eBike Battery Cover: 3 Ways On How To Protect Them
Taking good care of your battery will significantly increase the lifespan of your battery. A well maintained lithium battery will last up to five years, whereas a poorly maintained battery can be badly damaged over just one winter! This is why our team at Rize Bikes have taken it upon ourselves to share some tips with you. You will learn 3 ways on how to use an ebike battery cover to protect your battery!
Ways To Boost Your eBike Battery Life
Here are crucial tips to boost the life of your battery:
Keep your battery indoors during extreme weather. Battery cells don’t like to be exposed in extreme temperature for extended period. Storing your bike in the garage or in a shed is not a problem, as long as it’s a cool place. But when temperatures are dropping or elevating, bring the battery indoors. Keeping it at an ambient temperature will maintain your battery life. Avoid rooms where moisture can infiltrate the battery case (like the kitchen for instance). Feel free to read our article on how to increase the ebike battery life as well for more info. 2. Storing your battery for a few months. If you’re not using your electric bike for a long time, storing the battery completely flat may cause irreversible damages to the cells. Usually it’s best to leave your battery at a charging level of 50% to 80%. A lithium-ion battery will slowly discharge over time, even when you’re not using it. So check your battery every one or two months, and if the level goes below 20% just charge it up again to 50% – 80%. That helps keep all the electrons flowing through the system and does the best to maximize the life of your battery. 3. Do not leave the battery plugged to the charger, as it just puts the battery under more pressure. If you end up charging your battery to 100% (the green light on the charging unit comes on), go for a short ride to discharge it partially before storing the battery. If you don’t have a battery indicator, it’s probably a good idea to charge the battery for about an hour every few months. Following these rules will get the most out of your battery. Remember, your battery is the single most expensive component of your electric bicycle.
FAQs
Should I cover my ebike battery? Yes, you should cover and protect your eBike battery to ensure its longevity and safety. You can store it properly during winter by removing it from the eBike and storing it in a cool and dry place, while also u How can I protect my ebike battery? You can store it properly during winter by removing it from the eBike and storing it in a cool and dry place. How do I store my e-bike battery over the winter?
To store your e-bike battery over the winter, remove it from your e-bike and store it in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight, extreme temperatures, and moisture.
We also recommend you to charge it up to just around the 50-60% level before storing it. Check the charge level periodically throughout the winter months.
How do I protect my ebike battery from being stolen? You can lock up your ebike or install a GPS tracker to prevent theft. The last thing you want happen is for your fat tire electric bike to get stolen. so, always make sure it’s secured!
Final Thoughts on Needing An eBike Battery Cover
Investing in an eBike battery cover is a wise decision for any eBike rider. Not only does it protect your battery from weather conditions and potential damage, but it can also prevent theft and extend the life of your battery. By choosing a durable and reliable cover, you can ensure your eBike battery stays safe and secure, even during long periods of storage. In any case, an eBike battery cover is a small investment that can make a big difference in the performance and lifespan of your eBike battery. With a range of options available, you can choose the best cover to suit your needs and preferences. Still having doubts before getting an ebike in Canada? Feel free to contact our customer service to go over any of your concerns!
Putting your ebike away properly can prevent damage
Photo by: Trek
Electric bikes are just like regular bikes, but with some extra parts. That means taking care of electric bikes and, for Canadians in cold weather climates (uh, almost all of us), is just like getting a regular bike ready for winter storage but with some extra steps.
With ebikes, though, a couple of these steps are very important. Not properly storing your ebike over the cold winter months could actually cause serious damage.
Here are the basic steps to get your ebike or eMTB ready for winter storage.
1) Clean your bike
This is the first step in getting any bike ready for winter storage, and it applies to ebikes, too. Letting a bike sit dirty for months at a time can cause damage to the frame, drivetrain and other bearings. The cleaner you put your bike away, the easier it is to get it ready to ride in the spring.
2) Battery charging
When you’re riding your ebike regularly, you probably want to have it charged up and ready to go. But, when you’re planning to store it for months at a time, the rules are different. Ideally, you want to store your battery at around 60 per cent charged (anywhere between 40-60 per cent is good). Leaving a battery fully charged for months causes stress on the battery cells. Leaving a battery to sit empty for months could lead to a flat battery that might not revive come spring. That is an expensive fix, if it is fixable.
Put your battery away with a 60 per cent charge. Then, if possible, check every month or so to make sure it’s still holding a good level of charge.
3) Don’t leave your bike plugged into a charger.
Do not leave your bike or battery plugged into its charger for long periods of time. Not only is it bad for the battery to store fully charged for long periods of time, it could also be a fire hazard.
