Cold, wet weather is here ;) and a little care goes a long way. Here's a handy winter care checklist for your Estarli. It covers best practice for looking after both the battery and the bike itself.

Battery

• Charge indoors, and only once the battery is back to room temperature (ideally 10°C or warmer). Charging below 5°C can permanently damage the cells. Use only the charger that came with your bike. Don't leave it charging unattended, keep the battery and charger uncovered on a stable, non-combustible surface, and unplug it once it's full.
• If your bike has a removable battery, store and charge it somewhere dry and warm indoors, fit it just before you ride, and take it inside with you at work.
• Expect 20 to 50% less range in the cold. Don't run it below 20%, because the battery can cut out suddenly to protect itself. If you're not riding for a while, store it at 60 to 80% and give it at least 2 hours of charge every month.
• e28 owners: if the battery goes into sleep mode after a long rest, take it off the bike and hold the battery button for 10 seconds to wake it. Never charge a battery that's damaged or has got wet. If it gets hot, swells, smokes or smells unusual, unplug it and contact us.

Bike

• Clean the bike straight after wet or gritty rides, then dry it off and finish with a water dispersant spray. We advise using a cycle-specific silicone spray to create a slick barrier that repels water, mud and grime, especially on suspension fork stanchions.
• Use a hose or the Estarli pressure washer on its 15° bike setting. Never spray bearings, the motor, the display or connectors.
• Chain bikes: degrease, then apply a little dry lube, or a wet lube if you ride in the wet for long periods. Belt (X) models: brush the grit out, with no lube. Run tyres at the lower end of the sidewall range in the wet for grip, and check your lights work before every dusk ride.
• Store the bike somewhere dry and indoors. Every 3 months, check the brakes, tyres and chain. Once a year, have it serviced, including a battery health check.

You can download the full one-page checklist as a PDF, and you'll also find it on our Tutorials page. Questions? Get in touch at help@estarli.co.uk.