Rained On Big Time

[Cowlitz]

My 2017 Radmini was riding in the uncovered bed of my pickup, and was naked as a jaybird when I drove through a carwash style frog strangling rain storm. It was heavy enough to cause flash flooding. I even had to pull off the road and wait a while for it to end.

Unloaded the bike this morning, gave it a test ride, and all is well. Hope this answers questions about ebikes in the rain.

 

[Sparky731]

My 2017 Radmini was riding in the uncovered bed of my pickup, and was naked as a jaybird when I drove through a carwash style frog strangling rain storm. It was heavy enough to cause flash flooding. I even had to pull off the road and wait a while for it to end.

Unloaded the bike this morning, gave it a test ride, and all is well. Hope this answers questions about ebikes in the rain.

Eight of us — all ebikes of different brands — got caught in a monster deluge last summer. We rode for >30 minutes without any bike problems.

 

[AHicks]

My 2017 Radmini was riding in the uncovered bed of my pickup, and was naked as a jaybird when I drove through a carwash style frog strangling rain storm. It was heavy enough to cause flash flooding. I even had to pull off the road and wait a while for it to end.

Unloaded the bike this morning, gave it a test ride, and all is well. Hope this answers questions about ebikes in the rain.

Do as you like, but my thinking is that because the bike made it once, assuming it's going to do that indefinitely might bite you in the butt one day....

 

[LimboJim]

Do as you like, but my thinking is that because the bike made it once, assuming it's going to do that indefinitely might bite you in the butt one day....

Agreed. I don't want to rain on anyone's ebike parade, but here's what I've heard from professional motor repair stories:

Motors will almost always function fine immediately after extreme H2O exposure (including brief but total submersion), but after some time, the results will appear (noises, error codes etc.). Even small amounts of water ingress will slowly erode grease and electronics - I stopped riding my eMTB through deep streams after learning that tidbit.

I also dry battery connecting points with my leafblower and apply dielectric grease if I expose my bike to high moisture. Standing water corrodes, too!

 

[Cowlitz]

I'd say this bike has been well doused a few times. If a bike can't handle rain, I don't want it. Maybe it's time to go back to acoustic? I've been caught out in rainy weather quite a bit. Fair weather stuff doesn't cut it. Note also that this is inland so no salt problem either.

 

[AHicks]

I'd say this bike has been well doused a few times. If a bike can't handle rain, I don't want it. Maybe it's time to go back to acoustic? I've been caught out in rainy weather quite a bit. Fair weather stuff doesn't cut it. Note also that this is inland so no salt problem either.

Getting caught in the rain is quite a bit different than being pelted with rain and sand in the back of a pickup. At the very least, the battery should have been removed to the interior of the truck.

We used to trailer our bikes in an open utility trailer from Florida to Michigan and back twice a year. We've run into a lot of "gully washers" on those rides. Precautions are batteries go inside, and a baggy is tied over the display and throttle. When arriving, chain (and gears) is cleaned and re-oiled ASAP. Our bikes have survived that trip fairly well given those cautions....

 

[Cowlitz]

On my first trip hauling it to the wet side of the state, I wrapped the display in a baggie. It got wet from condensation. I quickly took it off.

I talked to the Rad folks prior to buying my bike and they said rain would not hurt it, it was made for that. However, water spraying up from below or from the side might cause problems. I always leave the battery in thinking that it protects the wiring in that spot.

My Gazelle has also been in downpours with no ill effects. I figure it comes from a wet country so it should be made for wetness. I did have to hose it off after getting mud all over on a ride in Idaho when it rained pretty good. That was it. No problems with it either.

Bicycles are outdoor equipment so ought to be able to handle the outdoors.

 

[DaveMatthews]

My son commutes every day no matter the deluge. No probs so far.