How to maintain your electric bike?

In many ways, the maintenance of an electric bicycle is similar to that of a conventional bicycle. Because apart from the motor and the battery, they work exactly the same way!

From cleaning to software updates to optimising your battery, here's everything you need to know about maintaining your bike.

Let's go!

Is the maintenance of an electric bike so different from a conventional bike?

An electric bicycle, like any other bicycle, needs regular maintenance regular maintenance.

Regular cleaning and maintenance will ensure a safe and smooth operation of your EAB, which will contribute to a longer life of the battery and the motor.

Our advice:

Every time you ride Keep your bike clean, the transmission well lubricated and the tires properly inflated.

On a regular basis Check the wear of the transmission elements (chain, sprockets, chainring), the cables and your brake pads. Also check the tightness of the various components of your bike.

In addition, there are some special features of electric bicycles:

• Take care of your battery to prolong its life.
• Have the bike's system updated.
• In case of a problem or error message, contact a bicycle dealer for diagnosis, never try to disassemble the motor or battery.

Some components, especially the transmission (cassette, chain and chainrings), are subject to greater forces than on a conventional bicycle. forces than on a conventional bicycle. This can lead to faster wear, so you will need to keep an eye on them if you ride a lot.

Let's see what you can do yourself to maintain your bike.

Cleaning your electric bicycle

Dirt and mud accelerate the wear of components, and when mixed with water and grease, can form a paste that makes the situation worse. 

Here are our tips for cleaning your electrically assisted bicycle:

Step 1: Rinse your bike with water to roughen it up and remove any accumulated dirt. Do not use a high-pressure jet because, although the components are watertight, water can still seep in at high pressure. Also, if you use too much pressure, you risk damaging the most fragile components.

Step 2: Clean the frame with a sponge and degreasing soap to remove stubborn dirt. For the transmission components, the use of a brush will facilitate the task.

Step 3: The chain should also be cleaned to remove excess grease and dirt. For effective cleaning, use a brush and a suitable degreasing cleaner. We recommend Muc-Off Bio Drivetrain Cleaner, which is harmless to your mechanics and to the environment!

To clean your chain easily :

• Coat your brush with degreaser.
• Raise the rear wheel.
• Place the bristles of the brush on the chain and pedal backwards.
• Then use a double brush or two toothbrushes to reach the top and bottom of the chain and pedal again.
• Wipe your chain with a dry cloth and let it dry.
• Finally, add a little lubricant. You are ready to go!

Chain cleaning in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk7JGv6wuyE

How often do we clean? 

• Every time you go out in the dirt if you are a fan of MTB or if you ride in difficult conditions (rain, salty road, ...). 
• Once or twice a month under normal conditions and depending on your use.

Take care of your battery!

In general, the battery of the ECV is the most expensive element to replace to replace (between 500 and 800€).

Although ageing is inevitable as it has a limited life span, you can slow down the deterioration process of your battery:

• Careful storage If you are not going to use your battery for several weeks or even months, it is recommended that you remove it from the bike and store it in a dark place at a temperature between 10 and 20°C. The cellar is the ideal place to store your battery until the warm weather returns!
• Shocks Batteries are sensitive to shocks and a fall from a height can damage it permanently. Be very careful when removing it from the bike! If your battery stops working after a fall, a diagnosis should be made.
• Discharge and recharge To increase the life of your battery, avoid leaving it fully charged or discharged for long periods. If you are not using the bike for a long period of time, remember to charge the battery as little as possible to prevent it from remaining flat for too long. According to the manufacturer BoschAccording to the manufacturer Bosch, a charge of 30-60% is ideal for long-term storage.

Good to know: The service life of your battery depends on the type of battery and the quality of its components. This is usually indicated by the manufacturer.

To give you an idea, here is a summary:

• lithium batteries 1000 cycles
• Nickel batteries 500 cycles
• lead-acid batteries : 300 cycles

And after the number of cycles indicated by the manufacturer? This number of cycles is given as an indication, it represents the number of charge cycles that your battery can undergo without seeing its autonomy (too) degraded. 

Once this number has been exceeded, you can continue to use your electric bicycle without replacing the battery if the autonomy remains sufficient for your use!

Updating your bike's software

Most e-bike manufacturers offer regular application updates.

Depending on the brand and system of your bike's motor, these firmware updates may help to increase torque, extend battery life or provide other useful upgrades.

You do not have to go to your dealer every time you update your software. Unless it is a major correction, you can consider that an annual update at the time of the revision is sufficient.

How much does it cost to maintain an electric bike?

If you need to hire a professional, here are the prices you can expect for the most common operations:

Benefits	Observed rates
Revision package	60 à 100 €
Puncture	30 €
Derailleur adjustment	15 €
Change of channel	15 €
Changing the pedals	20 à 25 €
Changing the cassette	20 à 25 €
Brake adjustment	20 €
Changing skates	20 €
Change of pads	20 €
Bleeding the hydraulic brakes	30 à 40 €
Wheel Unveiling	20 à 30 €
Battery/engine diagnosis	30 à 50 €
Change of connectors	25 €
Change of controller	35 €
Change of pedal sensor	25 €

These prices were established in June 2021 by the association UFC Que Choisir, they do not include the price of spare parts, only labour.

The average cost of updating the Bosch System is €25.

Good to know: An overhaul will cost you between €60 and €100, but it will check all the critical points of your bike! Here's what a good service should include:

• Adjustment of front and rear brakes and cable tension.
• Bleeding of both brakes (including oil)
• Checking of all tightenings
• Headset adjustment
• Unveiling of the wheels
• Pressure of tires and control of the general condition
• Lubricating your transmission
• Checking the wear of your transmission: chain, cassette, chainrings
• Adjustment of front and rear derailleurs. 

What you need to remember

• Give your bike some love by cleaning it regularly!
• Check the pressure of your tires regularly, do not drive under-inflated.
• Monitor the wear and tear of your bike's mechanical parts: chain, sprockets, cables, brakes, etc.
• Take care of your battery to extend its life.
• Do an annual check-up for software updates but also to assess the condition of your bike.

Have a good trip :).