4) Store in a warm dry place
Where you store your bike and battery matters. A warm (above freezing, up to room temperature) place is ideal. For Canadians with cold garages, that means it could be a good idea to bring the bike, or at least the battery (if it is removable) indoors for the winter.
Most ebikes are relatively weather proof, but leaving them stored in a damp location all winter still isn’t a good idea. Especially if there’s any chance that resulting condenstaion could freeze on the bike.
5) Store your bike right side up or vertical.
Most ebikes, whether commuter, road or eMTB, use hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic systems do not love being stored upside down. Vertical isn’t great either, but if it is the only option, it’s better than upside down. No matter how you store your bike it’s a good idea to check if the brakes are working when spring arrives, before you hop on and ride.
6) Dropper posts up
This is mostly for the eMTB crowd, but any bike with a dropper post should be stored with the seat post at full extension. Storing it with the seat post at full compression for long periods of time is not good for the system.
The Ultimate Guide to Riding Storing Your E-Bike in the Winter
Oh, the weather outside is frightful! For those of us living in colder climates, that means it’s time to decide if you should store or winterize your electric bike. For those that decide to brave the weather and elements, it’s important to know some basic winter riding safety tips and ensure your e-bike is properly cared for. If you’re more of a fair weather riding enthusiast thinking about giving your e-bike a little winter rest, be aware that the way you store your electric bike will affect its performance when Spring arrives. Here are some basic and simple steps to protect both you and your ride this winter.
Winter Warriors. Cold Weather Safety Tips:
Let’s get this out of the way… YES, you can ride your e-bike in the winter. Just be aware that winter riding in certain conditions (extreme cold, snow, etc.) will require a bit of extra maintenance, protection, and care.
Battery Smarts for Riding:
Cold weather plays a factor in how you should charge your battery. If it’s cold outside the battery needs to get to room temperature before charging, never immediately charge right after a ride. Freezing temps can reduce your riding range as well so do not expect the same mileage that you typically get in other seasons. There’s a few ways to combat this like storing your battery inside when it’s not in use. Another way is to add the new Juiced battery cover and bag. This accessory can help keep your battery’s performance up and gives you added protection against the elements.
Prep Your Ride:
Before you set out on a ride this winter, you want to be sure your e-bike is prepared! Change your tires to studded models for hard-packed snow and ice or fat knobby tires for softer snow. You may even want to heat-shrink your cable connections and LCD screen for extra protection from rain and snow.
Are You Road Ready?:
Riding in the winter is NOT like riding during other seasons. When you go out on your first winter ride, it’s essential to start off slow and acknowledge your experience level. Newbies should take a test ride without the motor on at first, just to get a feel for the terrain. No matter what, drive more slowly than you would in the summer and always give yourself more time for braking. You never know when you may hit a patch of black ice! After each ride, you’ll want to clean the salt, water, and gravel off of the bike with a clean, dry towel.
Remember Winter days get dark earlier. Make sure your headlight, rear light, and helmet light are on while you’re riding. It’s also important to wear reflective clothing and add reflective decals to your model. You want to make yourself as visible as possible to all forms of traffic!
Storage Kings. Smart Tips for Winter E-Bike Storage:
If you’re uncomfortable riding in extreme weather or severe winter conditions, you’re probably thinking about storing your e-bike for the next 2-3 months.Take time to refresh yourself on these storage tips if you’re deciding to store your e-bike for Winter.
Battery Smarts for Storage:
It’s essential to store your battery inside and at the correct charge level to help maintain the life of your battery. Ideally, you want to keep your charge at about 50% capacity when storing. Now, the battery will self-discharge over time. so if you’re not riding for two months or more, be sure to check the charge every so often and charge back up to 50% when needed.
Winter Cleaning:
It’s crucial to store your battery correctly and your e-bike! Store your bike in a dry, clean, and temperate area. Messy garages cause many household accidents. So if it’s a concern, it may be time for some seasonal cleaning, or if you have the space, just bring your bike inside for the winter.
If your garage is cold or damp, definitely store the battery, if not the whole bike inside. Most electric bikes have water-resistant batteries, but condensation and changing temperatures can affect many electrical and mechanical components on the bike.
Whether you are storing your e-bike or riding this winter, these tips will help you take the best care of your e-bike. Looking to deck out your ride for winter? Check out our accessories collection to find the best winter riding accessories like new mirrors, road-side tools, or our battery cover.
The Complete Guide to E-Bike Batteries: Care, Maintenance, and Storage
At the risk of being obvious: an e-bike without a battery is just a bike. But that said, not just any battery will do.
