3 miles on the beach, even with electrics it was some workout .
Would never have attempted it with no electrics was great fun.
Would never have attempted it with no electrics was great fun.
Swytch on the beach
- Thread starter overlander
- Start date
You should not take an electric bike anywhere near salt water. Sorry to be a killjoy, but if I don't tell you, your joy will be killed a lot more when your electrics stop working. Even the air around salt water is very corrosive, let alone the actual spray.
Hi vfr
Yes I kinda knew that, done a costal run on a Honda XR years ago. We stayed next to the sea for a week then headed home. The rust started appearing really fast on items like the exhaust. So will stick to the roads for the rest of the trip. But it was fun
Yes I kinda knew that, done a costal run on a Honda XR years ago. We stayed next to the sea for a week then headed home. The rust started appearing really fast on items like the exhaust. So will stick to the roads for the rest of the trip. But it was fun
Spoilsport-I love my ambles along the prom in Bournemouth and Poole, I can cycle from the Black House Christchurch on the Mudeford spit at Hengistbury Head along the prom in Bournemouth all the way to Sandbanks, it's about 4-5 miles. Really lovely cycle ride but I hate to think what it's doing to my wheels and spokes, not at all worried about the electrics; still - it's less of my money for my avaricious daughter in law to spend when I fall off the perch.....haaa.
I have ridden along the S/C on the promenades and on to the pebbles near the surf at Shoreham fort (as in my avatar), bikes have all behaved. I wouldn't though ride on the wet beaches anywhere.
Woke up this morning and a little surface rust appeared on the fork legs. Maybe there before but it just rubbed of with a dish cloth and some rubbing it came off. Took it to a tap and rinsed it down. Think it’s wise to keep it away from the water pools. The beaches up this part of Scotland run for miles and they are empty. Would take my own picture but the haar is in at the moment.
I'd love to ride by the sea if ever I got the chance. Could you give the bike a good spray all over of a water repellent before you headed out, would that help?
It's not worth the risk. Salt water is very corrosive to most parts of the bike. The worst thing is that it gets into crevices and dries out. The remaining crystals are hygroscopic. Whenever the air is damp, they absorb moisture and start their corrosion again. This can go on for years. IMHO, only a fool would use a bike of any sort on a wet beach.
It's only a bike-get a sense of proportion guys. If like me you love a ride along the prom just do it and get another bike if it gets too rusty. It really isn't such a big deal.
He was riding on the wet sand below the tide line, not the prom. If you'd seen the bikes that I had to repair after the owners did that once (suposedly), you wouldn’t be saying that. One more time: Don't take an electric bike onto the wet sand by the sea.
OK go do what I did, whole thing less than £1000. I went to my local charity bike shop (hope to cycle) and went through their donated bike stock in the back shed looking for a good one for conversion. I picked the lightest one, a specialized crossroads, not too fancy but really light. The shop reconditioned it, new brakes all cables, new cassette, new tyres- like a brand-new bike for £220. Then a Tongsheng kit from Whoosh £680 with a 15ah 48v battery and it's been brilliant.
The electrics are fine if you take care installing the cables and connectors. Wrap the connectors in self-amalgaming electrical tape (it is the type which chemically bonds to itself) and you will have zero issues.
If you are daft enough to spend upwards of £4000 on an off the shelf u-beaut electric one then don't take it down the beach.
The electrics are fine if you take care installing the cables and connectors. Wrap the connectors in self-amalgaming electrical tape (it is the type which chemically bonds to itself) and you will have zero issues.
If you are daft enough to spend upwards of £4000 on an off the shelf u-beaut electric one then don't take it down the beach.
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Exactly. As a young idiot (hmm, not sure 'young' was needed - it still applies), I wrecked my cassette by riding on sand. It's a wonderful gritty paste that comes out. Cassette seals are probably better now, but I wouldn't wish sand in anyone's bike / bearing.
The way I look at this is similar to vidtek, who cares ? The whole bike and kit came to less than £700 already had a lot of use out of it. The base bike will be fine and any component on the swytch or bike can be replaced. I would not take my voodoo Bizango onto the beach as it’s considerably more expensive.
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