Bad weather while transporting your Ebike

[BIG-DUKE-6]

Most the videos I see of my European cousins riding E-bikes are in absolutely the worst conditions. Mud soup trails, pissing hard rain. How you do it I don’t know.
Which got me to thinking.
How do you get your bikes around ?
We all know water is the #1 e-bike killer. What do you do to protect your electronics while transporting your bikes in that ungodly weather
Mainly asking the bike racks folks .

Thinking about designing a “wet suit” for e-bikes.

 

[Plummet]

I just chuck em on the vertical rack. No problems so far.

 

[samjlevy]

I put it on my roof and don’t really worry too much. It’s a bike, it gets wet when I’m riding, I’m in the UK, if I only rode it when it’s dry I’d be out around 5 days of the year.

 

[RustyMTB]

As a proud British, I follow the damp traditions of my clan & only move my ebike under cover of darkness through Epping forest, covered in protective blood pudding with a coterie of orphaned chimney sweeps ready to brush any raindrops away from the motor. Please exit via the gift shop.

 

[BIG-DUKE-6]

I knew y’all had a secret. Sounds expensive but it must work so thanks for sharing

Do you think y’all might be casting a rain spell by accident??? Might be worth looking into.

 

[Wilbur]

I just chuck em on the vertical rack. No problems so far.

View attachment 114904

Did you take your ebike on Paparoa?

 

[Hobo Mikey]

Just put mine on the rack on the back of the car and drive to the trails. When I get to the trails it’s still raining it’s going to get wet anyway so no problem.

 

[Plummet]

Did you take your ebike on Paparoa?

Sort off. I was driving past with the family. We snuck up the track a few km and back from the finish. Didn't ride the whole track.
Nice looking track. I've like to go back and punch the full track.

 

[valecek]

just battery off, take a food foil trough the batery hole, muc-off brake rotors

 

[Eliadn]

I put it on my roof and don’t really worry too much. It’s a bike, it gets wet when I’m riding, I’m in the UK, if I only rode it when it’s dry I’d be out around 5 days of the year.

Isn't an ebike a bit heavy for roof carriers? Not to mention breaking your back when putting it on there

 

[valecek]

I try use my ebike on roof carrier one time.
I exercise regularly 3 times a week and I have no problem pressing 70 kg on the military press, but unloading the e-bike on the roof of the car, God forbid on a tall SUV, is really not safe for the car or for the spine

 

[Wilbur]

Sort off. I was driving past with the family. We snuck up the track a few km and back from the finish. Didn't ride the whole track.
Nice looking track. I've like to go back and punch the full track.

Pretty iconic track. Off limits to e-bikes unfortunately.

 

[Colin1517]

If I ride away from home, I always put mine inside the car. Rear seats down and bike lay down with both wheels off and covered up. I’m a very suspicious and untrusting individual so I don’t like to advertise what I have by putting it on the roof or a rack in the back. My mate came back from a weekend riding in Wales with his very expensive downhill rig on a rear mounted rack, and it was stolen from his garage that same night. Coincidence, maybe. Worth the risk, definitely not.

 

[samjlevy]

Isn't an ebike a bit heavy for roof carriers? Not to mention breaking your back when putting it on there

I have to remove the battery, but the rack is rated to 23kg and with the battery out, the bike weighs 22kg. Getting it on there isn’t too difficult now I have the technique, the car is quite low and I use stepladders.

 

[BIG-DUKE-6]

So I guess transporting a bike in a hard rain isn’t really an issue?

 

[samjlevy]

So I guess transporting a bike in a hard rain isn’t really an issue?

I actually prefer it, washes the mud off before I get home

 

[Beekeeper]

2 people, 2 e-bikes and all the gear inside a Nissan Micra

 

[Kingerz]

I only transport mine inside the car. Lots of room in a SUV for bikes with the front wheel off and all the gear I need.

 

[Kingerz]

I have to remove the battery, but the rack is rated to 23kg and with the battery out, the bike weighs 22kg. Getting it on there isn’t too difficult now I have the technique, the car is quite low and I use stepladders.

View attachment 114940

Stepladders?