An e-bike battery is responsible for how much power can be delivered to your motor, translating into how much assistance your e-bike gives you on rides. It’s also among the most expensive single components of a bike, with high-quality replacements typically costing several hundred dollars. Because of this, learning about e-bike batteries is critical to getting the most out of your e-bike experience — and the most bang for your buck.
Here’s what we’re about to go over:
How Does An Electric Bicycle Battery Work?
The battery stores all the electrical energy that will eventually be sent to your motor. E-Bike motors don’t have any energy of their own, so the battery is what makes the whole electrical system possible.
E-bike batteries have to be powerful enough to support the motor throughout a typical ride. While you do need to charge your battery regularly, a quality e-bike battery shouldn’t interrupt your commute or sightseeing tour by powering down before your ride is over.
Magnum E-Bike batteries are made of a series of advanced lithium-ion cells. Each cell is like a mini battery; they join together with the other cells to create a battery powerful and long-lasting enough to take you where you need to go.
Volts, Amp-Hours, and Watt-Hours: What Do They Mean?
Voltage refers to the potential power of a battery. For example, a 48V battery is more powerful than a 36V one. Technically speaking, voltage measures the pressure that allows electrons to flow. Similar to water pressure from a hose, the higher the pressure, the more powerful it is.
On an e-bike, the voltage of the battery and motor have to be compatible. Using a battery with a lower voltage than the motor can handle is a waste of potential motor power. Conversely, using a battery with more voltage than the motor can use may cause damage to the motor.
For similar reasons, your battery’s charger needs to be rated at the same voltage as the battery.
If voltage is like water pressure in a hose, amperage is the amount of water flowing. Amp-hours (Ah) refers to how much energy a battery can provide in one hour. So the more amp-hours there are, the longer a battery can keep the motor running. E-Bike batteries typically have between 8Ah and 15Ah.
To combine these two metrics into one simple number, batteries are often rated using a single metric called watt-hours (Wh). Watt-hours are calculated by multiplying voltage by amp hours. For example, a 48V 15Ah battery would have 720Wh (4815 = 720).
It follows that a 36V 20Ah battery would also have 720Wh — but the similarities between those two batteries could end there. To get all the details of what makes a battery the right choice for your e-bike, you need to look deeper.
Qualities Of The Best E-Bike Batteries
There are many e-bike battery makers out there! So what’s the difference between a high-quality battery that will help you ride farther and a cheap battery that just doesn’t perform?
Optimal Materials
Not long ago, most batteries were made from heavy, inefficient, and unsustainable materials like lead-acid or nickel-cadmium. At Magnum, we use the latest lithium nickel cobalt manganese (Li-ncm) battery technology.
Battery Management System (BMS)
The battery management system in each Magnum E-Bike battery controls the individual performance of each battery cell. BMS makes sure that each smaller cell drains, charges, and works the same as others. Without an effective BMS, e-bike batteries would be inconsistent, failing to deliver predictable power to the motor.
Like any hardware, batteries become worn over time. BMS helps extend battery lifespan by avoiding the main causes of battery deterioration: overcharging and excessive depletion. Cells that overcharge get fried and lose performance. Similarly, when batteries drain too much energy and can’t properly recover it, they start to fail. BMS regulates charging and energy deployment across every individual cell, helping the overall battery to perform better and for longer.
Battery Cycle Lives And Long-Range Performance
The number of times you can charge and deplete (discharge) the battery completely before it starts to lose capacity is called its cycle life. It’s normal for batteries to lose performance over time, but higher-quality and better-made batteries have larger capacity and longer range, resulting in increased cycle lives.
Higher-quality batteries typically have a larger capacity and longer range compared to cheaper models. But it’s difficult to produce batteries with high amp-hours and watt-hours that still fit into the slim packaging necessary for a balanced, aerodynamic e-bike.
It’s important to note that batteries continue to function even after they start to lose some efficiency. When batteries have surpassed their cycle life, you may notice your ride range decreasing, needing a charge after fewer miles.
At Magnum Bikes, the cycle life of our advanced Lithium-NCM battery is 700 cycles. Once our batteries have powered riders through 700 charges and discharges, our battery still performs at around 80% of its original level. With proper care, you can typically get 800-1000 charge cycles out of your Magnum battery — roughly two to five years, depending on how frequently and how far you ride.
Best Tips To Maintain Your E-Bike Battery
As the most expensive part to replace on your e-bike, it’s worthwhile to take the extra time and effort to keep your battery in good health. For that reason, even seemingly obvious tips bear repeating.
Follow these recommendations to get the best performance and life out of your e-bike battery.
