E-BIKE CHECK
HOW TO GET YOUR E-BIKE READY FOR SUMMER
The first warm spring days are now behind us, so it’s high time to get your e-bike ready for summer. In this blog post, we’ll tell you what to look out for when carrying out a full check of your FIT e-bike.
The first e-bike ride of the new season is always something special. You have been waiting for this moment for months, and during the long, cold winter days you may have already planned a tour or two for the summer. So you want everything to be running smoothly by the time the first warm days finally arrive. To make sure you are well prepared for the first few laps on your elec-tric bike, we have put together a set of guidelines for the ideal spring check for your e-bike.
BASIC CARE
If an e-bike has been parked in a garage or cellar for months, it first needs a certain amount of basic care, just like any bicycle. Even though you may have cleaned your e-bike before you put it into storage in late autumn, after six months of just standing around, your bike will certainly welcome a thorough clean and care from you. Remove any coarse dirt with a bucket of water, brush and cloth. Specialist dealers now offer a wide range of care products for cleaning or pro-tecting your pedelec. Special products for e-bike care are now also available on the market. Please note: sensitive parts such as the motor, battery, battery contacts or display should not get wet. In such cases, we recommend cleaning with a soft cloth so as not to cause any dam-age.
SCREW CHECK
After a thorough cleaning, the next step is to check all screws. This is important because a bi-cycle is built from a variety of different components. If a screw does not fit properly, this can have serious consequences in a worst-case scenario. It is therefore advisable to check the screw connections – for example on the handlebars or seat post – for a tight fit and any rust. It is advisable to use a torque wrench for this work on sensitive components so that the tension recommended by the manufacturer can always be set exactly. You should also check the wheel spokes and adjust the tension using a spoke wrench if you have the appropriate know-how.
Please note:experience and basic mechanical skills are required for the maintenance of an e-bike. If you have a FIT e-bike, we therefore recommend that you have your spring e-bike check carried out at one of our FIT partners in a brick-and-mortar shop. You will find a list of our FIT e-bike partners here.
CHAIN & SPROCKET
The next step in e-bike maintenance is to check the chain and sprocket. First check whether the components are worn using a special gage that can indicate chain and sprocket wear. If the components are still working properly, they have to be thoroughly cleaned too. There is even special chain-cleaning equipment for chains, though a simple toothbrush is just as good. Then it’s time to grease the chain: we recommend using a high-quality chain grease to ensure opti-mum functionality and a maximum service life of the chain on your FIT e-bike.
Please note: different rules apply if the e-bike is driven by a belt instead of a chain. Although a belt is generally considered to be low-maintenance, it should still be checked. Clean it with wa-ter, for example, if it is dirty. The belt also has to be tensioned during initial assembly and after a ride of a few kilometers. The same applies after removing the rear wheel.
GEARS
Gears are directly linked to the chain and sprocket. It is therefore advisable to test the gear change after cleaning. The gear levers should be easy to operate and the gears themselves should work smoothly and should not jump. The tension of derailleur gears, for example, can adjusted using the screw on the gear lever from which the cable pull emerges. The gears can also be fine-tuned at the rear derailleur itself. Please note: we would once again like to draw your attention to the expertise of specialist dealers because it takes a lot of practice and experi-ence to adjust the speeds correctly.
TIRES
It goes without saying that the tires should be part of any e-bike spring check. After a longer period of storage, it is very likely that your tires will have lost some pressure and need to be pumped up. The correct pressure for the tire model that is fitted can be found on the sidewall of your tire. The manufacturers always specify the minimum and maximum values there, and the tire company websites often also contain tables to find the perfect tire pressure for the respec-tive system weight (rider plus e-bike). Check the tire tread for possible punctures before inflat-ing and check the tire wear. If the tire is too damaged, it is a good idea to fit a new tire.
By the way:you can easily check the tire pressure in real time via the FIT E-Bike Control app. The tire pressure sensors from FIT make it possible.
LIGHT
Light is more of topic in autumn and winter, but visibility and darkness can also pose problems in spring and summer. This applies in particular to S-pedelecs, which must always be ridden with the lights switched on. Accordingly, the lighting system should also be given a spring check. In the case of e-bikes with a battery-powered lighting system, the cables between the lighting unit and the battery should be checked in particular. Issues here include the possible penetration of moisture or rust. The same applies to lights that are powered by a dynamo. If the dynamo is defective, it must be replaced. On the other hand, things are a lot easier if your e-bike has battery-powered lights: these are very maintenance-friendly, so you may only have to replace or recharge the battery. If the lamp is broken, however, you have to replace it with a new one and get rid of the old one. Please note: due to the electronics and batteries, this is classified as hazardous waste that can only be disposed of at the appropriate locations.
Note: You can find the current regulations for daytime running lights in our blog post.
BRAKES
Checking the brakes is a little more complex. First and foremost, brakes should be easy to op-erate. Creep oil in the brake cables can help ease stiff brake cables. However, old brake cables have to be replaced. If this is the case, a specialist should be consulted because this work re-quires experience and know-how. Brakes should also grip evenly so that there is no disparity between the front and rear brake. The brake pads also require careful inspection. Notches in the brake pads of rim brakes indicate whether they still have sufficient material. If the notches are no longer visible, the brake pads must be replaced as soon as possible. You should also have your disc brakes checked regularly by an expert. Changing the pads is quite complicated, and hydraulic brake systems can also draw air and then have to be ventilated in the workshop.
BATTERY CARE
Now that we have completed the basic bicycle maintenance, it is time to focus on the special features of e-bikes. After all, the electronic components of your pedelec should also function smoothly in the coming months. Let’s start with the battery: it goes without saying that this should be fully charged before the first ride. This is all the more true as many manufacturers recommend that batteries should only be charged to half their capacity over winter (for example, FIT e-bike recommends a charging status of 20 to 80 % for a maximum service life). But that’s not all: a battery has to be clean if it is to work optimally. The contact points should thus be free of dirt. You can also grease them with terminal grease, for example. If you would also like to check the battery, please contact your FIT specialist dealer: Our partners have the appropriate FIT battery testers that show exactly how “fit” your battery is.
SYSTEM & SOFTWARE
It also makes sense to visit a specialist dealer to bring the FIT e-bike system and FIT e-bike software up to date. This is why our FIT dealers have the mobile FIT workshop trolley, for ex-ample: this combines all of the mechanical and digital tools in one place, enabling the dealer to connect the e-bike and check it in no time at all and to read out the necessary software and system information.
SPRING CHECK FOR FIT E-BIKES
1. Basic cleaning
2. E-bike care
3. Screws and connections
4. Chain and sprocket care
5. Gears
6. Tires
7. Lighting system
8. Brake system
9. Battery and motor
10. Software and system
21.05.2021