With all the advantages that come with riding an e-bike, you may have wondered how to store an electric bike. It may seem complicated when you add a battery, motor, and electrical system maintenance to the list, but in terms of storage, it’s pretty straight forward. Here are a few things to consider.
Battery
Most modern e-bikes use a Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) battery. They are the most sensitive piece of equipment on your e-bike. Its longevity is affected by temperature and max/min charge state.
The optimum storage temperature for your Li-ion battery is 59 °F. But since most people probably don’t have a temperature-controlled room to store their e-bike, a range of 40°F to 70°F is acceptable. Where you start running into problems is when you store your e-bike at higher temperatures, you lose overall charge capacity of the battery. Popular Mechanics explains that if you store your battery at 100°F, you’ll end up with a 40% capacity decrease in a year. The reason being is that as you increase the amount of heat in a system, and thereby increasing the entropy. So as the temperature increases, the reaction rate within the battery also increases. That means there’s nowhere for those poor electrons to go except for wreaking havoc and breaking down the battery’s materials. So within reason, the colder, the better.
(* the popular mechanic’s article is about phone batteries, which are also Li-Ion. The reason I used this article is that there is a lot more research done on Li-Ion in the phone world than that of the e-bike world. Same batteries, different applications).
Capacity can also be lost if it’s too cold. If you charge your battery when the temperature is less than 32°F, you run the risk of decreasing its overall capacity.
Estimated recoverable capacity when storing Li-ion for one year at various temperatures for 3 months. Elevated temperature hastens permanent capacity loss. Not all Li-ion systems behave the same.
Source: Battery University
Another factor to consider is the charge state of a battery. When your e-bike runs out of juice, the battery is known as being “flat.” Frequently depleting your battery to the state of being “flat” will eventually cause a decrease in overall capacity and decreased longevity.
For optimal battery longevity, it is recommended by several manufacturers that you charge your battery to a maximum of 80% and avoid depleting it past 20% of its total capacity. This practice could increase the overall battery life and keep you riding longer without having to buy a new battery.
Source: Battery University
Best Storage Options
Even if your e-bike is designed to be weatherproof, it should still be stored properly. Even a weatherproof bike can succumb to the constant bombardment of nature, which makes it important to protect your expensive investment.
Store Your Bike Inside (when possible)
Seals and gaskets go bad, and water will eventually invade any waterproof system. For many regular bikes, it’s not an issue if your bike gets wet. But for e-bikes, it can be an issue, especially if the water weasels its way into the electrical components. As we know, it is not good when water meets electronics. Just ask my old laptop.
It’s not just water, either. The sun and UV radiation degrade most things it comes in contact with. So those waterproof gaskets we were talking about can breakdown and let the water in.
I Can’t Store My Bike Inside
If you can’t store your bike inside, there are still a couple of options for you. The first option is to find a roof. If you can keep your bike under a carport or on your porch, it would be infinitely better than out in the rain and sunshine.
Another option would be to invest in a bike cover. These keep your bike out of the weather and protect it from the sun. A little tip would be to make sure it has a drawstring that lets you tighten the cover around the entire bike (including the tires). When you buy one without a drawstring, you may be trapping evaporating moisture in the cover that can later condensate on your bike — not a huge deal, but its easily avoidable.
If you can’t store your bike inside, make sure you at least take your battery inside!
Clean Your Bike
It is best practice to clean and oil your e-bike. That practice remains true when storing it. Remember what happened to the Tin-Man in the Wizard of Oz? All the grime that you pick up on the road will degrade and corrode the components of your bike. Potentially leaving you with a maintenance nightmare when you start riding again.
Conclusion
Whether you’re storing your e-bike for a weekend or a year, it is important to store it properly. It is crucial to ensure the battery is appropriately charged and kept in a dry and cool location. It is also important to avoid prolonged weather exposure to keep your e-bike in fighting shape.
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