How to regularly check the brakes of an electric bicycle?
Electric bicycles require regular maintenance to ensure that they are in good working order. This allows the electric bicycle to remain in good condition as long as possible and to guarantee the safety of its user while riding. In this context, the brakes are part of the elements to check to ensure its own safety as well as the longevity of this tool of locomotion. The brakes of a bicycle should be checked continuously at the level of the brake pads and the brake levers, and this, before each ride. Brake cables and discs can be checked every six months or every year.
In the following lines, we detail the elements to take into account when checking the brakes of an electric bicycle.
Why check the brakes of an electric bicycle?
Checking the brakes of an electric bicycle is important because it helps limit the risk of accidents and ensures greater safety for the user. The brakes of an electrically assisted bicycle (EAB) are bound to wear out with time and use. This can lead to their failure during a ride and potentially cause accidents in the city or on the road. These accidents can affect both the user of the bicycle and other road users.
Furthermore, it should be noted that checking the brakes of an EAB allows to extend their life and to avoid changing them completely. Indeed, it should be noted that the brakes of an electric bicycle are composed of :
- a handle and a brake lever;
- a brake cable and its sheath;
- a brake shoe;
- brake pads or discs.
Electrically assisted bicycles can be equipped with brake pads or disc brakes. Disc brakes have brake pads designed to grip a rotating disc attached to the wheel, which then brakes or slows the EAB. Brake pads, on the other hand, stop and decelerate the wheel with the help of brake shoes. These pads press on the rim of the wheel to reduce its speed.
Regularly checking the condition of the brakes (by examining each of its components) helps toprevent irreversible damage to the bicycle. Constant maintenance of the EAB brakes means that only the brake pads need to be changed. It is the wear of the brake pads that leads to the lengthening of the brake cables and eventually to the wear of all the components of the electric bicycle brakes.
How to check the brakes of an electric bicycle?
The checking of the brakes of an electric bicycle is done in several stages which we detail in the lines which follow.
1. Test the tension of the brake cables
To ensure the good condition of the brakes of an EAB, it is necessary to test the tension of the brake cables. To do this, simply press the brake levers and observe the evolution of their distance from the handles of the bike. When the brakes are in good condition, the bike handles and brake levers do not touch. When pressing the brake levers, the distance between the bicycle's handles and these brake components should not be less than 4 cm.
If the bicycle handles and brake levers touch, it is important to tighten the screws, which are usually located at the brake calipers. Once the screws are tightened, the brake cables should regain tension to prevent the bike handles and brake levers from touching.
2. Check the condition of the brake pads
In the case of pad brakes, the brake pads can be checked by observing the state of wear of this component. To do this, simply check the thickness of the rubber between the caliper and the wheel of the electric bicycle. This should not be less than 0.5 cm. If the rubber is not damaged, it is then necessary to check the presence of stripes on the brake pads of the EAB. These must not be erased. If the rubber or the grooves are damaged, the brake pads of the electric bicycle must be changed.
3. Examine the brake discs
The brake discs are very important for the braking of a bicycle. Unlike the brake pads, the brake discs of an EAB are not supposed to be changed regularly. However, it is recommended to make sure that they are in good condition and functional. To do so, you just have to slightly loosen the fixing screws at the level of the caliper and then operate the brake lever while tightening these same screws. The condition of the brake discs can then be checked by turning the wheel. During this operation, it is expected to hear no noise of friction. If such a noise is heard, the disc is deformed and no longer flat. It is therefore necessary to change the disc.
4. Check the condition of the brake pads
In the case of disc brakes, the brake pads of an EAB act as a friction element between the brake discs and the brake caliper. Their presence ensures powerful, yet progressive braking. The brake pads are contained in the brake calipers. When braking, the caliper pistons push the brake pads against the brake disc, thus initiating wheel deceleration.
In order to check the condition of the brake pads on an electrically assisted bicycle, it may be necessary to remove the wheels. This may be necessary when the brake pads are not accessible after opening the caliper. Removing the wheels will allow for a better assessment of the thickness of the gauge.
5. Check the condition of the brake shoes
The brake shoes are a component that is supposed to exert pressure on the wheel rim to stop or slow the wheel. The brake shoes are connected to the brake levers by the brake cables. Checking the shoes ensures that they are not worn or damaged. It is also a procedure to check that the distance between the rim and the brake shoes is neither too small nor too large.
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