How and when to service your electric bike? Key elements to ensure long life

Have you invested in an electric bike? tires Whether it's the brakes, the battery or the transmission of the electric system: after accompanying you on all your journeys, your road companion needs a complete overhaul!

Find out at Upway how and when to service your electric-assist bike, to ensure its longevity and your safety on board.

To keep your Electrically Assisted Bicycle (EAB) in good condition and ensure that your investment pays for itself, regular servicing is essential.

Unlike those of a car, which are protected by the bodywork, the mechanical parts of an electric bike are exposed to the outside environment and the elements. The tires, brake pads and spokes are particularly exposed to mud, leaves and rain, all of which can cause corrosion and foul your bike's mechanics.

In addition, your EAB's battery needs regular updating, and a mechanic should check that the motor is properly tightened.

To ensure the longest possible life for your VAE, it's a good idea to have it serviced once a year, preferably when the warm weather returns.

The expert will make sure that battery and system updates are carried out, and will visually check all the components of your electric bike to detect any faults and replace defective parts.

Like a conventional bike, and whatever the type of electric bike, servicing an EAB requires a few key steps.

First, the repair workshop inspects your VAE's battery. This is a sensitive component:

• For storage, store in a dark place;
• temperatures, store it in a room at 20°C and do not use your VAE below -10°C and above 50°C ;
• If you fall, be sure to have the battery inspected.

During the overhaul of your EAB, the repair expert checks the transmission and examines the wear of the teeth, sprockets, chainrings, derailleur pulleys and gear shifting.

He also ensures that no cable is frayed at the derailleur fixing nut, and that the chain does not exceed 1% stretch.

The repair shop ensures that the tires are in good condition and checks :

• the state of wear of tires, are there any grooves left to drain off rainwater? ;
• Are the sidewalls damaged with the inner tube visible?
• the general appearance of tires, are they cracked, fissured or torn? ;
• inflating tires
  
  

Once tires has been inspected, it's time to check the wheels. The wheels must be checked for warping, cracks in the rims and bent or loose spokes. The workshop also checks spoke tension and wheel centering on the frame and fork.

Brake cable condition, brake pads, pad wear, lever stroke or contact point: because brakes are a major safety component of your EAB, careful inspection is a must.

If your bike is fitted with hydraulic brakes, they should be bled once a year. For disc brakes, the mechanic will check the pads and change them if the lining is less than 1 mm.

The mechanic will also check that the handlebars and stem are properly tightened.

After visual checks and any repairs, the sprocket teeth, derailleurs and chain need to be cleaned. The mechanic will then lubricate the brake and derailleur housings to ensure smooth braking and gear shifting, and the chain to protect your EAB from corrosion.

Before handing over your electric bike, the workshop ensures that all accessories and safety equipment, such as the front and rearelectric bike lights and the bell, are in good condition.

You can also ask to have your electric bicycle helmet checked to ensure that the polystyrene foam has not been impacted, cracked or deformed, which could cause it to lose its shock-absorbing properties.

On average, the cost of servicing an electric bike is between €60 and €100, plus additional costs for repairs.

Don't hesitate to ask for a courtesy bike in the workshop for longer repairs.

To encourage people to use soft mobility, the government is providing financial support for employees in the private sector and public sector for their home-to-work journeys, with the Forfait Mobilités Durables (FMD).

This package, worth between €100 and €300 a year,can be used to finance the purchase of an electric bike, as well as for maintenance and repairs.

Would you like to sell your bike without having to have it serviced? Upway offers a trade-in service online and in our partner stores. We buy back bikes from private individuals and professionals for reconditioning.

At our take-back service, electric bikes undergo a complete overhaul and a rigorous 20-point inspection, and are then repaired if necessary by our professional mechanics. From adjusting the brakes, checking the motor and rear derailleur, checking the brake pads and headset, to updating the battery: more than just a quick check-up, our overhaul workshop guarantees you a complete inspection!

You now have all the keys you need to ensure the longevity of your electric bike: enjoy your service!