Winterize your E-Bike!

As the leaves fall and air gets cooler, most of us retire our bikes for the season until spring. Some of us set them and forget them, others may check on them throughout the winter. Below are a few tips and tricks on how to keep your e-bike in excellent condition as the snow starts to hit the ground.

Battery Storage

When you store your e-bike for the winter, it is important to do a few key things to maximize your battery's lifespan. Most lithium batteries will have a shortened lifespan if stored in harsh temperatures, therefore, keeping your battery stored between 50-104°F (10-40°C) is ideal. Not only is the climate important, but also how much energy the battery has. Batteries should never be stored long-term if they are fully drained or fully charged. This could shorten the life of your battery. Your battery should be stored with a charge between 30-60% to optimize its lifespan.

You may be thinking, how do I keep my battery between the optimal range if it's going to be stored for such a long time? For this, there are two options. You can either periodically check on it throughout the winter and give it a charge when its too low, or if it a Bosch battery, you can bring it to the store and let us take care of it.

We have a battery capacity tester from Bosch that has the ability to set the battery to the optimal charge level for long-term storage, and into a sleep mode that way you can leave your battery alone with no worry.

Storing the E-Bike

With the battery out of the bike in an optimal storage location, the e-bike itself is less or a worry to store, but there are a few things you can do to make sure your bike is ready to ride in the spring. Storing your bike in a warm, dry area is ideal. The bike can handle colder temperatures than the battery itself, but you should still leave the bike in an area that is dry and safe so the motor and electronics stay intact from harsh winter temperatures. Before storing the bike, it is a good idea to check the bike for any moisture adhered to the bike from your last ride. Water can induce rust and corrosion on its own, especially if stored in a cool area where evaporation may be hindered.

Winter Riding

For you brave souls who want to ride all year round, there are a few things you should do to reduce the amount wear and tear on the bike through the cold, snowy months. Official operating temperature of the Bosch e-bikes is 23-104°F (-5-40°C) so starting with a room temperature bike and battery will help everything stay functional. If you don't have then already, getting a set of full fenders will help prevent the amount of snow, slush, and salt spray. Not only will this keep you dry on your journey, but will help reduce the amount of water and salt buildup on steel components such as your chain and cassette. Although fender will help reduce the amount of salt and water spray, you still may get some on your shoes and ankles. It is a good idea to always ride with insulated, waterproof shoes for cycling to keep your feet dry and warm. A good pair of thermal cycling gloves is also a great idea for riding especially with the cold air as you fly down the road. With all the unpredictable ice found on Vermont's winter roads, swapping over to some studded tires may be something to think about. Studded tires are found in all ranges of sizes from your standard 700c road tires to 29 inch mountain tires, we have them all!