How "waterproof" is the trail?
Jordan Asked:
We answered:
The short:
- Yes, you can ride in heavy rains.
- Be sure all rubber seals are in place.
- Don't go diving with the bike.
- Use your best judgement.
The long:
It's no secret, we give bikes a lot of abuse. It doesn't matter if you're using an electric bike as your form of transportation or just to hit the trails on the weekends, it needs to be built to be durable with great quality to match.
Unlike normal bikes though, ebikes have an onboard power system that could be susceptible to the elements in ways that wouldn't matter with a traditional pedal bike.
As anybody who's dropped their smart phone in the toilet knows, electronics and water don't mix well. So, how can you tell what kind of abuse your bike will take?
The drive system on electric bikes typically consist of a motor, controller, battery and display. Each of these components could be susceptible to water damage if not properly built or sealed. Most ebike and electric motor drive systems are built with this in mind, so the rain that serious road warriors run into won't spoil your ride.
Light rain is fine for most ebikes, but what about the heavy stuff?
Here we need to look at IP ratings. The Bafang Max motor, controller and display used on the Roadster, Trail and Attack bikes are all IP65, that means they're completely dust-proof and heavily water resistant.
Being able to withstand water jets from all directions, heavy rains are not an issue. Check the IP Ratings table below for a reference on different IP60+ ratings.
| Rating | Digit 1 - Solids | Digit 2 - Liquids |
| IP60 | Protected from total dust ingress |
Not protected from liquids, limited ingress protection |
| IP61 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from condensation, limited ingress protection |
| IP62 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical, limited ingress protection |
| IP63 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical, limited ingress protection |
| IP64 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from water spray from any direction, limited ingress protection |
| IP65 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction, limited ingress protection |
| IP66 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction, limited ingress protection |
| IP67 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth, limited ingress protection |
| IP68 | Protected from total dust ingress | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure, limited ingress protection |
It's important to note both the screen and battery have rubber port seals on them. The display has one for the USB output port while the battery has one for the USB output and charging port. Before riding in heavy rains, you need to make sure these are in place and not loose.
We don't know of any ebike that is completely waterproof and submergible. While it would be cool in a Bond movie, the overall cycling performance would decrease due to using heavier duty seals that cause more friction on the axle. If you're out forging waist deep streams or pressure washing your bike for extended periods, it's possible for ingress to occur.
While you probably won't notice any effects from this in the short term, moisture does accelerate oxidation and wear of mechanical parts over time, something that could ultimately shorten the life of your motor.
It's nobody's business to tell you where and how to ride your bike. We ride on the more extreme end of use cases, maximizing fun and adventure. As such, we give the bikes more strain and abuse than the folks just using them for commutes and cruises.
We crash, break stuff, blow tires, scratch the paint etc. etc. it's all part of the fun. If you want your bike to stay in pristine condition forever, you can keep it behind the glass walls of a museum indefinitely. If you're like us though and want to get as much ear splitting enjoyment as you can out of these machines, use your best judgement, service the bike every once in awhile and get out and have some fun!
If you have more questions about your Electric Bike whether it be technical difficulties, capabilities of the bike, etc. please free to contact us!
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