Getting to work by electric bike in winter
07/10/2026RH205 motor windings
07/10/2026
Riding an electric bike in winter
There are many reasons for wanting to ride an e-bike in winter. Some will do it for pleasure, others do not have the financial means to use a car, or no longer have a driving licence, etc… Using your electric bike in winter is possible, but for it to remain pleasant you need specific equipment: granted, it will cost some money again, but the gear is not necessarily very expensive.
On this page, the electric cyclist will find a few ideas. A personal aside: having personally experienced all weathers in the south of France (except snow and ice), I confirm that it is feasible and even pleasant!
Battery!
The lower the temperature, the higher the internal resistance of the battery: in other words, the battery does not like the cold when you have to use it… But do not forget: store it in the cold to prevent self-discharge, use it warm! If you can, charge the battery inside your home or in a place where the temperature is high, around 20°C. If you pick up the battery in the morning from an unheated garage at 5°C, you will notice a big difference in range and punch! The discharge curves versus temperature can be found on the internet and depend on the battery technology; more information can be found for example on this site, from which the image below is taken. In this example there is a factor of 2 between the discharge time at -10°C and +20°C:
Bike
Certainly you need to equip yourself, but do not forget your bike! If you ride on roads salted against snow, plan to clean the bike with soapy water a few minutes after the trip so as to avoid corrosion problems. Motors such as the RH205 are sealed and have a gasket, so they should not suffer from rain or snow; however, check the cable insulation carefully (battery, controller, watt-meter) to avoid any malfunction. If you have to ride on snow and ice, Schwalbe offers several types of suitable tyres such as the “Winter” model:
Lighting
Lighting is very important for an e-bike, especially when riding at high speeds: the parody lamps supplied by sellers may let you be seen from a few metres. In our case, the road must be powerfully lit to see where the tyres land. There are many lighting solutions at every price. One solution your servant has tested is the lamp based on a Cree XM LT-6 LED. On ebay you can find this kind of model for around €20: the housing is aluminium for heat dissipation (air-cooled while the bike moves, especially in winter). Along with the housing comes a battery made of two or four cells (which explains the price difference between two models): make sure you take a model with four cells (marked 6400mAh) for better range. A switch is located on the back of the housing:
- inside the switch there is a small LED. When the lamp is powered, this LED is faintly lit blue and turns red when the battery is nearly fully discharged
- the switch lets you choose between modes: 100%, which lets you be seen from two kilometres and ride at 50km/h while seeing the road, normal, which lights less intensely and suits the city, and “low”, good enough to “be seen”!
Generally the lamp is sold with the battery, a charger, elastic rings to fix it on the handlebar and sometimes a mount for headlamp use. There you go: for €20 you have a real lighting solution. Late sleepers will talk about poor Chinese quality and spend €120 on a “quality” lamp. Personally, I am starting my second winter with the same solution: I had bought an extra lamp for safety but have just given it to a friend.
The motorbike helmet
The motorbike helmet may seem oversized for an e-bike, but on reflection you realise our steeds take us above 40km/h. The classic bike helmet has several drawbacks, such as the absence of a visor, ugliness (must we look like a Predator?) and no insulation from cold or rain. A motorbike helmet has many advantages:
- the visor means that in summer you no longer fear flying insects and other swarms
- in winter, the visor protects the face and ears from the cold, the head is protected from rain
- comfort is very high and you can ride two hours a day without pain, even if the helmet weighs just over a kilo
- the price at €30 for a Jet helmet is equivalent to a bike helmet price!
Since we use the motorbike helmet on a bike, the helmet does not need to be approved, so we can afford some fantasy!
Handlebar muffs!
The model presented below costs €12.50: the muffs keep your hands warm and protect from rain. Care is needed at first because they slightly change the riding, but together with the motorbike helmet they are the two “finds” that change life in winter!
Over-trousers
Decathlon sells this kind of equipment (a bit expensive) which protects effectively from rain… And also insulates a little from the cold. Note a sort of protection for shoes, however not easy to fit.
Cold feet
Many unassisted cyclists have cold feet: specific boots leave little choice other than overshoes. For those who do not need to pedal, might as well go straight for after-ski boots: warm feet for next to nothing! They are warm, waterproof, very ugly and cheap (€13) and are available at Decathlon. Rest assured, they also exist in grey and “look” better!
Jackets etc…
Ski gear is pleasant to wear, especially since if you use the e-bike in “scooter” mode, you do not have to keep enough mobility to pedal. For jackets, choose a model whose pockets close horizontally: this prevents dropping what you put inside onto the road! A neck cover or a balaclava are also very pleasant. We are not holding a casting for a fashion show, we are just riding a bike in the cold: properly equipped, it is possible and even pleasant to ride in the cold!
