E-BIKE FAQ
Mountain Bike Rider|June 2020
Got a question about riding, setting up or caring for your e-bike? All the answers are here...
E-BIKE FAQ

How do I keep my e-bike lubricated?

E-bike drivetrains have a hard life, with huge power and torque running through the chain, and shifts being made under the kind of loads unimaginable on a regular bike. Which means it’s crucial to keep the chain and jockey wheels well lubricated. After washing, make sure the chain is clean and dry. Put a 5mm Allen key into one of the chainring bolts and pedal the crank backwards until it hits the tool. Now you can pedal the chain backwards and run a bead of lube over every chain link. We’d recommend a heavy-duty wet lube. Once every link has been oiled, get a rag and run the chain back through it to remove any excess. Don’t forget to take the Allen key out!

Should I charge my e-bike outdoors?

In a perfect world, you should always charge your e-bike’s battery indoors at room temperature (between 10-20°C, out of direct sunlight). If your battery is not removable, try your best to charge the whole bike in the house.

How can I maximise the life of my drivetrain?

Assuming you’ve been cleaning and lubing your e-bike properly, the single biggest thing you can do to increase the life of your drivetrain is to shift a single gear at a time. Most SRAM-equipped e-bikes won’t let you shift more than one sprocket at a time anyway, but the latest Shimano drivetrains do not have a single-shift option. So, don’t force the chain across the block in one hit, go one at a time and try to back off the pedals as much as possible.

How do I tune my e-bike to go faster?

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