.... like when will it crap out on because the cold makes the electronics die . I have an Aventon Level 2 , and I don't see the hollow aluminum helping . It's supposed, to be good down to almost 32 F , but a winter day can have wind chills that dip it much lower . Plus I work nights , so I would be going back home during the likely coldest part of the day . I can see my mitigation strategy is to remove the battery and keep it warm at work . How long before it getting cold might affect the energy transfer ? I've got a 10-mile trip ; don't want to be pushing a 60-lb bike in the cold some part of that distance , because its electronics are frozen ...
1st Winter with an E-Bike : Realistic Expectations ?
- Thread starter Andrew D
- Start date
Annieolnie
Well-known member
I'm in New England and I've used my ebike in twenty degree weather to go grocery shopping, which is about 4 mi. away, but I also left it sitting there for at least an hour. The power wasn't effected at all but I'm guessing, over a very long distance, the range could have been. I don't think you will have any trouble with ten miles. One thing I can definitely recommend is a neoprene battery cover. I'll post a pic below. Mine is a cheap one from Aliexpress. I think, if they look the same they are the same. They wrap around with velcro, go on in seconds and keep the temperature of the battery stable if you have kept it inside. I keep mine in my basket in case it might rain or snow. If there is a downpour, the plan is to put some silicone tape around the top edge of the cover to create a gasket, due to my having a top loading battery. The tape is removable, mostly sticks to itself and is ridiculously useful for ebikes and electronics. It's also much cheaper on Aliexpress. If I'm caught out in a shower, I put a baggie with a rubber band over my display. So far, all of this has worked out quite well.
The other thing I will offer is that studded road tires are awesome. I have them on my analog road bike (700x28c) and the grip is amazing. It feels more stable on glare ice than the summer tires on dry asphalt.
This is my first year with an e-bike but studded tires are high on my shopping list.
This is my first year with an e-bike but studded tires are high on my shopping list.
I commuted all last winter on my Level.2. I stored it in the garage overnight. Left outside all day. Some days were pretty cold, in the 20s. My commute is only 2 miles, so I can handle just about any cold for that distance. I did take the car when it got below 20 °F.
The cold will cause the battery voltage to drop, although it will discharge just fine down to -25 °F or so. You will have less apparent capacity because of the voltage drop though.
In your situation, yes, I would bring the battery in during your shift and keep it room temperature inside. It's very easy to remove the battery from a Level.2. Then, when you go outside it will retain SOME of that warmth (and voltage) through discharging.
Consider getting a 2nd charger to keep at work, as a back-up plan.
What you'll find to be more of an issue is keeping your hands & feet warm enough and keeping the cold wind from making your eyes water uncontrollably. For the hands, I wear thin fleece Head running gloves (from Costco) inside of ski mittens when it's really cold out, and wear the right boots on the flat pedals. (you can fit bigger pedals if needed) I'm looking at heated mittens for this winter; good ones are down to $80 on Amazon.
For the eyes, I bought a pair of Wynd glasses from Amazon with the yellow lenses. They are just great. They fog when you come to a stop, but clear up quickly once you start rolling again. They have a foam "gasket" that fits against your face with just enough openings to let air in to defog them. Only downside to them is that they completely block peripheral vision, so make sure you have a mirror either on your helmet or on your bike.
The jacket will be no problem; I recommend something with a high neck or a scarf. If you're working at all, overheating will be more of an issue than being cold.
I got a set of simple nylon overpants to go over my work pants. These serve a dual purpose to keep me warmer and keep road dirt & salt off of my nice pants. You might need more than just thin ones though, since you're going 5X as far.
Windchill is something to factor in too. Going above PAS1 was not helpful during the winter. It just made the windchill worse. I alternated between PAS1 and PAS0. (to make more of my own heat) At PAS1, a 20 mile daily commute will be no problem; charge every other day, instead of every 3rd day in the summertime.
More on my Level.2 ownership and optimization here:
https://ebikesforum.com/threads/aventon-level-2-review-thread.3764/
The cold will cause the battery voltage to drop, although it will discharge just fine down to -25 °F or so. You will have less apparent capacity because of the voltage drop though.
In your situation, yes, I would bring the battery in during your shift and keep it room temperature inside. It's very easy to remove the battery from a Level.2. Then, when you go outside it will retain SOME of that warmth (and voltage) through discharging.
Consider getting a 2nd charger to keep at work, as a back-up plan.
