Your Complete Guide to E-Bike Maintenance and Care

You did it! You finally bought your first Bluejay Bike and it’s so new and clean you *almost* don’t want to take it out for a spin. But trust us, our bikes are meant to be ridden, so go ahead and get yours dirty—it’s proof of your adventurous spirit. You just might want to bookmark this guide to e-bike maintenance and care because it’s the best way to make sure your Premiere Edition or Bluejay Sport remains in great condition for a long time, that way you can look forward to years of excursions.

General E-bike Maintenance and Care

While you should be checking the status of your Bluejay and all of its gear before you ride every single time, you should also be in the habit of doing more in-depth e-bike maintenance reviews throughout the year. 

All that should be in addition to taking your bike into a local bike shop to have it serviced by the pros every six months—as we’re sure they’ll catch something that you might’ve missed. Not to mention, they know how to do the tricky replacement of parts. And for everything else, there’s always the Owner’s Manual.

Here’s what you should be checking up on, servicing and replacing, and how often:

1. Check the hardware for the proper torque.
2. Check to make sure that the chain, freewheel, chainring, and derailleur are all in proper alignment and are functioning properly.
3. Check the wheels, being sure to keep an eye out for any wobbling or squeaking.
4. Use the barrel adjusters to tension the brake cables and/or derailleur, if needed.

Monthly (Every 250 to 750 miles)

Replacements: Brake and shift cables, brake pads

1. Check the brake pad alignment and make sure the brake cable tension is correct.
2. Test out your gears, making sure your bike is shifting as it should. 
3. Take a look at the crankset and pedal torque. 
4. Clean and lubricate the drivetrain. 
5. Check the chain stretch, the derailleur cable tension and the brake and shifter cables, being sure to address fraying or corrosion.
6. Make sure your spokes are the correct tension. If any are loose, be sure to true and tension your wheels.
7. Make sure all of your accessories are still in place and secured to the bike frame.

Every 6 Months (750 to 1,250 miles)

Replacements: Brake pads and if necessary, tires, cables and housings.

1. Inspect the drivetrain (including the chain, chain rail, freewheel and derailleur).
2. Check out all the cables and housings.
3. Grease the bottom bracket.

E-Bike Battery Care

Some might argue that the battery is the most important part of a Bluejay bike. And by now, you should know that you need to fully charge yours before every ride. But here are a few more details you should know about your battery, in order to best take care of it:

• Typical charging time is between 4-5 hours.
• Carefully check the charger cables, charger, and battery for damage before plugging the adapter into the wall. BTW, you’re going to want to make sure you’re using a standard home AC power outlet (110/220 V/50/60 Hz).
• Only use the charger provided to you by Bluejay, because it’s specific to your bike model and the battery included.
• You can charge the battery while it’s on the bike or once it’s been removed.
• Your battery should be charged indoors, away from direct sunlight and any dirt or debris. Make sure your charger or battery is not covered by anything, as this can cause it to overheat. And make sure it’s safely located on a flat, stable and hard surface.
• Don’t charge your battery for over 12 hours at a time.
• Always keep an eye on your charging battery and never leave it unattended.

Know that the charger will get hot when it’s in use—this is totally normal! But if it’s too hot to touch or it’s producing a strange smell, unplug it and get in touch with Bluejay Electric Bicycles Technical Support.

Tire Maintenance and Care

Before each and every ride, give your tires a good once-over. Check for suitable tire pressure, make sure they’re free of wobbles, check the tension of the spokes and keep an eye out for any damage that requires additional care. Damaged bike tires are unsafe to ride on—that includes any punctures or cuts—as it can reduce performance, increase wear and tear (in an uneven fashion) and simply put you in danger.

Beyond the basic air pressure maintenance, we strongly suggest bringing your e-bike into a bike shop to make other tire repairs. Unless you have adequate experience and knowledge, not to mention the right tools, you could further damage your tires. 

Here are some additional pointers for adjusting your tire pressure:

• Always fill your tires with air using a bicycle pump fitted with a Schrader valve attachment. Never use an air pump itended for an automobile.
• Check the sidewall of your tires for the correct PSI for both front and rear tires. For the Premiere Edition Bluejay, that will be between 50-65 PSI.
• Be careful not to overinflate or underinflate your tires, as both conditions can be unsafe to ride on.
• When changing your tires, double and triple check that all air pressure is removed from the inner tube.

Brake Maintenance and Care

Hey DIYers (and everyone else), please take your bike to a pro if there are any issues with your Bluejay’s brakes. Our hydraulic disc brakes are a bit complicated and they’re the absolute most critical part of your bike. So, when in doubt, don’t ride a bike with faulty or funky brakes and drive it (or walk it!) straight to the shop.

Want to be sure your brakes are in mint condition before heading out? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a handy checklist for ensuring your brakes are ready to go:

• Check brake pads for wear and ensure they’re in the correct position in relation to brake rotors.
• Now, take a peek at the brake control cables. They should be in the correct position and show no obvious wear.
• Inspect the brake levers, ensuring they are well lubricated and secured tightly to the handlebars. Then fully squeeze both the right and left brake levers to check that they do not touch the handlebars. 
• Before heading out, walk next to your bike and test the brakes while mid-roll. 
• Finally, ride at Level 1 pedal assist and check that the motor cuts off when the brakes are squeezed. Finally, you’re ready to hit the road at high speeds.

E-Bike Cleaning

We recommend wiping down your Bluejay e-bike after each ride but how often should you be doing a thorough sudsing up? That all depends on how often you’re heading out. If you tend to frequent city bike paths and only hit the pedals about once a week, you can probably get away with cleaning your bike once a month. But if you take your Bluejay out almost daily in areas where dirt, mud, sand and the like are plentiful, you’ll probably want to wash yours more frequently. 

Now that we’ve got that covered, here’s what you’ll need to gather for a thorough bike wash:

• A bucket of water
• Non-corrosive biodegradable cleaner
• A few cloths or rags (including a few specifically for drying)
• Sponge or soft brush
• Disc brake cleaner
• Leather cleaner and/or conditioner
  
  

1. Remove the battery and store it safely out of the way. You don’t want this important part of your Bluejay getting wet.
2. Mix the non-corrosive biodegradable cleaner with water to create a soapy mixture. You can also buy specific bike cleaning formulas that are strong enough to tackle mud and dirt, without damaging your bike frame or its  paint.
3. Dip the rag into the mixture and wring it out until it’s damp—not dripping wet. Wipe down every inch of your bike, making sure to get into all the nooks, crannies and awkward angles. Don’t forget to clean your pedals and the spokes of your tires.
4. For any areas with stubborn dirt or muck, use a sponge or a soft brush to carefully work the gunk out.
5. Use the dry cloths or rags to completely wipe your Bluejay dry.
6. Now, it’s time to pay some attention to your brakes. Spray or spread on disc brake cleaner and scrub it carefully with your rag or sponge. Now would also be a good time to lubricate your brakes and shift cables, if you’d like.
7. Dab some leather cleaner on a dry cloth or rag and work it into the seat and the handlebars using circular motions. Once it’s all worked in, use a dry cloth or rag to blot up the remaining soap. (You can also follow this step with a leather conditioner, or look for a cleaner that includes that step). 
8. Wait until the seat and handlebars dry et voilà, you’ve got a clean, sparkling bike that looks good as new!

Please remember that you shouldn’t use pressure washers or hoses directly on your Bluejay, as that excess water may cause issues with your battery and the rest of the electrical components. 

Want to learn more about Bluejay Bikes? Visit our website here. We also offer plenty of info on how to maintain your bike and best practices for riders on our Owner’s Portal, found here. 

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