First Service for E-Bike

[chopday]

RadPower recommends that the bike be tuned up at a professional bike shop after the first 25 miles after self-assembly..is this essential to be done or is there any alternative.
Hard to find bike shops in our area (FL 32771) that are not very busy and are able to have a turn around time of 1 day.

Also what should be covered in the 1st tune up esp. if you visit bike shops that don't normally service rad power bikes.

[Eric7]

Do it yourself.  Buy some tools from Amazon if you have to. They deliver so you can get it even if you don't own a car.  But you need to be mechanically good.

The main thing is to avoid catastrophic failure that can seriously hurt you or kill you.  As your bike settles in, things stretch, shrink, and are different from when they are brand new and not subject to stress. 

Some of the things to look out for - I would feel this would be the minimum and I am not even talking about the electrical drive parts:

Most essential is probably the brakes. New cables stretch and their covering shrink so the brakes should be adjusted. Driving without good brakes is dangerous.  Can you apply the brakes solidly or does the system feel like it is not braking hard enough or something is about to break or get loose.

Make sure the wheels are on correctly.  Not about to fall off.  Centered.

Tires are properly inflated and not about to fall off or burst.

Nothing is rubbing.  Rubbing cables eventually fail and/or short circuit - endangering life.

Steering tube bearing is OK.

All the screws are as tight as they are needed to be (e.g., your seat tube, steering stem, pedal, handlebar, etc. is not about to fall off). No screw is missing. When you hit a bump, does anything shake?  Ideally, the bike should be tight and be one solid unit even if you hit a bump.

Adjust the shifting - cable stretch etc.

Brake lights are working.

The fender is not about to fall off or rub.  That can get caught and make your bike suddenly brake and you to suddenly break.

[jcvdd]

Hello-
Reliable bike shops near to you that work on E-Bikes
David's World Cycle
Orlando
or try the several E-Bike stores near The Villages.

[chopday]

Eric thanks for your insights and encouragement to do it myself..will give it a try.

[Eric7]

Eric thanks for your insights and encouragement to do it myself..will give it a try.

You are welcome.  One of the important things is to remove the battery.  Then try to start the bike without the battery. This will not work but it will drain the last bit of energy (stored in the controller or wherever) is drained.

Use the tools Rad gave you.  I have lots of tools but I found that the little kit Rad gave me was sufficient unless you plan on (1) repairing flats or (2) removing the rear wheel.  You need, of course, a pump, tire plastics, and patches for tires.  You need a big 18 mm wrench for removing the rear wheel.  Buy more tools when the need arise from Amazon or your local hardware store.

I put in 8 oz of slime in the front tire and 8oz of slime in the back tire.  240 miles, no flats.

Fixing it yourself is cheaper but be prepared to constantly spend money on parts.  Tires need patching.  Cables become frayed with too much adjustment.   You just buy replacements yourself on Amazon.  It is still cheaper than taking it to the shop.  There are lots of instructions on the web. 

Don't ride if you are not sure the bike is safe.

It is a lifelong journey. Have fun. I was not an engineering major. Never took shop. I taught myself to fix bikes, dryers, dishwashers, hot water heater, some car things, and other stuff like that. Saved a lot of money but that is almost beside the point.  I understood how things work and enjoyed myself.