How To Clean An ebike? Let’s know the most convenient means!

An ebike runs based on its moving parts. So it doesn’t matter if the moving parts are clean and steady. The problem arises when these parts become muddy and dirty. Long-term exposure of the mud, grime, dust, and debris forces the parts of the bike parts to damage. Besides damaging the parts, users face difficulties running a dirt ebike too.

To enjoy smooth riding there is no alternative to using a clean and well-maintained ebike. Before discussing how to clean an ebike, let me inform you about the ebike cleaning frequency. Generally depending on the riding format and riding weather the cleaning frequency could be accomplished weekly or monthly. Riding too hard, or the too long way, even riding on a wet or muddy terrain demands a more frequent cleaning of the all-electric bike.

Why do you need a clean ebike? You need a clean ebike because it is mandatory for good riding performance. And it prevents any premature damages to the moving parts of a bike. A well cleaned and properly lubricated ebike usually offers a fabulous riding experience.

Proper cleaning is not only to ensure you are going to enjoy smooth riding. Moreover, it ensures less friction in between the ebike moving parts, thus stopping premature wear and tear also preventing the “freezing up” of all parts.

Finally, users can easily ride over an ebike that is free from its rusty and corrosion-free parts.

The Basic Cleaning Of The Electric Bike:

The basic cleaning is very basic. Almost every bike user knows about this cleaning. Simply you can take your ebike to your garage, or in the backyard. And take a hosepipe, apply direct clean water to the ebike. And clean thoroughly.

I can remember my childhood memory! I used to take a garage floor cleaning brush to brush my regular bike. But as today we are talking about the electric bike, and it has some advanced level components so it needs to focus more to clean precise.

However, some basic cleaning items, which are almost familiar to all ebike users are-

Rags
Brushes
Clean Water
Soap/Detergent
Hose Pipe (Not mandatory always)
Degreaser
Chain Oil/Chain Lubricants/bi-cycle specific chain oil)
Bike Stand
Squeeze Bottle (to apply the degreaser and to lube the chain)
Hand gloves (Not mandatory)

Which Parts of your Electric Bicycle need to clean?

It is not always mandatory to clean the whole bicycle. Or does it? Usually, you can fragment the whole cleaning comprising the below listed electric bike items-

Bike Frame
The Chain
Brake with Derailleur Levers
Brake with Derailleur Cables
Brake and Derailleur Assemblies
The wheels

Cleaning the bike usually indicates the whole bike. Yes, it can do using a hosepipe. As hose pipe applies to the water using a forceful condition, the insider items of the ebike can get a negative impact. So to clean the insider-sensitive portion of your ebike, you need to be careful and trickier!

How To Clean The Ebike Entirely?

You can clean thoroughly but it is not recommended every time. As all ebike has some moving and electric powered objects, so it auto needs some precise focus about the cleaning. Let’s fragment all the ebike cleaning into a few segments-

Cleaning the ebike frame (including the wheels)
Cleaning the ebike chain (Including the de-greasing too)
Lubricating the ebike chain (using the chain lube)
Lubricating the chain brakes with its Derailleur Levers
Lubricating the Chain Brake with its Derailleur Cables & Assemblies
Lubricating the Chain Rings, Rear Cassette, Rear Derailleur on especial attention.

Now let’s discuss the process steps to clean the ebike-

1. Cleaning the Ebike Frame:

Cleaning the Ebike frame is pretty easy. A bucket of soap/detergent water only needs to clean the ebike frame. If needed, you can also take a brush to gently rub off all visible dirt and mud added with your ebike frame. Start the cleaning from the top of the cycle and finish it at the down of your cycle. Give focus on all frame parts to make the clean efficient. The Handlebars, Headset, Top Tube Seat Stays, Front forks, Brakes, Wheels (front and rear) need to clean properly.

We suggest using a perfect Rotor Cleaner to clean the rotor/brake pads if your ebike has disk brakes. You can also use alcohol to rub the dirt from those parts instead of using soapy water. Also, rub the Chain Stays Chain Rings and the Cranks with the Cogs with the brush. If need uses soapy water to clean properly.

