Your Dyson e-bike is made from high quality components, but just like cars or motorcycles, some routine checks and maintenance will ensure you'll get the maximum service life and enjoyment out of your investment.
The very first thing you'll have to check are your tyre pressures as this can also have an effect on your safety, comfort and tyre replacement intervals. Your tyre's sidewall will display the manufacturer's recommended tyre pressure and we in turn recommend that your adhere to it. Having under-inflated tyres will result in a more vague ride experience and it will also increase your tyre's rolling resistance, which will make it harder to pedal the bike. Conversely an over-inflated tyre can feel skittish and will have less grip on the road due to a smaller contact area. Road vibrations could also be more pronounced, making for a more fatiguing ride.
We would also recommend that you either learn to fix a flat tube or carry a spare with you, along with a small pump - especially on longer trips. We highly recommend something like the Azur Dual Head Mini Pump, which comes in at only 155 grams and packs down to 27cm, plus it even comes with a mounting bracket, so it can always travel with you. To that end, carrying a couple of tyre levers would also be essential in order to get the tyre off the rim.
Your e-bike's drivetrain gets a hard workout with every ride, so it pays off to look after it - especially when a dry chain and poorly maintained drivetrain will make your bike trips harder work. Keeping your chain clean and well lubricated is your first step in this department - and do not use WD40 or oil for this purpose. WD40 is merely a water dispersant and ordinary oil will collect dust and dirt like a magnet, caking up your chain in no time.
For a very modest amount of money, you can buy bicycle specific chain wax and we recommend the Squirt branded E-Bike Chain Wax. This product is specifically designed for e-bike chains and it will stay clean by not attracting dirt, it uses a biodegradable wax & water emulsion technology to provide a more effortless cycling experience, while protecting your drivetrain from wear and tear.
Your gears should change quickly and precisely in order to give you the best performance with the least amount of wear. While the derailleur mechanism might look daunting at first, it is actually a very simple affair once you tackle these easy steps. First you need to locate the two adjustable screws that set the upper and lower movement limits and adjust them to ensure the derailleur cannot move beyond the highest and lowest chainrings.
The next step is to ensure the gears change smoothly and the tip here is that if the gears don't change to a higher gear (smaller rear chainring) the cable is a tad too tight. In this case you need to lessen the tension by turning the barrel adjuster anti-clockwise until the correct action has been achieved. The barrel adjuster is located at the very end of the gear cable, where it meets the derailleur. If the gears don't change down smoothly (to a larger chainring) then you need to turn the barrel adjuster clockwise to increase the tension.
The next step is to check your nuts and bolts are tightly secured. Not only does this make sure there are no annoying rattles, but it also reduces potential damage to components and also makes for a safer ride. Some fasteners have an Nm (Newton-metre) torque rating on how tightly they should be fixed, so if you really want to play it by the book, making an investment into a torque wrench can be a good idea. The criteria here is to ensure something is tight enough, but not so tight as to shred the threads. If in doubt, please consult your Dyson Bikes dealer.
While e-bikes are a hoot to ride and they can climb hills faster than a traditional bike, it is of seriously high importance that you can stop quickly, safely and efficiently. Therefore, making sure your brakes are in tip-top shape is the most important aspect of bicycle maintenance. If your brakes are sluggish to engage or you have to pull the brake lever rig
ht down in order to slow down then it is time to adjust your brakes accordingly.
Likewise, if pulling your brake levers a few millimetres causes your brakes to lock immediately is no good as it hinders your ability to control the brakes properly. In order to stop in the shortest distance, you do not want your wheels to lock, which is how ABS systems in cars work.
A visual check of your brake pads is vital and once they have worn out replace them right away with identical specification pads. The pads also need to be kept clean and while the regular use of the brakes usually does this for you, it is important to make sure the pads do not come into contact with oil or grease and this will have a huge effect on their performance.
So as you can see, none of the above is difficult at all and will improve the enjoyment of your e-bike and extend its life. This will soon become second nature, whereby you give your bicycle a visual check, proportional to its usage. A daily commuter bike will obviously get more miles on the clock than an occasional weekend bike - and if in doubt, please be sure to contact your dealer or us here at Dyson Bikes.