Quick fixes

So you are setting off for work, already late, you turn the key in the battery and nothing happens... so what next?

Electric bikes are generally very reliable but like anything mechanical or electrical may sometimes go wrong so here are some helpful pointers in case you ever need them. There have been a few times when a 'broken' bike has been wheeled into the shop often from far afield and sometimes accompanied by a grumbling customer. Not always mind, sometimes customers are fairly sanguine about such matters. Nevertheless, complaining or not, at Electric Bike World we will always try to get our customers back on the road as soon as possible.

One particular wet and windy morning a rather breathless customer turned up with his Mountain Sport which he had just pushed up from the station after a two hour train ride from London. There were lights on the display but no power at the rear wheel, either using throttle or pedal assist. I simply pushed home the plug that connects the motor to the controller at the rear of the bike and span the wheel around using the throttle. I asked him if he put his bike in a car or carried it and it turned out he carried it up several flights of stairs to his flat each evening. What he had done was slightly pulled the two plugs apart by catching it on something but not enough that it physically separated, so it still looked like it was connected. Always worth checking a simple plug connection before setting off to the bike shop. And this is also relevant to any other plugs as I have seen the same problem on the throttle and the display plugs which will stop those components working. And remember when attaching pugs always line the two arrows up on each plug before pushing them together otherwise you will damage them.

If your motor is still not working and you are convinced the plug connection is good then it may be the brake sensors. These are switches built into the brake handles that close a circuit when the rider brakes. The closed circuit halts the motor. If you have a fall or the bike is knocked over you can potentially damage the levers so the switch is always registering closed and therefore the motor will not turn. To check this disconnect the two red plugs that lead to the brake levers, this will keep the circuit open irrespective of what the brake lever is doing. If you find this is the problem leave the faulty lever unconnected and book it in to Electric Bike World for a new one.

Perhaps your motor is working, but only on throttle and you do not get assisted when you start pedalling. This is likely to be the pedal sensor. There are a few types but the plastic disc with small magnets around the circumference is one which is easily fixed. It has probably moved too far away from the reader or has become covered in grime which is stopping the magnet detection. Both of these are easily fixed, clean it and push it closer to the reader. If it is broken or cracked or does not grip the spigot any more pop it along to us and we will sort you out with a new one.

Finally, the battery can cause problems, if no lights are on the display check the battery is seated correctly and is pushed all the way down and not caught on the slider. Older locks can fail, try rotating the key slightly and gently to see if you can get a connection, make sure the brass locking bar is cleanly inserting into the slider hole, sometimes it can catch and stop the lock engaging fully. If your other half has the same bike then swap batteries over and see if your bike now works.

I hope this blog has been useful and hopefully will help someone get themselves back on the road in the future if they come across one of these issues. Of course with any issue with a bike purchased here at Electric Bike World feel free to ring us, we will do everything we can to help over the phone.