Wet weather riding

[Plummet]

Hey team,

How many of you are riding your e bikes in wet weather?
Is there a point of wetness where you go this too wet for the E-Bike?

Also for those wet weather riders, how much hosing/washing down of your bike do you do after the wet ride?

 

[Waynemarlow]

Must be the start of winter in NZ.

 

[Plummet]

Must be the start of winter in NZ.

Middle, Its the middle of winter.....

But i've had my ebike for a week and generally ride in all weathers on my mtbs....
I'm concious of the fact that electronics don't like moisture. Letting moisture in is a sure fire way of letting the smoke escape and we all now that all electrical components are made of smoke. Once the smoke escapes,,,,,, well that component is fubar!

 

[Husky430]

Did do a 14km ride in the pissing rain here, like torrential with 200mm deep puddles, and although the bike didn't miss a beat during the ride it did f'up after that and took weeks to 'dry' out properly.
It would just stop after 2, 3, 5km for no reason and then not give assistance till it was turned off for a number of hours like overnight.
I couldn't trust it after that and sold it, it was a shimano 8000 motor and now have a Bosch as I had other troubles with the shitmano motors.
I personally would shy away from those sort of conditions but would still ride if it was just a bit wet, as in after rain or there are light showers about.

 

[JP-NZ]

After going out here in Christchurch last weekend on some muddy laps at CHCH Adventure park, I'm off winter riding till September or so. I absolutely HATE cleaning my bike, because I refuse to hose wash an Ebb I use a soapy bucket and rag.

I also store my bike inside the house so cleaning takes extra long, I hate riding in the cold and wet by choice.

 

[Plummet]

After going out here in Christchurch last weekend on some muddy laps at CHCH Adventure park, I'm off winter riding till September or so. I absolutely HATE cleaning my bike, because I refuse to hose wash an Ebb I use a soapy bucket and rag.

I also store my bike inside the house so cleaning takes extra long, I hate riding in the cold and wet by choice.

I ride throughout the year regardless off conditions. Just need to find the limits of this emtb caper

 

[JP-NZ]

I ride throughout the year regardless off conditions. Just need to find the limits of this emtb caper

Yea, Ive previously enjoyed winter riding on my old Enduro & downhill rigs. If I could hose wash my ebike and store it in a shed I'd be happier but definitely not taking the risk after reading plenty of water ingress stories on here.

 

[Stihldog]

I’ve always kept my iPhone in my breast pocket while I ride through creeks and rivers. My belt-line is as deep as I want to submerge myself. The rain does tend to block the view of my Kiox screen and my riding glasses though. I’ve had the same Bosch CX Gen4 for almost 4 years now and during the fall, winter and spring I wash my bike each time I ride. (Shower mode on the outside hose). But I only ride 4-6 times per week.

I allow any water ingress to evaporate in my garage overnight. I remove my battery maybe 4 times a year to remove any stuff and to clean the compartment. Oh…and it rains here year round. Not so much in the summer months though. I think I’ve been lucky with water issues.

 

[Hobo Mikey]

Here in the U.K. if you never rode out in the rain it would be a waste of time having a bike.
yes it’s a pain washing down after all the time but it’s great being out there.

 

[InRustWeTrust]

I always ride when it rains. if the bike can handle a little water when you wash it, it should also handle a little rain

 

[Kimmoi]

I ride no matter the weather is. All year round. +30 to -30celsius.

 

[Waynemarlow]

Yup, if you are worried that your Ebike will fail because you are riding it in the mud and wet, then you really shouldn't own an EBike. Thats what warranties and good design by the manufacturers are there for. You think NZ is bad in the winter, you should ride in the UK all year round where even in the summer months we can get boggy periods due to the heavy foot traffic and horse access to our paths.

But hey can you remember when you were a young kid wanting to play in any puddle and muddy path, well we are big kids now and its still just as much fun. Go for it.

 

[Grannyjones]

I'm in Western England and rarely use the EBike in Winter, only usually during drier periods, but sometimes some very bad Winters happen where there isn't any at all!
Sometimes there is even the "extended Winter" where it is all cold and severely wet and muddy from the beginning of November until the end of March.
The Levo 2020 really does fail a lot more when conditions are severe. Plus I don't enjoy it. I just use an analogue hardtail instead, which is far more suitable.

 

[Kimmoi]

I'm in Western England and rarely use the EBike in Winter, only usually during drier periods, but sometimes some very bad Winters happen where there isn't any at all!
Sometimes there is even the "extended Winter" where it is all cold and severely wet and muddy from the beginning of November until the end of March.
The Levo 2020 really does fail a lot more when conditions are severe. Plus I don't enjoy it. I just use an analogue hardtail instead, which is far more suitable.

What you mean about that? My 2021 Levo hasn't fail. In winter it could be outside -25celsius for 8 hours, when i'm at work. Not a single problem with my Levo. Rain, mud or snow, nothing. Just ride and enjoy.

 

[Grannyjones]

More electrical faults. Mechanical faults are pretty must constant all year round but I definetely get more electrical faults when it's all wet and muddy.
It is actually far less severe when it is frozen as it is usually dry. It's the slightly above freezing, wet and muddy weather, that is the worst. Sometimes the Winters around here have got this from start to finish. That type of weather also "feels" far colder as well, because cold and wet is such a bad combination. I can't think of any rides I've done on the Levo in that sort of weather when I've enjoyed it.

