Are e-bikes waterproofs? If you’re an e-bike owner, you absolutely need to know whether or not you can use your bike in wet conditions. Here you will find everything you need to know to ride an electric bike in the rain without damaging “your precious.”
E-bikes vs water: make or break?
Even if some brands claim it, to date, there is no 100% waterproof electric bike. However, there are many electric bikes that are water resistant. Waterproof, water resistant, what is the difference? The duration of exposure to water.
A waterproof e-bike means that it is 100% impossible for water to enter the components. When you see an electric bike, you quickly understand that it is very very complicated: there are cables that pass through several holes, there are suspensions, there are sometimes vents on the motors… (You know it , especially if you have decided to build your electric bike yourself.) In short, making an electric bike truly waterproof is a real technical feat, but doesn’t exist yet today.
On the other hand, we talk a lot about “water resistance” in the world of electric bikes. Water resistant means that everything is done to prevent water from entering, but that it is not impossible that a little water enters despite everything. A water-resistant electric bike can therefore perfectly receive rainwater or splashes, but cannot be submerged because it is not waterproof. The nuance is there.
To sum up, you can use your e-bike in the rain and it can get wet on your ride but you shouldn’t leave it outside in the pouring rain, or try to pass through streams with the bike entirely submerged (as some people do on mountain bikes, for example 😅).
In which cases water can damage an e-bike?
The sensitive parts of an electric bicycle are the battery and the motor. Once damaged you can be sure that your electric bike will have big efficiency problems.
If there is one thing to avoid, it is crossing streams and any immersion of your bike in water, even if you have an electric mountain bike. Water has a great risk of infiltrating and permanently damaging the “vital organs” of your electric bike.
Is it possible to ride in the rain with an electric bike?
Like most nowadays electronic devices, the electric bike is water resistant. So you can ride in the rain as long as you don’t stay there for hours and hours in a downpour or try to completely immerse your bike in water (including when you’re cleaning it).
Many today’s electrical appliances boast of being water resistant, it’s a real marketing argument. I recently purchased a Boom 3 smart speaker from Ultimate Ears because it can be submerged in water. I use it attached to my electric bike when I walk alone in the middle of the fields ! It’s my little personal habit of sunday mornings, even rainy 😀.
What should you do to ride in the rain without worry?
Here are some tips and precautions for riding in the rain with confidence:
- Check the IP standard of your bike
- Check that the battery is well protected.
- Do not immerse your bike
- Do not clean your bike with plenty of water (we will be careful with the jet of water for example…)
- Don’t let your bike sleep in the rain without protection.
The IP protection ratings of electric bikes
IP44, IP54, IP65, IP67… What is the IP protection index?
| IP standard | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IP44 | The bike is splash resistant |
| IP54 | The bike is splash proof and dust protected |
| IP65 | The bike is resistant to splashing water |
| IP67 | The bike is waterproof |
Conclusion
If you want more tips to increase the life of your bike, I recommend our guide on maintenance of an electric bike.