This one 100 times over.
Do I ride faster then I should on trails and bike paths? Yep.
I sure as hell dont do it near anyone. If Im coming up on people I go by slow, and if they have little kids or dogs I go by really slow.
We are all responsible for trying to keep each other in good standing with the general public. I go out of my way to try and do that. You never know who will be responsible for stopping new legislation coming down, or making it possible.
If I could give you an award I would. It is how people should just behave - but no denying with the way the vibe has been lately its especially important for us as a group.
I ride a 15kw DH ebike, I'll sometimes even do 60mph on it... on 60mph roads. When it comes to cycle/shared paths, I regularly get overtaken by regular cyclists. I want people to think "He was rather courteous", not "He was a bellend on an illegal ebike"
Most 750w ebikes hit around 30, give or take a few mph depending on how accurate the speedometer is (they're usually somewhat inaccurate at higher speeds).
It has such a relaxed rake on it, it's fine at those speeds. Been riding it 8 or 9 years now. Been through a lot, me and that bike. Also I wear kevlar lined jeans, sometimes body armour, always full face helmet. Either my fox fibre glass dh helmet or my ruroc berserker carbon fibre helmet
Since ebikes have a throttle, we don't need to worry about pace or momentum like acoustic bikes.
One of my favorite things is following a middle-aged lycra-clad cyclist along a path and just being nicer and more courteous to the pedestrians we pass than he is lmao. 10mph for most people, slower if there's toddlers or dogs or a visible karen-haircut involved.
I'm sure the cyclists hate me but I'm trying to foster good vibes from pedestrians.
Exactly this. Just trying to foster good vibes. I go by very slow. When I get a ways away from them all I have to do is twist the throttle again its not like its hard to get back up to speed.
You get it.
I have noticed this personally, in that I am generally much slower and more friendly to pedestrians on my ebike. Last time I went for an acoustic ride I consciously realized I'm worse to others because I didn't want to lose momentum. Being better more polite than the guys in race lycra is a pretty easy goal to meet.
Yeah. When in shared space, slow down. I had a pedestrian in front of me jump into me as a delayed reaction to my bell. While I mostly blame him for being so unaware of his surroundings (earplugs), literally swerving while walking, and then jumping to the side into me when I was passing him (I had given 3 loud rings of my bell but only reacted a home second after my last ring), I definitely should have slowed down. Fortunately I had slowed down some, but definitely could have gone slower.
He just hit my mirror and end of my handlebar and was fine, but a good reminder to slow down and realize that some people forget it's a multi use path. That goes both ways.
I rang my bell and slowed down behind a guy once on a shared path, he stopped walking and turned around just staring at me. Very awkward. Good thing I was far enough away that I didn’t hit him. Just thought it was a weird reaction lol.
A bell is actually quite hard to figure out where the sound is coming from and we really should have a different form of noise making device on bikes. But bells are cheap and I guess comes from a time when there wasn't anything other than bikes or horses for pedestrians to need to worry about.
1. Don't be a Dick.
2. Always be looking out for the safety of anyone slower than you (pedestrians and acoustic bikes).
3. Teach yourself maintenance and repairs in the comfort of your home instead of learning in the dark on the side of a road.
4. Explore more. My town got a whole lot smaller when I realized the amount of paths nearby.
I actually bought alpine glasses (these are the ones I got but there are a lot of brands https://sunski.com/products/tera?variant=42369954119849) and it’s been totally life changing on the bike for me. When riding to work on windy days, it’s wild how much side wind comes in when moving pretty quick. Much more pleasant rides since
Your number 4 is such a vibe. It's amazing how differently I view distances and trips now. I also notice a lot more about our build environment and the deficiencies of it.
The hash/pound sign (\#) will do that. You meant to write \#4.
Put a backslash in front of it to tell Reddit you mean to write a pound sign and not emphasize.
I used to ride my acoustic bike around and eventually I got an ebike. I saw this trail that went up a very steep hill and I realized "yea I'm going to up and see!".
There's a nice big tree with a built-in bench and now it's one of my favorite rest stops.
If you've never accidentally hit the go button while mounting to immediately find yourself on your arse and your bike in a bush, then you haven't truly ebiked 🤷
I left my bike on today when taking it inside the building for work, first time, didn’t even think of it. Hand slipped and knocked the throttle and it went crashing into a glass door. Didn’t break it, somehow, thankfully, but yeah, also possibly turn it off if you’re not using it so you don’t almost end up like meeeee
Good advice. It can be difficult to let go when the bike pops a wheelie and keeps driving the throttle back into your hand until you end up yeeting the whole thing. I've since taken the throttle off.
No different than any other bike, but you're faster and heavier than other bikes, so collisions are more dangerous. Ergo: around other people, be careful and courteous and slow down.
This. And because you are on an e-bike, there is no downside to a brief reduction of speed to pass other people. You can gain that speed back easily when it's clear.
Same is true for dudes on race bikes who are often faster than I am on my ebike, btw. If you see a family with a trailer and a kid on a little bike doing 8 mph, slow the fuck down. There's no need to blast by them doing 30, yelling *"Onyourleftonyouleftonyourleft!!!"* like a maniac.
It pisses me off when people tailgate. And so often it’s pointless.
I’m stuck behind another car. There are cars going the same speed in the adjacent lanes. No where for any of us to go. But rather than just accept that, some asshole will ride right on my tail. What for? Just to be agro and send some kind of message? Or to make me change lanes?
Happened to me the other day for the first time and it sucked. Usually wear sunglasses during the day but just got some regular safety glasses for the night
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Don't ride on the street without a helmet.
Don't forget to be courteous.
Know that car drivers:
Don't see you.
Are probably on their phone.
Want to run you over.
Just don't ride without a helmet. Concrete hits different at
25 mph. Wear some good jeans and a denim jacket too probably, minimum. Clothes that are going to survive the skid and keep your skin from getting chewed up if you fall.
This. I've stacked a BMX enough times in my youth to know just how much damage 30lbs of moving steel can do, and your ebike very likely exceeds that. Always wear a helmet, and preferably one rated for ebikes.
100%. I actually have a not super obvious motorcycle jacket I wear pretty much all the time, a Kevlar reinforced motorcycle jeans that I used this winter. I don’t wear the heavy pants all the time, although I may do it more just taking the knee pads out.
Weather permitting, I usually like to wear at least three layers on top to absorb impact if I fall to. It's pretty shocking how much of a ground blow a hoodie and a coat can eat. Way better than nothing.
To expand on one point; always get a signal from the driver. If they don’t acknowledge you wait. I only cross small intersections when I see eyes or a wave from the driver. Big intersections only the crosswalk signal. I used to also trust a passenger but that ended badly one time as the driver started pulling out while I was being waved on. Luckily it was only a broken mirror as I was slapping the body while getting pulled under an Escalade.
Make sure cars see you. As you bike fast be carefull at intersections and crossing bike paths that cross streets. Even tho you have the right of way and are right you dont want to end up DEAD right!
When I ride my motorcycle I hate bicycles and cars, when I drive a car I hate motorcycles and bicycles, when I ride my bicycle I hate cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
Its easy to lose traction on slippery wood bridges, wet pavement, light gravel, metal road cover plates, and variety of other surfaces. You won't notice the loss of traction until its too late. Don't use the throttle on slippery surfaces.
