Electric bike overhaul: practical advice

Have you invested in an electric bike? Whether it's the brakes, tires, battery, drivetrain, or the electric system, after accompanying you on all your journeys, your road companion needs an overhaul! Find out at Upway how and when to service your electric-assist bike to ensure its longevity and your safety while you ride.

Regular servicing is essential to keeping your Electrically Assisted Bicycle (EAB) in good condition and ensuring that your investment pays for itself.

Unlike those of a car, which are protected by the bodywork, the mechanical parts of an electric bike are exposed to the elements as you ride. The tires, brake pads, and spokes are particularly exposed to mud, leaves, and rain, which can cause corrosion and foul up your bike's mechanical components.

In addition, your e-Bike’s battery needs to be updated regularly, and a mechanic should check that the motor is properly tightened.

To ensure the longest possible life for your electric bike, it's a good idea to have it serviced once a year, preferably in the spring, when the weather gets warm.

An e-Bike expert technician will ensure that battery and system updates are carried out and visually check all the components of your electric bike to detect faults and replace defective parts.

Like a conventional bike, servicing an e-Bike requires a few key steps, regardless of the type of electric bike.

• First, the repair workshop inspects your e-Bike’s battery. This is a sensitive component:
• Store your battery in a dark place
• Store it in a temperature controlled room at about 70° F, and do not use your electric bike below 15° F and above 120° F
• If you fall, be sure to have the battery inspected

• During your e-Bike’s overhaul, the repair expert checks the drivetrain, also called a transmission, and examines the wear of the teeth, sprockets, chainrings, derailleur pulleys, and gear shifting.
• Your mechanic also ensures that the shifter cable isn’t frayed at the derailleur fixing nut and that the chain does not exceed 1% stretch.

• The repair shop ensures that the tires are in good condition and checks:
• The state of wear of tires, are there grooves left to drain off rainwater? 
• Are the sidewalls damaged with the inner tube visible?
• The general appearance of tires, are they cracked, fissured, or torn?
• Inflating tires, but you’ll have to do this yourself regularly as well

Brake cable condition, brake pads, pad wear, lever stroke, or contact point: because brakes are a major safety component of your e-Bike, careful inspection is a must. If your bike is fitted with hydraulic brakes, they should be bled once a year. For disc brakes, the mechanic will check the pads and change them if the pad material is less than 1 mm thick. The mechanic will also check that the handlebars and stem are properly tightened.

After visual checks and any repairs, the sprocket teeth, derailleurs, and chain must be cleaned. The mechanic will then lubricate the brake and derailleur housings to ensure smooth braking and gear shifting. They also lubricate the chain to protect your drivetrain from corrosion.

Before handing over your electric bike, the workshop ensures that all accessories and safety equipment, such as the front and rear electric bike lights, as well as the bell, are in good condition. You can also ask to have your electric bicycle helmet checked to ensure that the polystyrene foam has not been impacted, cracked, or deformed, which could cause it to lose its shock-absorbing properties.

On average, the cost of servicing an electric bike is between $60 and $100, plus additional repair costs.

In some countries, the government provides financial incentives for the purchase of an electric bike and pay for maintenance and repairs. In the US, there are a few states that offer rebates with the purchase of an electric bike. 

Would you like to sell your bike without having to have it serviced? Upway offers a trade-in service online and in our partner stores. We buy back bikes from private individuals and professionals for reconditioning.

At our take-back service, electric bikes undergo a complete overhaul and a rigorous 50-point inspection and are repaired if necessary by our professional mechanics. From adjusting the brakes, checking the motor and rear derailleur, checking the brake pads and headset, to updating the battery, more than just a quick check-up, our overhaul workshop guarantees you a complete inspection!