What you'll find to be more of an issue is keeping your hands & feet warm enough and keeping the cold wind from making your eyes water uncontrollably. For the hands, I wear thin fleece Head running gloves (from Costco) inside of ski mittens when it's really cold out, and wear the right boots on the flat pedals. (you can fit bigger pedals if needed) I'm looking at heated mittens for this winter; good ones are down to $80 on Amazon.
For the eyes, I bought a pair of Wynd glasses from Amazon with the yellow lenses. They are just great. They fog when you come to a stop, but clear up quickly once you start rolling again. They have a foam "gasket" that fits against your face with just enough openings to let air in to defog them. Only downside to them is that they completely block peripheral vision, so make sure you have a mirror either on your helmet or on your bike.
The jacket will be no problem; I recommend something with a high neck or a scarf. If you're working at all, overheating will be more of an issue than being cold.
I got a set of simple nylon overpants to go over my work pants. These serve a dual purpose to keep me warmer and keep road dirt & salt off of my nice pants. You might need more than just thin ones though, since you're going 5X as far.
Windchill is something to factor in too. Going above PAS1 was not helpful during the winter. It just made the windchill worse. I alternated between PAS1 and PAS0. (to make more of my own heat) At PAS1, a 20 mile daily commute will be no problem; charge every other day, instead of every 3rd day in the summertime.
More on my Level.2 ownership and optimization here:
https://ebikesforum.com/threads/aventon-level-2-review-thread.3764/
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
Thanks Annie ! the battery cover is a great idea . 
and i can cover up some of that Aventon advertising .
Thanks Smaug ; good to know the level 2 can handle being outside , because that is where I have to keep mine ; no garage and my basement is down a flight of steps ....took me 10 mins to haul that 60lb beast back UP the steps , one time .
I'm only concerned about the bike ; ME , I've been riding in winter since the 80's ...with a personal "record" of biking in -19 ...with a 6 degree windchill , so -25 . I was just remembering that a few days ago , from some 37 years ago . I still have the jacket I wore ... Cannondale technical wear .. The issue I see so far , is that I'm much colder using the throttle . Keep my legs moving and its only my fingers I have to keep warm . Keeping the throttle depressed for long , tends to cramp my left hand anyway ..
I got all the necessary clothes .. windchill 'll hurt but not be a problem
and i can cover up some of that Aventon advertising .Thanks Smaug ; good to know the level 2 can handle being outside , because that is where I have to keep mine ; no garage and my basement is down a flight of steps ....took me 10 mins to haul that 60lb beast back UP the steps , one time .
I'm only concerned about the bike ; ME , I've been riding in winter since the 80's ...with a personal "record" of biking in -19 ...with a 6 degree windchill , so -25 . I was just remembering that a few days ago , from some 37 years ago . I still have the jacket I wore ... Cannondale technical wear .. The issue I see so far , is that I'm much colder using the throttle . Keep my legs moving and its only my fingers I have to keep warm . Keeping the throttle depressed for long , tends to cramp my left hand anyway ..
I got all the necessary clothes .. windchill 'll hurt but not be a problem
It has a Walk Mode. Just press and hold the '-' button and it'll keep the rear wheel turning @ 3 mph. That will make it easier getting up stairs. Release the '-' button and it stops.
.I see the issue with a neoprene battery wrap - my water bottle cage is in the way . a larger more expensive one looks like it'll fit around the bottle too , but that leaves the top open , so wind / water can get in . If i want a tight wrap , i have to take off the cage , and store my 32 oz bottle in my rack bag ..
yeah that didn't work , and i even had a ramp , tho it ended up one step short . So it ends up going up the steps , faster than you , and u lose control of it . And then 60Lbs goes backward ...related to issue i have on escalators ; I can resist gravity and hold it going down a Short one , but trying to hold it or walk it UP while gravity is tugging it backwards , is a different story ...Guess I could do , esp if take the battery out But not something I wish to do every day ..
I have found the Walk Mode to be unnecessary . as the bike is so precision-engineered that the wheels float along easily on their own . TOO easily , which affects front wheel control and walking it up and down steps . Gotta hold the front wheel straight while walking , or the it'll swerve to one side or the other . so both hands are committed . But easily walkable ...
Annieolnie
Well-known member
You could punch 2 holes in the neoprene cover and maybe glue on some thin rubber washers, then put it on your bike and put the water bottle cage over it and leave it like that for the duration of the winter. It would help keep the battery chamber protected when the battery was inside. They are cheap enough that some experimentation would be worth a try.
