Riding An Electric Bike In Winter - Bad Idea? 

When I first got back into cycling in my adulthood, I was convinced I was going to ride every day, even in the winter, snow be damned. I bought me a fancy "fat tire" bike, cold weather cycling kit, even some of those cozy hand muff thingies that the cool RU-vid winter cyclists put on their handlebars. I waited anxiously for the first snowfall. Now, you probably assume I'm going to say something bad happened. But on the contrary, those paramedics were some of the nicest people I've ever met, and they all agreed my fancy "fat bike" was really cool.

Before I retired, I commuted 34 miles per day, to work and back, 5 days a week for 25 years in all the weather, that the North East of England could throw at me. The best thing to wear when it was cold and wet was a motorcycle under helmet balaclava, a goretex wind and rain proof jacket, Ron Hill tracksters for their quick drying ability and neoprene overshoes and gloves. I would think that with an electric bike you would get cold, because just like a motorbike, you are not generating anywhere near as much heat as that riding a proper human powered bicycle. I had a good shower and drying facilities when I got to work, which was eccential. Oh and a few asda bags to roll your dry clothes and food in in your back pack, to keep them dry, spare inner tubes, tools, spare foldable tyre, frame fit pump and spare spokes placed within my handlebars. In the winter, i even used to push my bike off the thick estate snow until i could get in the car snow ruts on the main road, all the rest of the way to work. Looking back, i must have been mad, which i probably am lol.

I do bike delivery all year and the Canadian winter is pretty harsh, I definitely need studded tires and I keep one bike with normal tires for when snow in the streets has all melted. I always wear a balaclava, depending on the temperature I wear either my normal helmet or a full face mtb helmet. I have multiple pairs of boots and gloves to be able to work multiple shifts in a day, or when I do a battery swap to continue delivering more in one evening. It's definitely a way harder job in the winter, it's more physically demanding especially in a snow storm, but I love it.

Major learnings from cycling in winter when it's -7c is to get winter motorcycle gloves. They don't fail you. I tried dozens of alternatives before I found this out

from experiencing cycling in Canadian winters I would suggest ski goggles they protect your eyes from the elements like rain, ice, and snow.

Cold and rain does not bother me but I do not commute using the ebike in ice and wind. The assist struggles to kick in with strong winds. I recommend a poncho for the rain. A good one can keep the bike dry and reduces the need to have to get changed out of wet things

Far more intelligent a rider than I ever was! It's great that we have such excellent products. I had various Danish Army Great Coats, an old cape at best, regardless of which bike, or when. A bit crazy, in retrospect. Very informative, thanks!

Top tip for anti-corrosion from a motorcyclist - give your bike (not chain/tyres etc) an ACF50 bath. It's designed for metals and components and kills rust. My bike lives outside and has lasted 6 years of winters with no corrosion.

I completely agree about being comfortable in the situation you are in. Comfort plays a big role in whether an accident happens or not and the severity of an accident if it happens. It also plays a big role in how much we enjoy a ride.

If you aren't wearing a hi vis jacket, id recommend getting a high vis tabard. From the video, I did not think the reflective backpack and arm bands were enough.

go to oulu finland. it's kinda fun riding bike in winter there and yes there is snow in oulu. :)

Living in the Northern isles it's windy most of the year. I will get on the bike as long as it's not too wet. There are only so many times you put up with waterproofs failing. Motorbike winter gloves with an Oxford face mask is my solution. Summer is coming 😎

Brilliant video!! I Have seen so many people cycling without any lights or visible clothing riding at nights, feels like they have a death wish. Great tips with rising in the cold and rain. Hope all is well, take care

I use my ebike come rain or shine. When it's really col, i wear a thermal vest and then my work tunique, then i wear the Proviz fleece, water/windproof jacket. The wind i dont mind. I love cycling. It brings joy on the way to and from work. ❤️ your work.🎉

Super Cracking video, Eilis, from the point of view of content and advice- then the very best, even by your own high standards. So sensible, practical and knowledgeable. I can imagine that so many cyclists don't think or are not aware of many of the recommendations that you give here. Love the fact that you are wearing hi-vis- As you know, I always bang on about this, but it is critical to be seen, and wearing black or similar just doesn't work as you say. Riding in the winter really isn't the time to get bogged down with looking cool over everything else. Great to hear that you can handle rain, wind, and cold, many can't or are fearful. Kudos to you. I really enjoyed this episode. Thank you.

for ice , snow i lower my seat and air down tires and Ride ! ❄❄❄❄ make Sure to have lights and stay on sidewalks tbh . don't trust that cars will stop ⚡⚡

