E-scooters are quite fragile devices. They must be treated with care, otherwise, they can be easily damaged.
In this blog article, we will list for you the most common breaks, how to prevent them, and how as Cyclecure Team we can help you when these breaks happen.
Flat Tires
By far, the most common problem faced by e-scooters riders is: Flat tires! Flat tires, unlike commonly thought, are caused not by punctures, but more by the wear/friction between inner and outer tires.
We have two suggestions to minimize the problem of having flat tires. The first is to buy a device with a larger tire size (10"), as it is much less likely to go flat. The second one is to buy a device with solid tires but with the cost of compromising on shock absorption.
The selection of tires of an e-scooter is really important, different types of tires make a big difference. It is explained in detail what to consider when buying an e-scooter in one of our previous blog articles, where you can also find what types of tires to look for.
At Cyclecure, we have the tires of every model, so we can easily replace your flat tires. Our expert mechanics can also help with their suggestions and advice concerning tires and e-scooters in general.
Worn out Brake Pads
After a certain kilometer and usage, the brake pads typically will start to wear out.
Speed also plays an important factor. Those who do a lot of small, low-speed stops are going to be easier on their brakes than those who have to do heavy braking at higher speeds.
Your front brake pads, if applicable, will also wear down faster than your rear pads. The front of your vehicle handles a lot more weight transfer as you brake, causing more wear.
Over time, heat and friction also contribute to the wear of brake pads. There is not really a specific time that this would happen, it simply depends on the usage (kilometers ridden). You can tighten the brake up to a certain point, however, you need to replace it when the pads are completely worn out.
Another type of brake exposed to wear is hub brakes. The same principle applies here too. The more kilometers you use, the pads inside the hub brake will wear out. And it can get really tricky to replace them, as they are integrated into your motor.
As Cyclecure we can adjust the brake mechanism, and replace pads if necessary.
Device not turning on!
The controller is the most essential part of an e-scooter, also called the ‘motherboard’. It is where the motor, battery, and all the other electronic components connect.
Be gentle with your e-scooter. The controller might break down when the limits and capacity of the e-scooter are pushed beyond its design specifications.
Every e-scooter has a carrying capacity, it is important to respect this and not put too much weight on the scooter. This means choosing a device whose maximum load is compatible with your weight. It also means, riding it only yourself, not with your loved one!
When riding up an inclination at full speed, the limits of the e-scooter are also pushed hard. It is therefore advised to not try to go full speed uphill if the e-scooter is having difficulties and possibly to walk up the hill.
By doing these, cables within your device might melt, electronic components might burn, and the fuse might blow. Yes, really - our technicians can still smell the burnt when an affected device is brought to us by a customer.
Don’t risk your own safety just to drive a bit faster. Definitely don’t try to hack your e-scooter to increase max speed. It is first of all, illegal to go beyond 25 km/hr, can be really dangerous, and is certainly not recommended.
We can repair your cables, diagnose which component is dead, and replace the necessary parts.
Dashboard button not responding
The dashboard is the part of the e-scooter that is most easily exposed to water. That is why it can easily be affected by the water and stop working.
To prevent this, you can buy a protective cover, so it doesn’t get wet. You can easily buy them at Cyclecure.
Our team can help you with a step-by-step diagnostic to understand where the problem lies and replace or repair your dashboard.
Device not charging
If your device does not turn on or charge, another reason apart from your controller, can be that your internal battery has given up on you.
One of the biggest reasons why this happens - as well as the cause of many other problems - is water exposure, leading to corrosion.
It is strongly advised not to use your e-scooter under heavy rain or through puddles. The IP rating on your e-scooter is probably not very high which means that it is not 100% waterproof and has limited resistance to water. You can read more about IP ratings here.
If you end up getting your e-scooter very wet, try to dry it as soon as you can so that the water doesn’t go deeper in your e-scooter.
Another reason why you might face these problems can be that you didn’t use and charge your e-scooter for a long time.
Batteries lose their capacity when they are not used or charged. So even if you don’t use your e-scooter for a while, for instance, during a heavy winter, don’t forget to charge it every 2-4 weeks, so that the batteries don’t go into hibernation mode.
With corrosion, we can help you with the diagnostics and work with a repair partner to fix it. If it is not repairable, we will recycle it for you. Recycling parts of e-scooters is a big part of our commitment to sustainability.
When parts are not repairable, we might offer the customer to take that part of their e-scooters and use them for our next repair. By doing so, we can offer the customer a voucher for a certain amount for their next repair.
Another service we can provide is to hibernate your battery. This means we will give a high voltage and current to start it off again, by giving a boost. However, this method is not recommended to do yourself, as it requires a high level of technical expertise.
Device not charging, when your device has an external battery
External batteries only exist in specific models: Ninebot Segway ESx and E series. They give more range, improve performance, and give a higher maximum speed.
The biggest cause of their breakdown is the impact they receive from the streets. Since it’s attached to your front pole externally it gets easily affected and its connections might loosen up.
The internal battery charges through the external battery. So, when the external battery loses its connection to your controller through the impacts experienced from the road, your e-scooter may stop charging properly.
To prevent this, it is important to regularly check up on your e-scooter and adjust the bolts when you start to notice that they are getting loose.
As Cyclecure, we can offer free maintenance for the bolts or provide you with an external battery (new/refurbished) for an affordable price.
Motor causing mechanical resistance and/or noise
Here is another reason, why to be very careful with water exposure. The motor is the closest component to the ground. If you drive through a puddle, water might get in through the bolts causing electronic wiring or bearings to get corroded.
Once again, avoid usage under heavy rain and be careful to not ride through a puddle.
If you are facing this problem, we can help you by diagnosing the motor by opening it. Replace the bearings or the motor entirely if necessary.
Rear lights not working & broken rear mudguard
In most e-scooters, the rear light and the rear mudguard are integrated. So when your rear light is not working, it might be because of a broken mudguard.
Many people assume that rear mudguards can be used as brakes, which is mostly not the case (Except in some models, like Ninebot Segway ES series and e-twow).
When the rider steps on the mudguard too often to brake, it will break, also causing it to cut the connection with the rear light cable.
To prevent this, first check if you can use the mudguard as brakes, if you can’t, be careful to not use them for that purpose.
We can fix or replace the mudguard and rear lights for you.
Folding buckle is loose and damaged
After folding the e-scooter many times, the mechanism can get fatigued because of the constant force it receives. Or if the folding mechanism is too tightly fastened, either the bolt or the buckle can be broken.
There is not much to do to prevent it since folding the scooter is a regular activity.
As Cyclecure we can adjust or replace the folding mechanism.
Missing/broken bolts/screws
The cause for missing or broken bolts and screws is an impact or oscillation shock.
Don’t worry, we have your backs - we can tighten all connections for free.
Bent front fork
When the device has gone through a serious accident, for example getting hit by a car or hit the sidewalk, the motor might get damaged, and accordingly, the fork may bend.
As Cyclecure, we can bend the fork back or replace the fork and align the wheel.
Now you know what the most common breaks of e-scooters are and how to prevent them.
If something does happen, we are here to help you with our mechanics' expertise with any e-scooter-related problem!
