Electric bikes prove to be an excellent alternative means of transportation. They’re perfect for traveling around short to medium distances, especially when exploring your vacation destination. However, this also means you need to figure out how to bring your e-bike with you on your trip.
Electric bicycles are bulky and heavy, which makes them a bit inconvenient to travel with. Luckily, we have some tips for you on how to travel with your e-bike the next time you go on vacation:
1. Use A Bike Rack Or Carrier
Bike racks and carriers are great accessories to buy for bikers. They’re even more important if you frequently travel with your e-bike as they’re designed to make your life easier when transporting your electric bicycle safely.
The most commonly used racks for bikes are those that fit your vehicle’s tow ball or hitch mount. It’s easier to find suitable racks for traditional bikes as you don’t have to worry about fitting the mudguards and lights. But as for electric bicycles, it’s recommended that you opt for tray-style bike carriers that you can find at https://www.chargebikes.com.
The rack you buy should be able to carry the full weight of your e-bike and must come with additional features so you can securely attach your bicycle. It’s best if you go with a bike carrier that has three points of attachment to ensure the safety of your e-bike when traveling long distances.
2. Don’t Forget To Remove The Battery
Once you find the right rack, you can securely attach your e-bike to it. But before you do that, you need to remove the battery first. Doing so reduces the load on your rack. Also, it allows you to prevent your battery from getting damaged while on the road. You can then store your battery inside your car.
There are a couple of things you have to do to ensure the safety of the battery though. Ensure that it’s fully charged before storing it. Also, check the indoor temperature of the vehicle. Extreme hot or cold temperatures can affect battery life, so keep it inside your home until it’s time to hit the road.
Although it’s optional, you can also try removing the wheels. This is especially true if you’re transporting more than one e-bike. Removing the wheels makes the bikes easier and lighter to transport. Just don’t forget to bring your tools with you so you can install the wheels again once you arrive at the vacation destination.
3. Ensure That You Meet The Weight Requirements
Check the manual before transporting your e-bike to avoid inconveniences and mishaps. You certainly don’t want your bike rack to break while on the road and have your electric bikes sent flying. If you’re going to transport more than an e-bike, ensure that the carrier can support the weight of multiple bikes.
Regardless of the weight of the e-bikes that you’re transporting, ensure that they’re strapped properly to prevent them from wobbling.
4. Forget About Boarding A Plane
The e-bike battery is one of the dangerous items strictly prohibited on planes. So, regardless if you’re carrying it in your bag or attached to the bike, you’ll never get it on board.
This regulation is what makes flying e-bikes close to impossible. What you need to do is ship it. Still, this will require you to remove the battery and pack it separately so you can ship it along with a special safety certificate. If you want to avoid these bureaucratic issues, you can always rent a bike from a rental shop once you arrive at your destination.
5. Keep Your Bike Safe
It’s vital that you keep your bike safe if you’re travelling with it. Having a bike lock comes really handy to prevent it from getting stolen. The most common bike lock is the U-shaped lock, which can be mounted on the frame.
You can use the U-lock to secure the bike frame while anchoring it on a solid material like a post or a street sign. By doing so, you can park your bike outside and sleep soundly at night knowing that your e-bike is fully secured.
Final Thoughts
Traveling with your e-bike if you’re going on a vacation or somewhere else greatly increases the fun and enjoyment. It gives you the freedom to explore different places and cruise long trails. But to do that, you have to prepare it for transport. Use these tips to transport your electric bike safely, and don’t forget to charge it up before hitting the road!
