The first thing that you need to do when your electric bike dies is to get it home in one piece, you can’t be stranded on the road just like that. However getting your electric bike is not going to be a walk in the park, and we say this mainly because of the bike’s weight.
Your typical “Conventional Bike” is going to weigh around 10 kg, and if you compare this with your electric bike then it is going to weigh between 25 and 30 kg. The increased weight is because of the motor and the battery.
What To Do When Your Electric Bike Dies While Riding?
Here’s what you got to do:
1. Riding The EBike Home
Since you want to ride the bike home, here are a few tips that you can use.
Work Around The Gears
Even though your electric bike has run out of juice, you can still use the gears to ride the bike. Using the gears will not only allow you to ride the bike properly but will also make you more comfortable. Feel free to drop the gears, you need to feel comfortable and this will allow the RPM to be consistent. When your RPM will be consistent and high, you will be able to get home easily.
Relax While Pedaling
While Pedaling, you need to be efficient, this is very important because the bike’s motor will not be helping you this time. Try to make everything smooth, your journey back home will definitely depend on this. There is a chance that you might have some spare battery left, try to make the best use of it. If there are any sudden stops while pedaling then it could affect the battery negatively. Stay relaxed and you will get home in no time!
Remove The Bike’s Battery
Removing the bike’s battery is going to shed its weight by a few pounds, you need the bike to be light if you want to ride it home. Just disconnect the bike and remove it, you can easily carry it with you. Just be sure to keep the battery bay clean, this will even smoothen the ride back home.
2. Charge The Bike’s Battery
Another good option for you is to charge the bike’s battery and if you are carrying a spare battery pack with you then there is nothing to fear. One of the main rules of riding an electric bike is that you should never let it fall below 30%, that is the threshold. Almost all the bike manufacturers have put on a warning display of low battery on the LCD screens of their bikes, pay close attention to that.
Always carry the battery charger with you, with the charger you can easily charge the battery at any main outlet. There is another thing that you need to be considerate of while charging the battery, make sure that the battery pack is at room temperature otherwise, there could be serious repercussions.
3. Try Calling For Help
You can try taking the bike home, or even recharging the battery, and when all of this fails you are going to need help. You can call your friends or family to come pick you up, and with their help, you can take the bike home.
This is also a good option to go for because, with these electric bikes, you need to be careful about the weather conditions, especially when it starts raining or even snowing. You might have seen that the majority of electric bikes are water resistant, but they are not water-proof, which means they can get wet which will damage their battery and motor.
There is a silver lining to this whole situation that you can try out, most companies offer insurance in the case of a dead battery or a scenario like this one. If you are one of their regular customers or if you have availed the insurance then you can just call them and let them take care of it.
E-Bike road assistance is the kind of service that everyone needs to avail of, no one knows when you might get in trouble. This kind of service also depends on the type of area you live in so plan.
How To Prevent Your Electric Bike From Running Out of Power
There is no emphasizing it over and over again but we need to take care of our electric bikes, they might not require that much maintenance but we need to pay proper attention. You will see the results of your care when your bike starts giving you more range on a single charge and other performance benefits.
Here are some of the ways that you can use to prevent the battery from running out.
1. Pay Attention To Your Bike’s Riding Range
You probably paid attention to your electric bike’s range when purchasing it, now you need to calculate it and optimize it so you enjoy it for an extended amount of time. What affects an electric bike’s range?
- Battery Capacity
- Rider’s Weight
- Motor Efficiency
- Rider Proficiency
- Speed
- Type Of Terrain
If you take care of all of these things then the bike’s range can easily be optimized. On a full charge, your bike’s range will fall between 25-100 Miles (40-160 Km), although this depends on your bike and the manufacturer, not all bikes are built equally. Most probable the bike that you have will have a range of 50 miles because bikes that offer more than that are very rare and expensive.
Let’s take a look at this table here:
| Voltage (V) | Amp Hours (Ah) | Watt Hours (Wh) | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 10 | 360 | 14.4 Miles (23 Km) |
| 48 | 13 | 624 | 25 Miles (40 Km) |
| 52 | 20 | 1040 | 41.6 Miles (67 Km) |
Now that you have taken a look at the table, it is time to tell you about the magic numbers and the meaning behind them. For e-bike riding, the range is measured by the watt-hours (Wh). How do you calculate the watthours? You multiply Voltage (V) with the amp-hours (Ah). Let’s take the example of a rider who uses 25Wh of battery per mile (These numbers can change). Considering that, a standard battery of 36V and 10Ah has 360Wh. Divide 360Wh with 25Wh, you would get a riding range of 14.4 miles.
