Is it ok to hose wash an Ebike?.

Kiteboy said:
Windsurf competitions... Did you know Chris Calthrop, K48?
Click to expand...
Sorry no I didn't. My time windsurfing was from 1978 to 1986. I was very keen, but only good enough for club racing.
This is one of the few pictures I have from that time, about 1984 I think. I had hair then! That board and rig is still in my garage!

Sailboard (1).jpg
 
⚡ EMTB Pro Go Pro — Living Intelligence Reports, exclusive discounts & ad-free Up to 25% off Peaty's, PEMBREE, Magicshine & more · Ad-free browsing · Pro badge See the deals →
That's either an epic water start or you're just about to nearly drown. Either way, chuck the board out, it's worthless & probably has an asbestos core 😂
 
irie said:
Back in the day I was acquainted with K63, K66, and particularly K96. Times change, but I still occasionally see K63.
Click to expand...
Chris moved to Maui the same year I did and we both switched to kite surfing in '98. He immediately went from pro windsurfer to pro kite surfer. Took me a little longer to go pro because I wasn't as handsome... That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
 
RustyMTB said:
That's either an epic water start or you're just about to nearly drown. Either way, chuck the board out, it's worthless & probably has an asbestos core 😂
Click to expand...
Not a water start, although I could do them at force 3 and above. Not about to drown either. You may be hinting at poor technique, which was entirely possible. As I said, I was a good club racer and could sail on inland waters in quite high wind force, but I was very much more cautious at sea. I have a picture of me somewhere on a 3.2m2 storm sail in what the clubhouse anemometer said was a force 9. It was bloody hard work and I can't say that I enjoyed it one bit, but my mate and I dared each other into it. The club rescue boat was on standby the whole time!

Ref the board: I have kept it more from the difficulty of disposing of it than for sentimental attachment although there is a bit of that. I no longer have a roof rack that can carry it to the tip. I have offered it free to a group of Sea Scouts (no interest). I even offered it free to a windsurfing club to use the board as an on-land trainer - not interested. I believe that the core is polyurethane. It may have collapsed into dust by now (it is 44 years old), but the board doesn't sound hollow.
 
I'm pulling your leg Steve...I got into it just as everyone was getting out of it. Kite surfing has taken chunks out of windsurfing for obvious reasons. In hindsight, I wish I'd bought a kite instead, I live about two miles from a world renowned kite surfing beach but nevertheless, I liked my Starboard Carve, decent punter board for the likes of me.
 
MountainBoy said:
Now for the question on everyone's mind. Is it OK to hose wash a windsurfer?
Click to expand...

Not if the air temperature is greater than the hose water temperature. The pressure differential causes water to ingress into the polyurethane core and turns it into asbestos. Plus we have a hosepipe ban starting at midnight in the UK
 
Grannyjones said:
Reason I ride manual more in Winter:

7) I'm not ruining the E Bike. Last thing I want is a failure when conditions turn good again due to using it when it was shitty.
Click to expand...
Well, after saying #7, the exact opposite has happened as things have just gone drier again. After 5 months of not using it much to protect it from shitty conditions, it has suffered failure after failure! Rocker linkage pivots, main pivots, new speed sensor, new motor, new brakes, and the suspension was due a service as well and on top of all that it's making a lot of clicking noises! Anyone who owns any E Bike will tell you that you get a lot of problems with them
 
Grannyjones said:
Well, after saying #7, the exact opposite has happened as things have just gone drier again. After 5 months of not using it much to protect it from shitty conditions, it has suffered failure after failure! Rocker linkage pivots, main pivots, new speed sensor, new motor, new brakes, and the suspension was due a service as well and on top of all that it's making a lot of clicking noises! Anyone who owns any E Bike will tell you that you get a lot of problems with them
Click to expand...
I wouldn't 🤔
 
Grannyjones said:
Well, after saying #7, the exact opposite has happened as things have just gone drier again. After 5 months of not using it much to protect it from shitty conditions, it has suffered failure after failure! Rocker linkage pivots, main pivots, new speed sensor, new motor, new brakes, and the suspension was due a service as well and on top of all that it's making a lot of clicking noises! Anyone who owns any E Bike will tell you that you get a lot of problems with them
Click to expand...