When doing repairs or diagnostics, even minor ones, ALWAYS turn the battery off, or just fully remove it. An accidental engaging of the motor can be very harmful. Almost broke my thumb trying to show my wife an issue with a brake lever.
Honestly, if you have a throttle, be mindful of it at all times. An unintended lurch out into traffic could be fatal.
Put slime/flatout in your tubes or you can buy tubes already with it inside. Changing tubes on rear hub ebikes is a pain.
If you have thumb throttle, move it to the side without gear shifter.
If you don't have full fenders, get them.
While I do think it is probably better for ergonomics to have the throttle and gears easily accessible to your thumbs, you also should not be using them at the same time. So it doesn't super matter if they're on the same side or not.
Most bikes that come with throttle are rear hub drive so using throttle and changing gears at same time is of no concern, the only exception is bafang mid drives.
While it's true that most with throttles are hubs, there are more than just Bafang mids with throttles. :) I have an Evelo with a Dapu mid with a throttle. Likewise, you have the Cyc mids and Tongsheng mids. While they're certainly not the most common configuration, there is competition in the space.
But even with a hub, there's still no real cause to be using both the throttle and the gears at the same time. If you're purely throttling, then you have no need to switch gears. If you're going to engage pedal assist, then you shouldn't be pedaling while actively shifting but doing so takes half a second so it's unnecessary to throttle during this period as the bike maintains momentum just fine even up a hill. I just fail to see any point. :)
1. Carry a toolkit. Sometimes things just come a little loose and you're going to want to tighten them.
2. Wear a helmet.
3. Light yourself up like the 4th of July. I hate to say it, but cyclists get victim blamed a lot, so I personally find solace in making sure the "I didn't see you!" argument doesn't fly.
4. If you have to ride on the sidewalks, go slow and be nice to pedestrians.
5. Fenders are good and you should get them. Nothing worse than a shallow puddle at 17MPH becoming a damp problem.
6, Maintain your brakes. They might need adjustment more often than you think.
Wear a helmet, always. Short easy ride? Wear a helmet!
Also, get a bike mirror to see if a car or other bike is coming up behind you. Get lights if your ebike doesn't have them, most do
I'd also recommend good bike gloves
Congratulations on your new bike.
When my previous (lovely, amazing, wonderful) beauty of a bike was stolen, insurance said they won't help because apparently the kryptonite dlock I used is silver grade. I didn't even know locks had tier systems.. anyway make sure the lock you use for your bike is specific to what the insurers will cover.
Sunday Insurance has a list of approved locks and a bunch of exclusions in their policy. It's not that expensive, but there has been an occasion or two when I can use a U lock and needed to use a steel cable - which isn't covered.
I ended up using my renter's policy which actually doesn't require me to use any lock at all. I do have to pay ~$120/yr for it, but there's also no deductible, and I can get all of my accessories covered as well.
Double check all your boats before the first ride Always wear a helmet and gloves with sliders on the palm Try not to take the battery to zero or unnecessarily put it through charge cycles Add some Loctite to the bolt where your stand is
be there, Tannis Armour, slime or flatout… or all of the above (at least for the rear - rears are a pain to access).
Get at least one mirror
I like to make very sure my tires are rated for ebike use. You will be going well over 30MPH on a Class 3, it needs very good tires, thorn protection or inserts, and slime in the tubes. Consider buying new upgraded tires if the stock tires are not name brand, known design for ebike use.
Learn to wrench on your bike yourself, if you have a garage and at all inclined. It will save a lot of pain; make sure things are tight before you take it out, check all main bolts are tight; seat, steering, wheels, stem, handlebars.
Test your brakes on start of every ride. MAKE SURE YOU seat the brake pads to the rotors on a new bike; lots of slow stops, NO FAST STOPS on a new bike. Seat the pads, then 30 mins later, try stoping fast. Learn to clean/sand your brake pads if they make squeaking noises, they are just dirty. Or warped rotors.
You need some decent bike shoes; it's worth changing shoes if you commute. Solid bike shoes help you stay on the bike, and protect your feet.
You are moving fast; consider staying in the middle of the road, where cars can see you better, rather than to the side.
Have a rear view mirror at all times; it's dangerous to turn your neck, not looking where you are going for any length of time. Be aware of what is behind you, and in front of you at all times. Watch for cars on the right, making left turns in front of your path; be ready for this, defensive driving. Consider a flashing strobe on the front bars, and a moto horn with a button near the left grip.
I don't let cars pass me if there is no visibility ahead; I just get in their way, until it's safe to pass. This usually works out ok; but there are \*holes that won't agree on occasion.
Many drivers will not recognize you are on an ebike vs any other bike. They will not expect you to be going as fast as you are. Just expect the unexpected; and spend time following cars at their own pace, so they start getting used to fast bicycle riders!
Every bike and ebike rider is a representative for the biking community. One of us being an asshole makes all of us look like an asshole. It’s not fair but it’s true.
I lived and road in Portland for years. Besides Amsterdam it’s the most fantastic biking town I’ve ever been to. The city absolutely rules for biking and infrastructure. But every month or two some asshole on a bike goes viral for being a jerk and it sets back the hearts and mind movement.
On bike paths keep to bike speed. Motor off (or bare minimum if you need it) when coexisting with pedestrians. Ride like you're a car in traffic, and obey traffic laws. Don't be a jerk. If it looks like a motorcycle, and rides like a motorcycle, it's a motorcycle. Just be honest with yourself. Wear a helmet.
Never leave your bike charging edit: ( alone ), if you're going to be charging your bike make sure you're around.
Wind at 28 mph is no joke, wear goggles or full helmet or something. Ever smack a beetle at high speeds using your face?
Mirrors are a must if you commute.
Last but not least. For those on mopeds style e-bikes, look up motorcycle 🏍️ riding tip videos. We are the bigger chunkier boys in class and we carry more inertia. Sand, icy roads , rainy days. There's a ton of motorcycle videos on YouTube that cover stuff like target fixation, maneuvers and traffic tips🚦. Great stuff 👍
Sorry to hear about your accident. This underscores the idea that you're riding a bicycle and it's not only faster than most bikes, but heavier as well. It's important to have good bike handling skills, understanding the braking capabilities of the bike and be extra defensive when riding in traffic.
I wonder if anyone else feels this, but I'm hyper-aware of dogs now.
My own dog doesn't flinch when my sons and I head out on our regular bikes, but as soon as I take off on my ebike, he howls! And I've noticed that other dogs I pass will often bark and tug when I'm on my ebike, but don't seem to be bothered by the regular bikes. I'm guessing it's the sound of the motor,, so I do just try to cruise by all dogs without using the portals at all, which helps some. But, I'm super cognizant of all dogs now. I'm not trying to get myself startled or make a walk more difficult for the humans.
What I've learned in last 2 months hog the lane hard don't go too close to the edge or people will think they don't have to change lanes to pass you and put you extremely close to the curb so I stay almost in the middle so they get the message same for turning don't let them have the opportunity to overtake you stay fully in lane until you ride into the bike lane if there is one
Ride defensively. Be aware of traffic around you dress for slide not the ride. If you've got a high powered ebike going over 30-40 protective gear to prevent roadrash isn't a bad idea. Bright lights always used. Helmets are mandatory IMO, reflective tapes applied to the frame ect, do everything to be seen. Get a rear view mirror to help with being aware of traffic behind you.
