Long-term maintenance for your electric cargo bike, made simple

Understanding cargo e-bike maintenance can feel daunting. We’re breaking it down for you with help from an e-bike expert

If you’ve read our post on the pre-ride checklist, then you’re already an expert on how to inspect the performance of your cargo e-bike’s day-to-day safety features. But, what about when it comes to a deeper inspection of your bike? How often should you be scheduling a service check with your local bike shop, and what are the key things they should be checking for?

In this post, we’ll cover all of that and offer some pointers from Edward Benjamin, our in-house e-bike expert and a 44 year veteran of the USA bicycle industry. With proper maintenance habits, you can lengthen the lifespan of your bike, prevent unnecessary maintenance costs, and keep your cargo e-bike running for up to 5-10 years.

At Integral Electrics, our bike technicians are available to work hand in hand with your local bike shop or mobile technician. If any questions arise during the maintenance process for your Integral Electrics cargo bike, simply submit the contact form on our website and we’ll get back to you in under 24 hours.

Maintenance for electric bikes vs cargo electric bikes

Cargo e-bikes differ from standard e-bikes and regular bikes in two important ways: weight and power.

Because cargo e-bikes are heavier and haul more weight than other bikes, they experience more wear than standard e-bikes.

The higher power output required to help you haul your cargo puts more stress on all parts of the bike. Hence, the importance of proper and regular maintenance!

Where to service Integral Electrics cargo e-bikes

We recommend hopping on the phone with a few local bike shops near you and asking whether they have experience servicing electric cargo bikes.

If your bike is experiencing issues that make it unfit to ride, you can also call a mobile repair service to come to you. Generally, most major and mid-size cities will have mobile bike repair services available, and a quick Google search should bring up the closest options. Velofix is a great option that is available in every major metro area in the US and Canada.

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If you need help with servicing or have any questions, feel free to contact us. We're here to assist you with any service-related inquiries.

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How often should I get my electric cargo bike serviced?

Whether you’re an experienced cycler or you’re picking up the habit for the first time in a while, we always recommend taking your cargo e-bike to a professional bike technician at least once. You may not have the necessary tools or expertise to perform periodic maintenance at home, so local bike shops and mobile repair services are great resources.

If you’re feeling savvy, you can find a bike repair class to take locally to gain the skills you need to maintain your bike on your own. Otherwise, here are our team’s recommendations for how often to get your bike serviced.

1st 30 Days "Break-in"

Who: Everyone

Within the first 30 days of breaking in your new cargo electric bike, take your bike to a shop for its first service check.

According to Ed, at this service check the mechanic might perform the following inspections:

Inspect the tires for wear
Inspect the brakes for adjustment and wear
Check the bearing adjustments
Check that all the lug nuts and binder bolts are secure
Check security of handlebars, headset, seat post, seat, wheels
Check that the spokes are taut and in good condition
Tune H+L limiters

Bi-Annually

Who: Frequent riders

If you ride your cargo e-bike several times a week or nearly every day, we recommend taking your bike to get serviced every 6 months. In addition to the standard inspections performed at the first “wearing-in” service check, here’s what else you can expect your mechanic to do:

Check wheels for true and tighten spokes and true wheels.
Perform manufacturer-recommended maintenance on hydraulic brakes
Clean the frame and wax it
Lubricate bicycle chain
Run a system diagnostic and respond to any errors
Check all electrical components for function and respond to any problems detected
Inspect the battery charger and measure the voltage being supplied

Annually

Who: Light riders

If you ride your cargo e-bike several times a month or rarely, we recommend taking your bike to get serviced once every year. You can expect your bike technician to inspect everything listed above.

Over the long term, two key things to keep in mind are the condition of your wheels and battery. Edward says

“A broken spoke or two is not unusual as the bike ages or is used heavily. If more than a couple spokes are broken, have the entire wheel replaced with new spokes.”

Integral bikes are powered by high quality lithium ion batteries, which typically last 3-5 years. This can seem like a long time, but there will come a day when battery performance begins to decline. According to Edward, you should have your battery analyzed by a trained Light Electric Vehicle technician and replaced if necessary.

How much will it cost?

Depending on the cost of labor in your area, you can expect to pay around $150 - $250 for each service check. Remember, if you have any questions about maintenance or want to put us in touch with your local bike technician once you’ve scheduled a service check, we’re just an email away. Get in touch with us here!

Safety Tip: Find A Good Bike Mechanic

Generally, most major and mid-size cities will have mobile bike repair services available, and a quick Google search should bring up the closest options. Velofix is a great option that is available in every major metro area in the US and Canada.