10 Tips for Riding an Electric Bike in the Rain

It’s another rainy day! But don’t let bad weather keep you from experiencing the outdoors! Though the roads might be slippery, the visibility might be a bit low. You may also pop up the question: is it safe to bike in the rain? Well, the electric system on an electric bike is designed to withstand bad weather. Also, when you give it a second thought, there’s really no reason you can’t enjoy fun outdoor times or simply enjoy your electric cycling in bad weather, as long as you’re properly dressed and prepared for it.

Well, in this article, let’s take a look at 10 safety tips that I found very useful, and you may also want to consider if you decide to ride your fat tire electric bike in the rain.

Weatherproof Yourself and Your Stuff

Beyond the very obvious rain coat, there are a few other pieces of gear that will help you and your stuff, such as important files or documents, hand phone and other electric devices, keep dry and clean while riding in the rain.

Bike helmet— keep your lid protected and dry at the same time, so your vision won’t be compromised!

Waterproof cycling gloves—they are water-resistant, thick, yet not too thick to hinder your dexterity. They will keep your hands warm and dry.

HIMIWAY waterproof bike pannier bag—a great way to keep your stuff away from raining while biking, also saving you from carrying a big backpack or shoulder bag. 

There is one more thing that I would love to remind you which is never forget to factor in temperature when choosing your rain coat. You don’t want to end up soaked from the inside out just because you wasn’t wearing breathable fabrics. It may ruin your whole biking in the rain experience.

Use E-bike Lights and Reflectors

If you are happened to ride on a crowded road with many other cars, it may get quite dangerous to ride in the rain. The other riders in the cars also have to deal with the rain to keep their vision clear on the road. So for your safety, be sure that you can be seen from all angles by using the front and rear safety lights. As a matter of fact that in many countries, the law actually requires you to have lights on your electric bike in the rain.

Brake Early

Though many electric bikes include disc brakes, which perform far better in the rain, rather than the rim brakes often found on traditional bikes. Still don’t  chase for speed and rush for your errands in the rain. The road is slippery, it will take longer time to slow down. It is smart choice to keep alert and brake early when you see puddles and obstructions in a wet road. This can significantly reduce any chance of accidents.

Slow Down

Actually the need for slow speeds is more pronounced for an electric bike as opposed to an ordinary bicycle. E-bikes with power-on-demand and pedal-assist are capable of maintaining high average speeds in every weather condition. Hence, please take a little extra time to ride your electric bike in harsh weather conditions. Even if riding harder and faster actually keeps you warm, you’ll still want to avoid going too fast with your electric bike.

Lower Tire Pressure

There are many experienced cyclists choose to adjust tire pressure to match road conditions. Especially in wet conditions, the lower tire pressure actually allows more of the tire to come into contact with the road, thereby, giving your electric bike a better grip.

Use E-bike Fenders

While electric bikes are largely water-resistant, the motor also can endure heavy splashes, and the battery will not fail by getting it wet, you may want to consider adding HIMIWAY E-bike Full Fenders at your electric bike. Not only will this help protect you from getting muddy on a wet road, but it will also keep your battery and other bike components protected as well.

Cover Your E-bike LCD Screen

Normally the electric bike battery won’t fail to function by getting wet. However, most e-bikes do not expose their LCD screens to the elements. It is important that certain protective cover to be applied to the surface during heavy rain. It can be just a thin layer of plastic cover, so that you can still read the data on the screen. By doing this, you may save up some high repair charge caused by lacking of protection.

Use Rust Protection Spray

To prolong the life of your e-bike, it is always good choice to spray some kind of rust protection spray into every spoke nipple, which is where the spoke meets the wheel. You can also spray it on any exposed metal before riding to help prevent salty water, like raining water build up on various parts of your bike. Leave a coating of the spray. Remember to prevent the rust spray from contacting the LCD screen. Check your bike’s body and chain regularly for rust and reapply rust protection spray as needed.

Carry an Emergency Kit

Like any other trips, you’ll need to bring some gear with you in case of emergency. I believe that the trick to an awesome trip is bringing just enough and no more to keep the riding both light and fun.

But there is no single list of tools that can work for every ride. To supplement your own tool kit, you may choose to carry all or some of tools listed below:

• HIMIWAY 16 in 1 Multi – Functional Bicycle Repair Tool
• E- bike pump
• Backup e-bike battery pack
• Duct tape
• Flashlight

Clean Your Electric Bike After Your Ride

There are a few things you should do after riding your electric bike in the rain. They are for keeping the bike and components in good working condition and so you’re ready for the next ride.

Rinse off any muddy bits of the bike. Wipe down wet surfaces on the bike.

Store your e-bike in a dry place so that any parts of the bike that did get wet have a chance to dry out.

All in all, riding your electric bike in the rain can be a lot of fun and can expand the number of times you’re able to use your bike if you don’t let a little rain get on the way. With some general rider tips and a wardrobe full of functional rain gear, you’ll be ready to tackle the next light shower.

Last but not least, please feel free to share this article with your friends and family who is new to cycling and may find this article useful!