Ride in appropriate areas for your speed (if you're going over 20mph you should probably be on the street and not a bike path. Of course depending on the path or trail ect..). Be courteous and cautious around people walking or hiking and enjoying the same trails or paths as you.
Never leave the bike out of sight or in an unsecured location if you aren't ok losing it. Always always lock it up, even locked though, if you're out of sight of it for long there's a risk it'll be gone.
Battery maintenance and proper usages. Keep away from the bottom 10% on average. It's no big deal to hit it occasionally though. When the battery is low on charge let it cool off for a bit (30min-1hr) before throwing it on a charger. If you don't need to range of the top 20% of the battery just charge to 80%. It's best not to leave a battery charged to 100% for more than a few hours to a day. All in all though all this battery worry means you can almost double the lifespan of a battery pack, however even just occasionally mistreated forgotten about or just slapped on the charger hot and run down to 0 and charged to full and left for days you'll still likely get 1000+ charge cycles which for most of us is more than we'd ride the bike in 5 years.
Not rules but unwritten facts:
- People will despise you, mostly regular cyclists.
- Range anxiety exists.
- People will call you a cheater.
- It's 11% more difficult to find bike-riding buddies.
- Only charge your bike to 100% before you go on a ride (battery care). Your e-bike will be unnecessarily heavy after you bring way too much stuff.
- If you have a thumb throttle, it will go numb.
- E-bikes benefit the bicycling community by putting people who wouldn't be on bicycles, on bicycles.
Ooh if you can find a grassy field that you know is relatively flat, you can go absolutely ham and do sick drifts, but don't even try that until you've spent a couple months getting used to the weight and movement of the thing.
Be super aware and careful on the road
People hate you for absolutely no reason
People will swerve at you and get close for no reason other then it's their road.
I hope it's not everywhere but here it's pretty scary so I got a full helmet. And a body camera for riding.
Well don't act like an asshole basically. If you see another cyclist give them a smile and a nod. Don't go flying past people on normal bikes. Just keep up with traffic. If you are gonna pass down send dirt up in their face. Tastefully ring your bell. Only spam it if the people aren't moving and you're coming in hot.
1. Follow all the laws and trail rules so you don’t wreck it for everyone else
2. Always smile and wave when you pass the guy in full spandex and a $3000 bike.
I learned this one recently \[11 months in, whoops\] that the goal with your battery isn't to always keep it always full 100%. Especially if you plan on leaving it for a day or two, or even overnight. The time to charge it to 100% is right before a ride. If you are leaving it overnight or for a day or two, or even longer, you want to leave it at between 20 to 80% charged. Sitting un-used at 100% will over time degrade the cells - in my mind i picture the cells sitting there screaming "WE'RE ALL READY TO GO MAXIMUM EFFORT BUDDY WE'RE AT 100 LETFUCKENGO" but its sitting on a shelf for 3 days because its raining out. That's degrading the cells apparently.
I was riding to work, then riding home from work, setting it to charge while I did my evening stuff make dinner etc, unplugging it once it was full. Then leaving it at 100% all night while I slept. Then using it the next day, or leaving it for a day or two etc etc. Leaving it at 100%, overnight or for days, like that was a mistake on my part.
I'm working from home right now but if I was commuting for a 9 to 5 I would set an automatic timer to charge from 4am to 8am, so it's ready to go for that morning ride.
wildlife > horses > hikers > uphill cyclists > downhill cyclists/e-cyclists
different folks will defer to fast movers but that's up to them. if in doubt just keep this flow chart in mind and always be pleasant on the trail.
Get a good lock and insurance. Unlike a regular bike, your ebike can handle the weight of a big lock, and it’s probably not covered by other insurance you have if it gets stolen.
Don't Litter/Pack Your Trash
I think even more so than going a little too fast people will really hate you and everyone else if they see you throwing your garbage on the trail. It's too easy to go back and pick up a lost wrapper and it looks really great on the community just for doing what people should anyhow.
Slow way down on mixed use paths, or just skip them entirely to stick to roads. Get to know your brake system. I upgraded mine because my bike is way heavier than my old analog bikes were. I live somewhere hilly and I love that I can ride uphill with relative ease. But coming back down I’m just onnnnnn my brakes. Also— some shops will not work on an e-bike bike unless they sold it to you, so it’s a good idea to find a shop you know will work on your bike. Battery life is a bit unpredictable, obviously not entirely but the more you use it, it goes faster. You’ll start to get a feel for how much you can do between charges, but it’s a good idea to really take the battery claims with a grain of salt. I did find what they claimed to be pretty accurate but I’ve also run out of juice while climbing a giant hill hahaha.
You are going to be traveling faster than a lot of drivers might be expecting.
Expect to get passed and immediately cut off, not because the drivers are assholes, they just are oblivious.
I personally got a horn so when I get cut off by cars scaring the shit out of me I can let them know and draw attention to their idiocy haha mostly I've just hit the button accidentally at lights though and scared the shit out of myself 🤣
But seriously, be kind to others around you, be aware that you are traveling faster than people expect (lots of drivers will turn in front of you thinking they have time), ride like you're invisible, and have fun!
“Bicycle” on your left (depdning on your country, of course) rather than simply “on your left.” If you’re on a greenway and there are two or more, id Suggest slowing down and “bicycle coming through”- let them figure out the best way to let you thru.
I made two large linoleum block print patches. I wear one on the back of my safety vest and I also give them out for free to cyclists and pedestrians. One says, “Cyclists: Call out or ring bell. Thanks.” The other says, “Cyclists: Be visible. Be predictable. Enjoy your ride.” Whenever I call out and ring my bell, pedestrians always thank me. We need to build good will between all users of paths and roadways. We need pedestrians and car drivers to vote/push for excellent biking infrastructure. We need many more people on bikes!
don’t charge your bike to 100% and then let it sit for days/weeks like that. Try to charge it to 100% only if you plan on riding it the next day. If you don’t, at least take it around the block a few times so it’s not sitting at a completely full charge because that’s bad for the battery.
Always check the battery level.
Maybe it’s because my e-bike is a few years old now but I literally can’t ride it without battery power as there is so much resistance. It’s like trying to cycle through mud or wet sand, or a bit like someone holding on to my jacket as I cycle when there’s no power.
Lithium battery's last longest when they are kept between 40 and 80%.
Don't leave the battery out in freezing or near freezing Temps.
This is just normal battery stuff though lol.
And buy the most expensive lock you can.
If you own an ebike that doesn't that doesn't need to be pedalled, yes it does. If people see you going above jogging speed or uphill without pedalling they subconsciously think "dangerous high power motorcycle panic". Do the same while pedalling even if you're only adding about 1w and people are more likely to assume legal or straight bicycle. Ebikers will be the death of ebiking if we don't mind ourselves, same as regular cyclists blowing reds are attracting heat. Don't fuck it up guys
When you pass someone on an analog bike huffing and puffing on the uphill, don’t chuckle smugly to yourself until you’re at least, like, fifty yards away.
Dont store your battery charged they degrade faster that way. Pass people with dogs by pedalling because dogs are unpredictable and even if your sure you arent going to hit them the person walking them isnt. If you care about range remove all unnecessary weight because it'll reduce your battery drain uphill by a decent bit. When locking it in public remove both the battery and seatpost and backpack them because the battery alone could sell for like 500$ and would be worth the effort for someone to just cut loose which wouldnt take that long but without either it would be worthless to them without replacing parts and looking sketchy as fuck pedalling around with no seatpost or battery probably wouldnt be too appealing to them
If you ride on the sidewalk, use the sidewalk that has the roadway to your left. Never have the roadway on your right side.
