Even though Pedego electric bikes are designed to handle most Canadian weather, there are those who’d prefer not to Prepare an Electric Bike For Winter Riding and would rather put it into storage from December to March.

If you fall into this category please note there are certain things you need to do in order to prepare your bike for winter storage. It’s not enough to just put it in the shed or garage and forget about it for four months as this’ll eventually cause unnecessary wear on your frame and your battery.

Here are three tips for winter storage.:

#1. Clean Your Bike Before Putting It Away

It’s important to regularly clean your electric bike by following the steps laid out in our How to Clean Your Electric Bike blog. This is especially true when preparing your electric bike for winter storage because any residue salt and/or water can cause metal parts to corrode. Take a damp cloth and wipe down the frame, dry the chain and gear components and lube the chain with a bicycle-specific lubricant as this’ll prevent rust. (Don’t use WD-40 or another household lubricant as they tend to attract dirt and grit.) Likewise, if you plan on storing your bike in an outside shed, it’s a good idea to spray a rust preventative such as Rust Check on the spoke nipples (where the spokes meet the wheel) as well as on exposed metal.

#2. Store Your Battery Partially Charged

As with any other time of year, it’s important to take care of your battery. Follow the tips outlined in our “3 Ways to Prolong the Life of Your Battery” blog and the ideal storage charge for the battery is somewhere between about 80% and 40%. Some chargers have a lower ‘storage’ voltage setting, so just switch to this before charging it for storage. An easy alternative is to take the bike for a ride after you’ve charged it fully and before storing. The most important thing is not to put your battery away flat, as it may not be recoverable in spring.

Also, don’t leave your battery on the charger for long periods of time, as storing it at 100% will reduce the life of the battery.  You should check your battery every couple of months over winter. If you notice that the battery indicator has dropped too low, you can give it a quick charge to bring it back to the ideal storage voltage (this is unlikely to be needed if the battery was at 40% or above). If you don’t have a battery indicator, it’s probably a good idea to charge the battery for half an hour every few months. Again, try not to put the battery away fully charged (but it won’t be the end of the world if this happens.)

#3. Store Your Electric Bike in a Dry Place

Although your Pedego electric bike is weather-proof, it’s a good idea to store it in a cool, dry place such as a basement, garage or shed so it’s out of the elements. It’s especially important to keep your battery in a cool place, preferably below 20°C (68°F) as high heat or extreme cold will lessen its lifespan.