Nothing is quite as surreal as riding your bike when all of a sudden, the rain starts coming down.
However, this experience can quickly turn dark if you find yourself on an ebike with no rain riding experience.
Let’s see how eBike riders can make the most out of riding in the rain and see how you can improve the experience.
Using An eBike In The Rain
Using an ebike in the rain is something many people are hesitant to do for a few reasons. For one, the electrical components included on the bike make people hesitant to use it around water. These bikes use power and electricity to move faster, so using one of these when there is so much water is not ideal for some.
In many cases, most people simply don’t like being exposed to the rain without the right protection.
However, you can generally use eBikes in the rain without a problem. They are typically water-resistant, which means they can handle being wet to some degree.
Are eBikes Waterproof?
eBike riders who don’t mind the rain often need to know if their bikes are waterproof. The one thing you need to know is that no eBike is fully waterproof.
While many eBikes are water-resistant, none of them are actually full-on waterproof.
That’s not a huge deal, since waterproofing would mean you could submerge your bike without an issues…but you aren’t likely to submerge it in the water (I hope).
Therefore, the water-resistant rating on your bike is likely to keep you and the technology safe in the rain.
It is useful to consider your eBike the same as you would a computer or phone as you don’t want to leave it in the rain all the time. You can ride an eBike home in the rain on short notice, but you should make every effort to get the eBike out of the rain to prevent its sensitive components from being damaged.
Can An eBike Be Waterproofed?
You may not be able to completely waterproof your bike, but there are some steps you can take to prevent water from getting where it shouldn’t be.
Doing things like making sure to keep the bike covered and to close all of the charging areas when the bike is sitting. Treating the bike like a piece of technology more than a bike will keep it from getting water damage.
Dangers Of Riding In The Rain
Electric Bike
With the electric bike being predominantly powered by a battery and motor, there is an inherent risk of using them in the rain.
Trying to ride an electric bike while it is raining increases your risk slightly, though most companies have water-resistant ratings to keep you safe.
Making sure to keep your bike and electrical components out of the rain when possible to prevent the chance of electoral damage.
Slippery Roads
Riding in the rain is something that anyone with wheels needs to worry about when trying to get somewhere. Whether you are in a car or on a bike, slippery roads can be the cause for serious accidents and injuries when drivers are not ready for them.
Wet roads are bound to exist anytime it starts raining, so you need to have that in your head before you take to rising. With an eBike’s higher speeds and power, the slippery roads become more dangerous as you go faster.
Less Visibility
Another common issue that arises when you try to ride your electric bike in the rain is that you have to deal with lower visibility. This is not only dangerous for you, but it also makes things more dangerous for those around you.
For the bike rider, not being able to see far without a fog light means you need to have a fast reaction time to avoid obstacles that you couldn’t have seen just a second ago. With other drivers dealing with the same issues, you need to stay off the busy roads to avoid having an accident with a car.
Rain eBike Riding Tips
Wear The Right Gear
One of the best ways to embrace and deal with rain when on your eBike is riding in the right gear. The last thing you want to do is have to ride home in the rain and then have to get dry. You can wear a wide range of gear when riding an eBike ranging from special biking gear to a standard rain jacket.
Some of the best riding gear for rain is a good jacket, rain pants, and a helmet that doesn’t have too many holes in it. These small investments can go a long way to keeping you dry.
Slow Down
When riding in the rain and things start to feel wrong, the best thing you can do is to slow down. Going fast under normal circumstances brings on more risk and doing so in the rain is asking for an accident to happen.
Slowing down when you can’t see and the roads are getting slippery will prevent your bike from swerving out of control and putting you in a bad place. You want to make sure you are not using too much motor power when it is raining as the added speed makes accidents much more serious and likely to happen.
Last updated on: