News
Spring is the best thing that happens to an electric board or bike all year — and the worst time to discover the battery you ignored over winter is flat, the belts are cracked, or the brakes are glazed. If your ride has been sitting since autumn, a little attention now means a season of trouble-free riding instead of a roadside breakdown on the first warm weekend.
Here's how to wake your electric skateboard or e-bike up properly for spring — what to check, what to clean, and what's worth handing to the workshop.
1. Wake the battery up gently
If you stored it right — around 40 to 60% charge, indoors — your battery should have come through winter healthy. Before the first ride, bring it up to a full charge on the official charger and let it settle. If it's been sitting near flat for months, charge it slowly and keep an eye on it; a pack that dropped too low over winter may have lost capacity, and it's better to find that out in the shed than halfway through a ride. Not sure how healthy your pack is? We can run a battery health check in the workshop.
2. Give it a proper clean
Winter grime, road salt and damp do quiet damage. A spring clean isn't just cosmetic — it's how you spot problems early. Wipe the deck or frame down, clean the battery contacts (dry cloth only, never spray water near electrical components), and check for any corrosion at the terminals. On an e-bike, degrease and re-lube the chain. A clean ride is one you'll actually inspect properly, and you'll catch a cracked belt or a worn pad before it strands you.
3. Check and replace your belts
Belt-drive boards: this is the big one. Belts perish over a winter of sitting, especially if the board was stored under tension or in a damp space. Look for cracking, fraying or glazing, and check the tension is even. Belts are cheap; a snapped belt three kilometres from home is not. If yours are looking tired, replace them before the season rather than during it.
4. Check your tyres
Tyres lose pressure just sitting over winter, and rubber can develop flat spots or perish. Pump pneumatic tyres back to spec, check the tread and sidewalls for cracking, and look for any slow leaks. Stock up on tyres and tubes if yours are perished. Correct pressure gives you back the range and grip you lost, and it's the cheapest performance upgrade there is.
5. Check brakes, bolts and everything that moves
E-bike riders: check brake pads and lever feel, top up any bike accessories you're missing, and make sure nothing's seized after months of sitting. Board riders: run a torque check over trucks, motor mounts and baseplate bolts — vibration and temperature swings loosen hardware. Spin the wheels, listen for anything dragging or grinding, and make sure your remote and lights are charged and working.
6. Summer battery and board care
Winter's enemy is cold and damp. Summer's enemy is heat. Australian summers are hard on lithium batteries, so a few habits keep your pack healthy through the warm months:
- Never leave your board or bike in a hot car or boot — heat is one of the fastest ways to degrade a battery, and a hot car can exceed safe storage temperatures within minutes.
- Don't store or charge in direct sun. Let the pack cool after a ride before plugging in.
- Avoid charging to 100% and leaving it there in the heat — the combination of full charge and high temperature stresses cells most.
- Keep the board or bike out of prolonged direct sun when parked; UV and heat are hard on decks, grips, tyres and electronics.
The same principle as winter applies, just inverted: extremes are the enemy, and a battery kept cool, dry and partially charged when not in use will outlast one that bakes in a hot garage.
Let us get it season-ready
A spring service is the cheapest insurance there is. Our Richmond workshop handles the lot — battery health checks, new belts, brake and pad replacements, tyre swaps, bolt torque and a full safety once-over — so your first ride of the season is the good kind of surprise. Book your board or bike in and we'll have it dialled in and ready to go.
We're riders, we ride these ourselves, and we'd rather see you out riding than waiting on a part. Come see us in Melbourne.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my electric skateboard or e-bike ready for spring?
Charge the battery fully on the official charger, give the board or bike a clean, check belts (boards) or brakes and chain (bikes), pump tyres to spec, and run a bolt torque check. If it's been sitting since autumn, a workshop service is the safest way to catch anything that perished over winter.
My battery was flat all winter — is it ruined?
Not necessarily, but it may have lost some capacity. Charge it slowly and watch it. If the range is noticeably down or it won't hold charge, bring it in for a battery health check before relying on it.
Do belts really need replacing after winter?
Belt-drive boards stored under tension or in damp conditions can develop cracking and glazing over winter. Inspect them before your first ride — replacing a tired belt is cheap insurance against being stranded.
How do I look after my battery in the Australian summer?
Heat is the main risk. Never leave your ride in a hot car, don't charge or store in direct sun, let the battery cool after a ride before charging, and avoid leaving it at 100% in the heat. Cool, dry and partially charged is best for storage.
Do you offer spring servicing for electric boards and bikes?
Yes. Our Melbourne workshop offers full spring servicing — battery checks, belts, brakes, tyres and a complete safety inspection for the electric boards and bikes we sell.