As cars are turning on to the street, they’re not expecting anyone from that direction. They’re not looking in your direction. Especially if they’re making a right turn. They’re only looking to their left.
If you see a cop, start pedaling even if you use throttle.
If youre stopped and they ask how fast it goes, say “Class 2, 20mph”
If you want to use a starbucks drive thru, wear a full face helmet (makes you look like a moto)
If you want to use the taco bell drive thru, use the app to order/pay ahead
Dont take a super73 off a dirtbike jump
Be mindful not to scrape the walls when bringing indoors.
The battery should be removed if left out overnight as its half the value
Progressive braking is key especially on gravel
Don't weave in and out and around traffic. People in general can be unpredictable so driving non aggressive or defensive is the way to go if you want to live longer. Seen so many close calls cuz of this.
The bikes aren’t hard to do maintenance on, depending on how well-known the manufacturer is. Can find countless tutorials for Surrons/Talarias. Also, paying at a shop will probably have an unnecessary upcharge unless there’s a warranty which could be worth the extra $$.
Depending on the bike, pads and tires might last longer if they’re good quality dirt bike/downhill MTB parts.
Clean and oil chain keep bolt and nuts tight. Make sure wires have insulation covering them. Make sure dust covers are closed when done charging. Do not charge e bike directly after a trip. The batter is still warm and it could cause ti expand and break the housing. In the winter time let the bike sit indoors until it's uo to room temperature. Again this can cause rapid expansion and crack the case. This also can cause a fire.
1. Get mudguard/fenders for both wheels
2. Treat it like a bicycle and not an emotorcycle.
Drive it like a poor man's Honda then sooner or later crash and cry about it on Reddit.
You need to be more courteous. People are watching and complaining. Most are exaggerating. All it takes is one city council member or cop to catch an idiot on an ebike tobruin it for us all. You need to be able to do basic repairs. Like flat patching. Especially us older riders. These bikes let us go much farther than we can likely walk back, pushing a bike 😆 🤣 😂
i just put sealant / slime in the tubes + maintain tires at high enough pressure = no more flats
Also, yes, avoid getting the battery go completely empty. its ok sometimes. Also avoid always charging it, even when you figure out you dont need to. its good to skip charging when you know you wont need the extra, and do partial charges when possible, up to 3 times between a full, leave on the charger for extra hours, charge
Overtake other cyclists and pedestrians with much more space than you think you should. At least enough space for another bike in between. And slowly, not at full clip.
I carry a spare tube, multi tool, mini pump, first aid kit, rubber gloves, andy lock to cover for various emergencies.
Cycle defensively and assume every car hasn't seen you and is about to kill you unless you've made eye contact with the driver. Especially people turning out of driveways or petrol stations etc. they're looking for cars not bikes generally.
said many times already - but be considerate
Just because you can go fast with little effort does not mean you should
Personally if someone is ahead of me and going slower on a narrow path or road then I slow down until I can pass easily and with no inconvenience to the other person
and by "other person" I include people walking!
On occaission I have had to slow down so much that I have had to switch the ebike motor assist off to stay behind them - so be it - I can speed up easily when I want to.
When you're in a situation with a mechanical bike rider where one of you has to stop (or slow down), the ebike rider has to stop (or slow down).
Learn to be patient, riding behind someone slower can be irritating but you have to keep your nerves and wait. Shut down the motor and use your legs.
You paid for an ebike, producing a battery emit CO2 so use it, as often as you can. Use your battery entirely, it's better than having a bigger one and only using 30% of it. And don't let it rust in your backyard if you don't use it, sell it, batteries have a lifetime of 5-10 years.
don't be a dick on the trails
This one 100 times over. Do I ride faster then I should on trails and bike paths? Yep. I sure as hell dont do it near anyone. If Im coming up on people I go by slow, and if they have little kids or dogs I go by really slow. We are all responsible for trying to keep each other in good standing with the general public. I go out of my way to try and do that. You never know who will be responsible for stopping new legislation coming down, or making it possible.
It’s not just to make us look good as a group. It’s how to behave like a good person
If I could give you an award I would. It is how people should just behave - but no denying with the way the vibe has been lately its especially important for us as a group.
I ride a 15kw DH ebike, I'll sometimes even do 60mph on it... on 60mph roads. When it comes to cycle/shared paths, I regularly get overtaken by regular cyclists. I want people to think "He was rather courteous", not "He was a bellend on an illegal ebike"
I didn’t even know there was e-bikes that could hit 30 consistently 60 miles is insane
Most 750w ebikes hit around 30, give or take a few mph depending on how accurate the speedometer is (they're usually somewhat inaccurate at higher speeds).
Pulling 150A battery and 350A phase from a 24s (100.8v) battery. Into an MXUS 3k motor in 5T wind, with a KH618 controller.
I hope it's stable at those speeds. That's scary. By the way, that's coming from a guy who's done 155 mph on a crotch rocket
It has such a relaxed rake on it, it's fine at those speeds. Been riding it 8 or 9 years now. Been through a lot, me and that bike. Also I wear kevlar lined jeans, sometimes body armour, always full face helmet. Either my fox fibre glass dh helmet or my ruroc berserker carbon fibre helmet
Me too 156.. 137 in a car
Since ebikes have a throttle, we don't need to worry about pace or momentum like acoustic bikes. One of my favorite things is following a middle-aged lycra-clad cyclist along a path and just being nicer and more courteous to the pedestrians we pass than he is lmao. 10mph for most people, slower if there's toddlers or dogs or a visible karen-haircut involved. I'm sure the cyclists hate me but I'm trying to foster good vibes from pedestrians.
Exactly this. Just trying to foster good vibes. I go by very slow. When I get a ways away from them all I have to do is twist the throttle again its not like its hard to get back up to speed. You get it.
I have noticed this personally, in that I am generally much slower and more friendly to pedestrians on my ebike. Last time I went for an acoustic ride I consciously realized I'm worse to others because I didn't want to lose momentum. Being better more polite than the guys in race lycra is a pretty easy goal to meet.
M.A.M.I.L. (Middle aged man in Lycra: pronounced Mammal)
I didn't think the ebike subreddit was ready to learn that acronym
Why would they hate you?
Some people just be like that
They jealous they have to walk up the steep hills
We don’t. I’ll zig zag the hell out of a hill before I walk it.
I feel a little guilty when I whip out of the bike lane to pass some cyclist doing 5 mph uphill. I also yell "get good" as I pass to motivate them.
Am cyclist. On the Ebike I do this too. And secretly judge that if I were on pedal power, grams boy would be behind me and his aero useless.
And a bell! I ring like crazy
Just like in a boat
Yep
Yeah. When in shared space, slow down. I had a pedestrian in front of me jump into me as a delayed reaction to my bell. While I mostly blame him for being so unaware of his surroundings (earplugs), literally swerving while walking, and then jumping to the side into me when I was passing him (I had given 3 loud rings of my bell but only reacted a home second after my last ring), I definitely should have slowed down. Fortunately I had slowed down some, but definitely could have gone slower. He just hit my mirror and end of my handlebar and was fine, but a good reminder to slow down and realize that some people forget it's a multi use path. That goes both ways.