 

[Expidia]

I also remove the battery for fear of it popping off. Plus removing it lightens my Trek around -8 lbs lighter and not having to heft the full 60 lbs up onto my rack on and off.

I also picked up 2 of these rubber battery terminal protectors (one for a spare). At $8.50 each, it's pretty cheap insurance against water puddling in and around the terminals in a Bosch battery compartment.

Available on Amazon and was also on Ebay.

 

[valecek]

wow, I need this

 

[samjlevy]

Stepladders?

Yeah, I'm only 5'7", I need small ladders to climb up to secure it on the roof.

 

[Eliadn]

I have to remove the battery, but the rack is rated to 23kg and with the battery out, the bike weighs 22kg. Getting it on there isn’t too difficult now I have the technique, the car is quite low and I use stepladders.

View attachment 114940

I still wouldn't trust such a carrier, imagine going on a highway! I go biking alone, so the bike fits inside my octavia nicely because also the rear window opens together with the trunk, otherwise I would have to invest around 700-1000 eur for hitch+carrier.

 

[samjlevy]

I still wouldn't trust such a carrier, imagine going on a highway! I go biking alone, so the bike fits inside my octavia nicely because also the rear window opens together with the trunk, otherwise I would have to invest around 700-1000 eur for hitch+carrier.

I've done over 1000 miles with it, everything from Motorways at 90mph+ and country lanes.

Seems sturdy enough, I have no worries with it on the roof.

 

[target2804]

I also remove the battery for fear of it popping off. Plus removing it lightens my Trek around -8 lbs lighter and not having to heft the full 60 lbs up onto my rack on and off.

I also picked up 2 of these rubber battery terminal protectors (one for a spare). At $8.50 each, it's pretty cheap insurance against water puddling in and around the terminals in a Bosch battery compartment.

Available on Amazon and was also on Ebay.

View attachment 114964

in germany this is 2,99€. lol

 

[Mamba90]

I have to remove the battery, but the rack is rated to 23kg and with the battery out, the bike weighs 22kg. Getting it on there isn’t too difficult now I have the technique, the car is quite low and I use stepladders.

View attachment 114940

Can i ask what rack you have there please? I assumed my car could fit a towbar but despite being a 2.2 L diesel it has no towing capacity. Absolute joke. Need to look at other options in lieu of new car with towbar. Thanks

 

[samjlevy]

Can i ask what rack you have there please? I assumed my car could fit a towbar but despite being a 2.2 L diesel it has no towing capacity. Absolute joke. Need to look at other options in lieu of new car with towbar. Thanks

It’s an INNO Tyre Hold 2. There is also another rack come out that is specific for e-bikes called the Menabo Chrono, rates to 25kg apparently.

Mine seems fine. The only tow bar option for my car (M5) is a £4000 retrofit from BMW, which I didn’t fancy doing, so the roof rack was the next best option.

 

[Eliadn]

Can i ask what rack you have there please? I assumed my car could fit a towbar but despite being a 2.2 L diesel it has no towing capacity. Absolute joke. Need to look at other options in lieu of new car with towbar. Thanks

No towing capacity? Impossible, tiny city cars can have a towbar. Here it's sub 500e with installation.

 

[Mamba90]

It absolutely has the ability and all the fixing points etc. However for some inexplicable reason Mercedes don't but certain vehicles through registration. Therefore on the chasis plate it says zero. I went to get a tow bar fitted and this was pointed out. He refused to fit it.

 

[p3eps]

I used to put my bikes on the roof until I got an SUV. My last car was an SQ5, and at 6ft 2", even putting analogue bikes on the roof always seemed a bit of a challenge and sometimes bordering dangerous. Most forests / trails don't have flat car parks, so taking a step or ladder was out the window! Imagine dropping a bike on your roof and it bouncing down your windscreen or bonnet

Since then, I've always had a factory order retractable tow bar fitted with the car to save any issues. The good thing about a rear tow bar rack is you don't have to worry about wet mud running across the roof of the car and sliding down the back window! It simply drips onto the road behind you.
Press a button in the boot and the tow ball appears in about 20 seconds... and it take about 2 mins to attach the rack.

As for transporting in the rain - I agree with those above. The bike probably gets wetter with me riding it in the rain... so just get on with it!