Um, no. Lumping all e-Bikes together as problematic, just because yours has a lot of problems, is irrational.

While it's true that more components mean more components that could fail, it doesn't necessarily mean those components have a high rate of failure (because all components were not created equally). Some bicycle manufacturers fancy themselves motor, battery and BMS designers and engineers, others let those who are the real experts deal with it.
 
Last edited:
We have had an untypically wet season this year in SoCal creating a phenomenon not often encountered wherein water mixed with soil crates a substance I believe called mud.

90% of the time I clan bikes with Simple Green bike cleaner and microfiber rags.

When especially caked up with mud I will rinse it with a hose no nozzle. What think I think is critical isn't applying water but how its removed. For this I find a leaf blower to be very useful.
 
Last edited:
I prefer caked on mud to dry dust kicked up by your wheels that gets everywhere and probably is more harmful for pivot points, shocks and bearings.
I always stick my bike next to a radiator on low then just brush the dirt off and hoover it up once it's dry.
I've actually took the wheels off bikes before and just stuck the frame in the shower on low pressure like a fine rain.... but I doubt an EMTB would fit and I 'd be worried about water getting into the frame anyway
 
Ark said:
I prefer caked on mud to dry dust kicked up by your wheels that gets everywhere and probably is more harmful for pivot points, shocks and bearings.
I always stick my bike next to a radiator on low then just brush the dirt off and hoover it up once it's dry.
I've actually took the wheels off bikes before and just stuck the frame in the shower on low pressure like a fine rain.... but I doubt an EMTB would fit and I 'd be worried about water getting into the frame anyway
Click to expand...
You are a single bloke, living alone. Right? :love:
 
I must be the laziest eMTB owner I know. I’ve neglected or rejected some eMTB washing techniques but so far I’ve been lucky.
(see previous post)
At the end of my driveway is where the magic happens. A gentle hose-shower usually rinses the crud off. If anyone happens to be walking by at this time I offer a free shower… cause I’m a nice guy.
IMG_6175.jpeg
Bike Washing Station.
IMG_6176.jpeg
Passer by. 👍🏻

I try to give my bike a rinse while I’m out riding and I’ve been known to completely submerge my bike…several times.

IMG_2133.jpeg
But I realize I’m not the best at end-of-the-ride cleanliness.
IMG_6173.jpegIMG_6172.jpegIMG_6169.jpegIMG_6168.jpeg
Wall ornaments, rarely used.
IMG_6170.jpegIMG_6171.jpeg
Obviously I need all the help I can get.
Oh, and I’ve never had an electrical failure in 4 years. (Knock Wood) IMG_6174.jpeg
 
Ark said:
I prefer caked on mud to dry dust kicked up by your wheels that gets everywhere and probably is more harmful for pivot points, shocks and bearings.
I always stick my bike next to a radiator on low then just brush the dirt off and hoover it up once it's dry.
I've actually took the wheels off bikes before and just stuck the frame in the shower on low pressure like a fine rain.... but I doubt an EMTB would fit and I 'd be worried about water getting into the frame anyway
Click to expand...
Your kidding right? If not you must be single.
 
I had a look into the Bosch manual when I wanted to wash my bike the 1st time. They said „cover your purion display“, „remove the battery tube“ and „cover the contacts“. That’s all they want and also all i do. I wash my bike after every run and I never had any problem. I cover the purion and the contacts with a ziplock.
 
For what it's worth - 2 years now of washing my ebike, with the battery in, without the display covered, occasionally with the charge port uncovered because I haven't noticed the flap has lifted up.

Always with a jet wash - most of the time with my battery powered worx jet washer which isn't very strong - occasionally at the end of a ride with a supermarket jet wash which could take the paint off.

Never had an issue, not even replaced the frame bearings yet.

I think as long as some common sense is applied and you don't point blank jet blast a bearing or the motor that you're fine. Hose wash is absolutely fine. I've had worse than that hitting water splashes on a ride :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Keep reading
    Browse all

    Similar Threads

    Community Stats

    Since 2018
    672K
    Messages
    41,490
    Members
    Join 30,000+ Riders, it's free!
    Back
    Top