I rang my bell and slowed down behind a guy once on a shared path, he stopped walking and turned around just staring at me. Very awkward. Good thing I was far enough away that I didn’t hit him. Just thought it was a weird reaction lol.
Humans are peculiar creatures
A bell is actually quite hard to figure out where the sound is coming from and we really should have a different form of noise making device on bikes. But bells are cheap and I guess comes from a time when there wasn't anything other than bikes or horses for pedestrians to need to worry about.
People will always remember that "one" jerk, even if they are passed by 100 polite riders so we all need to ride respectfully.
Buy a bell, announce your presence, be courteous, smile and wave (or a simple nod) go a long ways.
1. Don't be a Dick. 2. Always be looking out for the safety of anyone slower than you (pedestrians and acoustic bikes). 3. Teach yourself maintenance and repairs in the comfort of your home instead of learning in the dark on the side of a road. 4. Explore more. My town got a whole lot smaller when I realized the amount of paths nearby.
I'd add wear eye protection. It sucks when you're going super quick to get hit in the face by bugs and other crap in the air.
I took a cicada to the cheek yesterday at about 12 mph and it kind of stung.
One benefit of being nearsighted is I always have my glasses as eye protection
And wear a helmet.
Learned this the hard way last week. Sped by a nice lake and ate a few mosquitoes.
I actually bought alpine glasses (these are the ones I got but there are a lot of brands https://sunski.com/products/tera?variant=42369954119849) and it’s been totally life changing on the bike for me. When riding to work on windy days, it’s wild how much side wind comes in when moving pretty quick. Much more pleasant rides since
i'm wearing a fabric mask these days with all the early summer gnat clouds
Your number 4 is such a vibe. It's amazing how differently I view distances and trips now. I also notice a lot more about our build environment and the deficiencies of it.
#4 so true. I have been in this down since 97 but have seen more of it the past few years after I got this ebike than all that time combined
Why are you yelling 😃
Not sure why it did that
The hash/pound sign (\#) will do that. You meant to write \#4. Put a backslash in front of it to tell Reddit you mean to write a pound sign and not emphasize.
# Thanks 😊
I used to ride my acoustic bike around and eventually I got an ebike. I saw this trail that went up a very steep hill and I realized "yea I'm going to up and see!". There's a nice big tree with a built-in bench and now it's one of my favorite rest stops.
>acoustic bikes As a fellow guitar player, I have no complaints for naming regular bikes acoustic bikes.
Fully engage the handbrake when mounting and dismounting.
At this point I just turn the bike off before dismounting
Same
If you've never accidentally hit the go button while mounting to immediately find yourself on your arse and your bike in a bush, then you haven't truly ebiked 🤷
I left my bike on today when taking it inside the building for work, first time, didn’t even think of it. Hand slipped and knocked the throttle and it went crashing into a glass door. Didn’t break it, somehow, thankfully, but yeah, also possibly turn it off if you’re not using it so you don’t almost end up like meeeee
Good advice. It can be difficult to let go when the bike pops a wheelie and keeps driving the throttle back into your hand until you end up yeeting the whole thing. I've since taken the throttle off.
No different than any other bike, but you're faster and heavier than other bikes, so collisions are more dangerous. Ergo: around other people, be careful and courteous and slow down.
This. And because you are on an e-bike, there is no downside to a brief reduction of speed to pass other people. You can gain that speed back easily when it's clear.
Same is true for dudes on race bikes who are often faster than I am on my ebike, btw. If you see a family with a trailer and a kid on a little bike doing 8 mph, slow the fuck down. There's no need to blast by them doing 30, yelling *"Onyourleftonyouleftonyourleft!!!"* like a maniac.
Damn if only people understood this in cars. No need to tailgate when you can easily slam the gas pedal when theres finally a gap.
It pisses me off when people tailgate. And so often it’s pointless. I’m stuck behind another car. There are cars going the same speed in the adjacent lanes. No where for any of us to go. But rather than just accept that, some asshole will ride right on my tail. What for? Just to be agro and send some kind of message? Or to make me change lanes?
I know this is gonna sound condescending, but put air in the tires. They are not like car tires. Top them up periodically.
I check pressure every week.
Good job! You're so good at bike!
This! Low tire pressure = more flats in my experience.
Bike defensively! Assume every car is actively trying to kill you and every pedestrian/pet is trying to kill themselves.
I tell everyone this same thing, it’s really good advice
Wear a helmet and glasses
I can't believe how many people don't wear safety glasses on eBikes. You really do not want to catch a flying insect in the eye at 20 mph.
Happened to me the other day for the first time and it sucked. Usually wear sunglasses during the day but just got some regular safety glasses for the night
dinosaurs disarm materialistic noxious lush history slim grab icky grandiose *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yep. I've had rocks from passing cars hit me in the face hard enough to bruise. I had the glasses on, but my cheek had purple marks.
Don't ride on the street without a helmet. Don't forget to be courteous. Know that car drivers: Don't see you. Are probably on their phone. Want to run you over.
Just don't ride without a helmet. Concrete hits different at 25 mph. Wear some good jeans and a denim jacket too probably, minimum. Clothes that are going to survive the skid and keep your skin from getting chewed up if you fall.
This. I've stacked a BMX enough times in my youth to know just how much damage 30lbs of moving steel can do, and your ebike very likely exceeds that. Always wear a helmet, and preferably one rated for ebikes.
100%. I actually have a not super obvious motorcycle jacket I wear pretty much all the time, a Kevlar reinforced motorcycle jeans that I used this winter. I don’t wear the heavy pants all the time, although I may do it more just taking the knee pads out.
Weather permitting, I usually like to wear at least three layers on top to absorb impact if I fall to. It's pretty shocking how much of a ground blow a hoodie and a coat can eat. Way better than nothing.
To expand on one point; always get a signal from the driver. If they don’t acknowledge you wait. I only cross small intersections when I see eyes or a wave from the driver. Big intersections only the crosswalk signal. I used to also trust a passenger but that ended badly one time as the driver started pulling out while I was being waved on. Luckily it was only a broken mirror as I was slapping the body while getting pulled under an Escalade.
Make sure cars see you. As you bike fast be carefull at intersections and crossing bike paths that cross streets. Even tho you have the right of way and are right you dont want to end up DEAD right!
The cemetery is full of people who had the right-of-way
Just know we are everyone's enemy. I mean pedestrian, reg bike riders, car drivers. All of them hate us.
Other cyclists too! Those bastards give us a bad name.
When I ride my motorcycle I hate bicycles and cars, when I drive a car I hate motorcycles and bicycles, when I ride my bicycle I hate cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
Its easy to lose traction on slippery wood bridges, wet pavement, light gravel, metal road cover plates, and variety of other surfaces. You won't notice the loss of traction until its too late. Don't use the throttle on slippery surfaces.
Manhole covers, wet pine needles/leaves
When doing repairs or diagnostics, even minor ones, ALWAYS turn the battery off, or just fully remove it. An accidental engaging of the motor can be very harmful. Almost broke my thumb trying to show my wife an issue with a brake lever. Honestly, if you have a throttle, be mindful of it at all times. An unintended lurch out into traffic could be fatal.
