With winter approaching, temperatures are dropping and road conditions are complex and changing, presenting many new challenges for e-bike riders. Whether you are an experienced rider or a novice e-biker, your safety is a top priority for Bodywel e-bikes. E-bikes offer a combination of convenience, speed, and environmental friendliness, but it's important to remember that safety comes first. In this guide, we'll give you details on each of the key points you need to be aware of when riding your e-bike in the winter.
I. E-bike Inspection & Maintenance
(i) Battery Maintenance
Cold temperatures in winter can have a significant impact on the performance of batteries, resulting in a decrease in range. Bodywel e-bike batteries are no exception, so try to store your Bodywel e-bike indoors in a warm environment to avoid prolonged exposure of the battery to the cold outdoors. After each ride, it is best to dismantle the battery and bring it indoors for charging, and wait for the battery temperature to return to room temperature before carrying out the charging operation, which can effectively prolong the life of the battery and ensure stable power output.
(ii) Tyre Maintenance
In cold weather, the air pressure and grip of tyres are crucial. For Bodywel F20SE and F20PRO fat tyre e-bikes, the first thing to do is to check the tyre air pressure frequently and inflate them according to the standard values in the vehicle manual. Generally speaking, it is appropriate to have a higher tyre pressure in winter than in summer to reduce rolling resistance, but do not over-inflate as this will affect grip. The wide tyres or tyres with special tread patterns fitted to both models provide better friction and greatly reduce the risk of slipping on slippery surfaces. If you often ride in areas with heavy snow and ice, consider replacing your tyres with special winter tyres or installing anti-skid chains on your existing tyres, which can further enhance grip and ensure safe riding.
(iii) Brake system check
When riding in winter, the brake system is the key line of defence to ensure safety. Regularly check the clearance between the brake block and brake disc (or brake drum) of Bodywel e-bikes to ensure that the brakes are sensitive and effective. If you find any abnormal noise or insufficient braking force, make sure to repair or replace the parts in time. Before riding, you can do a few test brakes to feel the braking force, so that you have a good idea of what you are doing. In addition, pay attention to keep the brake parts clean, to avoid snow, mud and other debris attached to affect the brake performance.
II. Selection of Riding Equipments
(I) Warm Clothes
In the cold winter, it is important to keep warm when riding, but pay attention to avoid wearing too much bloated, so as not to affect the riding operation. Choose a windproof, waterproof and warm jacket, such as a rashguard, with a lightweight down jacket or warm jumper inside, which can withstand the cold wind and keep your body warm. Wear padded cycling trousers or thick jeans underneath, paying particular attention to the joints in your legs. Wear warm gloves to ensure that your hands are flexible enough to operate the brakes and gear levers, while a hat that protects your ears is essential to prevent frostbite.
(ii) Protective helmet
A helmet is the last barrier to head protection whenever and wherever you ride, and winter is no exception. Choose a suitable Bodywel branded helmet to ensure a good fit, comfort and warmth. Some helmets come with a thermal liner that cushions your head from impacts and provides warmth in cold temperatures. When wearing a helmet, pay attention to adjust the strap, so that it is firmly fixed on the head, not loose.
(iii) Goggles or windproof glasses
Riding in winter, with the cold wind, is likely to irritate the eyes, leading to tearing, blurred vision and other problems. Wearing goggles or windproof glasses can effectively block the cold wind and snowflakes and protect your eyes from injury, while maintaining a clear line of sight and making it easier to observe the road. It is especially important to choose glasses with anti-fog function to avoid the fog condensing on the lens due to the hot air exhaled and affecting the line of sight.
III. Riding skills and precautions
(i) low speed and slow travelling
Winter road conditions are complex, snow, ice, slippery roads can be found everywhere, so it is important to ride at a low speed. Too high a speed will make it difficult to control the vehicle, once encountered unexpected circumstances, such as icy slippery road surface, the brake is not enough, it is very easy to cause accidents. In general, the speed control in the normal riding speed than usual lower 10 – 15 km / h is safer, so that they can leave enough time to react and braking distance.
