I have been riding an e-bike for almost a year now. I have always been passionate about biking but ever since I got my new bike, it was like I was on cloud nine.
I was never happier in my life. But still, there were some things that I noticed over time that wasn’t as smooth as they should have been.
I have been through some ugly experiences and some a little funny. However, one thing was sure, there was something that I wasn’t doing right with my ebike. So, I did a little research and concluded that there were some mistakes I was making with my ebike.
I took my time and listed all of the mistakes so other riders like me could benefit too.
Here’s my list of the mistakes I made with my e-bike:
Read the list and find out which of these mistakes are you also making! Some of these are utterly funny and some are downright stupid, but trust me, we all make them unconsciously.
And only knowing them and identifying them can help us have a better biking experience.
So, let’s go and check out my list.
Not choosing the right mode:
Choose the mode of the ride with extreme caution as everything depends on it. The battery power will drain almost instantaneously if you choose turbo or boost.
So, you got to stay away from that. The best choice for you to make is to pick Eco mode as it sustains the battery for a longer period of time.
You can also switch to Trail, but personally I feel like Eco is the best choice you can make
Make frequent use of gears:
This is the thing that I cannot emphasize enough. Making frequent use of the gear will not only help you have a happy bike experience but also keep your bike happy and healthy and working in all the right ways.
Spraying the disc brakes is a big no!
When spraying the chains for lubrication be extra careful as to not spray the disc brakes along with it.
The lubrication can straight ahead damage the disc brakes and we don’t want that.
A little extra care might help you in the long run. Drip lubricants are an excellent way to take care of this instead of using the spray lubricants.
Keep your stomach full of water and food:
A healthy rider is a happy rider. Riding an e-bike is no fun if you’re dehydrated or if you’re having hunger pangs.
So, keep a calorie bar with you at all times. And even more than one if you have a high metabolism. Keep your water bottles to the fullest at all times, so that you’ll feel energized throughout the ride and can actually enjoy the experience.
The empty battery is a downer:
Take an extra battery along with you if you’re going for a really long ride. Trust me, the weight will be worth the ease.
Apart from this, make it your habit of always charging the battery after every ride and a few hours before you start a ride. That way you can avoid the drained battery mishaps.
Tyre pressure is important:
Though you may not feel like it at first, the pressure inside the tire has to vary according to the weather and riding conditions.
If there is less tire air-pressure in a dry land ride, your batteries are just going to drain. So, keep your tire pressure always in check.
Don’t take stupid challenges to turn your bike upside down – like me:
This summer I was out with my friends and we were partying and enjoying when one of my friends told me that I couldn’t lift my bike upside down because I was too weak for it.
Unfortunately, I took it as a challenge, and to prove my self-worth I picked up the bike and turned it upside down and then above my shoulders.
To cut the long story short, my controls on the handlebars didn’t work so well afterward.
So, another advice is, just don’t turn the bike upside down as it can cause damage to the controls on the handlebars.
Bike maintenance – a priority:
A lot of us people are so excited about riding that we often neglect the care that our bike needs.
This is the thing that I learned over time. That in order to have happy biking experience, you need to have a happy bike too. engage in proper maintenance sessions/ lookout for what your bike needs.
Keep an eye for any rusty or worn-out materials and you’re good to go.
Never over tight your nuts:
don’t be too hard when tightening the nuts and bolts. For your information, most of the components of the e-bike will have a torque guide with them to avoid overtightening them.
Just follow the clues and you’ll know when to stop. And frankly its always good to have a little flexibility in the joints and bolts.
It will basically just reduce the risk of snapping them during movement.
Neglecting your batteries:
This is another mistake that exited riders tend to make. Often after a heavy and strenuous riding session, when we get home, we just immediately get into the shower and then on our beds to rest.
What we forget is that our bikes also need some refreshing of their own.
It has been said that the batteries work their most optimal performance when they are charged at about seventy percent at all times. So, after a ride when you return home, charge your batteries when you charge yourself.
Bottom line, keep your batteries up to 70 percent at all times and unplug when working on the motor or drivetrain:
Sensor alignment:
Don’t make the most common mistake of not paying enough attention to the sensor alignments when starting a ride.
The sensor basically tells the motor how much assistance is needed. So always keep your sensors in check, keep them cleaned, tightened and aligned to avoid slipping and losing them.
Don’t be too hard on yourself or the bike:
Whatever you do, just remember that your bike is also just a machine. Though you may love it like your own baby, it’s still a machine and it’s bound to have technical or other malfunctions from time to time.
Just don’t lose your calm and work your way through the issue. Always remember to not go hard on yourself or the bike, you both are doing just fine!
So, here’s my list of the 12 mistakes that I have been making with my ebike this year.
Knowing and learning from these mistakes overall improved my biking experience. I can now ride with more fun and more perfection. They say practice makes you perfect and it is tur in every sense.
Every day that I spend with my e-bike brings me a little closer to being a perfect wider with a perfect bike.
I hope you all enjoyed reading my list and I hope that you learned from it for the better. Share your biking experiences with me and let me know any similar or other mistakes that you have been making too!