Have ridden in the rain and a poncho. Works good. You need to get a over size or one made for bikes. Drape the poncho over the handle bars and lights. If you have a draw sting hood it helps keep the water from dripping down into you neck. As you go fast like 40kmh (25mph). The rain stings on your face. The poncho will also keep the electronics of your ebike drier also since it is covering the bike also. Though were I live it is 26⁰C (80⁰F)in the winter. So the rain is warm. I live in the middle of the pacific ocean about 1000 miles (2212km) from the equater. Was shown how a poncho work for the first time when visiting asian countries that mostly drive around on motor bikes. So go try out the poncho Eilis.

When I was an elementary school student I central Nebraska, My brother and I never let snow stop us from riding our bikes to school! It was in the mid-1960's and our bikes had coaster brakes. We wrapped some low profile chain around our back tires and rode 2.5 miles to and from school in over 9 inches of fresh snow! It was a great experience! I also had a small motorcycle in high school days in Montana, the closest thing then to a mini bike now, and I rode it on the country roads year round, clear roads, snowy roads, icy roads,?wet roads! I never gave it a second thought! I live in Arizona now where snow is a very rare occurrence! I believe my fat tire e-bike would handle it well enough! My concern is not the capability of my bike, it is the other drivers who know nothing about driving on snow!

My fall through Spring commuting is mostly limited by weather. Here in the greater Buffalo NY area, cycling infrastructure is improving, but my 16 mile ride into work from a suburb requires me to traverse nearly 5 miles of a busy 4 lane road that has Sharrows. Drivers don’t understand and some want to share the road. It’s even worse now that the road markings are about 95% warn away by weather and traffic. I can’t ride that route if visibility is reduced. Rain would make the chances of getting hit far too likely, I also can’t ride with snow or ice on the road as I can’t risk slipping (still can happen with cabine studded bike winter tires) or it would force me into the car lane if the sections of mout that do have shoulders aren’t plowed. We had a week and a half of serious snow storms early in January, days where multiple feet of snow was dumped thanks to Lake Effect Snow. I was able to grab the cross country skis and get in some nice loops at a nature preserve. Now we are no experiencing some really mild weather. Days are -5c to +5c. I have a Specialized CREO SL e-bike. It’s significantly reduced my commuted times. I can now sustain 20 mph for most of my commute. When on a busy road I generally can keep up with traffic. That means cars aren’t in need of getting around me as much. I’m noticing about a 10% to 15% reduction in range. Nothing terrible. We’ll see how long the mild winter weather lasts, but im enjoying some nice bike commutes late January in to early February with my e-bike. I can’t see any issues other than true winter cycling is hard on equipment, especially if you ride in snow that is being salted. In the past I had a short. 5 mile commute. I could ride in almost any weather. I didn’t have a window, so my (ex) wife used to call me to have a look outside before attempting to go home. On a couple of occasions 6 to 12 inches of fresh snow had fallen and the roads were rough. I was close enough to home that she could pick me up in z 8 to 10 minutes. I’d be dropped off the next day and take the bike home then. They are great at clearing snow here. That weather was murder on bike components, especially the salt. I would not expense bpm’s lovely e-bike to those conditions. My coldest ride was 0F temps with a wind chill of -15. The only upside was the schools were closed due to overly cold weather so the roads were not busy. That was a do,d ride. I had to add some additional layers compared to normal winter cycling. I was fine for 20 minutes of cycling, it would not have been good for 75 minutes of cycling.

As a motorcyclist I swear by two layers of gloves for cold weather. My breathable summer gloves are even good enough with a pair of inners. Mind you, I live in a sunburnt country so no need for anything as extreme as thermals.

I try not to cycle in snow and especially Ice, however the very few times I did do, I try and take it easy, no rushing or fast speeds, Keep as upright as possible, no leaning into bends, slow and fluid turning, no jerky movements when turning, try and Keep a large turning arch. Never fallen off yet 🤞.....but best is avoiding riding if at all possible. 🙂

Reflective tape on the bike frame is a cheap and easy option for staying visible.

I commute year around and for the very coldest days (below zero in the UK) I have two pairs of thin gloves and one pair of ski gloves , ski socks , and a beanie to cover my ears. I am considering getting a balakalava next year... but it's really only needed for a couple of weeks a year. Oh and so many lights that people queue up to look around me at Christmas.