(ii) Keeping the distance between vehicles
As the road surface is slippery, the braking distance will be significantly increased, so in the process of riding with the car in front of and around the vehicle to maintain a sufficient safety distance. It is recommended to keep a distance of at least 3 – 5 metres to avoid rear-end accidents when the vehicle in front suddenly brakes or changes lanes. At intersections, curves and other special roads, it is even more important to increase the distance and pass with caution.
(iii) Avoid hard braking and sharp turning
Sharp braking and sharp turning is a big taboo in winter riding. On slippery roads, braking is easy to cause the wheels to hold, the vehicle is out of control skidding; sharp turn will make the vehicle centre of gravity shift, also easy to fall. If you need to brake, you should use the braking method, that is, gently step on the brake, many times briefly braking, so that the wheels gradually slow down, to maintain the stability of the vehicle. If you need to turn, decelerate in advance, turn the handlebar slowly and smoothly, and use the inertia of the body to complete the turning action.
(iv) Pay attention to road conditions
Riding in winter should always pay attention to road conditions and anticipate potential dangers in advance. Observe whether there is snow, ice, puddles, etc. on the road, and be extra careful on unfamiliar roads. When encountering snow-covered roads, try to ride along the ruts where others have travelled, so as to reduce the risk of getting stuck in deep snow; when you see an icy area, slow down and go around it in advance, and if you can’t go around it, pass through it carefully at a very low speed.
IV. Riding Safety at Night
(I) Complete lighting equipment
As days are short and nights are long in winter, riding at night is more common, so it is crucial to make sure that the lighting equipment of Bodywel e-bikes is complete and working properly. The headlight should be bright and able to illuminate the road far enough in front of you so that you can see the road clearly, and at the same time, it can also warn the vehicles and pedestrians on the opposite side of the road. Tail lights should also not be ignored, and should be kept on constantly so that vehicles behind you can find yourself in time and reduce the risk of rear-end accidents. In addition, you can also consider adding reflective strips on both sides of the body or riding equipment to further improve visibility at night.
(ii) Increase your own visibility
In addition to relying on vehicle lights and reflective strips, cyclists themselves should also pay attention to increase visibility. Try to wear brightly coloured clothing, such as fluorescent yellow and fluorescent orange, as these colours are very eye-catching at night or in low-light conditions, making it easier for others to spot them. If possible, put reflective logos on backpacks, hats and other items to enhance your probability of being found at night.
V. Emergency Preparedness
(I) Carry a mobile phone
When riding, make sure you carry a mobile phone with you and ensure that it is fully charged. In case of emergencies, such as vehicle breakdowns, falls and injuries, you will be able to call for help or contact your family and friends in time. Keep your mobile phone in a pocket or bag that is easy to reach, and consider using a waterproof mobile phone case to prevent your phone from being soaked by snow and water.
(ii) First aid kit
Keep a simple first aid kit in your car basket or backpack containing band-aids, sterilised cotton balls, bandages and other common first aid items. Although it is hoped that they will never be used, in case of an accident, these items can be used to treat simple wounds in the first instance and buy time for subsequent rescue.
Although there are many challenges to riding e-bikes in winter, as long as we take adequate precautions from vehicle maintenance, riding equipment, skills to emergency preparedness, we will be able to safely enjoy the fun of winter riding and arrive at your destination smoothly. We hope that this winter cycling safety guide will be your right hand for your winter travelling and wish you a safe journey! Meanwhile, Bodywel F20SE and F20PRO fat tyre e-bikes will be your reliable partners for winter cycling. With their excellent performance and design, they can better cope with the complicated road conditions in winter and ensure your cycling safety. You can find them at https://www.bodywel.com/product/bodywel-f20-pro/ E https://www.bodywel.com/product/bodywel-f20-se/ for more information about these two models.