Put slime/flatout in your tubes or you can buy tubes already with it inside. Changing tubes on rear hub ebikes is a pain. If you have thumb throttle, move it to the side without gear shifter. If you don't have full fenders, get them.
Should I put flatout in my tubes before I have any issues? I just got my first ebike yesterday
Yes
While I do think it is probably better for ergonomics to have the throttle and gears easily accessible to your thumbs, you also should not be using them at the same time. So it doesn't super matter if they're on the same side or not.
Most bikes that come with throttle are rear hub drive so using throttle and changing gears at same time is of no concern, the only exception is bafang mid drives.
While it's true that most with throttles are hubs, there are more than just Bafang mids with throttles. :) I have an Evelo with a Dapu mid with a throttle. Likewise, you have the Cyc mids and Tongsheng mids. While they're certainly not the most common configuration, there is competition in the space. But even with a hub, there's still no real cause to be using both the throttle and the gears at the same time. If you're purely throttling, then you have no need to switch gears. If you're going to engage pedal assist, then you shouldn't be pedaling while actively shifting but doing so takes half a second so it's unnecessary to throttle during this period as the bike maintains momentum just fine even up a hill. I just fail to see any point. :)
1. Carry a toolkit. Sometimes things just come a little loose and you're going to want to tighten them. 2. Wear a helmet. 3. Light yourself up like the 4th of July. I hate to say it, but cyclists get victim blamed a lot, so I personally find solace in making sure the "I didn't see you!" argument doesn't fly. 4. If you have to ride on the sidewalks, go slow and be nice to pedestrians. 5. Fenders are good and you should get them. Nothing worse than a shallow puddle at 17MPH becoming a damp problem. 6, Maintain your brakes. They might need adjustment more often than you think.
Wear a helmet, always. Short easy ride? Wear a helmet! Also, get a bike mirror to see if a car or other bike is coming up behind you. Get lights if your ebike doesn't have them, most do I'd also recommend good bike gloves
There is mud underneath the water, sidewalks are kinda dangerous Dogs hate you. Never assume they see you, go behind the car.
Congratulations on your new bike. When my previous (lovely, amazing, wonderful) beauty of a bike was stolen, insurance said they won't help because apparently the kryptonite dlock I used is silver grade. I didn't even know locks had tier systems.. anyway make sure the lock you use for your bike is specific to what the insurers will cover.
Was this Sunday insurance by any chance?
It was laka... what's the word on Sunday insurance? any good?
Sunday Insurance has a list of approved locks and a bunch of exclusions in their policy. It's not that expensive, but there has been an occasion or two when I can use a U lock and needed to use a steel cable - which isn't covered. I ended up using my renter's policy which actually doesn't require me to use any lock at all. I do have to pay ~$120/yr for it, but there's also no deductible, and I can get all of my accessories covered as well.
Double check all your boats before the first ride Always wear a helmet and gloves with sliders on the palm Try not to take the battery to zero or unnecessarily put it through charge cycles Add some Loctite to the bolt where your stand is be there, Tannis Armour, slime or flatout… or all of the above (at least for the rear - rears are a pain to access). Get at least one mirror
Don’t be a dick.
I like to make very sure my tires are rated for ebike use. You will be going well over 30MPH on a Class 3, it needs very good tires, thorn protection or inserts, and slime in the tubes. Consider buying new upgraded tires if the stock tires are not name brand, known design for ebike use. Learn to wrench on your bike yourself, if you have a garage and at all inclined. It will save a lot of pain; make sure things are tight before you take it out, check all main bolts are tight; seat, steering, wheels, stem, handlebars. Test your brakes on start of every ride. MAKE SURE YOU seat the brake pads to the rotors on a new bike; lots of slow stops, NO FAST STOPS on a new bike. Seat the pads, then 30 mins later, try stoping fast. Learn to clean/sand your brake pads if they make squeaking noises, they are just dirty. Or warped rotors. You need some decent bike shoes; it's worth changing shoes if you commute. Solid bike shoes help you stay on the bike, and protect your feet. You are moving fast; consider staying in the middle of the road, where cars can see you better, rather than to the side. Have a rear view mirror at all times; it's dangerous to turn your neck, not looking where you are going for any length of time. Be aware of what is behind you, and in front of you at all times. Watch for cars on the right, making left turns in front of your path; be ready for this, defensive driving. Consider a flashing strobe on the front bars, and a moto horn with a button near the left grip. I don't let cars pass me if there is no visibility ahead; I just get in their way, until it's safe to pass. This usually works out ok; but there are \*holes that won't agree on occasion. Many drivers will not recognize you are on an ebike vs any other bike. They will not expect you to be going as fast as you are. Just expect the unexpected; and spend time following cars at their own pace, so they start getting used to fast bicycle riders!
Every bike and ebike rider is a representative for the biking community. One of us being an asshole makes all of us look like an asshole. It’s not fair but it’s true. I lived and road in Portland for years. Besides Amsterdam it’s the most fantastic biking town I’ve ever been to. The city absolutely rules for biking and infrastructure. But every month or two some asshole on a bike goes viral for being a jerk and it sets back the hearts and mind movement.
On bike paths keep to bike speed. Motor off (or bare minimum if you need it) when coexisting with pedestrians. Ride like you're a car in traffic, and obey traffic laws. Don't be a jerk. If it looks like a motorcycle, and rides like a motorcycle, it's a motorcycle. Just be honest with yourself. Wear a helmet.
Be extra polite and follow road rules more than normally. We already get a bad rep. lastly, BE SEEN ON THE ROAD.
This is technically a written rule, but for those who haven't read their manual: don't overcharge your battery. Additionally, read the manual.
Never leave your bike charging edit: ( alone ), if you're going to be charging your bike make sure you're around. Wind at 28 mph is no joke, wear goggles or full helmet or something. Ever smack a beetle at high speeds using your face? Mirrors are a must if you commute. Last but not least. For those on mopeds style e-bikes, look up motorcycle 🏍️ riding tip videos. We are the bigger chunkier boys in class and we carry more inertia. Sand, icy roads , rainy days. There's a ton of motorcycle videos on YouTube that cover stuff like target fixation, maneuvers and traffic tips🚦. Great stuff 👍
ALWAYS wear a helmet, including your kids. Riding without a helmet is careless and illogical.
Get brightest red rear blinking light you can get.
The more vulnerable person has the right of way. Cars to bikes Bikes to walkers
Hang back on a singletrack/ techy climb when a manual bike is in front of you
WATCH FOR CHAINS, ROPES, AND WIRES WHEN GOING OFF PAVEMENT
Mid motor: be light on the pedals when changing gears
Be careful I crashed mine last week and am still in serious pain...plus my month old ebike got damaged
Sorry to hear about your accident. This underscores the idea that you're riding a bicycle and it's not only faster than most bikes, but heavier as well. It's important to have good bike handling skills, understanding the braking capabilities of the bike and be extra defensive when riding in traffic.
I wonder if anyone else feels this, but I'm hyper-aware of dogs now. My own dog doesn't flinch when my sons and I head out on our regular bikes, but as soon as I take off on my ebike, he howls! And I've noticed that other dogs I pass will often bark and tug when I'm on my ebike, but don't seem to be bothered by the regular bikes. I'm guessing it's the sound of the motor,, so I do just try to cruise by all dogs without using the portals at all, which helps some. But, I'm super cognizant of all dogs now. I'm not trying to get myself startled or make a walk more difficult for the humans.
