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)
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!