New Bike Know How
First of all, congratulations on your new bike!
When you come in to collect your new bike, we do our best to go over everything you might need to know, but it’s a lot of information to process and retain, especially if this is your first ebike, or different from your previous one.
If you find you have questions about anything to do with your new bike after pickup, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us as we are always happy to help.
Here’s a list of the most important points to note when you’ve purchased a new ebike:
Insurance
Please insure your bike against accidental damage and theft.
Most contents policies will cover ebikes, but you may have to specify it over a certain dollar figure. You will need to confirm the motor wattage - most of our bikes are 250w but check with us if you’re unsure, or you can check on the relevant brand website. This figure is in regards to the motor wattage, NOT the battery.
We strongly encourage you to insure your bike for replacement value, rather than market value. You will need to check your policy in case it defaults to one or the other. Even if it is more expensive, replacement value will make replacing your bike far, far easier, and with less disappointment if your market value payout is smaller than expected.
New Bike Perfection
Your new bike should be perfect - if something seems wrong, chances are it is so please let us know so we can rectify it!
Some parts need a little time to “bed-in” after being replaced. Gear cable housing, to take one example, can settle into place after a little use, and the cable tension needs to be fine-tuned – you may hear the tell-tale clicking of the chain. Similarly, new disc brake pads and rotors will only achieve full stopping power after some use.
It is also normal and completely fine to be a little uncomfortable on your new bike. We do our best to set you up correctly and comfortably when you pick it up the first time, but often it takes a couple of good rides for you to identify issues in the setup. We can work with you to find a more comfortable saddle, new grips, move componentry on your handlebars and lift and/or cut your handlebars down to achieve the correct and most pleasant setup for you, among other things. This can take time and multiple visits to perfect, so have patience with it and we’ll get there!
Six Week/300km Check-Up
We offer a free “six-week” checkup for all new bikes. This is a checkup rather than a service, and exists primarily for us to ensure there are no warranty issues appearing on your bike during the first few hundred kilometres of riding. This is to be done within the first six weeks or 300kms of riding, whichever comes first. If you miss this window, that's OK! We will book you in for your first check as a general service and will apply a credit towards the cost of that service.
We have set a service reminder on your bike's computer to show up when it is time to book in. This will come up at 300km. If your computer has the ability to show you the time, we will also set the date for it to come up. We won't contact you directly with a reminder, since we won't know what interval you will meet first.
Please contact us to book your bike in. This is not a walk in opportunity. You will need to leave your bike with us for the day, but we have courtesy bikes available. Please let us know in advance if you need a courtesy bike.
Servicing
As with everything mechanical, your bike will need regular servicing.
We recommend regular servicing every 1,000kms or six months, but this is dependent on how often, how hard, and where you are riding.
You can expect to be replacing brake pads regularly if you are hill riding, and bottom sprockets if you are primarily flat riding. Cargo bikes will cause extra wear due to the extra weight being carried. It's incredibly difficult to give specific estimates because of all the different variables that go into each rider, but we can do our best once you've had the bike for some time so we can see the rate at which your components are wearing.
You will need to keep your bike and chain clean, chain lubed, and your brake pads and rotors free of contamination to keep your bike in top condition. Don't ride through any oily puddles!
Like analogue bikes and cars, regular servicing keeps your bike in good condition for riding, but also improves the resale value for later on.
To book a service, please contact us. We can’t generally do any servicing on the same day so will arrange a time that works for you. We will need the bike for the day so you can arrange to drop it off as we open at 10, or the day before. We intake all bikes at 10, then the mechanics decide the most efficient order of jobs for the day.
We also have courtesy bikes available if you can’t do without your transport. Please let us know when you book in that you will need a courtesy bike, as they are first come, first served.
Bike Maintenance
Basic bike maintenance is necessary to keep your bike happy and healthy, like a pot plant or a goldfish.
Keep your bike clean. This is not to say you can’t ride it through the mud and have a great time, but don’t leave all your expensive componentry caked in mud because it won’t thank you for it. You can hose your bike down safely, but don’t use just any old soap. If you must lather up your bike, use a proper bike wash, otherwise you risk contaminating your rotor and/or brake pads. Please make sure you hose your bike down after riding by the sea to wash away the salt!
Keep your chain clean and lubricated. We like a two part lube with a wax and a solvent liquid because it will clean and lubricate all in one, but that’s up to you. Any chain lube will work, and they all have instructions on the bottle. Make sure to lube your chain somewhere you don’t need to worry about the floor because it may make a mess. You’ll need to re-clean and lube your chain regularly, but how often depends on where and how hard you’re riding, so keep an eye on it and if it looks dry or dirty, give it another go over.
