Electric – Eudes Espino

6 Months or 100-hour Electric Bike Maintenance

It’s been six months so it’s definitely time for some adjustments. Some mechanics would even claim that people should bring their bike to a shop to get it serviced as a standard tuneup is required.

Here is a universal list that

Check Battery Connections
Adjust Brakes/Inspect Brake Pads
Clean & Inspect Frame
Lube Chain/Grease Bearings
Torque/Wheel assessment

Having an ordinary bike serviced once or twice a year helps prevent potential problems and keeps the bike running smoothly.

This inspection does not address Gears or Mechanical disc brakes. When gears are making chattering noises or skipping, take it to a professional. A bike with derailleurs and mechanical brakes requires intricate adjustments.

A hydraulic braking system, unless the housing is damaged, just requires brake pad replacements which if installed poorly will cause rubbing and loud noises.

Given the fact that we have four seasons in nyc it is very similar for an electric bike to require some form of tuning. The inspecting of the components properly is important — taking it to professionals every 6 to 12 months is ideal.

Step one in inspecting the battery connections is we’re looking for points of contact that have been exposed to the elements and have become oxidized causing static or a pop when connections are being made.

With both the charger unplugged and the battery turned off, feel free to use these components to clean the points of contact.

Deoxit D5 Contact Cleaner (click here)

Q-tip (click here)

Step two is Inspecting the brake pad. In removing the brake pad there are lines directly on the brake pad themselves that indicates if the brake pad is in need of replacement.

A majority of brakes will squeak or rub. As the brake pad becomes worn, the best option is to apply a spray directly on the pads that completely quiets it down

CRC Disc Brake Quiet (click here)

Brake pads vary so remove pads and confirm the part number on the back of brake pads before placing an order since they are not universal.

In installing new pads the worn pads that have been removed would have pushed the position of the piston make sure you reset both sides of the pistons before installing new pads

Step Three is cleaning and inspection of frame. It’s not recommended to ever use a power washer since a majority of bikes are only water resistant.

The best practice is to not aim the power washer directly; stand at a distance and proceed with caution. No one ever follows the don’t use power washer. Wanted to reinforce fear that damage will happen on more than just the electronics portions, certain mechanical components are just water resistant as well.

My preferred method is to use products designed to remove grease and because I work on this bike indoors the products I choose to use are user friendly and safe. Such as

Pedro’s Citrus Degreaser (click here)

This is very strong so feel free to dilute the product with water. Standard spray bottle and simple rags will work.

12 ounce Spray Bottle (click here)

Microfiber Rags (click here)

Spray rag clean and repeat. Avoid brake pads and rotors. Look for rust spots when wiping bike down check weld and the surface area where paint has been scrapped off as well. Example: rear dropout or contact point for a allen bolt head.

For a final finish a clean polish protective solution would do the trick. My top choice

Pedro’s Bike Lust (click here)

Step Four is to lubricate and grease. If it acts like a hinge lubricate. If it has threats apply a brush stroke of grease. Example: a chain uses a liquid lubricant and a bearing or axle thread requires grease. Apply accordingly use a dry rag to capture over flow of either.

Lubricant (click here)

Sta-Lube Marine Grease (click here)

Why use marine grease that’s a great question? I ride throughout winter and salt is applied on the streets of New York. Marine grease will aid in protecting those exposed points caused by loosening and retightening of any nuts or bolts. Apply generously wipe down clean when done like any grease if visible it will collect dirt not to be applied on bike chain.

Final step is making sure everything is torqued down to spec and wheel ride true follow instruction manual accordingly.

3/8 Torque Wrench (click here)

3/8 Socket kit (click here)

3/8 Allen set (click here)

3/8 Adapter (click here)

A torque wrench measures pressure in newton meters this will prevent a nut or bolt from being over tighten or even under tighten.

A nut that is under tightened will come loose and one that is over tightened could damage area of application or worse have the potential or snapping.

It goes without saying a person can spend an entire life time earning the title of wheel smith in the cycling industry so respect the craft. Spokes take all sorts of abuse from riding.

It is highly recommended to check spoke tension. No singular spoke should be loose or missing riding on such a wheel will make it hazardous when taking a turn the wheel could buckle under pressure. Highly recommend bringing it to a professional.