I find that a windproof helmet liner is worth its weight in gold during the winter. And, if it's really cold, I tend to wear windproof pants. Also, I have a spike-less front tire from Pirelli that is made with softer-than-normal rubber so that it remains soft and grippy even in cold temperatures. If the road is so snowy and icy that more is required, I have chains from Slipnot. Beyond that, I won't ride... but those days are few and far between.

Def recommend the new Lumos helmet with visor, Altura do one too (I have it). Its great for the cold months. It'll take the rain / windchill / cold off a good portion of your face. I can't understate how much of a improvement it makes in rubbish weather.

1. Cold fingers - can’t ring my bell with gloves on. 2. Mud. Have to clean ebike. 3. Wind and rain. 4. Ice. Black ice on roads and paths 5. Battery range reduced. Otherwise it’s fine.

Great video on Winter Commuting! I ride all year round on the East Coast of Canada. Our city, located on the Bay of Fundy is gets extremely icy rather than snowy, and we don't have the benefit of cycling infrastructure (not considered a priority). Top tip for those that are timid of icy conditions ... Studded tires are amazing! Just like wearing ice cleats on over your shoes, they convert slick ice into what feels like slush. 100% recommend. Get tires with the highest stud count you can find/afford.

Here in Medford Oregon in the USA, I find bicycle commuting year around makes cycling in the summer easier. Awesome video on ridding in cold 🥶 weather.

if you have really cold hands, look for heated gloves, they make lighter versions now, not like the old motorcycle gloves, and heated socks are also a thing, actually there is a lot of heated clothes nowadays.

One disadvantage of ebikes in subzero temperatures is that sudden bursts of power delivered to the wheel on a frozen surface can result in the rear of the bike suddenly flicking away to one side, if you happen to be turning and increasing speed at the same time. Doesn’t happen that often, but when it does the fall is swift and quite unexpected. And painful.

Love these new format info-vlog things. Keep em coming please!😊

Studded tyres for ice are brilliant. Not great for fast corners on tarmac 😲

New Subscriber In the video where the cyclist cruised on by and you commented on him. You said you were 30. The year you were born I was riding like that gentleman on the road bike. I was 44 and My son was 14. I built my own bike. In my small town I run a 1500watt 2 hp electric rear wheel. This spring I'm changing frame sets. Don't ever ride an ebike without rear suspension. The new frame set has rear suspension. I'm waiting for it to warm up, I'm painting it either Corvette light Blue or Corvette Yellow. I enjoyed the video. Mack 18:13

That's one awesome vlog. Loved it Thanks

Corrosion, especially salt corrosion, is the main concern when riding in wet and foul weather. Highly recommend to identify all screws, bolts, nuts and washers that are susceptible to salt corrosion and swap them out with equivalent components made with either Marine Grade 316 Stainless or Titanium. Remember 304 Stainless is not good enough, they eventually suffer from corrosion as you witness rusting even on normal stainless steel. Also any accessories added, try to ensure it is made either in aluminium (if strength is not important) or carbon fibre or titanium if high strength or lower mass is important. For the chain, for 11 speed or lower, running a stainless steel chain is a good option. For 12 speed, go with a hardy ebike specific weather restraint chain like those e12 from KMC. 12 speed Shimano chain is very weak and is very likely to snap at the most inappropriate time. Always bring a missing link and chain breaker with you in case you need to fix a broken chain on the run. Also make a regular habit to rinse off the chain and cassette with clean water after a ride. Once it is dry, use a brush to brush off any debris, they will fall off easily. It is the salt that rapidly accelerate the corrosion. Water alone doesn't cause serious corrosion to the components. 😊 Also on the shifter, if you are running a Shimano STX 12 speed shifter, swap it out for a Shimano XT shifter. The design compromise Shimano has made in the STX shifter causes water and dirt ingress. The shifter will fail overtime and you get stuck on limited gears. The XT vers version operates much better and doesn't suffer from this design issue.

Great Episode! Loving the super bright bag cover + Hindsight Glasses!

Great video as usual! I will point out, even if it may be above zero, be careful of charging if the battery was recently below zero. As some parts of the battery could still be below zero. Take your bike inside and allow the room temp time to warm the battery through before recharging. This is why more advanced (very costly) batteries like in Teslas have sensors inside the battery (as well as heaters to warm them up before recharging).

I have owned two folding ebikes over the last few years and its been interesting to compare the battery performance over winter. The cheaper bike with the battery that slides into the frame has had no real discernible decrease in range per battery charge in low temperature whilst the more expensive bike , with the battery in the seat post has maybe a 20% decrease in range in similar weather.

