For many people, buying an ebike is the first time they have been back on a bicycle since childhood. Where, when they were young and fit, it was easy to maintain the bicycle they had, now they may have either forgotten how, be unwilling to re-learn, or just prefer the maintenance to be done by someone else. This is the main reason you should have your local electric bicycle shop service your ebike.
There may be a dozen explanations why you bought an ebike; for pleasure, for commuting, for fresh air and exercise, or whatever other reason you felt the need to own an ebike for. No doubt, you are glad you made the leap and bought the ebike, but there are some responsibilities involved in owning an ebike, and one of the most important is ensuring it is safe to ride and serviced regularly to keep it that way.
Having your ebike serviced at your local electric bicycle shop will ensure it will remain safe to use. They have all the tools and equipment at hand for any job required, and their expertise and knowledge, gives them the foresight to spot any developing faults early enough to rectify, before a complete failure occurs, and the additional expense this would cost down the road.
How Often Do I Need to Service an Ebike?
An ebike is a machine, a slightly more complicated machine than a conventional bicycle, but a machine all the same. And machines, with various moving parts, tend to have the need of lubrication and adjustment as some parts wear, and weather impacts the free movement of other parts.
There is no doubt you derive a great deal of fun and pleasure from your ebike, and to prolong the joy you receive every time you take the ebike out, you should reward it with a regular service. This will not only keep you safe, but ensure your ebike will have a prolonged life and give you joy for years to come.
Generally, a basic service should be done twice a year, preferably going into summer and winter as there are specific lubricants best suited for hot or cold weather. This, of course, depends on the climate where you live, and on how much you ride the ebike. If your mileage is extensive, you may need to have check-ups more often, and if less, then perhaps annually would do, especially if you store your ebike up for the winter months. You can discuss with your local ebike shop what kind of service intervals would best suit your particular use and mileage.
What Does a Service Entail?
On a general service, an ebike shop will inspect the brakes, the chain and derailleurs, and the wheels including the hubs, the rims, the spokes, and the tires. Suspension, if your ebike has such will be checked. Worn parts, e.g., brake pads or tires, may be replaced, or you may be given a warning that particular parts may need replacement sooner rather than later, i.e., before the next service would be due. Parts that need cleaned and lubricated will attended to, and any loose nuts or cables will be tightened or adjusted to manufacturer specifications.
On the electric side, the battery and motor will be checked, and all switches and controls. This may depend on manufacturer recommendations for your particular model, but the ebike will be given a test to ensure all the electric systems and parts work as they should do, and any faults or errors will be flagged up for attention.
How Much Will a Service Cost?
If you are on a tight budget, you may worry about how much a service will cost you. Bear in mind that you can call the local ebike shop and ask for a quote before you decide to entrust your ebike to them. If the quote sounds high, then ask for some quotes from other shops nearby. You will soon discover if one particular shop is overcharging, though in reality, this will be rare, most local shops are glad of your business and want it to continue long term. They know if they fleece you, you will never return, or give them any recommendation to any of your family or friends.
In reality, the service should not cost that much. Even if you have the tightest of budgets, the peace of mind you will have after your ebike is serviced is well worth it.
See also: Ebike Cleaning and Maintenance
And: Ebike Battery Care and Maintenance
Keep the Service Costs Down
By doing some simple maintenance at home, you may keep the actual service cost down. For example, if your ebike is clean when you take it to the shop, it means the staff can get to work on your ebike right away, without having to waste time cleaning the mud off various parts before they can begin the process of the service.
Some light home maintenance is something anyone can do, and you may spot faults developing sooner, and therefore save money down the road, as a small fault can develop into an expensive fault if missed or ignored, instead of being dealt with right away.
Keeping your ebike clean is important. Dirt and mud can increase wear and disguise developing faults. Mud can infiltrate and corrode moving parts, especially parts open to the elements like the chain and derailleur.
Cleaning your ebike, and parts like the chain and derailleur, and lubricating with oil, will not only make your ebike smoother to operate and a pleasure to ride, it will also keep the ebike in tip-top condition for longer between services.
It is also good practice to give your tires and brakes a quick check before each excursion. Check the tire pressures and tread, and apply the brakes to ensure they work as intended. This takes seconds, and noticing tire tread wear or brake pad wear, will give you an idea what parts should be replaced at the next service, and give you time to factor in the cost of the replacement parts.
Build Up a Rapport with Your Ebike Engineer
The staff at your local ebike shop will be friendly and amenable. They want your business, and they want you to come back time after time. They want you to recommend them to others, so they will want to build up a rapport with you. You should be friendly and amenable in return, for this is a win-win situation for you.
Get to know who on the staff services your ebike. After all, apart from yourself, they are the one person in the world that probably knows your ebike as much as you. And they are an expert. If you need advice on anything ebike related, they are probably the best person you can go to, and they will be more than willing to impart any advice they can give for free.
12 Dec 2021