Between $2,500 and $3,000 hits the sweet spot for entry- to mid-tier electric mountain bikes. That price range opens up the range of e-MTBs from top brands like Trek, Giant, Specialized, and others with innovative designs and quality parts. Models that fall into that price range are typically hardtail mountain e-bikes or pre-owned full-suspension models.
Spending less than $2,000 means the e-bike will likely come with a rear hub motor, less premium mid-drive unit, or an external battery. Riders can browse the best mountain bikes for under $2,000 designed for recreational riding and lighter mountain biking.
How to Care for Your Mountain Bike Suspension: Quick Guide
Written by: Rémy Rossi | July 19, 2025 | Time to read 5 min
Your suspension works hard—don’t let neglect wear it down. A few simple steps can dramatically extend the life and feel of your MTB or e-MTB.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
Mountain bikes take a pretty serious beating out on the trail, with their suspension systems working constantly to smooth out every bump and bruise. Even the highest-quality forks and rear shocks require regular service, and a few at-home maintenance tasks will extend their performance. Proper care helps keep your MTB in top shape and any bike shop repair bills as low as possible. Here’s what you should know about how to care for your mountain bike or e-MTB suspension.
Why suspension maintenance matters
Caring for your bike’s suspension is a must. The goal of regular upkeep for your suspension is to keep things clean and well-lubricated— this is what prevents early wear and snowballing problems that need expensive repairs or replacement.
Little things like wiping your stanchions after every ride won’t lead to a performance gain, but it's these small habits that let your bike stay operating at its best even on the toughest trails. The exact maintenance needs will differ between hardtail mountain bikes and full-suspension mountain bikes with rear shocks.
At Upway, our support team gets a lot of questions about electric mountain bike care. E-MTBs need to be serviced after every 150 riding hours, a more involved process of cleaning, lubricating, and replacing seals. You’ll probably want to take your electric mountain bike to a shop or suspension service technician for that, but post-ride care and fork servicing can be done at home.
Little things like wiping your stanchions after every ride won’t lead to a performance gain, but it's these small habits that let your bike stay operating at its best even on the toughest trails. The exact maintenance needs will differ between hardtail mountain bikes and full-suspension mountain bikes with rear shocks.
At Upway, our support team gets a lot of questions about electric mountain bike care. E-MTBs need to be serviced after every 150 riding hours, a more involved process of cleaning, lubricating, and replacing seals. You’ll probably want to take your electric mountain bike to a shop or suspension service technician for that, but post-ride care and fork servicing can be done at home.
After every ride...
Mountain bikes get dirty; it’s kind of their thing. While road e-Bikes or electric city bikes can avoid the mud, e-MTBs take on the grime. That means the parts on the suspension systems will collect dust and other particles that can work their way past the seals and into the internals.
After every ride, wipe the stanchions with a soft cloth and mild cleaning solution (recommended). Floss the rag around the tube, all the way down to the area where the seals are. Pump the fork up and down a few times, and you’ll notice that it pulls out some dirt and grime from the upper seals— wipe those icky bits away. Washing your e-Bike frequently is also a great idea that helps with this— just don’t use a high-powered pressure washer.
Every few rides, you can drop some light lube around the dust seal at the stop of the lowers, but make sure it’s the correct product for the job, such as Forkboost (no chain lube here). This helps clean and condition the seals to keep them in good shape. Some riders even recommend storing the mountain bike upside down. This moves the lubrication inside the forks to the top, keeping the foam rings soaked in oil, avoiding any risk of drying out.
Lower leg service
Don’t worry, I’m not talking about servicing your own legs. “Lower leg service” refers to cleaning the seals and re-lubricating the lowers of a front suspension fork. The lowers are the cylinders at the bottom of the fork that slide over the stanchions. This is sometimes referred to as a small suspension service at a bike shop, but it’s totally doable at home with the right stuff.
Completing a lower leg service is around a 10-minute job, though your first time can take up to 30 minutes. There are tons of helpful videos on YouTube that can walk you through the process, made up of removing the lowers, cleaning and greasing the seals, and adding fresh lubricant inside the lowers.
Completing a lower leg service is around a 10-minute job, though your first time can take up to 30 minutes. There are tons of helpful videos on YouTube that can walk you through the process, made up of removing the lowers, cleaning and greasing the seals, and adding fresh lubricant inside the lowers.
Like a car oil change, frequent lube swaps keep everything running as it should and prevent dry parts from scoring the stanchion tubes, which can be a costly repair. Conducting a lower leg service gives you a chance to replace dried-out or damaged foam rings or wiper seals— very inexpensive parts— before they start causing problems. Be sure to use only the lubricants specifically recommended by your fork and shock manufacturer. Using other types of oils can damage the internal components or degrade the seals.
Here are most of the items you’ll need to complete a lower leg service on your mountain bike:
- Suspension cleaner/isopropyl alcohol
- Fork oil
- Towels
- Syringe
- Suspension grease
- Mallet
- Allen keys
- Nitrile gloves
- Torque wrench
- Shock pump
Follow your bike's recommended maintenance schedule
If you’re the type of person to chuck Ikea or Lego instructions in the bin, avoid the temptation to disregard your mountain bike’s manual. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding specific service intervals for your suspension. At Upway, our general rule is servicing every 150 riding hours.
Leave the big jobs up to the professionals
Consider professional servicing when your mountain bike’s suspension requires an overhaul or complete rebuild. If you’re suffering from larger issues like oil leaks onto the stanchions, frequent loss of air in the air spring, or too much play in the lowers, I recommend a professional suspension service. Bike shops that specialize in mountain bikes or suspension technicians have all the fancy tools and expertise to get these jobs done right.
Looking for the best electric mountain bikes to rip rough terrain? Upway’s got you covered.
Looking for the best electric mountain bikes to rip rough terrain? Upway’s got you covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should you spend on an electric mountain bike?
How much should you spend on an electric mountain bike?
Between $2,500 and $3,000 hits the sweet spot for entry- to mid-tier electric mountain bikes. That price range opens up the range of e-MTBs from top brands like Trek, Giant, Specialized, and others with innovative designs and quality parts. Models that fall into that price range are typically hardtail mountain e-bikes or pre-owned full-suspension models.
Spending less than $2,000 means the e-bike will likely come with a rear hub motor, less premium mid-drive unit, or an external battery. Riders can browse the best mountain bikes for under $2,000 designed for recreational riding and lighter mountain biking.
How much do electric bikes cost?
A good-quality electric bike usually costs between $2,000 and $4,000 at retail, though premium models and full suspension e-MTBs can run much higher. At Upway, you can find both new and pre-owned e-Bikes from leading brands—at discounts of up to 60%!
Key Takeaways
- Clean after every ride: Wiping down stanchions and keeping seals grime-free prevents premature wear and internal damage.
- Use only manufacturer-approved lubes: The wrong oil can break down seals and harm sensitive internals—always stick to what's recommended.
- Service regularly: Follow your bike's service schedule, handle basic maintenance at home, and trust a pro for deeper rebuilds.