You can always try investing in a bigger and more powerful battery but that is where you will have to be extra careful. There should be an equal capacity to match the bigger battery, it will not always result in your range improving.
2. Try Boosting Your Riding Range
To ride longer, you can always try improving your current riding range, but how do you do that? Here are a few ways you can try to improve your riding range:
Put More Effort While Riding
Most of the people who have got an electric bike have forgotten that these machines are used to enhance your overall experience, not fully automate it. When you put in a lot more effort while riding your bike, the Wh requirement is going to lower, thus increasing your range.
These electric bikes have different power modes, some offer a balance while there are modes that offer full power. Play around with these different modes, see what makes you tick, find the right combination and you will notice the bike’s range increasing. Combine your efforts with the battery, this way you will be able to handle many challenging rides.
Relax While Pedaling
A rider that is not calm will never be able to enjoy the ride, this is what you have to keep in mind while riding the bike. Having an adequate pedaling form is also the main requirement for increasing your battery capacity and thus range. Use the appropriate gears, stay in them and also master the art of pedaling. When you will be efficient, you will notice that your bike is using the battery in an efficient matter. Brake only when you need to, irregular braking and sudden bursts will only drain the battery quicker.
Always Check Tire Pressure
Tire pressure is going to influence power transfer efficiency, especially in electric bikes. Flat tires increase road friction, which will require a lot more effort from the battery. Try changing to mountain bike tires, they require low pressure and thus more battery will be saved.
2. Charge The Batteries Often
Most electric bikes have lithium-ion batteries and for them to function well, they need to be properly charged. Many users don’t charge their electric bike batteries that often, which is why those bikes don’t perform so well. Manufacturers have put a limit on the battery and also notified the users, that batteries should not be dropped below 30%.
Always find a balance with the batteries, they should not be dropped to zero and also not charged that often. Keeping a balance like this will allow them to perform better and this will increase the bike’s riding range.
3. Try Carrying A Spare Battery
Electric Bike Batteries are not light, and if you have tried carrying one then you know it. The advice that we are trying to give here is to carry a spare battery pack with you but since they are so heavy, how will you do so? Installing a rear rack will help you a lot, it will also prove useful for emergencies like this.
There are going to be mounts on your bike, using those mounts you can install a rear rack. Once installed, you will be able to carry a spare battery, alongside necessary tools for emergencies and other things. Just be sure to carry compatible batteries, you can check the issues given by the manufacturer.
How Accurate Is An Electric Bike LCD Display?
The battery display on the bike’s LCD screen is going to assure us no matter what, but how much accurate is it? It might say that you have a full battery but that could be far from the truth, it is very difficult to know exactly how much juice your e-bike has.
Your bike dying in the middle of the road is a terrible thing to happen, it is also frustrating. However, if you are prepared for the worst, which is something like this, then you will never be plagued by this problem again. All the riders should pay close attention to their charging habits and try to optimize the battery while they can, this will improve the bike’s range and will also keep them away from this kind of trouble.
FAQs
Can electric bike batteries be repaired?
Yes, an electric bike battery can be repaired.
Can a lithium battery be repaired?
Sometimes a lithium battery can be repaired if there is a problem with the individual cells. However, it is an uncommon practice because it is difficult.
What happens if a lithium battery goes completely dead?
When a lithium battery goes completely dead it causes irreversible damage to the battery. There might be swelling in the battery or a leakage which is dangerous and it also affects the capacity of the battery.
Conclusion
Electric Bikes are a lot of fun, they offer and give you power like none other but with them, you also have to be careful. With great power also comes great responsibility, this is what Uncle Ben said to Spider-Man before passing away, and if you understand that sentence then you know that you will need to be careful with electric bikes.
Weather phenomena cannot be controlled, I know that. Optimize the battery in such a way that your battery never runs out while riding, for this you will have to take some definitive measures.
The majority of the electric bikes have lithium-ion batteries, and for them to perform well they need to be worked regularly. My advice here would be to use electric bikes for regular exercise or commuting, this way they will keep on working and you will keep on enjoying. High-quality batteries feel great to use, once you start using your resources efficiently, you will feel the change in your rides soon.
Now go have fun with your electric bike!
Also Read:
- How To Fix A Bike Chain – Bike Tips And Maintenance Guide
- Best Adult Electric Tricycles – Amazing Trikes Buying Guide
- Top 10 Best Electric Road Bikes For All Riders
