Lifespan of Electric Bike Components You Should Know

A growing trend in personal transportation is that of electric bikes. They are more versatile than traditional bicycles and are a great alternative to driving, especially for short trips. When investing in one for commuting or recreation, however, you may be concerned about its longevity. So this brings us to the question of, 'How long will this bike last and what can I do to maximize the lifespan of an e-bike?' E-bikes share many of the same components as regular bikes, such as gears, brakes, and drive chains, making it easy for people to learn how to operate and maintain these machines.

However, with the addition of some key electrical components, such as a Lithium-ion battery, a mid-drive or rear hub motor, and an electronic controller and display, there are some additional things to keep in mind to maximize the lifespan of your new ride.



Motor


Just like the battery, the motor on your electric bicycle also has a lifespan. Motors usually last about 500 hours before they need to be replaced. In other words, if you ride your bike for an hour a day for two years, the motor will last about two years. The motor on your electric bike can last longer if it is properly maintained. Be careful not to let the motor get dirty and avoid riding through water and mud if you can!

Direct Drive Hub Motors

Electric bicycles have one component that often has a longer lifespan than the battery or motor: the direct drive hub motor. The motors are built into the wheel itself and tend to last much longer than other types of motors. Direct drive hub motors have been reported to last up to 5000 hours.

Therefore, if you are wondering how long do electric bikes last, the answer is that it depends on what type of ebike you have and how often you ride it. Ensure that your battery is fully charged before using your ebike so that it will not die completely while you are riding!

Geared hub motors are the most common type of motor for electric bikes. Typically, they have a lifespan of about 500 hours, although this does depend on what kind you get and how often you use it. The best way to extend its life is to charge your battery before riding so that there is less stress put on these components!


Tires

For experienced bikers, you can skip this section; there aren't any fundamental differences between maintaining your tires on an eBike and a traditional bicycle. Tires typically have an optimal range of use between 1,000 and 3,000 miles, though there are many factors that can affect this, such as your speed, the terrain, PSI settings, and other conditions. Cycling is an experience characterized by seemingly random blowouts that seem to happen for no apparent reason. How often you ride, where you ride, and how you ride are all going to determine how long you can ride before swapping out your tires. In most cases, as long as the frame is not damaged, you can swap out the tires and put on new ones without having to discard your eBike.


Brakes


The longevity of brakes depends on a large number of factors, including weather, road conditions, riding style, and quality of components. Quality rim brakes can last up to 3,000 miles (5,000 km) before needing to be replaced and disc brakes can last up to 6,000 miles (10,000 km), with normal commuting wear and tear (downhill biking will have different results.). Over time, your brakes will slowly start to lose effectiveness, and then you will know it's time to replace them. You need your brakes to work perfectly.


Batteries

Riders sometimes think that once the battery dies, they have to throw away the entire eBike. In fact, many eBikes have interchangeable batteries that can be swapped out for a new, often better battery once the one that came with the eBike no longer holds a charge. When talking about lithium batteries, they will typically last about 1000 charging cycles or 3-5 years before battery capacity begins to decline. Like other batteries, eBike batteries lose a bit of charging capacity with every cycle, though other factors like charging your battery from empty to full, storing it in unsuitable climates, and mishandling batteries can all lead to a shorter lifespan as well. Proper care will allow your typical eBike battery to last between three and five years, though improper handling will mean you have to replace it sooner.

Chains

In the same way that we explained tires, swapping out the chain is a normal part of cycling, and many of the lessons you've learned for taking care of a chain on a regular bike will apply to the chain on an eBike. With a mid-drive motor, you will likely have to replace your chain every 1,000 miles or so, rather than every 2,000 to 3,000 miles on a traditional bike or hub-drive eBike. In addition to the location of the motor, mid-drive motors tend to wear out their chains more quickly than traditional drivetrains and hub-drive motors. This requires more frequent chain replacement. The benefit of mid-drive motors is that they are often compatible with belt drives, which can provide up to 5,000 miles of riding before needing to be replaced. If you have a mid-drive motor eBike, we highly recommend investigating whether it is compatible with a belt drive, as a belt drive will extend the overall life of the eBike due to the reduced strain put onto the mid-drive motor.


Display


The display of your e-bike is like the information console. It shows the speed at which you are riding, how much battery life is left, trip odometer and displays how much power you are drawing off of the battery. It also displays at what level of peddle assist you are riding with. Recently, several e-bike brands have moved to replace the display with a smartphone app that you can control through Bluetooth. In order to maintain the life of the display, it is important to ensure that it is wiped clean and dried if it gets dirty and wet. Also try to avoid any physical shocks to the display, like hitting it or dropping it. 


Cleaning, oiling, and performing regular maintenance on your eBike will greatly extend its lifespan, besides ensuring you have optimal performance every time you
ride. By just taking a couple minutes a week to wipe down your frame, clear out
any debris caught in the drivetrain, and ensuring that your eBike battery is being
charged the right way, you’ll likely extend your usage life by several years. As eBikes grow in their popularity, more and more eBike service technicians will
likely move to your area, giving you a place to visit with your eBike if something
does go awry. If you don’t have any experts available locally, contacting the
manufacturer or reaching out to online resources like us is a great way to answer
any questions or troubleshoot any problems you may have. So, keep your eBike
clean, and swap out key components when you need to, and you will be able to enjoy it’s fantastic performance for many years to come!