Where to get your EBike Serviced
Before many of our customers invest in their new eBike they often ask,"what if something goes wrong? Or how will I get my bike serviced?” It’s a great question that we are happy to hear. Whenever getting a new toy or piece of equipment (however you decide to look at your Bakcou bike, personally, think it's both). It’s important to consider the longevity of your purchase. You want to buy a bike that will last.
Luckily, there are many ways to get work done on your Bakcou EBike. This ranges from our own headquarters in Ogden Utah, to a traditional bike shop, or Bakcou dealer near you. Also we are working on ways to make it even more convenient for work to get done. We put up videos and blog posts to help you work on your own bike. And we’ve also been working on a partnership with Velofix, a bike shop in a van that comes to you!
In many ways an eBike is just like a traditional bike. So it will require tune ups and have parts that wear down over time and need replacing. For example, all bikes benefit from a yearly tune up. In a tune up like this the entire bike will get looked over. Often, starting with the brakes. If the brakes aren’t feeling their best, then they may need to be bled. Or it could be the time for new brake pads.
After checking the brakes, it is important to go through the drivetrain. First checking the components for wear and replacing as needed. Then tuning up the drivetrain. This will consist of running through all the gears to ensure that the bike is shifting as smoothly as possible. Adding lube to the chain will keep the components in good shape for longer and allow the bike to continue shifting smoothly.
With the brakes and drive train in good working order, the next step is to simply inspect the rest of the bike. Checking touch points such as the seat, pedals and grips for wear. Making sure the suspension is still feeling good. Suspension can require service at times. It is also important to check bolts and make sure that everything is tightened to the correct specifications. And that is all there is to a routine bike tune up.
A tune up like that can be done at most any bike shop or even at home if you feel comfortable and confident working on your bike. However, there are of course ways in which an eBike differs from a traditional bike. An eBike like ours has a motor, battery, display screen, and sensors that allow all the different parts to work together seamlessly.
Modern eBike motors are made to be maintenance free. They are sealed and built so that they continue to work for years. Of course, we all know, “things happen” and there is no perfect system. If you do encounter problems with your motor what we typically do is figure out the problem to the best of our ability over the phone. If it is not a simple fix then we can send a new motor to you and you send us the faulty motor. This means that you are able to get back out riding quickly and we can worry about the defective motor.
The batteries are also built to last a long long time. After over 5 years in business at the time of writing this, we still have our first generation batteries going strong. However, Lithium ion batteries do degrade over long periods of time so it is good practice to keep the batteries topped off when the bike is not in use and to avoid running the battery all the way down to zero. As long as you take care of your battery it should last for years without maintenance or issue.
As far as the display and sensors, these parts are fairly easy to swap in and out should you experience any issues with them. And we're always happy to chat with you over the phone to figure out how we can solve your specific issue should any arise. We will point you towards the best resources to help get your riding as soon as possible.
We may point you in the direction of a local bike shop, where we can work directly with their mechanics. We may talk you through the solution on the phone if you feel comfortable working on your bike. Some of our dealers are happy to offer mechanical help to their customers. And lastly we are building a partnership with Velofix.
Velofix is a mobile bike shop that has van’s all over the country (and even in Canada). With Velofix you can schedule an appointment and they will come to you! Their mechanics are trained in working with both traditional and electric bicycles so no matter what you need help with they will take care of you. At the end of the day though no matter how you go about getting your eBike serviced, we want you to understand that if you buy a Bakcou bike you won’t ever be left high and dry. We take our promise to our customers very seriously to ensure that you will always have help with your bike.