In wet weather, maintaining good traction on your tyres should be one of the primary focus. As such, you want to achieve the maximum contact surface area between the tyres and the road surface as possible. Try to run the widest possible tyres that your bike will allow. Not all wide tyres run slow. Choose a tyre design and advanced compound that offers very low rolling resistance, great durability and more importantly good traction in wet surfaces. Similar concept to F1 tyres. I highly recommend looking into a hybrid configuration. Run a low pressure (eg 30 psi) off road front tyre with as wide profile as possible in a tubeless configuration. Combined with a almost slick 2.4" low rolling resistance rear tyre, such as the Schwalbe Super Moto at 50psi in tubeless configuration at the rear. The off road front enables your bike to retain traction and full control should the road surface suddenly transits into loose sand or gravel. Remember it's ok to loose a bit of rear traction and be little bit tail happy as the bike react in a slight drifting motion. But loosing front traction is a big NO, NO as the bike will quickly go out of control. The slick rear tyre will ensure overall low rolling resistance of the bike and to carry the higher speed and momentum of the ebike to climb slopes much easier. The 2.4" wide profile and low pressure front tyre will enable your ebike to float over loose sandy surfaces. Whereas slimmer higher pressure tyres will get caught and potentially flipping the bike altogether if the approaching speed is high. 😂 Certainly there is an optimal pressure each tyre runs on that draws good compromise between low rolling resistance and comfort. But in general, the lower the tyre pressure, the more comfort is the ride and also this will dramatically lower the possibility of punctures. I recommend running tubeless + sealant system. They are very reliable and low maintenance and will remove 99% road side puncture repair incidents under foul weather conditions. Also on the topic of stopping power, i highly recommend looking into upgrading the brake pads of the disc brake system from standard. Look into offerings from Swiss Stop. They offer ebike specific compounds, that offer almost as good initial bite as their metallic pads and much better durability than standard pads. Work great even in wet conditions. The main problem with metallic pads is that they offer optimal friction when the pads have been warmed up. But they maintain great performance even in very hot conditions. In cold climate this can present a challenge. The ebike specific compound addresses the cold temperature performance issues of the metallic pads.

Love this so much. Waterproof trousers and thermal base layers are my biggest upgrades up in Aberdeen for this winter on my Volt

*It's me 'ands and toes that suffer* 😭 Lights/bright clothin is a Must for ridin at night/low light. Neon yella is always cool 👀😁😎 Shockin how many people you see, more like can barely see at night, stay safe people, light up! ⚡️🤟🏼🤟🏼⚡️ "Ronnie pickerin" 😂 "WHO?" 🤣 👏🏼👏🏼

Thank you from Chicago! 🥶

This was great! I am ready to go!

Great video! I layer up and finish with a wind proof jacket. If I keep the wind out I tend to keep warm (analogue bike).

A few weeks ago I tried to ride my e-bike in the snow we had here in Victoria BC Canada, but realized I couldn't get any steering by the end of the driveway and my wheels locked due to the snow build up inside the fenders LOL😉⛄️ Not a good idea lol. Thank You For This Video 😎

Escooter / Ebike Tunnels: linking Manchester to Liverpool to Wigan to Southport Convert The Tube to escooters only ?

Great video… you had the greatest Xmas jumper I’ve ever seen, and the bunny’s headband “as worn by Eilís” would make a great stockings filler!

Its all year round for me, ive had times where moisture in the brake cable has frozen & cant be used But also times when i can move slowly in snow & ice when other vehicles where stuck.

Untill I retired I rode a motorcycle every day since I was 16 .Upon retirment I got an e bike ,Cold is not a problem and snow is a lot of fun . But I hate the rain .waterproofs are to heavy hot and uncomftorable to ware on a bicycle and lightweight water proofs just arn't water proof . I took the option of the largest battery available when I purchased the bike and alltho the cold do's effect the range somewhat .it's not realy a problem for the distince I travlel ( 30 to 35 miles a day ) alltho I have never checked ,running costs are a pitence and replacment parts are just the same as a normal bicycle so as far as I am councerned I have had 5 years'' allmost '' free transport and iits still going strong.

Emtb are awesome winter reason why I buy an EMTB to ride to work in Snow

I ride an ebike,went out today, it was 32 F, 10mph wind. it was good. I wear a buff around my neck and face. I have a leather jacket. you have a fun job my dear. 🤩💪

Fallen off a couple times in the winter but its probably the tyres

13:38 Do ya know who I am! 🤣 The legend of Ronnie Pickering will never die! 🤣

wow! our winters in boston, ma hit the negatives regularly. but even with the higher temps in london, your commute looks a lot like mine. i stick to standard pedal bike in the winter, because i'm pretty scared of braking in our slushy conditions with speed and with a standard bike i'm less likely to wipe out.

