1. Bedding-in the brakes
The so-called “braking-in period” or “bedding-in period” helps the brake pads develop their full performance and can help with noise reduction. You should follow this procedure on your new bike and every time you replace the brake pads.
Warning
This scenario involves heavy braking. Wear a helmet and get accustomed to how your brakes operate before starting!
How it works:
- Within the first 10 km, or as soon as possible after unpacking, find a dry, smooth, safe road to drive on.
- Get used to how the brake works and how the bike reacts to it
- When you are secure in the saddle, accelerate to about 20 km/h and watch your body tension.
- While pedalling, pull the front brake levers evenly so that you slow down but do not come to a stop.
- Repeat this process about ten times and start the same process with the rear brake.
- The material of the new pads forms a layer on the brake disc due to the heat generated. The layer must burn in evenly, which is why you must brake when pedalling – and not come to a standstill.
Remember to repeat this procedure when you replace the brake pads in the future.
2. Keep your bike clean
One of the most important things is keeping your bike clean. Preventing dirt to settle will help the moving parts running smoothly and noise-free.
Regular maintenance does not take much time:
- If you ride through the mud, you can let your bike dry and then brush off the dirt with a big, soft bristle brush.
- Give your bike a nice cleaning every once in a while with water and soap.
- The charging port can be cleaned with some contact spray and an old toothbrush. Do not use anything metallic near the charging port!
- Do not use pressure washers as it will remove important lubrication between moving parts.
- Always first clean your chain before oiling it.
We created video material about regular maintenance — in it, we show you how easy it is to keep your bike well-maintained:
3. Store your bike the right way
Your Ampler is weatherproof, but in order to keep it running well for a longer time, you should protect it from harsh weather and not leave it outside exclusively.
We recommend storing your bike in a space where it is not subject to freezing cold, direct summer sun and rain. Read more about how weather impacts your bike, especially the battery, but also all moving parts.
If your bike spends a lot of time stored outside nonetheless, please adjust your maintenance & inspection intervals to a shorter period. Check the recommendations in your manual and in this article.
If you are not using your Ampler for a longer period of time, note that you should keep an eye on the battery or, for Generation 2 bikes, put it into “sleep mode” through the app.