Leave a comment if this helped you with your inspection process. Safe riding see you in the streets

Daily inspection prior to riding (click here)

Rebalancing battery by John Angel (click here)

For serious maintenance or mods

John Angel (click here)

Datshopnyc (click here)

Yerrr! My name is Eudes and I’m based in NYC! On my youtube channel(click here), you’ll see videos about Onyx Motorbikes, Training routines, vlogs, all in one vibe with me lets get them Q&A’s, and etc. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed it!

email: eespino183@gmail.com

FTC- This post is not sponsored. Some links are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if anyone decides to purchase through them. Thank you so much for your support!

Top 4 professional things you should know about electric bike maintenance

I encourage learning everything there is to know about the vehicle that you choose to ride/drive from battery function to mechanical operation.

However there are things that require a mechanics expertise so first and foremost what’s gonna take place in this post is what to look for before an every day ride.

This is not a repair and rebuilding summary. For that I want to acknowledge John Angel and Alvin Bows — these two individuals in the past year have rebuilt, repaired, modded and upgraded an outrageous number of bikes with no signs of stopping.

While John Angel strictly sticks to Onyx as a preferred choice to warranty/repair/mod. Alvin Bows on the other hand (known as Datshopnyc) has worked on a variety of bikes such as the Sur Ron, Huck, Monday and Onyx.

They both have provided enough valid evidence that their work is 100% safe for all riders.

Scroll to the bottom for their contact info.

OK logistics aside let’s get to it.

First step check your tire pressure. An e-bike will compensate effectively masking the problem of low tire pressure and drain the battery much faster than necessary.

I created a list of what your tire pressure should be (click here). For best practice look at the side wall of the tire it will state a number next to the letters P.S.I (pounds per square inch). Going above that number will overinflate the tube/tire which is just as dangerous.

Second step It is important that your brakes are functioning properly. Ebikes are slightly heavier, demanding more from the brakes.

Check that the brakes are engaging. If your bike is designed with regen braking make sure that it’s functional by turning the bike on, applying the regen brake and inspecting to see that brake lights are activated upon engagement. Followed by inspection, one should check that the cut off to the motor is active and working.

Third step check battery level. Honestly I noted this as third because the worst thing that happens is your battery is drained and you aren’t able to ride.

From an electrical point of view making sure that the battery has received a full state of charge is all in creating good habits. When you get home wait an hour before you plug in your bike battery to charge. This is noted specifically by John Angel he has an incredible breakdown of how to properly balance and maintain your battery’s lifecycle. (click here)

Ideally do this with enough time to make sure you can put your bike to charge depending on what type of charger you have. There is nothing worse than rolling up to a ride only to find out you don’t have enough battery. It will either be a very difficult ride or the ride won’t happen at all.

Fourth step is a bounce and twist also know as a drop and shake check. Yes! Sounds silly I know but sit on the bike, bounce or drop on it. This will help you inspect if there are any strange metallic clicking or clanging noises from the rear end that you should be made aware of before your ride.

The twist or shake approach is with both hands firmly holding the handle bar steer left/right and push/pull on the handle bars, inspecting that no cables are damaged and that everything is silent and functional.

Leave a comment if this helped you with your daily routine, safe riding see you out in the streets

6 months maintenance (click here)

Rebalancing battery by John Angel (click here)

For serious maintenance or mods

John Angel (click here)

Datshopnyc (click here)

email: eespino183@gmail.com

FTC- This post is not sponsored. Some links are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if anyone decides to purchase through them. Thank you so much for your support!

(Electric) Winter Cycling Gear

Welcome to my winter apparel list. Here you will find a list of things that I am already wearing as a commuter. I commute on my ONYX RCR about 30 miles a day to and from work. The New York weather has recently dropped to below 30° and with daylight savings time recently kicked in, we are battling both colder temperatures and less sunlight.

onyx rcr discount code (EudesEspinoNY)

In my experience, the first two things that have a tendency of going numb from the cold are my hands and feet so I’ll start off with those two items and then talk about the thermal layers that I’m wearing underneath my clothing.

This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase anything through them, they come at no extra cost to you, but help support me so I can continue to share free information. Thanks and enjoy!

I just recently picked up a pair of electrical gloves by Akaso -the model type is HG10.

Akaso Electric Heated Gloves

My experience so far with the gloves is that they are warm 3M Thinsulate with a thermal insulation carbon fiber heating system that’s waterproof and breathable. They definitely work. Additionally, they are water-resistant and have a non-slip surface grip which is downright awesome. I really like the wrist strap and the bungee for the forearm. The only thing that I’m having trouble with is the touchscreen capable finger pointer. It does not work as well as one would hope. Lastly, that small zipper pocket that holds the battery can definitely hold other things so that’s a benefit even though I don’t believe that’s what it’s meant for.

