Are electric bikes waterproof

Well, the short answer is that an e-bike is not waterproof. The reason is very simple: when you submerge an e-bike in the water, it is definitely going to suffer and have some severe damage. All the e-bike parts are meant to resist the water, but of course, yes! There are certain limitations. If it’s a light rain, your e-bike can handle it.

Let’s rephrase the waterproof question:

The better question to ask is, “Are electric bikes water-resistant?” The answer is, of course, yes!

Nowadays, most e-bikes on the market are manufactured to be water-resistant. But how does it add to their overall functioning?

It’s simply meant to keep your e-bike from breaking down in case of light exposure to water.

NOTE:

1. Different models of e-bikes withstand different amounts of water.

My experience at the service center:

I ride my e-bike frequently and visit my nearest service twice a year. Therefore, during my service visit, I got an opportunity to ask my e-bike mechanic how far my e-bike was waterproof. He has been dealing with e-bikes for more than ten years and has timely visited manufacturer training programs. I’ve jotted down some important points below-

1. Firstly, riders should consider their e-bike more water-resistant; it’s not possible that we can drop into the local lake and ride it across the bottom with the e-bike submerged. It’s not possible at all.
2. Yes, the non-removal e-bike batteries are mostly waterproof.
3. Water can get into e-bike LCD screens and touch control parts. So cover them with a transparent plastic cover if it’s raining outside, and you can commute.
4. So, to conclude, things that you need to worry about apart from water and dust are the electronic parts of an e-bike, such as the LCD screen, throttle, battery, controller, etc. The reason is very simple: the non-electronic parts like drive-chain, tires, brakes, etc. are always exposed to sun, dust, and water, and they are not affected.

My experience of riding my e-bike in harsh rainy conditions:

I recently made a two-day trip where I rode through rivers, and it was constantly raining at that time; my e-bike was constantly in contact with water around the e-bike controls, even on the battery, and yeah, it was too wet.

Then, the following day, I got on a boat across the Atlantic, across a small peninsula.

Something very important to note here- if it’s seawater, it is quite damaging because it’s going to rust down your e-bike quickly. Fresh or portable water is a lot easier for e-bikes than salt water.

But what if you seriously need to commute in the rain:

There might be a case in which the area where you live mostly rains. So, in that case, I suggest you invest in a company that guarantees 100 percent waterproof e-bikes that can be ridden in heavy rain.
I’m telling you this so that you can prevent unforeseen issues caused by heavy rain. If something goes wrong, you are able to claim a warranty.

Water effect on controller housing

As far as the e-bike controller is concerned, it is somehow a little bit more complex that’s because there are more cables messing around in the controller housing. For example, some of the wires go into the throttle, pedal assist, LCD screen, etc and they might not be protected in some severe heavy rain. But the controller housing isn’t entirely waterproof because if your controller is somehow submerged under the water, the water could get in there and create short circuits.

Please Note:

• E-bike manufacturers design the controller housing to easily resist light rain or mist, so you don’t need to worry about that part.

Water effect on motor system:

As far as the motor of an e-bike is concerned, the motor of an e-bike is completely sealed.
I’ve got an e-bike equipped with a Bosh motor system. From my experience, you can drive your e-bike in heavy rain, puddles, etc. But please remember that you shouldn’t try to submerge or jump into the lake or throw your e-bike into the ocean.

You can definitely ride it and get wet without any problem. When you are done, only wash or wipe it off your e-bike with a clean, dry cloth!

The Bosh motor system comes with a two-year warranty, so if you encounter any problems, they are covered free of charge.

Waterproofing my brake wires:

The front of the handlebars has many cables, such as the throttle cable, controller cable, pedal assist cable, etc., that typically get wrapped around each other over time.

There are some connected points on the cables. The biggest concern is when you are out in the downpour. Water could get into the connected points, so I recommend not going out for an extended period if it’s raining.

If you are in the rain for a long time, I recommend waterproofing your cables. Well, the e-bike brand that I own comes with some sort of wrapping around the front cables, and the cables are already enclosed with rubber casing, which helps to avoid water sweeping into them.

I recommend wrapping your cables with extra taping on the cable joints, but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be beautiful. You can find something else, like black waterproof fabric tape, that might look a little better.

So, if you really want to have a little extra waterproof, you can wrap your cable with insulated tape and further tape over it with fabric.
I will also recommend this strategy for the wires coming out from the battery.

Some manufacturers also provide extra caps to cover the ports of cables, so cap them properly to make them water-resistant. However, if you leave them open, water may sweep in, causing your e-bike to suffer.

Bonus tips that no one will tell you:

1. If you want to get an e-bike that should be 100 percent waterproof, try to purchase it from manufacturers that provide IP ratings separately for battery, controller, LCD display. Then, of course, you will get an unfair advantage if you purchase a warranty for your e-bike.
2. Don’t forget to wipe your e-bike after wet rides; always store them in dry conditions.
3. Most batteries have charging ports where the charger ports should go. Try to cover them properly when you are not charging your e-bike because when you are out in the rain, there might be chances for water to sweep in, causing a short circuit.

Conclusion:

• Riding your e-bikes in the rain is not the problem, but submerging them in the lake, river, etc is the problem. 
• If you got a good e-bike, everything that  needs to be protected from water is enclosed within certain casing whether it’s a battery, the motor etc.

I hope this article helped you to gain knowledge about waterproofing your e-bike, riding an e-bike in the rain, and that I was able to solve your problem. If not, please don’t forget to comment below, and I will try to provide you with information. Thank you so much for your trust and time. Please remember to visit ebikeleague if you face any difficulty with your electric bike.

WITH LOVE & REGARDS,

KEEP YOUR ADVENTURE ALIVE