elektrische fiets

Replacing a bike battery can quickly cost hundreds of euros. Cyclis gives you some tips for discharging and recharging your battery with care.

How should I store my electric bike’s battery?

  • Temperature has a major impact on the condition of your bicycle battery. This is because the battery cannot withstand extremely high or low temperatures. If you also use your bike in the winter, it’s best to take the battery inside so it can be stored at room temperature.
  • Never store your battery completely empty. Hans de Looij, cycling expert for the ANWB, advises people to cycle regularly even in winter. If you store your bike in a cold place for months in winter, such as in the garage, it enters a kind of hibernation mode from which it does not always wake up. Aren’t you a winter lover after all ? Then you can recharge the battery regularly when you don’t use your bike for a while.
  • Remove your detachable battery from the bike if you will not be using it for several hours, such as at work. So you can protect your bike from very hot or cold temperatures and from the rain. If you cannot remove the battery, preferably place the bike inside.
  • Finally, always use the charger provided with the battery. Using the wrong charger is harmful to the battery.

How should I charge my electric bike’s battery?

There are several batteries with different capacities. Specifically, that means how much energy you can put into it. This amount is expressed in watt-hours (Wh).

Each battery also has a maximum number of charge cycles. That means fully discharging and charging. Therefore, limit the number of charge cycles without deep discharge. With deep discharge, your battery is damaged by being discharged beyond its discharge limit.

  • Always recharge your battery before it is completely dead. Not charging your battery for long periods of time, such as in winter, is very harmful. The less deeply you discharge the battery, the longer it will last. It is best to discharge it 50% and then recharge it. This is beneficial for your number of charge cycles. If your commute is so great that you use more than 50% of your capacity, you’re better off buying a higher capacity battery or a second battery.
  • Remove the charger when your battery is full. Note: Always read your battery’s instruction manual. After all, you may have to keep it in the charger because it charges and discharges automatically.

How can I extend my battery life during my bike ride?

  • Keep your bicycle tires at maximum pressure. In this way, you use as little energy as possible.
  • Do not leave with pedal assistance or set it as low as possible. After all, that too takes a lot of energy.
  • Don’t put your gear too high at low speeds.
  • Maintaining a constant speed is best for your battery. Still, like a car, you can shift gears better when you are stationary or on an incline.

With these tips, you can go ahead and purchase an electric bike with confidence. The main tip we can give you: buy a battery with the largest capacity possible. It costs more money, but will definitely pay off in the end. Do you have any further questions or would you like some more advice ? If so, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@cyclis.be