New e-biker, seeking practical advice
Posted by Ebivr@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 7 comments
Just got a nice traditional looking, step through e-bike off Amazon and seeking some practical advice.
The wheels on it are 26 inch 1.75 city / commuter style. Can I change just the tyres to mountain bike tyres?
I also don’t like the mechanical brakes, as they don’t stop as quickly as I would like. Would changing just the callipers to hydraulic brakes like the Zoom Xtech work better?
I also have some battery questions. What’s a good way to store the battery from the e-bike?
Should I use a Lipo bag? Ammo can? Or something else??
Are there any kind of safety test that can be done at home on the battery to help prevent / protect against fire risk??
What other precautions should be taken?
Like should you wait 30 mins after riding for battery to cool down before charging?
Watch battery for the full duration while it charges?
Only charge up to 80%? Anything else??
Is it a concern if the battery were to get wet? Best way to dry it if caught in the rain? Is a previous wet, over heated or stored below freezing battery still safe to use?
Would appreciate any advice :-)
Relative-Display-676@reddit
yes you can change to mtb tires.
yes you can upgrade to hydraulic brake just find ones with similar electric plug so they cut off motor when you press them.
i store my battery in garage on a bike and have smoke detector above it, if you're paranoid get an ammo can and drill vent holes in it.
most batteries catch fire when charging or discharging, try not leave it on charger overnight. i don't charge my to full till the day before the ride, usually it sits at 50-60% charge.
do NOT get batteries wet. i don't ride in the rain for that reason.
Tomj_Oad@reddit
They make batteries with IP7 rating, good for for full immersion in salt water to one meter for half an hour.
That's pretty rain proof. Hell, Velotric has whole bikes raped at IP6, which means you can power wash them safely. At least they claim it and in my experience it's true.
Relative-Display-676@reddit
i'm talking from experience disassembling and rebuilding ebikes from amazon. DO NOT RIDE THEM IN THE RAIN!
Tomj_Oad@reddit
Oh. Shit no.
Velotric is a solid brand and the whole electrical system and battery are also UL listed and certified.
I'd never ride a cheap piece of Chinese junk in the rain. If worry about running through puddles.
I know even Velotric is based in China, but the quality is there.
Relative-Display-676@reddit
OP has ebike from Amazon.
chrispark70@reddit
"The wheels on it are 26 inch 1.75 city / commuter style. Can I change just the tyres to mountain bike tyres?"
Why? Why do you want to change them?
"I also don’t like the mechanical brakes, as they don’t stop as quickly as I would like. Would changing just the callipers to hydraulic brakes like the Zoom Xtech work better?"
Hydraulic brakes do not impact stopping distance. Hydraulic brakes are easier to pull, but the limiting factor of braking is tire/road grip. ANY bicycle brake can lock of tires.
"I also have some battery questions. What’s a good way to store the battery from the e-bike?"
Only charge your batteries before you leave, not after you get home. If the bike is going to sit a few days or weeks, it is FAR better to store them partially depleted than fully charged. Ideally, they would be stored at room temp at a 50% charge level.
" Are there any kind of safety test that can be done at home on the battery to help prevent / protect against fire risk?? "
Buy a quality bike with a quality battery from a bike company that has permanent representation in your country. There is no test you can do. Again, store the bike at a lower state of charge. Lithium batteries are more likely to fail and the failure is worse the more charge is in the battery.
Nervous-Iron2373@reddit
Buy a better e bike with hydraulic brakes and the features you want.