There are some times when there are good riding conditions in Winter even in England, they are in the minority but they do happen sometimes.

 

[Waynemarlow]

I can't think of any rides I've done on the Levo in that sort of weather when I've enjoyed it.

Tends to sort the men from the boys that sort of weather

Maybe I'm just a tad bit sadist but I actually enjoy more the trails in the winter the more muddy and wet they are. Anybody can ride fast nice and dry trails using momentum to counter the small technical difficulties encountered. In the winter momentum and technical difficulties has just one outcome. So as in my riding group, 50% retire to the pub and 50% go out and enjoy all the slipping and sliding at a much slower pace and arrive at the pub totally covered in mud and water but with a big smile on our faces.

 

[Grannyjones]

I do all those challenges instead on my Hardtail. I just don't enjoy making my Levo look ugly in all that mud and all the extra cleaning afterwards and all the extra bike maintenance hassle. I hate it, I'm sick of it.

I still ride in the Winter but a lot less often and I'm only doing 1 to 2 rides a week instead of 3 to 4. If some good conditions arrive then I'll do more, but some Winters don't have any of this, just cold & wet muddy crap from start to finish which has done nothing to motivate me to do any more rides than an average of 1 to 2 a week.

Also I'm much slower than most people I ride with, my skills are incredibly "basic" for someone who rides so much.

 

[Kimmoi]

You guys have slightly different "winter" that we have here in Finland.
-20celsius and trails in the woods are veeeery fast and easy to ride.
In autumn we have lots of water, mud, and slimy roots and stones. My favourite. Very techical and challenging trails.

 

[hainman]

70% of my Riding in Scotland is wet weather
Good pair of waterproof trousers and the Five ten Goretex shoes makes. Big difference

 

[Ou812]

70% of my Riding in Scotland is wet weather
Good pair of waterproof trousers and the Five ten Goretex shoes makes. Big difference

Just don’t get water inside those things I learned that the hard way.

 

[Plummet]

What I'm hearing is ride it like I stole it.

Ok.

What's your washing technique all you mud lovers?

 

[irie]

Use the garden hose with the shower setting (very low pressure) with a soft brush to get the worst off. Spray with Muc-Off pink sh1t, wait a few minutes, then shower again. Roughly dry the bike with an old T shit, use a bit of WPL lube on the fork seals, bounce forks a couple of times then clean off with kitchen paper. Ditto dropper post. Ohlins coil shock looks after itself. Put bike in garage. Same for wife's Rail.

 

[Waynemarlow]

The big thing about mud and wet weather riding is the fire hose like spray off of the front wheel in particular hitting your battery and motor areas and the almost direct mud throwing rear wheel that lobs mud up your back. Do yourself a favour and fit proper mudguards like the mudhugger series, yes your mates are going to rib you but your bike electrics are going to love you. They won't stop fully you getting hit off the rear wheel but the Mudhugger large rear ( don't bother with the med or original, they are just not long enough ) goes a long way to keeping things down to ground level.

 

[Bndit]

You can ride your bike in every weather and wash it how you please, just don't wash it without battery or turn it upsidedown.

 

[Lee c]

You can ride your bike in every weather and wash it how you please, just don't wash it without battery or turn it upsidedown.

Bosch website recommends removing the battery when washing, apparently all electrical contacts are covered with water proofing and designed to allow water to just drain off…? Personally I don’t wash my ebike particularly often but I do remove the battery and cover the contact points with rags as I’m nervous about water and electrics too

 

[cozzy]

Nope. Hate it. Seasonal summer hobby for me.
Correspondingly I've never had a motor or any electrical part fail in 3 plus years. Neither do I destroy bearings etc.

 

[Stoneilove]

I ride all year round in the UK which gets more than its fair share of wet weather.
I used a Gtechniq Ceramic coating for the entire frame including Carbon wheels when my bike was purchased, i find even when the entire bike is coated in wet mud a quick spray with a hose and wipe down its back to factory new within 10 minutes. For those that have not tried Ceramic treatment your missing out, mud and crap simply can not stick to any part that has been treated and simply falls off, water beads up and rolls off so at no stage have i ever had anywater pool up in any part of the bike. Also a single application can be good for upto two years, i applied two coats with 48 hour curing time between applications.
Drivetrain gets a full degrease and relube every second ride or every 40 miles which ever comes first.

 

[Binhill1]

Hey team,

How many of you are riding your e bikes in wet weather?
Is there a point of wetness where you go this too wet for the E-Bike?

Also for those wet weather riders, how much hosing/washing down of your bike do you do after the wet ride?

I wouldn't get out in Scotland if I waited for dry weather. Don't hose except wheels. Trouble is big tyres throw a lot of water at the motor it gets in where its hard to get dry without stripping down cranks etc. Motor number four. I am not using in wet now to see if there is any difference I am using a gravel bike if wet so we will see.

 

[Haveland]

I like to ride my Norco Bigfoot VLT on those rainy weeks. Fenders are critical and good footwear. My normal 5-10s freeriders are water sponges so I have a set of the 5-10 goretex that are a pain to put on but nicely waterproof.

 

[Binhill1]

Remember your wellies. As Billy Connelly song says , Wellies they are wonderful wellies they are swell cause they keep oot the water and they keep in the smell.