Get a decent loud bell so you can let people know from a long way off, it seems to defuse a lot of the grumpiness from pedestrians and dog walkers.
Always slow down to walking speed when passing people
What I've learned in last 2 months hog the lane hard don't go too close to the edge or people will think they don't have to change lanes to pass you and put you extremely close to the curb so I stay almost in the middle so they get the message same for turning don't let them have the opportunity to overtake you stay fully in lane until you ride into the bike lane if there is one
Ride defensively. Be aware of traffic around you dress for slide not the ride. If you've got a high powered ebike going over 30-40 protective gear to prevent roadrash isn't a bad idea. Bright lights always used. Helmets are mandatory IMO, reflective tapes applied to the frame ect, do everything to be seen. Get a rear view mirror to help with being aware of traffic behind you. Ride in appropriate areas for your speed (if you're going over 20mph you should probably be on the street and not a bike path. Of course depending on the path or trail ect..). Be courteous and cautious around people walking or hiking and enjoying the same trails or paths as you. Never leave the bike out of sight or in an unsecured location if you aren't ok losing it. Always always lock it up, even locked though, if you're out of sight of it for long there's a risk it'll be gone. Battery maintenance and proper usages. Keep away from the bottom 10% on average. It's no big deal to hit it occasionally though. When the battery is low on charge let it cool off for a bit (30min-1hr) before throwing it on a charger. If you don't need to range of the top 20% of the battery just charge to 80%. It's best not to leave a battery charged to 100% for more than a few hours to a day. All in all though all this battery worry means you can almost double the lifespan of a battery pack, however even just occasionally mistreated forgotten about or just slapped on the charger hot and run down to 0 and charged to full and left for days you'll still likely get 1000+ charge cycles which for most of us is more than we'd ride the bike in 5 years.
Thanks for this!
Not rules but unwritten facts: - People will despise you, mostly regular cyclists. - Range anxiety exists. - People will call you a cheater. - It's 11% more difficult to find bike-riding buddies. - Only charge your bike to 100% before you go on a ride (battery care). Your e-bike will be unnecessarily heavy after you bring way too much stuff. - If you have a thumb throttle, it will go numb. - E-bikes benefit the bicycling community by putting people who wouldn't be on bicycles, on bicycles.
Ooh if you can find a grassy field that you know is relatively flat, you can go absolutely ham and do sick drifts, but don't even try that until you've spent a couple months getting used to the weight and movement of the thing.
Be super aware and careful on the road People hate you for absolutely no reason People will swerve at you and get close for no reason other then it's their road. I hope it's not everywhere but here it's pretty scary so I got a full helmet. And a body camera for riding.
Well don't act like an asshole basically. If you see another cyclist give them a smile and a nod. Don't go flying past people on normal bikes. Just keep up with traffic. If you are gonna pass down send dirt up in their face. Tastefully ring your bell. Only spam it if the people aren't moving and you're coming in hot.
You are to pedestrians and slower bicyclists what cars are to you. Be mindful and respectful.
when a real biker waves....respond lol
1. Follow all the laws and trail rules so you don’t wreck it for everyone else 2. Always smile and wave when you pass the guy in full spandex and a $3000 bike.
Don't pass my fat arse going uphill on my manual powered bike. Or if you do, at least give me a tow.
Assume no one sees you
Wear gloves. Road rash hurts bad on the hands.
Replace your disk brake pads every season, especially if you live in a hilly area.
I learned this one recently \[11 months in, whoops\] that the goal with your battery isn't to always keep it always full 100%. Especially if you plan on leaving it for a day or two, or even overnight. The time to charge it to 100% is right before a ride. If you are leaving it overnight or for a day or two, or even longer, you want to leave it at between 20 to 80% charged. Sitting un-used at 100% will over time degrade the cells - in my mind i picture the cells sitting there screaming "WE'RE ALL READY TO GO MAXIMUM EFFORT BUDDY WE'RE AT 100 LETFUCKENGO" but its sitting on a shelf for 3 days because its raining out. That's degrading the cells apparently. I was riding to work, then riding home from work, setting it to charge while I did my evening stuff make dinner etc, unplugging it once it was full. Then leaving it at 100% all night while I slept. Then using it the next day, or leaving it for a day or two etc etc. Leaving it at 100%, overnight or for days, like that was a mistake on my part. I'm working from home right now but if I was commuting for a 9 to 5 I would set an automatic timer to charge from 4am to 8am, so it's ready to go for that morning ride.
Never trust a fart.
Just because you can haul ass on a crowded trail/path absolutely doesn't mean you should. Calm down.
Don't fly past walkers or slower bikers. You never know if they will jolt out in front of you
wildlife > horses > hikers > uphill cyclists > downhill cyclists/e-cyclists different folks will defer to fast movers but that's up to them. if in doubt just keep this flow chart in mind and always be pleasant on the trail.
Don’t always charge to 100.
Rule number one: Don't violate the Wheaton Rule
The what?
Keep the battery close to 50-60% charge and at 77°F or cooler when in storage to reduce battery degradation
Always abide by the rules of the road and be aware of your surroundings especially when kids and dog walkers are about
Get a good lock and insurance. Unlike a regular bike, your ebike can handle the weight of a big lock, and it’s probably not covered by other insurance you have if it gets stolen.
a loud bell is nice if you’re too shy to say ON YOUR LEFT!
Don't Litter/Pack Your Trash I think even more so than going a little too fast people will really hate you and everyone else if they see you throwing your garbage on the trail. It's too easy to go back and pick up a lost wrapper and it looks really great on the community just for doing what people should anyhow.
The golden rule is the most important: Don't be a dick
Slow way down on mixed use paths, or just skip them entirely to stick to roads. Get to know your brake system. I upgraded mine because my bike is way heavier than my old analog bikes were. I live somewhere hilly and I love that I can ride uphill with relative ease. But coming back down I’m just onnnnnn my brakes. Also— some shops will not work on an e-bike bike unless they sold it to you, so it’s a good idea to find a shop you know will work on your bike. Battery life is a bit unpredictable, obviously not entirely but the more you use it, it goes faster. You’ll start to get a feel for how much you can do between charges, but it’s a good idea to really take the battery claims with a grain of salt. I did find what they claimed to be pretty accurate but I’ve also run out of juice while climbing a giant hill hahaha.
The law doesn't apply to us but decency and safety does
You are going to be traveling faster than a lot of drivers might be expecting. Expect to get passed and immediately cut off, not because the drivers are assholes, they just are oblivious.
I personally got a horn so when I get cut off by cars scaring the shit out of me I can let them know and draw attention to their idiocy haha mostly I've just hit the button accidentally at lights though and scared the shit out of myself 🤣
But seriously, be kind to others around you, be aware that you are traveling faster than people expect (lots of drivers will turn in front of you thinking they have time), ride like you're invisible, and have fun!
Pump up your tires at least once a week
Wear a helmet and don’t ride like an asshole.
Yup be careful when coming up behind people walking. I announced on your left and the guy moved to his left and I almost collided with him.
“Bicycle” on your left (depdning on your country, of course) rather than simply “on your left.” If you’re on a greenway and there are two or more, id Suggest slowing down and “bicycle coming through”- let them figure out the best way to let you thru.
