Now that cold weather is here to stay, you may wonder about storage solutions for your e-bike. We’ve got you covered with these winter storage tips for your electric bicycle, looking over everything from partially charging your battery to keeping your bike in a dry location.
Clean the Bike Before Storing
A thorough cleaning is essential before you put your bike away at any time of the year. If you’ve ridden through snowy roads, your bike has likely collected quite a lot of salt and water. This combination is a recipe for corrosion on the metal parts of your bike, and there are lots of those! Wipe down the frame with a damp cloth and ensure you dry everything, including the chain and gear components.
Also, make sure to lube the chain with a bike-specific lubricant to keep the rust away for the winter. If you’re planning to store your bicycle in an outdoor shed, you may want to consider acquiring a rust preventative to protect any exposed metal. Keeping your bike stored in a dry place is a crucial part of safe storage—if your shed leaks, keep the bike out of there.
Partially Charge Your Battery
The ideal storage charge for a battery is between 40 and 80 percent. If your battery comes equipped with a storage setting, perfect! Flip the switch and you’re all set. You should take care to avoid storing a flat battery, as it may not charge up when the frost thaws.
You may think you should leave your battery on the charger for the winter—don’t attempt this! Storing a battery at 100 percent will reduce your battery’s life, and no one wants to pay for a new battery if they don’t need to.
It’s a good idea to check your battery every few weeks to make sure it hasn’t dropped below 40 percent—if it has, charge it up so it’s between 40 and 80 percent again.
Can You Ride During the Winter?
Before you set your mind to storage, you may want to know that electric bicycles are completely ridable during the winter months! With a little TLC after trips and an upgrade to winter tires, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your electric bicycle year-round.
Now that you know these winter storage tips for your electric bicycle, keep your bike safe and sound so you can enjoy it whenever you need it.