Whether you already own an e-bike or you’re in the market for one, you may have asked the question, “Can you ride your e-bike in the rain?” You might think “no” because of the amount of tech found on these bikes. But, It actually depends on the bike. Many brands of e-bikes have designed their products to be able to withstand not only rain but temporary submersion of the bike in water. Others have no rating whatsoever and could potentially be damaged by a gentle rain. So the question of if you can ride an e-bike in the rain is a little more complicated than just a general yes or no. Let’s take a look at some of the deciding factors.
Is an Electric Bike Waterproof
One of the first subjects we need to talk about is the concept of something being waterproof. Some brands may make claims using the term “waterproof” in their product descriptions, but in all of these cases, waterproof = water-resistant. At this point in time, there is not a truly waterproof bike on the market. This would become most apparent if you tossed your e-bike in a pool and left it there for a few hours. Would it work? Probably not, and I wouldn’t recommend trying it. So how do you tell if your bike can withstand the rain?
Ingress Protection Codes
The International Electrotechnical Commission developed a series of standards that help us rate if and how water-resistant and dust-resistant a piece of tech is. Most major manufacturers of both e-bikes and e-bike conversion kits will have had their batteries, motors, and bike computers rated with a specific IP (ingress protection) code. These codes span from IP00, which is completely unprotected to IP68, which is dust-tight and waterproof.
Source: Swagtron
Minimum IP Rating for Riding in the Rain
The minimum IP rating for riding in the rain would be IP64 and above. The reason being is you don’t have to worry about just the falling rain, but also puddles, gutter streams, and other various water hazards. The reason the 1-3 water codes don’t cut it is that the lower IP codes factor in a specific maximum angle in which the water will travel. Any water coming from a different angle and the product could be damaged. So, as you’re riding, you’ll notice that your bike will get wet from a variable 360 degrees, which disqualifies the IP61-3 as good candidates of being labeled as water-resistant.
So if you’re in the neighborhood for an e-bike that can withstand light to heavy rainfall, then you’ll have to do a bit of research into which brands are IP rated. For now, it’s not explicitly listed on many of the brand’s websites but can be quickly resolved in a live chat, email, or phone call with the manufacturer.
Make Sure All Rubber Stoppers are in Place for Rain Riding
Both the battery and bike computers have one of the many variants of charging ports available. One small thing that is often overlooked after charging the bike and prepping it for your ride is to replace the weather-proof cap/plug that came with it. This may not seem like a big deal. But since those ports are most likely not weather-resistant themselves, they give water access to the control board and motherboards. That will lead to component failure and potentially expensive repairs.
Non-Electrical Aspects of Riding an E-Bike in the Rain
We’ve gone through some of the electrical aspects of the e-bike, but what about mechanical aspects. Can you ride an e-bike in the rain? Heck yeah! I’ve seen e-bikes in the rain, I’ve seen them cross shallow streams, and I’ve seen them caked in mud. You can use it just like you would your regular bike. There are just a couple of tips to consider before heading and facing the water.
Parts
Once you get passed the motor, battery, and computer, an e-bike has mostly the same parts as a regular bike. You may have a beefier chain on mid-drive systems, or you may have heftier spokes on the hub driven system, but in terms of function, they’re the same. This means that you can go where you would normally go on a bike (barring the issues already discussed above). So if you’re riding across town on a rainy day, rest assured that your properly-maintained and regularly serviced e-bike can handle it.
Cornering and Braking
One of the main aspects of e-bikes is having a throttle or pedal assist that’ll help you perform better than you could unassisted. An e-bike can make you feel like superman… if superman needed a bike. With all that added power and confidence, it would be good to remember physics when blasting around a corner. In dry conditions, you may not have issues, but in wet conditions, the coefficient of friction between your tires and the riding surface decreases. This means the grip between you and the road is lessened, and your ability to stop drops significantly as well. Ever notice how easy it is to lock up your back tire when it gets wet? Bingo.
Should I Dry and Clean My E-Bike After Riding in the Rain?
Absolutely. Water is known as the “universal solvent,” and it may not have an immediate effect (because it’s not the world’s best solvent) it will still eventually affect your bike. Many of the IP rated electronics on an e-bike are sealed with some sort of polymer gasket. When these are exposed to water, a small portion of the water is absorbed by the gasket causing it to swell while the rest of the unabsorbed water drips away. When the gasket dries, it returns to its normal shape, and nobody’s the wiser. After a period of time without cleaning and drying your bike that constant swelling and drying will cause that gasket to fatigue and ultimately fail. So it is always a good idea to properly clean and dry your e-bike.
Conclusion
To put your mind at ease. If your e-bike is rated IP44 and above, then it can handle riding in the rain. If you can’t find your IP rating, then a quick call or email to the manufacturer can get you that information. Otherwise, mechanical aspects of any e-bike are meant to handle the outdoors, including a little rain.
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