Help! Can I ride e-bikes in heavy rain?

[pudding835]

Hi, the Fiido X I'm interested in has a rating of IP54, which can cope with splashing of water. I've read a review that said it can't be ridden in heavy rain. Is that true? Do other e-bikes have better waterproofing?

 

[rm2001]

Hi new to site and not even got an ebike yet.
Kit im looking at states ip65.
But chinese kit and not sure what that covers .. eg theres controller , cable connections, battery casing, display , brake cut outs etc.
Google ip65 gives multiple hits on charts that explain ratings.
My thought if l will try to keep ebike parts dry and dry electric parts post use.
So .. half decent mudguards or extensions (used to be able to get plastic mudflaps that clipped onto end of standard muds).
Ill look into some plastic cover for battery (which kit im looking at also houses controller)
Because battery case has holes .. like for battery lock etc. You need to consider heating / cooling of parts too.. a plastic cover might be great in winter .. but contributes to heating and a fire risk in summer.

 

[rm2001]

Hi new to site and not even got an ebike yet.
Kit im looking at states ip65.
But chinese kit and not sure what that covers .. eg theres controller , cable connections, battery casing, display , brake cut outs etc.
Google ip65 gives multiple hits on charts that explain ratings.
My thought if l will try to keep ebike parts dry and dry electric parts post use.
So .. half decent mudguards or extensions (used to be able to get plastic mudflaps that clipped onto end of standard muds).
Ill look into some plastic cover for battery (which kit im looking at also houses controller)
Because battery case has holes .. like for battery lock etc. You need to consider heating / cooling of parts too.. a plastic cover might be great in winter .. but contributes to heating and a fire risk in summer.

Lol and actually l dont like getting wet soo if monsoon (with global heating) ill be stopping and sheltering under bus stop or something

 

[isohaibmalik]

Yes you can ride in rain. But try to avoid your e bike from standing water as it can damage electronic parts of your e bike.

 

[sjpt]

In some ways leaving the bike out in heavy rain can be worse than riding it. Maybe there's a greater chance of steady state water flow finding the weak spots?

 

[qb112]

Hi!

I'm not sure about other e-bike brands, but in my experience my Gazelle electric bike (and other Bosch-equipped bikes as far as i'm concerned) is weatherproof! And by that I mean that the battery and motor are protected from the elements so I can ride in the rain, snow etc.

So to answer your question, I would think that electric bikes are generally water-resistant at least, and it would be perfectly alright to ride your e-bike in the rain. Ask your local e-bike shop for advice if you're having questions on the weatherproof-ness of a particular brand. At this point, I would advise against leaving it out in heavy rain for too long when you're not using it!

 

[guerney]

In some ways leaving the bike out in heavy rain can be worse than riding it. Maybe there's a greater chance of steady state water flow finding the weak spots?

Would a bike left out in heavy rain have less water ingress, if stored vertically with front or back wheel up - thereby presenting a smaller surface area for rain to make initial contact? Of course this will make no difference in North Wales, where rain often travels sideways.