Yes Or No......Ebikes Work In The Rain.

Yes, and maybe. Water proof? Probably not. Weather resistant enough to withstand most nasty weather, definitely! Many of us don't like to be out in the weather if we don't have to... and some of us have to go out in it. Personally I have selected components that are reasonably weather resistant, and tried to weatherproof as many other components as I can. I use a chain-drive e-bike and it's chain and motor face have been exposed to some pretty darn heavy rain and everything is surviving pretty well. My hometown is darn wet and I commute about 40-60% of the time in rain.
 
Mine works fine.

I've ridden it though 150mm deep puddles during a downpour. But I wouldn't let the axle get underwater.


In my experience, hall throttles are fine in the rain.
 
+1 on Yes.

I'm in the rain as often as not (about 50/50) and I haven't had any failures yet. I did have some difficulty with my thumb throttle when it got wet, but it hasn't had any trouble since, I didn't do anything different, so not really sure what to think, but I have seen where many have made a water resistant by having a cable move the actual throttle arm traveling through a water resistant container.

I'm never afraid of riding in the rain, and if you want to ride in Oregon in general, you better be prepared to get wet :wink:

Most hub motors are tested fully submerged (amped bikes are 6 days under water to pass the test) so that's not what your usually going to have to worry about, it's the connectors, throttles, controller etc.
 
If you have a 9c then yes, my crystalyte failed after a few storms, got all rusty inside. I've been using a rear 9c(no modifications) for almost 2 years in rain snow and shine with no problems. I even rode it through a flooded street w/ 1.5 feet of water and it was fine.
 
Well it depends on the ebike. Compared to most ebikes on this forum, my ebike is very mild, an Ezee Torq. A "turn-key," "frock motor," pay up front solution. It has some limitations to stay within the legal requirements. But at least as far as I can tell, it is very rain resistant. I have a relatively short commute, about 5 miles, one way. I purchased the Torq in late August and since then have put on over 1,100 miles commuting to work many days. So that's a fair number of miles my car hasn't been on the road. Like LI-ghtcycle, I am in the Portland OR area, so there are lots of rainy days in the winter. The bike has never failed me, no problems with water. I have gone through deep puddles at some speed so that water splashed up and filled my shoes with water. I learned that I needed higher boots to keep out the water. But the Torq never faltered. Despite rain pants, water resistant boots, a rain cover for bike helmet and a good rain jacket, I have come home soaked to the skin. The bike keeps on going. For various reasons I have taken the car occasionally and on a few occasions these have been because of the weather. However, for the most part this is because of job requirements or I wimped out on very cold (much below freezing weather) or very wet weather, not because I thought the bike might fail. My bike is a commuter, not a recreational vehicle, so I depend on it to take me through the rain. On the other hand, I know from problems with water leaks in my home, that water is insidious and eventually will get into any weakness. My Ezee Torq ebike seems to be relatively resistant, but I don't think that anything is immune to the damaging effects of water.

Rich
 
I won't have one that doesn't. It would be useless in this climate.
It baffles me that Cascadian coastal cities have greater numbers of bicyclists than cities with less rain and flatter terrain.

My controllers are sheltered from showers and splashes.
All the connections are packed with dielectric grease.
The hall and phase wires are wrapped in silicone tape.
The bikes park in a heated room so have ample time to dry out.
 
Can I? Yes
Do I? Not unless it's unavoidable
Why not? It pretty much sucks
Why not b? I'd have to wash my bikes, which would be a first other than a quick rinse-down after riding on the beach. Mine are the ultimate no worry vehicles, so the last thing I want is to have to wash them regularly.
 
I think the reason most of us don't bike in the rain if we don't have to is not because we are worried about the components, but rather because we don't want to get wet. I've yet to get a good pair of waterproof pants and in the Vancouver rain I get drenched and I have to hang them up at work and they stick to me and it's cold and I smell like wet dog and it's just generally unpleasant. But hey I'm a trooper so I just stick through it most of the time.

As far as the bike goes, Zoot Katz summed it up nicely. Protect the controller, protect the connections, and give the bike time to fully dry out after the ride.
 
Ditto.

All (except my RC bike) my bikes get driven in rain.

My crystalyte powered bikes have failed in the wet, but the 9C powered BMX and the eZee bikes have not been a problem at all..

I don't like going to work in the rain ( i work in an office ) but on my way home i could not care less if i get soaked to the bone.. heck i'm going home.. just change when i arrive, no big deal.

Real Deal fenders make a huge difference, not those skimpy one's, i'm talking REAL fenders that cover the 50% of the tire to keep the muck out of your face. i equipped my Giant mtb with an eZee kit and when rain is in the forcast i opt for that bike all the time, has never failed me yet, the CA meter button has gotten mucked up a few times but can be cleaned out.

I have a customer here in Saint-John who bikes 7 days a week rain shit or shine.. he put on over 7000 kms last season on his devinci bike with rear eZee, managed to get water into the ezee controller a few times and drowned his CA many times over but opening them up and drying them out they keep on ticking.
 
I have been caught in downpours a few times that totally soaked everything. Never had a problem, even with puddles in the battery bag. I used to use a nylon cloth bag for batteries and electrics, now have a "waterproof" plastic box that holds electronics and battery. With fenders, the only thing I worry about getting wet is the throttle (hall effect), but so far, so good.

I don't like to get wet, but with good rain gear, it is pretty comfortable. Gore tex is your friend in Seattle.
 
The bikes we sell are waterproof. We have had zero complaints from customers because all the electronics are kept safe in the storage trunk.
 
My bike works fine in the rain. I got caught twice where the bottom fell out on a trail outing and going to work. Enough water on the roade to where you felt the bike hydroplane. The only problem i had was my speed selection switch some how wicked water inside to where it shorted the wrong speed and i was suck in slow mode lol gah!. I came home and sucked the water out with a wet vac and took vasaline and smeared it on the switch cracks and wiped the excess off. Its worked flawless since.
 
I've been riding ebikes to work pretty much every day for the last 8 years - rain, snow and shine.

None of them have developed any rain-related faults.

I've ridden a combination of Heinzmann (brushed, geared DC separate controller), Powabyke (same technology), Currie Electrodrive (brushless DC, integrated controller) and now Crystalyte 5304 BLDC, external controller.


dermot
 
Took a rouge wave in CR on John's commuter E-bike. Saltwater high enough to wash over the seat... The hall-sensor connector plug was the only problem it had. :) Waterproofed only with duct-tape!
 
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