Keep an eye on your brake pads. When they are getting down, replace them (or come in and we will replace them) to avoid ruining your rotor and needing to replace this more frequently than necessary.
We are firm believer in preventative rather than reactive maintenance. Addressing small concerns before they become major issues will save you money and prevent hassle in the long run. Components on bikes rely heavily on each other, so if something is wearing in oddly on your chain, for example, it might cause your cassette to wear in oddly, thus shortening the lifespan of both parts.
“Do Nots”:
This is good helpful info that will help to stop you from voiding your new bike warranty
* Don’t muck around with your drive unit (motor) or battery within the warranty period. These are the most expensive parts of your bike and are covered under warranty UNLESS they have been tampered with. After the warranty period runs out, you can touch whatever you like. You are welcome to service your own bike, but please leave the electronics to us.
* Don’t touch your brake pads or rotors. These can be easily contaminated by oils from your hands and will need replacing. They also don’t get along with soaps, orange juice, hydraulic oil and coffee, to name a few things we’ve seen (and replaced).
* Don’t jet wash your bike. Aside from potentially stripping the paint, you could force water into the drive unit. Your drive unit is water resistant, not waterproof.
Also don’t submerge your drive unit. You can ride through puddles and in the rain, but submerging the motor could force water into the drive unit.
* Don’t leave your battery anywhere it could overheat like in the car or in a window, and keep it out of direct sunlight if possible while outside. Park it in the shade if you can. By all means, ride on sunny days! The concern is overheating and going into thermal protection mode like your cell phone might in similar scenarios.
Warranty
Stuff happens. That’s why we have a warranty.
All our bikes are sold with a warranty - you can find more on what is covered for your specific bike in the information that came with your bike, or on the relevant brand website.
In the event you do need to make a warranty claim, prepare for a wee wait. Warranty repairs can take a little time, as we generally need to assess the issue, contact the appropriate supplier and arrange for the offending part to be sent back for assessment and then replaced. Please note: The suppliers are the only ones who are able to discern whether or not something is or is not a warranty issue.
Regardless of where you take the bike, you will need your proof of purchase information.
You cannot have tampered with the bike in any way that deviates it from the factory standard. For example: you are not entitled to a warranty frame replacement if you have drilled into the frame to mount something, even if the frame has failed elsewhere.
If you purchased your bike from us, there is no charge for accepted warranty claims when you bring your bike back to us. However, if you take your bike to a different bike shop, the parts will be covered by the supplier but there is no obligation on the supplier, the bike shop, or us to pay for the labour to repair the issue.
If a component is replaced under warranty, the warranty does not renew from that point. If you had a two year drive unit warranty, and we replaced it at 18months, you still run out of warranty at the two year mark even though it is a brand new part.
Please be sure to read the manual that came with your bike, as the manufacturer will outline their expectations of care for the bike, as improper care, or lack or servicing may result in voided warranties.
Emergency Tool Kit
Things happen, so prepare yourself with an emergency tool kit. You can either purchase a dedicated kit, or piece together your own.
Cart around a spare tube or puncture repair kit, tyre levers, a set of allen keys or a multitool, a roll of insulation tape, cable ties, a mini pump and a $10 note, and you will thank us and yourself. If you’re out mountain biking, include a worm and tyre boot in this as well. You can put these handy bits in a saddle bag and you’ll never even notice they’re there, until you need them.
Even if you don't know how to use these tools yourself, you're likely to come across someone who does, who will be able to use them to help you. Don't gamble on other people having tools and spare tubes in your wheel size - it'll save you a headache!
Charging
It’s electric, you need to charge it.
Your new bike will have come with a charger not dissimilar to a regular laptop charger. The 3 pin end works with your 240v home wall sockets, and the other end plugs into the bike.
You can charge most of our bike batteries on or off the bike, depending on what is convenient for you. If you have a bike parking spot in your garage next to a power-point, it will be easiest to charge the battery on the bike, and if your bike lives downstairs with now power supply, it will be easier to take the battery out to charge it.
You can find your charger information on the sticker on the back, and your battery information on the battery itself.
Lithium ion batteries are happiest and healthiest when kept between 40 and 80% charge. Ideally, charge your bike most days to keep it above 40%, and try not to run it to dead empty.
You do not need to empty your battery and charge it overnight to reset anything, this is old information from a different type of battery.
