im new to electric bikes. I purchased Gazelle Modeo 9 several months ago. I’m planning on storing the bike in a friends garage for the winter In Colorado. It gets cold in the winter. should I remove the battery before storing or leave it on the bike. If I remove the battery should I cover the electrical connection before storing. Thanks. Mark
Winter storage
- Thread starter Msilverm
- Start date
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
Keeping the battery inside is a very good idea, just don't leave it full time on the charger.
steve_rolfeca
New Member
All good advice!
One more thing:
Ideally, you want to keep the battery in a moderate state of charge before and during storage. Leaving it fully charged (or even worse, fully discharged) is bad.
Most name-brand ebike batteries have a BMS (battery management system) that monitors and conditions the individual cells to improve service life and performance.
The BMS draws a small amount of power from the battery, and that current draw adds to the natural discharge rate of the internal cells. The result, is that a battery can damage itself if left in storage for too long without preventative maintenance.
Maintenance is extremely simple- keep it dry, keep it clean, and give it a short top-up charge once in a blue moon.
This excellent Bosch-specific article recommends storing your battery at 60% (3 bars on the side display), checking it periodically while in storage, and making sure to top it back up to that level if/when it gets down to 1 bar. According to the article, that should represent about 6 months storage time for a healthy battery.
ttps://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/blog/post/how-to-look-after-and-extend-the-life-of-your-bosch-ebike-battery/
Special Note: The article mentions powering the Bosch charger from an inverter when travelling. Note that the author is a Brit. Like many countries in that neck of the woods, their electrical outlets run at a much higher voltage than ours. - NEVER plug a 110v North American charger into a 220v outlet!!!
One more thing:
Ideally, you want to keep the battery in a moderate state of charge before and during storage. Leaving it fully charged (or even worse, fully discharged) is bad.
Most name-brand ebike batteries have a BMS (battery management system) that monitors and conditions the individual cells to improve service life and performance.
The BMS draws a small amount of power from the battery, and that current draw adds to the natural discharge rate of the internal cells. The result, is that a battery can damage itself if left in storage for too long without preventative maintenance.
Maintenance is extremely simple- keep it dry, keep it clean, and give it a short top-up charge once in a blue moon.
This excellent Bosch-specific article recommends storing your battery at 60% (3 bars on the side display), checking it periodically while in storage, and making sure to top it back up to that level if/when it gets down to 1 bar. According to the article, that should represent about 6 months storage time for a healthy battery.
ttps://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/blog/post/how-to-look-after-and-extend-the-life-of-your-bosch-ebike-battery/
Special Note: The article mentions powering the Bosch charger from an inverter when travelling. Note that the author is a Brit. Like many countries in that neck of the woods, their electrical outlets run at a much higher voltage than ours. - NEVER plug a 110v North American charger into a 220v outlet!!!
steve_rolfeca
New Member
PS: The only part of your bike that actually needs a "spring tuneup" is your tire pressure.
Everything else on the bike will be much happier if it's not put away crusted with road grime and worse.
Gazelles are designed to withstand salt air and chilly, damp seaside conditions in the Netherlands. Still, they do have paint, rubber and other surfaces that are prone to dry rot and corrosion.
It's an excellent idea to do the bulk of your spring bike maintenance early, instead of waiting until you pull it out of storage the following spring.
Your bike will last longer and look better if you clean, lube and protect it with polish before you leave it in a dark shed or garage to endure damp conditions and multiple freeze/thaw cycles over the winter.
Even better, if you have the space, why not bring the whole bike indoors along with the battery?
Everything else on the bike will be much happier if it's not put away crusted with road grime and worse.
Gazelles are designed to withstand salt air and chilly, damp seaside conditions in the Netherlands. Still, they do have paint, rubber and other surfaces that are prone to dry rot and corrosion.
It's an excellent idea to do the bulk of your spring bike maintenance early, instead of waiting until you pull it out of storage the following spring.
Your bike will last longer and look better if you clean, lube and protect it with polish before you leave it in a dark shed or garage to endure damp conditions and multiple freeze/thaw cycles over the winter.
Even better, if you have the space, why not bring the whole bike indoors along with the battery?
Steve-H
Member
Last November, winter struck early in Ottawa Canada. I could not handle putting the bike (Arroyo) away so soon and after 1 week I bought 2 Schwalbe Winter K-Guard HS 396 700c Wire Tire at 40mm the widest I could get and rode all winter except the heavy snowfall days where I just waited for the plows.
At first I charged in the garage but the battery performs best by moving the charger indoors and bringing the battery in and out with trips. I love having the power to use through the snow and you can use more brainpower to stay upright. Just dress as if you were skiing in the same weather. I even started using my skiing helmet as it is a deliberately warmer design and works well with ski goggles that you need as the wind chill is the same as downhill skiing. I intend to put the studded tires on the Ultimate T10 this winter. Ride on the back streets that are plowed for the school bus routes as they get better plowing frequency.
At first I charged in the garage but the battery performs best by moving the charger indoors and bringing the battery in and out with trips. I love having the power to use through the snow and you can use more brainpower to stay upright. Just dress as if you were skiing in the same weather. I even started using my skiing helmet as it is a deliberately warmer design and works well with ski goggles that you need as the wind chill is the same as downhill skiing. I intend to put the studded tires on the Ultimate T10 this winter. Ride on the back streets that are plowed for the school bus routes as they get better plowing frequency.
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