Maintenance is an essential aspect of using an electrically assisted bicycle, to ensure the safety of the rider and to optimize the life of the bike. With connected bikes, brands create a direct and lasting relationship with cyclists via a mobile application, the interface between the bike and the cyclist. Maintenance is at the heart of the connected services offered by the brand to support the cyclist in maintaining his bike.
Maintenance to facilitate the user experience
“Prevention is better than cure” is an adage that fits perfectly with maintenance and its challenges. A good maintenance of the electric bike allows to ensure safety, durability, transparency and comfort. The maintenance of an electric bike requires more external intervention than that of a muscle one, and it is all the more important to ensure safety and longevity of the bike. Slightly deflated tire, squeaky brake, many users do not master the life cycle of their bikes’ components or forget this step of control before a breakdown. Instead of anticipating breakdowns, having only a curative approach causes incidents and damages the bike more severely.
Electric bicycle brands can adopt a preventive maintenance approach. By providing transparent data on their components, they facilitate the experience of the cyclist and allow him to be more serene about the general condition of his bike. It will be easier for him to know his next maintenance due dates and the elements to be monitored on a daily basis. This will allow him to enjoy his trips peacefully and avoid the pain of a breakdown. Brands guide cyclists and have the opportunity to create a dialogue and an exchange with them, points of contact to ensure their satisfaction and loyalty.
THE MANY POINTS OF VIGILANCE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE
Manufacturers report that the lifespan of a VAE is approximately 5 years. To reach these 5 years in good condition, the bike requires regular maintenance to optimize its lifespan over time. At least one stop at workshop per year or every 1,000 kilometres is recommended for overall monitoring and updating of the battery system. During these visits, the various vigilance points examined will be:
- Brakes: An undertensioned or worn chain can easily derail the bike, the manufacturers recommend a change every 5000 km at the same time as the cassette. Daily maintenance is necessary, so it is important to clean and grease your chain with a dedicated product.
- Tires: It is quite normal for tires to deflate over uses. Daily checks must be carried out because driving with underinflated tires can precipitate their usury, reduce grip on the tracks and increase the risk of falls. It is relatively simple to control the pressure of a tire, especially with a pressure gauge. Each manufacturer recommends the appropriate pressure for its model. Generally it is between 4 and 6 bar. These precautions will have the effect of extending the life of the tires and guaranteeing optimal safety to the cyclist. The degree of tire wear depends on the type of wheels, and the use of the bike
- The battery: As a central element of an electric bike, also the most expensive, the battery must be well maintained to extend the life of the bike. It is essential to consider its storage, recharge and discharge in order to guarantee its longevity. Precautions should therefore be taken with regard to the storage temperature and the charging process. It is therefore preferable to store it between 10° and 20° degree. Also, it is important to ensure that it has the latest update available.
- Cables and connectors: During general in-store inspection, electrical cables and connectors will also be checked to ensure that they are not damaged.
The maintenance logbook, a new Velco Rider update
In its new update of Velco Rider, Velco takes into account the importance of maintenance for all the actors of the cycle and proposes in a new tab a follow-up of the maintenance of the bicycle. Through this white label application, brands will be able to customize the wear data of their parts according to the bike model. Thus, it will be possible to set mileage levels from which the user will receive notifications to perform a checkup of certain elements such as the chain, tires and brakes. It will also be possible to provide the cyclist with advice on the daily maintenance of his electric bike as well as to program a reminder to perform the checks. On the user’s side, all data is visually illustrated with color codes and a diagram system. Ranging from green to red and draining as you use it, it allows you to see the general condition of your bike at a glance. Once the maintenance is done, the cyclist will only have to mark it as such to resume the cycle.
This new update offers several benefits to both brands and cyclists. For the brands, it allows them to create a link with their cyclists to accompany them and offer them the best possible cycling experience. For the cyclist, it allows to easily follow the maintenance operations to be planned and carried out, in order to pedal safely on an electric bike in good working order.