If you are going away for an extended period of time, don’t leave your battery fully charged or dead empty. Leave it between 30%-60%.
Charging from a camper van - Check your charger and your camper for information regarding what you can and can’t do regarding charging. Any specific questions regarding electrical setups camper vans should be directed to your camper van dealers/servicers.
Helmets
You only have one brain! Get yourself a decent helmet.
MIPS is the latest in helmet safety technology so that’s a great place to start, and we are always happy to chat about helmets with you in store.
Tyre Pressure
Keep your tyres inflated to prevent punctures!
Your tyres have a specified pressure on the side - it will look something like “29PSI - 58PSI”.PSI is read by most pump gauges. Generally for a mix of road and light off road riding, aim to keep your tyre pressure around the middle of the guide measurements. In this example, we would run these between 40 and 45 for a comfortable place to start.
If you are especially concerned about getting punctures, check out the Tannus Inserts we can fit for you. They act as a barrier between your tyre and tube to stop sharp materials from puncturing your tube. Should you get a puncture anyway, the inserts will allow you to ride home slowly without damaging your rim. If you have a cargo bike, internal geared hub, or can't transport your bike easily, we would encourage you to get Tannus on your rear wheel, if not both.
Generally for on road, you would want your tyres firmer (at the top end of the guide pressures) because this will be more efficient and faster. For heavy off road like single track and park riding, you will be running your tyres at the soft end for extra grip.
If you have tubes, don’t run your tyres below the guide recommendation as you will run the risk of “pinch flats” - this is when the tube gets pinched inside the tyre and causes a hole and then a flat tyre.
If your bike is tubeless (more common on mountain bikes), you can run your tyres very soft. Don’t forget to top up the tubeless sealant every month or so, and expect to be pumping your tyres more frequently than you would if you had tubes.
To change a tyre:
-Remove the wheel from the bike. If you have a hub motor or internal gear hub, this will be more difficult and depending on the bike, you may need tools.
-Use a tyre lever to pop the tyre off the rim (one side is effective, the tyre doesn’t need to come all the way off the rim)
-Remove the inner tube
-If you have a rag, run it through the rim and inside of the tyre to make sure there’s nothing in there that might cause you a second puncture on your new tube.
-Put a couple of pumps of air into your new tube to give it some shape, and fit it into the tyre, poking the valve through the hole in the rim
-Use your tyre levers to squeeze the tyre back onto the rim, being careful not to pinch the tube.
-Refit the tyre to the bike and pump up the tyre to your desired pressure.
Keys
We fully expect you to keep your own records of all key numbers you receive, such as your bike, your lock, or your car rack.
For almost all of our bikes, the keys are only for removing and reinstalling the battery, and are not used to turn the bike on and off, or to lock it. For this reason, we suggest splitting up the keys and keeping one on your usual key ring, and the other at home in a dedicated place for safe keeping.
The process to remove the battery for charging or transport depends on the bike, but as a general guide:
-Turn the key to release the battery
-Flick the release lever if your bike has one
-Slide the battery out
To get the battery back in again:
-Line the battery up with the charge port
-Turn the key to open the lock chamber
-Click the battery into place
-Release the key
If you can’t get the key out, or the battery doesn’t go into the space easily, the battery isn’t correctly fitted. Do not force it in.
If you have an Ezee, these are ignition operated, and you will need the key to start the bike.
If your bike has a frame lock, the battery keys may fit this, so you would need them for securing the bike.
We should have a copy of your frame and key numbers on file, and they should also be available on your purchase invoice. For Bosch bikes, the key number is also usually loaded into the software.
If you lose a key, we can usually order you a new one but there will be a charge for this and it can 3-7 weeks for new keys to arrive from international suppliers.
More Resources
Please, please, please read the manual that comes with your bike! We do expect everyone to read it. It will contain a great overview of your bike, instructions on how to make adjustments, and expectations from the manufacturer surrounding maintenance and proper use.
Bosch has a wealth of resources, guides, and manuals for their products. Even if you don't have a Bosch motor system, their general advice would still be helpful for Shimano systems.
Park Tool's YouTube page is a great place to find visual explanations for many different aspects of bike maintenance. Their Repair Help series covers topics for beginners, all the way up to expert, depending on how interested you are in developing your skills as a mechanic.
And that's it for the basic gist of caring for your ebike! There are lots of resources out there in case you need more specific information, but in case you forgot what we went over in your new bike handover, this is a good refresher.
Happy trails!