Once you have rubbed the whole chain frame using the soapy water, now it is your turn to clean the same way using fresh and clean water. Now let your ebike stand on a bike stand for a few minutes and to let it dry. You can wipe the bike frame using dry rags to get a quick-drying from the water.

However, air dry is more efficient to remove the Excess water from the Entire bike. Pay attention to the Jockey Wheels and the rear Wheel to clean properly. If needed, rub each of these using the brush then apply water with the help of a hose pipe. Instead of a garden hose pipe, a Bucket with water also could be enough depending on the dirt volume added with the cycle wheels. In both ways, you can remove the excess dirt or the stubborn dirt from your ebike frame.

2. Cleaning the ebike chain:

Already we discussed this in our previous article (…..). Cleaning the ebike chain is most critical and sensitive. It is risky too! Chain lube is most important to lubricate the ebike chain. Depending on the cleaning pattern, users can usage both the Dry Lubes and the Wet Lubes to lubricate their electric bike chain.

Whatever! If you are prone to clean & lubricate the chain frequently, you can avoid any premature wear and tear of your ebike chain. Ebike chain which has less dirt, and less grease built dirt only rag/piece of dry cloths and degreaser is enough. If the chain is too dirty, you can use a chain cleaning agent to clean it properly.

Use the chain degreaser (Our preference is- WD-40 Specialist Bike Chain Lube) to remove all grease-built dirt and built-up grime. For better efficiency use a squeeze bottle to apply the degreaser on each chain gap and each chain link. If you cannot find any suitable degreaser, alcohol, petrol or kerosene also can use (but not each time). However, once the degreaser is dried out-remove the remaining residue using a dry cloth.

After removing the degreaser, use chain lube (Finish Line Dry Bike Lubricant with Teflon) or chain lubricant on your whole chain. Carefully apply the chain lubricants (do not miss any link or chain gap). Again let the chain lubricants dry and wipe the excess chain lubricants using a clean cloth. Excessive chain lube can attract more dirt to conjugate on the chain, which further can cause chain hardness to move.

After each wet ride, using the chain lube enhances the capability and efficiency of the chain. Simply wipe the wet chain using a dry cloth. And apply the chain lube. You can use chain oil instead of a chain lubricating agent.

Cleaning of Brakes with its Derailleur Levers, Derailleur Cables, Derailleur Assemblies:

Like the Insider Electrical components (the electric motor, the Electric Bike Battery the Display) of an ebike, there are some parts that need to take more care of. You have to take care of the lever pivot and the barrel adjuster at the time of cleaning and lubricating your electric bike.

However, carefully clean each of these parts. Use dry cloths and carefully wipe them up. If, need use a little amount of alcohol to rub these sensitive parts. Use a trace amount of chain lube and lubricate these parts.

To remove the Excess lube, wipe these parts carefully. In a wet condition, the brake and the derailleur cable need to lubes frequently. Derailleur Assemblies mainly consist of some moving parts. The Arms, Wheels, and Pulleys need to be carefully clean and lubricated to prevent any internal bind up or internal rigid formation.

Do not use water or soapy agent to clean these sensitive parts. Instead, use a little bit of alcohol if it needs. However, do not add any lubricants to your Brake Pad, it will damage their functions. Again I want to mention here, please take special care of your Disc Brakes (if your ebike has). Instead of using any normal cleaning agent, use Disc Brakes Cleaner (Our reference is – CRC BRAKLEEN Brake Parts Cleaner) to clean the Disc Brakes.

Final verdict

Whether you are the owner of a regular push bicycle, or you have an electric-powered ebike- the common scenario for all bikes is each bike needs to be well cleaned and well lubricated to deliver an enjoyable and fantastic riding experience on each terrain.

A dirty ebike vs a clean ebike-the difference is so huge! You can feel too. As you never feel good to be dirty, the ebike is also the same! Never feel good and never run well when becomes dirty.

So this is how you can clean an ebike. E-Bike Cleaning is not so tough users unnecessarily delay doing it! However, clean your ebike on time, lubricate it, and enjoy efficient riding in the deep forest or in up the mountain hill!

Thank you.