Keep your head on a swivel and avoid your biggest danger from clueless drivers and dress for collisions, but have fun at all times.

I cycle summer and winter in London on an analogue that's no motor except me on a mountain bike and have done for well over 40 years and have no issue with rain, or newly laid snow, but the following day when the snow has frozen over with a layer of ice I do not cycle. As I don't in strong wind which I find particularly dangerous having had some very scary experiences when overtaken by large vans or lorries they suck me into the middle of the road which is beyond scary so its the underground or bus or er car. P.S. in winter I wear ski clothing its warm and waterproof but light and breathable and they sell them in bright yellow with reflective inserts.

Tried cycling on a -2C sunny day once, instant sore head and canned it after 15 mins, never again! I'm sure it would be fine if you had all the gear but i'm not that deciated and can't be arsed with the faff. Time to move to a warmer country!

Do any electric bikes have heated hand grips since there's a power supply?

Did it for winter for 5 years in uk, sometimes the bike had to go away due to ice

I cycled to work once in -15c now that was cold

What about water proof over trousers. I wear them all the time in the winter.

maybe consider a video on ebikes in the rain as concern for electrical components in wet weather is real

Hello. What microphone are you using?

I ride all weather but i hate the cold and ice especially is horrible. I basically just crawl to work in the ice especially on corners, you have to expect your going down every turn and slow as much as you can. In the cold weather you want to cover all skin you can, i wear a snood at hat only eyes exposed.

What kind of glasses are those?

How are you filming yourself whilst riding?

Excellent clip and thanks for the recommendation not to have your battery at 100% if storing over winter.

Eyepro eyepro eyepro! If you want to make eye contact that’s fine, wear clear glasses. But it would be terrible if you messed up those lovely eyes because you weren’t wearing eyepro. We want to keep seeing more great content from you. Stay safe!

Hello beautiful! Just wonder if you have any good bike tips with good range for me in Sweden? Sorry for bad english. Love/ Alex

What are your glasses with fitter mirrors

Laughing in Norwegian :)

I’ve been blown clean off my bike, into the middle of a cross rd. I never ride in Met warning weather now.

No foreign heights 😅

£110 for the light set. Most places do them for £89.

Thats not winter...heres from -10 to -35C and lot of snow. And im driving my ebike to every work shift. Range is not long but working in every way. 45km/h was too much in -32C...

Heated gloves

Thats A LOTof jackets

I never like to electronic bicycles for me they're too slow and very heavy riding in bad weather like in the winter it's not as easy as it looks I've written in temperatures of Minus 40 sometimes even colder than this on bicycle electric bicycles could not handle the temperatures and abuse that I put them through

Alexa is affecting a British accent. What a poser. When she asked Alexa the weather, my Alexa heard and started responding in a normal accent. Tick Tick Tick, Whosh! ..... BTW: great vid.

10 😘

All you need is warm clothes that keep you warm for hours.

Damn bruh, 4 mins in and youve talked about 3 products already lol

TRY USING YOUR HAND SIGNALS.

Way too dangerous and expensive. For 2k you have a near new 125cc scooter that has lights, storage but most important you are going same speed as car traffic. Also you have a full face helmet, proper wet weather safety gear and you can put proper soft compound winter tyres. We have bike lanes everywhere here in Belgium but riding to work is retarded, way too dangerous.

"Chilly outside" 4C outside 😂. Try Scandinavia and our double digit negative C degrees outside and yes our e-bikes works just fine, 4C that is practically summer. Oof lot of whining in this video, dress properly and use studded winter tyres problem solved.

Im a fair weather commuter I blow the dust off the car late September Then my costs raise by 250 quid a month until late march. If it wasn't such a pu*sy I'd be much better off.

I can't believe how blasè people are about climate change, like lets not talk about it or make any changes, who needs food in the future ie bad weather means crop failures which means no food.

it is not winter...

Hif you can help me thanks 👍 I'm Amazon babe love you for ever later 😊

Stop caking your face in muck - The only make-up you need is a smile !!

I really like this channel but please... Stop the climate change BS...!

Coldest morning i rode in this winter was -4c. Honestly it was absolutely fine i wouldn't want to do it in any colder though. Without electric assist it might actually he easier as you're generating more heat, my bike on maximum assist will basically let you put absolutely no effort into pedalling and go 16mph everywhere.