The gloves are super comfortable and true to size. I picked up a pair in a medium. To charge the lithium-ion batteries, they provide a wall charger that splits so you can charge both batteries at once. The batteries take six hours to fully charge when completely depleted. There are three modes: low heat is the blue light which is anywhere from 6 to 8 hours; medium heat is the green light which is 4 to 5 hours; high heat is the red light which is 2 to 3 hours. The user’s discretion is advised. It clearly states you shouldn’t have high heat on at high temperatures because that will create more heat which is not good for the batteries.

I have ridden over 100 miles in a day and love my AKASO GLOVES they are incredible 28 degrees at 60mph with heavy head wind, they managed to keep my hands warm and comfortable.

If you are curious or plan to truly commit to riding at higher speeds or lower temperatures and do not wish to risk it. Here is an option it’s an upgrade. Click the image below

Upgraded Heated Gloves for Men Women,Electric Ski Motorcycle Snow Mitten Glove Arthritis

Jumping straight down to the feet we have Socks by Global Vasion

These socks are more than just socks — it comes with a heat mesh and a small side pocket that holds the batteries in place. Global Vasion Socks managed to keep my feet warm in yesterday’s bitter cold night ride reaching lows of 20° with the headwind at higher speeds. In regular sneakers those conditions would cause anyone’s toes to freeze so this is a good way to test out the socks’ ability to keep my feet warm. They are not water-resistant. I repeat, they are not water resistance, feeling more like thick wool socks designed for winter apparel except for one major note which is that they have an electrical wire running through them. The power source is supplied by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

They provide a charger almost identical to the gloves. The charger has indicators: a red light means 3 1/2 hours of high heat; orange means 4 1/2 to 5 hours of medium heat; and green means 6 1/2 hours of low heat. I found green to be more than enough warmth for me. They state to hand wash or soft wash the socks, obviously removing the batteries first. A little hack that I’m doing at the moment is that I’m wearing really thin low cut summer socks underneath. Overall they made a significant difference in riding when the sun goes down, which with daylight savings time, means around 4:30 pm. Even with these frosty conditions, this kept me comfortable into the late hours of the night.

Back up to the Chest, I have no issues with a simple shirt or two underneath because of the jacket I have been wearing for 5 years now. It retains the heat your body produces and does it effortlessly. This is the latest version of it called Arc’teryx Atom LT Jacket Men’s – Redesign

This should be no surprise here if you know the brand Arc’teryx, you would know that it’s designed to take on the worst conditions while you move. It is very light, packable and proven that the Atom LT is a performance warming layer for backcountry adventures, alpine ascents/descents, and downtown commutes, this jacket handles it all. I have taken on heavy headwinds on my way to Canada with 80 mph headwinds on my motorcycle hitting the highway during occasional blizzards. For me this is my permanent second layer where I wear a T-shirt underneath.

A windbreaker can be worn over or at times the windbreaker turns into a leather jacket. I rarely need to wear something that has electrical mesh. My hands and feet are the only limbs that get cold and numb way before my chest even feels a draft of wind.

Yes, I do have a heated vest when absolutely necessary. I will make a post about the vest, yet this Arc’teryx does it for me in 10° weather. The heated vest is designed for my Vanson leather jacket that I bought over 12 years ago.

Under Armour Men’s ColdGear Armour Compression Leggings

Well now, onto the last category, my brother always stated your legs don’t have organs so they don’t matter. The reality is I come from a cycling community and if your legs are cold and numb, then that means that you don’t have the power to pedal so here’s where I decided to take a different approach and use athletic apparel that you would naturally find for runners instead of cyclists. These are under armour leggings — 87% polyester, 13% elastane. It’s a dual-layer of fabric with an ultra-warm brush interior and a fast-drying exterior. It stretches four-ways with the material sweat wicking and fast drying. This anti-odor athletic apparel is light years ahead of the competition being something that you can wear under your regular attire, which is the way I like it.

I do hope this brought some insight in my sharing of how I personally plan to take on the 2020 winter season. The next post will share what I carry for rainy rides. Let me know your thoughts below.

check out the video where I talk specifically about the Akaso Gloves and Global Vasion Socks

Till next time stay warm.