- Charge the battery before it gets to 30% life. Batteries are at their healthiest when they stay at or above a 30% charge level. When you’re out on a ride, watch your battery’s charge level. It’s shown on your e-bike’s display monitor. When you get down to 20% or even 10% battery, you’re at risk of losing power before you get back to your charging station. Not only does that put you at risk of unassisted pedaling for a long or hilly journey back home, but it also puts unnecessary strain on the battery. Over time, this speeds up the natural process of deterioration. If you go for extended rides, it may just be a fact of life that you’ll drop into the low battery levels. Don’t sweat it — just know that your battery will last a bit longer if it stays topped off.
- Don’t charge or use the battery on the bike while it’s hot. Batteries can get hot for a number of reasons. On really warm days, the outside temperature can cause a battery to overheat. Climbing steep terrain can cause the motor to get hot — and potentially the battery, too. Another cause of a hot battery is using a charger with a higher voltage than the battery. But whatever the reason, your response to a hot battery should always be the same: let it cool down before continuing use or charging.
- Don’t charge immediately after use. Even if your battery doesn’t feel hot, let it rest when you get home after a ride. You won’t have to wait long — batteries recover from use very quickly. You can use the time to hang up your helmet, remove your shoes, and maybe even give the bike a quick clean or tune-up. In less than 5 minutes, you can charge your battery to get ready for your next ride.
- Don’t use it immediately after charging. Are you seeing a pattern? When it comes to e-bike battery care, patience is a virtue! If you’re leaving on a ride right away, unplug the charger for just a few minutes before you head out. This valuable reset gives your battery time to prepare to transfer energy to the motor on your ride.
- Unplug the battery when fully charged. When your battery has reached 80% to 100% charge, go ahead and unplug the charger. Don’t worry; your battery will hold the charge until your next ride! This is important because while you can’t actually overfill your battery with power, you can strain the battery by continuing to charge it after it’s full.
- Keep your battery at the right temperature. When you’re not riding, store the battery around room temperature: 68°F/20°C or slightly lower. Feel free to store your bike in a weatherproof garage or shed, protected from the elements — but if the temps dip much higher or lower than 68°F/20°C, take the battery indoors.
- Don’t get your battery wet. This is true of any battery, really! Your battery has a sealed, waterproof protective cover that keeps it protected from the rain while you ride. Where you need to be careful is in cleaning and storing your bike and its battery. You might look to a pressure washer to get dirt and grime off your bike quickly, but the intense jet of water can get past the seals, damaging the inside of the battery. And when you aren’t riding your e-bike, store it inside. Excessive and continuous exposure to rain and snow can compromise the waterproof housing over time.
- Travel safe. Whether you’re traveling with your e-bike on a car rack or in a bike box for shipment, be sure to remove the battery beforehand. This protects it from damage or accidental loss. Remember that you also need to protect that battery from rain and snow! So removing it before putting your bike on a car rack is the best way to keep your battery dry while you travel.
- Know what to expect for winter performance. In addition to protecting your battery from snow and excessive cold, be aware that e-bike batteries are less efficient in the cold. This means they may deliver a reduced mileage range in extremely cold temps. Try to shorten your rides, or at least ensure that you’re able to charge your battery frequently for extended rides. But don’t worry; the performance will bounce back when warmer temperatures return.
- Always use the right charger. Your e-bike comes with a charger made specifically for that model; use it! It’s critical for battery health that the charger and battery are compatible and work with the same voltages. Otherwise, at best you’ll see extended charge times — and at worst, you can fry the battery.
Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Battery
Even with impeccable care, your battery will need to be replaced eventually. Once it’s surpassed its cycle life, the battery will begin to lose capacity. When this happens, a “full charge” will really only get you to about 80% of the charge level that the same battery got when it was brand new.
Having read all about your battery by now, you’ll probably recognize the signs early: reduced range or inconsistent performance. This is a normal part of your battery’s life. However, if you notice these signs early (for example, only a year or couple hundred cycles into using your battery), take your bike to a shop or call the manufacturer for more specific information.
When the time comes, make sure to replace your e-bike battery with one crafted for your specific e-bike make and model. As we mentioned earlier, this part is a significant investment, so it’s critical to make the right purchase! Consult your manual or call your manufacturer with any questions.
Take Care Of Your Battery And It’ll Take Care Of You
There isn’t a whole lot to remember for a healthy e-bike battery! Just keep an eye on your battery life when you’re riding, charge it when needed (but don’t forget to unplug when it’s done!), store it properly, and transport it safely. By following these steps to support long-lasting battery health, you’ll get the most out of your e-bike’s battery for many rides to come.
x.png?v=1652794206″ /