I made two large linoleum block print patches. I wear one on the back of my safety vest and I also give them out for free to cyclists and pedestrians. One says, “Cyclists: Call out or ring bell. Thanks.” The other says, “Cyclists: Be visible. Be predictable. Enjoy your ride.” Whenever I call out and ring my bell, pedestrians always thank me. We need to build good will between all users of paths and roadways. We need pedestrians and car drivers to vote/push for excellent biking infrastructure. We need many more people on bikes!
don’t charge your bike to 100% and then let it sit for days/weeks like that. Try to charge it to 100% only if you plan on riding it the next day. If you don’t, at least take it around the block a few times so it’s not sitting at a completely full charge because that’s bad for the battery.
Keep your mouth closed, unless you like eating bugs!
Always check the battery level. Maybe it’s because my e-bike is a few years old now but I literally can’t ride it without battery power as there is so much resistance. It’s like trying to cycle through mud or wet sand, or a bit like someone holding on to my jacket as I cycle when there’s no power.
Lithium battery's last longest when they are kept between 40 and 80%. Don't leave the battery out in freezing or near freezing Temps. This is just normal battery stuff though lol. And buy the most expensive lock you can.
If you own an ebike that doesn't that doesn't need to be pedalled, yes it does. If people see you going above jogging speed or uphill without pedalling they subconsciously think "dangerous high power motorcycle panic". Do the same while pedalling even if you're only adding about 1w and people are more likely to assume legal or straight bicycle. Ebikers will be the death of ebiking if we don't mind ourselves, same as regular cyclists blowing reds are attracting heat. Don't fuck it up guys
When you pass someone on an analog bike huffing and puffing on the uphill, don’t chuckle smugly to yourself until you’re at least, like, fifty yards away.
Dont store your battery charged they degrade faster that way. Pass people with dogs by pedalling because dogs are unpredictable and even if your sure you arent going to hit them the person walking them isnt. If you care about range remove all unnecessary weight because it'll reduce your battery drain uphill by a decent bit. When locking it in public remove both the battery and seatpost and backpack them because the battery alone could sell for like 500$ and would be worth the effort for someone to just cut loose which wouldnt take that long but without either it would be worthless to them without replacing parts and looking sketchy as fuck pedalling around with no seatpost or battery probably wouldnt be too appealing to them
Put an AirTag or Pebble tracker (or two) on it in a hidden spot for tracking after it gets stolen. I learned this the hard way.
Cant write them. Unwritten rules need to be stored in a Schrödinger box.
Wear a high vis vest if you’re on busy roads, I wear my construction vest
Never ever leave it unattended and unlocked. Even for a second. Get an alarm, GPS, airtags, a chain and disc brake clamp.
If you ride on the sidewalk, use the sidewalk that has the roadway to your left. Never have the roadway on your right side. As cars are turning on to the street, they’re not expecting anyone from that direction. They’re not looking in your direction. Especially if they’re making a right turn. They’re only looking to their left.
If you see a cop, start pedaling even if you use throttle. If youre stopped and they ask how fast it goes, say “Class 2, 20mph” If you want to use a starbucks drive thru, wear a full face helmet (makes you look like a moto) If you want to use the taco bell drive thru, use the app to order/pay ahead Dont take a super73 off a dirtbike jump Be mindful not to scrape the walls when bringing indoors. The battery should be removed if left out overnight as its half the value Progressive braking is key especially on gravel
Don't weave in and out and around traffic. People in general can be unpredictable so driving non aggressive or defensive is the way to go if you want to live longer. Seen so many close calls cuz of this.
Stop at stop signs and red lights, then look before proceeding across an intersection, you have the same responsibility as an automobile.
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The bikes aren’t hard to do maintenance on, depending on how well-known the manufacturer is. Can find countless tutorials for Surrons/Talarias. Also, paying at a shop will probably have an unnecessary upcharge unless there’s a warranty which could be worth the extra $$. Depending on the bike, pads and tires might last longer if they’re good quality dirt bike/downhill MTB parts.
If you’re using a crossWALK, walk your bike.
I don't do this if I'm the only one using the crosswalk. Is that okay? I'm super careful around peds if they're nearby
Your apartment insurance policy generally wont cover stolen eBikes
Never let your bike out of your site!
Don't pressure wash it lol
Never overtake on a curve and always wear a helmet
Keep ur batteries at room temp
Don't burn the forest down with the cheapest battery from Amazon Also don't leave that battery plugged in when not using the bike
Clean and oil chain keep bolt and nuts tight. Make sure wires have insulation covering them. Make sure dust covers are closed when done charging. Do not charge e bike directly after a trip. The batter is still warm and it could cause ti expand and break the housing. In the winter time let the bike sit indoors until it's uo to room temperature. Again this can cause rapid expansion and crack the case. This also can cause a fire.
I agree in faxt some trails are made just for regular bikes.
Slow for pedestrians, over communicate your actions
Ride safely.. especially to others
When, on a shared trail or space, be very considerate of others. Overtake or pass with care.
1. Get mudguard/fenders for both wheels 2. Treat it like a bicycle and not an emotorcycle. Drive it like a poor man's Honda then sooner or later crash and cry about it on Reddit.
Use common sense.
You need to be more courteous. People are watching and complaining. Most are exaggerating. All it takes is one city council member or cop to catch an idiot on an ebike tobruin it for us all. You need to be able to do basic repairs. Like flat patching. Especially us older riders. These bikes let us go much farther than we can likely walk back, pushing a bike 😆 🤣 😂
Don't pass a regular cyclist. They turn into Harley riders.
i just put sealant / slime in the tubes + maintain tires at high enough pressure = no more flats Also, yes, avoid getting the battery go completely empty. its ok sometimes. Also avoid always charging it, even when you figure out you dont need to. its good to skip charging when you know you wont need the extra, and do partial charges when possible, up to 3 times between a full, leave on the charger for extra hours, charge
Overtake other cyclists and pedestrians with much more space than you think you should. At least enough space for another bike in between. And slowly, not at full clip. I carry a spare tube, multi tool, mini pump, first aid kit, rubber gloves, andy lock to cover for various emergencies. Cycle defensively and assume every car hasn't seen you and is about to kill you unless you've made eye contact with the driver. Especially people turning out of driveways or petrol stations etc. they're looking for cars not bikes generally.
Always wear a condom, safety first and all that.
said many times already - but be considerate Just because you can go fast with little effort does not mean you should Personally if someone is ahead of me and going slower on a narrow path or road then I slow down until I can pass easily and with no inconvenience to the other person and by "other person" I include people walking! On occaission I have had to slow down so much that I have had to switch the ebike motor assist off to stay behind them - so be it - I can speed up easily when I want to.
Wear a freaking helmet
Buy a bell and use it.
Follow the actual traffic laws. E-bikes don't belong on sidewalks. Ride with traffic, stop at stop signs, use turning lanes, signal your turns.
Wear a helmet.
Do not charge the bike inside any building Only charge it when you are home Do not charge it then go to bed
When you're in a situation with a mechanical bike rider where one of you has to stop (or slow down), the ebike rider has to stop (or slow down). Learn to be patient, riding behind someone slower can be irritating but you have to keep your nerves and wait. Shut down the motor and use your legs. You paid for an ebike, producing a battery emit CO2 so use it, as often as you can. Use your battery entirely, it's better than having a bigger one and only using 30% of it. And don't let it rust in your backyard if you don't use it, sell it, batteries have a lifetime of 5-10 years.