountain bikes. When riding an electric mountain bike, their subjects hit 94 per cent of the average heart rate they achieved on a non-assisted mountain bike when riding a six-mile study loop with 700 feet of climbing, putting them comfortably in heart rate zone four. In other words, they were working hard, even if the electric bike took the very top-end sting out of the ride. Interestingly, their perceived exertion levels were lower on the e-MTB and, of course, they rode faster and completed the loop quicker. Ultimately, the study concluded that electric mountain bikes appear to be an “excellent form of aerobic or cardiovascular exercise, even for experienced mountain bikers who regularly engage in this fitness activity”.
How do I prevent my e-bike from being stolen?
There are no guarantees when it comes to theft. But there are some ways to make it more difficult for culprit. First off, I tell all our customers the best theft protection is to keep their bikes within eyesight. Always lock your ebike when it’s on a car rack. Do this even when they’re in your garage, especially in risky parking areas. Why tempt a thief? No lock is full-proof and professionals often have electric grinders or hydraulic bolt cutters in their tool bags. These tools can get through almost anything. Your plan should be to make at least harder to steel at every turn. But the reality is that most of the time bike theft is a crime of opportunity. So again, never leave it just sitting out there unattended and unlocked. Use a heavy duty lock, the thicker and higher rated the better, as it’ll take longer for thieves to cut through and make a lot of commotion if they try. Another great idea is getting a motion alarm installed on your bike along with your lock. When someone tries to move your bike or tamper with your lock, the alarm will go off and attract a lot of unwanted attention to the scene and cause them to give up and run away. Finally, some bikes now come with a GPS tracker or you can easily get one installed. If your bike does get stolen you are able to track it down, call the police and hopefully get it back. Be sure to also register your ebike serial number with your local police services. Another tip is to take a picture of your ebike and keep your proof of ownership handy if ever needed.