Before a long or even short journey, we should better check our bike, since we don’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere…
A check-list to read before venturing on your bike tour:
- checking the chain
- verifying the tires
- verifying the brakes
- verifying the spokes
- verifying lubrication, cables and sheaths
- verifying your ebike battery and lights
Why is important to verify the chain
A chain should last normally a minimum of 3,000 and a maximum of 10,000 km. However, an ebike chain is subject to a greater stress than the one of a normal bike. Especially if your ebike has got a mid-motor, the chain must bear the thrust of both your legs and the electric motor. Moreover, even if you release the effort of your muscles while shifting gears, the engine will continue to exert its thrust on the chain, rendering shifting more harmful for the chain. A chain worn beyond the limit causes an increase in friction, less performant shifting, tends to wear out the other components of the transmission et might even break. Moreover, it will make your ride more difficult and tiring. Regularly cleaning your chain is essential to preserve it and to ride comfortably.
Chain checker
Prevent chains from lenghtening
Chains tend to become slightly longer with usage, each link can be deformed and lengthened, even by 1.25 mm. That’s why you can choose among a variety of chain checkers to measure the wear of the chain. The increase in the length between each link should not exceed 0.75 mm, that’s why the chain checkers have usually two notches of 0.75 mm and 1 mm.
The 0.75mm mark indicates the wearing limit for 11- and 12-speed chains.
The notch at 1 mm indicates the level of wearing for replacing chains with less than 11 speeds.
Some chain checkers also report a 0.5mm notch. The 0.5 mm notch allows you to understand in advance the level of wear of the chain before reaching the 0.75 level or exceeding it.
Once the elongation of 0.5 mm has been reached on the tire itself, is good practice to check the chain more frequently and anticipate the change to avoid reaching or exceeding the elongation of 0.75 mm, speaking of 11 and 12-speed chains, or 1 mm, in case of cassettes with less than 11 speeds.
Checking out your tires
The thread of your tires should be in good shape: the thicker, the less possibilities of getting a puncture. The pressure should be indicated on the tire itself. Correctly inflated tires increase your speed and wear off more slowly. Keep in mind that many punctures happen because the air chamber gets pinched between the tire and the rim, because of insufficient air pression.
Checking out brakes
Attentively verify your brake pads, keeping in mind that if you are to challenge long descents, they could wear off and stop working sooner than expected.
Checking out spokes
Spokes should be tense and rather rigid, there is a special tool to verify their tenstion, which should also be indicated on the rim. What anybody can do, is just pinching them and listen if they produce the same sound. They shouldn’t be loose anyway, otherwise bring your wheel to a bike workshop.
Checking out lubrication, cables and sheaths
Pedals, shifting, shifter levels and chain should be well lubricated and clean. Cables and sheaths should be in a good condition as well.
Checking your ebike battery and lights
It’s not frequent, but some batteries may completely lose their charge when they overheat after an hour of intense work with a hot external temperature. You’d better test your battery to avoid nasty surprises. Last but not least, don’t forget to verify your lights.
Find more ebike tips here.
