Riding your Evelo in the Rain

[TWBKR]

Hi All,

Just curious if any Evelo Aurora owners ride their bikes in the rain and any concerns with the electrical components? I have had some problems with my old E-bike (not an Evelo), where the controller got wet, and killed it, after riding in the rain. Will try to seal it with some silicon gel or put duct tape around the box and faceplate housing the controller.

But, I have an Evelo Auroro on order, so just wanted to check any concerns riding it in the rain, as sometimes I do ride in a light rain, or get caught unprepared in a rain, and dont want to have to worry about the electrical components getting wet. Thanks.

 

[Al P]

I have ridden a couple of miles in rain (not by choice)more than once. I wiped everything down as soon as possible and haven't had any issues so far.

 

[TWBKR]

Thanks. Good to hear. I know sometimes you need to ride it somewhere to do something with a risk of rain or take a ride not knowing it will rain, and then may not have a choice. I have the same problem.

Wonder if in general, how well E-bikes are made for handling wet weather. Of course, it will depend on the bike, but just about all scooters and motorbikes need to be designed to handle wet weather, but not sure about E-bikes. Hopefully, buying a more established brand and manufacturer, the design for these kinds of things should be better.

 

[Al P]

You're right in that it depends on the bike. This would be a good question for Alex or Dave at Evelo. I can think of two possible water entry points on the Aurora. Assuming you would have a pannier providing some protection for the top of the battery/controller connection, water could still come up from the tire and get in through the bottom. Also, riding through puddles at medium speed would cause the front tire to throw water up on the mid-mount motor casing. If that isn't tightly sealed the water could easily kill the motor. My motor is totally different than the one you are getting, but like I said, no problems, but I haven't ridden it in a soaking rain.

 

[TWBKR]

John mentioned that it should be ok, as long as you dont submerse it water and try to avoid using a high pressure sprayer on it, but that being from Seattle, it was made to handle some rain. Also, I include the comments from the Aurora manual below? Looking forward to getting my Aurora in about a week.

RIDING IN THE RAIN
EVELO Electric Bicycles are designed so that you can operate them in rainy weather.
Factory-level design elements keep the electrical components well-protected and
nearly all the electrical connections are located within the frame.
However, if you do choose to ride in the rain, be aware that necessary braking
distances can be increased significantly, and keep in mind that the road surface can be
slick. Use caution in wet conditions — even if it is not actively raining.
Although rain and wet weather is acceptable use, we do recommend that you avoid
circumstances where your bike will be immersed in water, such as riding through a
deep stream. The bike is water-resistant, but not waterproof.
After riding in the rain, disconnect the battery and air-dry the electrical connection
points to avoid corrosion. We also recommend that you dry your bike with a soft towel
if you having been riding in the rain.

 

[evelo-bikes]

Really, most anything other than actually putting it underwater should be fine. Avoid the car wash as well. Some of our older displays weren't as waterproof as the more recent parts, but even they were fine in the rain.

Use some common sense about it and you won't have a problem. Go ride, for sure. Weather shouldn't be a problem. If you're storing your bike outside, it's not a bad idea to cover it and protect everything from the elements.

Cheers,
David

 

[TWBKR]

Thanks David. Been getting a lot of rain lately, and while I dont usually ride often in the rain, can get caught in a rain, so good to know.

 

[Woodie582]

I’ve ridden my delta in the rain quite a few times, never had an issue.

 

[echristensen]

I’ve ridden my delta in the rain quite a few times, never had an issue.

Likewise - My Delta X is a daily commuter in Seattle and I have had zero issues due to rain (Well, except that I learned the hard way that trolley rails get pretty slick when they are wet!). In fact, I lost the grommet and cap that seal the battery where the charging plug connects and have just left it open to the rain. I plug in when I get home and have never had a problem.

 

[evelo-bikes]

Hey @echristensen, I think you can find that cover here:

http://www.electricscooterparts.com/battery-charger-connectors-coaxial.html

Sroll down and look for part CNX-556-COVER

We don't stock just the cover for that battery (you're actually the first person I've heard of losing it) and it is quite possibly more work than it's worth to replace it. You'll have to open the battery case to access the charging port, and remove the whole port to install the cover.

 

[Al P]

Perhaps you can just attach the loop to the frame with a zip tie in a place where the cover will reach the port.