The 8 Most Important Electric Bike Tips You’ll Ever Read

Are you hungry for more fun and comfortable rides with electric bikes?

We’ll make that easy for you!

At HOVSCO, we pride ourselves on giving you the latest reports about ebikes, electric biking, and everything in between.

The following eight excellent tips about this game-changing innovation will equip you to perfection for your next FLYER e-bike trip.

1) Charging and Discharging Your E-Bike Battery

A battery is the only component separating an electric bike from a traditional bike. Being the most essential and expensive component in an electric bike, it’s worth knowing how to charge, recharge, and maintain it for optimal performance.

Here are six rules to keep your ebike battery in top shape:

Avoid a Long-Term Full or Empty Battery  

Take hunger as a scenario to understand the limit for charging and discharging your ebike's battery. It's a bad idea to wait until you are starving to eat. Similarly, do not fill up to the point of being unable to eat anymore.

Most manufacturers give a battery a warranty on the number of charge cycles. Therefore, to maximize your battery life, it’s better to avoid charging your battery to 100% (unless you are charging for the first time or don't need a full battery) and discharging it to 0%.

A full or empty battery wears out the hardest. So, try to keep its power between 30-80%.

Use the Correct Charger

You should avoid using quick chargers. According to nutritionists, eating slowly at a steady rate is recommended. In the same context, use chargers that charge your batteries at a constant rate (i.e., the one that comes with the battery) to avoid stressing them.

However, a quick step-charger is an exception. It speeds up on the first 50% but goes easy on the last 50%, which is the most essential.

Mind the Way You Charge

Most electric bikes offer on-the-bike charging, i.e., charging the battery while directly mounted to the bike. Even if that is true, it's an excellent practice sometimes to detach the battery from the bike. That way, you can inspect the connections and corrosion.

Make Use of a Light Timer

We are sure you may have more important things to do than sitting and watching your battery charge. A light indicator will pulse or flush red while the battery is charging and switch to green once the timer’s time elapses or the battery reaches full charge. Please make use of it!

Do Not Store in Extreme Temperatures

Anything above 85°F or below 45°F is considered extreme and not healthy for the battery chemistry. Therefore, it's crucial to secure your bike in a cold, dry environment that will not exceed its room temperature in the presence of direct sunlight.

Don’t Get Used to Full Throttle and Pedal-Assist Modes

You will probably get a little more out of the battery if you occasionally ride on eco mode. Pedal-assist and throttle modes will put more load on the battery, limiting its range.

2) Plan for Punctures

Electric bikes are artificial, so expect them to develop multiple punctures and wear out with continual use.

But what will you do when your bike components stop operating as designed?

It would be best if you trained some standard bike troubleshooting and repair tips, i.e., fixing flat tires, broken chains, brake pads, and derailleurs. You should also know how to inspect wiring and connections, disconnect the motor, check the tire pressure, and more.

And don’t forget to carry bike repair tools. Even though you hope you won't use them, it's still wise to have them with you for precaution.

3) Cornering, Turning, and Braking

Braking, cornering, and turning with an e-bike are a matter of practice. These tips may help!

• Do not scrap your pedals when cornering and entering/leaving turns to keep your pedals in the correct position, i.e., the pedal on the inside of the turn at noon while the other at the six o'clock position.
• Brake early, lightly and evenly to avoid premature wear to your e-bike brake pads. If you have to brake harder, do so at the front but be gentle on the rear brakes.

4) Make Time for Maintenance

There is a thin line between the maintenance of an electric bike and that of a conventional bicycle. However, because an ebike is heavier, stronger and more complex, some components, like the drivetrain, are susceptible to greater forces and increased wear.

To maintain your electric bike's smooth, safe, and efficient running, you must take care of it. Therefore, you are bound to have a few more maintenance considerations, for instance,

• Regularly check the tires to ensure they are correctly inflated
• Make a habit of checking the brakes
• Keep an eye on your motor system
• Regularly inspect, clean, and lube your chain
• Recharge your battery whenever you have the chance to avoid depleting its cells.

5) Follow Road Rules

COVID-19 made us realize that no one is safe until everyone is safe.

The same concept applies to all vehicles, whether electric or traditional. Everyone on the steering wheel needs a great deal of safety knowledge and precaution.

Therefore, always ensure you're wearing the proper safety gear, complying with the electric bike laws and regulations, and following road rules at all times.

It would also help if you stick to the secondary side of the lane and ride in a manner that neither puts you nor the people around you at risk.

6) Lock Your Electric Bike

There’s one rule we have been living by here at HOVSCO: the harder you make it for a thief to access your property, the less likely they’ll steal it. So, security starts with you.

Electric bikes are expensive —the cost of replacing their battery, motor, and any other significant component may run you bankrupt in a blink.

So, be aware of your surroundings, and learn how to secure your electric bike from thieves.

7) Lowering Your Center of Gravity 

The further you go above or below the earth's surface, the more the centre of gravity (COG) weakens. And since an object’s stability depends on its COG position, a lower COG equals better balance.

If you are fond of standing up, leaning, or turning when bicycling, please note that you are damaging your bike’s range, stability, and controllability.

How?

By shifting your ebike’s COG from its normal low position, your bike, its battery, and the motor will struggle to maintain its stability, improve controllability, and propel the vehicle forward.

Therefore, always choose an ebike that can support your weight, and you can enjoy your rides while seated. Besides, mount your load at the back of the bike, behind your seat, to lower your bike's COG.

8) Be Conscious of the Weather

Most electric bicycles are designed to function optimally in hot weather. The best performance of lithium-ion batteries, which are employed in most ebikes, is between 60-80°F (15.5-26.6°C). Below 40°F (4.4°C) or above 115°F (46°C), the battery performance begins to degrade.

This write-up summarizes five salient points to consider for comfortable cruising during summer. You can also use the suggestions in this guide during the rainy or snowy seasons.