With the recent hike in fuel prices coupled with awareness regarding health, more and more people are opting for electric bikes as a means of commuting. If you are one of these people, you already know the perks of having an electric bike beyond just saving money and improving health.
Owning an Macfox electric bike isn’t all that hard, but making sure it lasts as long as it should require due diligence on your part. One part of this diligence is storing your electric bike properly. The following are certain best practices you must ensure to keep your bike in optimum conditions in different weather conditions, such as humidity.
Contents
- 1.Cleaning Before Storing
- 2.Checking Tire Air Pressure
- 3.Storing Your Electric Bike Battery
- 4.Choosing the Best Place for Storage
- 5.Considering After-winter Storage
- 6.Conclusion
- 7.Maybe it will be helpful for you
Cleaning Before Storing
The first thing you must do before storing your electric bike is clean it properly. Dirt not only looks unsightly, but it also damages the bike’s frame and battery. The dirt on the bike may capture the moisture present in the air. This promotes the formation of rust on the steel frame of the e-bike.
Removing the dirt from the surface is not enough. You should dedicate time to cleaning. Make sure to clean all the corners and remove any sweat or drink residues thoroughly. The salt in sweat and the electrolytes in energy drinks can also cause rusting. In order to properly clean every corner of the bike, the best practice is to dismantle all parts that are not firmly connected, such as GPS devices, computers, and drinking bottles.
Checking Tire Air Pressure
With a flat tire, you should never put your bike in storage. If the electric bike is left unused for a long period of time without sufficient air pressure on the tires, there is a risk of considerable damage from the crushed side walls of the tire. As a rule, the tire manufacturer specifies the minimum pressure on the tire's sidewall. This minimum pressure should be available in the tire. It is best to check the air pressure from time to time while the e-bike is in storage.
An air pressure gauge helps check the pressure. The best way to protect the tires is to hang up the e-bike, for example, in a special bike holder or with the help of a so-called bike lift. Stored in this way, the tires do not even come into contact with the ground.
A vertical suspension is practical because it saves space. However, if your e-bike is equipped with a hydraulic disc brake, you should refrain from vertical suspension. The braking system could draw air. This, in turn, would have a negative impact on braking behavior.
Storing Your Electric Bike Battery
Among the set of elements that make up an electric bicycle, the most important is the battery. In fact, you can have the best tires, great brakes, the most powerful engine, and a state-of-the-art control panel, but if you take the battery out of that package, everything else becomes meaningless.
Related Reading: How to Choose the Right Electric Bicycle Wheel
It is also the most expensive component of any electric vehicle. E-bike’s battery life is measured in cycles. A cycle is a time that elapses between full discharge and subsequent charging. In standard models, the battery life of an electric bike is around 600 cycles, and there are some brands that can go up to 1000 cycles. When the cycles are consumed, the capacity to store the battery's energy is reduced up to 70 or 80% compared to the new battery.
Many manufacturers advise that you leave your electric bike battery above 50% charge if you are going to stop using it for a while. Ideally, at 60%. Modern bicycle batteries have a battery management system. It monitors overcharging and deep discharging.
Theoretically, the battery could therefore be continuously connected to the charger without affecting the service life - but this does not offer any real advantages. Therefore, if you want to get the most out of your electric bicycle and enjoy it for a long time, it is important that you pay attention to the use and maintenance that you give to your e-bike battery.
Choosing the Best Place for Storage
You should pay attention to the temperature of the place where you plan to store the battery. It is best to keep it in a dry and moisture-free space. In these cases, temperatures below or above these limits can affect battery chemistry.
For example, leaving the battery in the vehicle's trunk can be counterproductive since, being under the sun for 20 or 30 minutes, the interior can easily reach temperatures above 29 °C. Now that you know how to make good use of your electric bicycle battery, it's time to put these tips into practice and make it last much longer without losing its performance.
If you have more difficulties finding a suitable place because you may not have a basement or garage, you can use a hazardous goods container. This is available in different forms; the easiest to handle is the Lipo-Bag. This fiberglass fabric is light and foldable. It has a fire-retardant effect and can thus reduce the risk of a large fire. In the event of a fire, a Lipo-Bag can provide the time needed to get the battery out of the home.
Considering After-winter Storage
The basement is better than the garage for storing the bike. The basement is usually drier. It is also important that the temperatures in the storage room do not fluctuate too much. After you have put so much effort into cleaning and oiling the chain and gears, you should protect your e-bike from dust in winter. A bicycle garage is practical, but it is also sufficient to cover the e-bike with a tarpaulin.
The garage has another disadvantage compared to a dry basement room. Cars are usually parked in the garage. Especially in winter, the vehicle brings salt into the garage - and salt promotes the formation of rust. If you have no storage space other than the garage, carefully cover the e-bike with a tarpaulin.
Conclusion
Electric bikes may need to be stored long-term during the winter. Besides low temperatures, there is also the threat of prolonged rain and fog. While some electric bikes are foldable and can be placed in any corner of the house, others, like moped bikes, are quite large in size and need to be stored properly. Following are the best practices to ensure your electric bike is maintained in its pristine condition until you want to take it out again.
FAQs
Q1:Why is it important to clean your electric bike before storing it?
Cleaning the bike removes dirt and prevents damage to the frame and battery.
Q2:What should you consider when storing the electric bike battery?
Keep the battery above 50% charge and store it in a dry, moisture-free space.
Q3:What are the best practices for choosing the storage location for your electric bike?
Select a place with a stable temperature, such as a dry basement, and protect the bike from dust and salt if stored in a garage.
