There's a fair stretch in the evenings now, the roads are dry more often than not, and Dublin is full of e-bikes getting a proper run out. Summer is when your electric bike earns its keep — the commute turns into a spin, the messages get done without a thought for parking, and the whole thing just feels grand. It's also the time of year when a little bit of looking-after goes a long way, because a bike that's ridden every day is a bike that quietly wears out faster than one left in the shed.
The good news is that keeping an e-bike happy is mostly common sense and ten minutes here and there. You don't need a workshop full of tools or any great mechanical know-how. Below is the care routine we talk our customers through here at Inner City Scooters, written for the bikes folks are actually riding around the city this summer. Look after these few things and your bike will give you years of no-bother miles.
The bikes we're looking after most this summer
These are the models flying out the door of our Ballymount shop right now — a good cross-section of city commuters, fat-tyre cruisers and folders, and they're the ones this guide has in mind:
- Engwe M20 26Ah — best for big range and bags of character, our top-selling fat-tyre cruiser.
- Fiido D3 Pro Mini — best on a budget and best for tight halls, a featherweight folder from just €579.
- Fiido C11 Pro — best step-through city commuter, easy on, easy off.
- Fiido C21 — best for city and a bit of gravel at the weekend.
- Engwe Engine Pro 2.0 — best full-suspension fat-tyre folder for soaking up Dublin's potholes.
- Pixar M9 — best moped-style ride, and one you'll only find genuine here in Ireland.
- Pixar C1 Pro — best comfortable step-through with a bit of style about it.
Mind the battery and it'll mind you
The battery is the heart of the whole thing and the single most expensive part to replace, so it's worth a few good habits. The handiest one: try to keep the charge somewhere between about 20% and 80% for everyday riding rather than always running it flat and topping it to the brim. The occasional full charge is no harm, but living at the extremes day in, day out is what shortens a battery's life over the years.
Charge indoors at room temperature, not in a freezing shed or a baking conservatory, and use only the charger that came with the bike. If you're not going to ride for a few weeks — off on the holidays, say — leave the battery sitting around half charged rather than full or empty, and give it a top-up every month or so. On models with a removable pack like the Fiido C11 Pro or the Fiido D3 Pro Mini, you can pop the battery out and bring it inside, which makes all of this a doddle and keeps it out of the weather too.
Tyres: the five-minute check that saves you miles
Tyre pressure is the thing most people forget and the thing that makes the biggest difference. A soft tyre drags, eats into your range, and is far more likely to pinch-puncture when you clip a kerb. Every couple of weeks, give the tyres a squeeze and a look, and keep them inflated to the range printed on the sidewall.
Fat-tyre bikes like the Engwe M20 and the Engwe Engine Pro 2.0 run at much lower pressures than a skinny city tyre, and that's part of their charm — all that cushioning over rough ground. Just keep them on the firmer side of their range for road riding so they roll easily, and let a little out if you're heading onto sand or a soft trail. City bikes like the Fiido C21 and C11 Pro like a higher, firmer pressure for an efficient commute. Mind the kerbs either way — hopping up at speed at a sharp angle is the quickest way to a flat.
Brakes you can trust
An e-bike carries more weight and more speed than a regular push-bike, so good brakes aren't optional. Most of our range runs hydraulic disc brakes, which are brilliant and largely look after themselves — but do give them a listen. If the lever feels spongy, if it's pulling all the way to the bar, or if you hear a steady metallic scrape, that's your cue to call in to us rather than carry on and wear the disc.
Keep oil and chain lube well away from the discs and pads — even a little contamination makes them squeal and lose their bite. On a new bike the brakes need bedding in over the first few rides, so they'll feel sharper after a week than they did on day one. That's normal, no bother at all.
Chain, drivetrain and folding bits
If your bike has gears and a chain — the C11 Pro and C21, for instance — the chain wants to be clean and lightly oiled. A dry, squeaky, rusty chain robs you of efficiency and wears out the gears. Once a fortnight, wipe the chain down with an old rag and run a few drops of proper bike chain oil along it, then wipe off the excess. That's genuinely the whole job.
Folders such as the Fiido D3 Pro Mini and the Engwe Engine Pro 2.0 have hinges and clamps that take a bit of a hammering every time you fold them down for the hall or the boot of the car. Now and then, check the folding latches are still clamping up tight and that nothing has worked loose. A quick wipe and the odd drop of oil on the hinge keeps everything folding smooth, and you've your hallway back in seconds.
Keeping the Irish weather at bay
We all know an Irish summer can turn on you, and rain plus road grime is what brings on rust and tired-looking parts. You don't need to be precious about it — these bikes are built to be ridden in the wet — but a quick clean now and then pays off. Use a damp cloth or a gentle hose on a low setting, never a power washer, which can force water past the seals and into the motor, bearings and electrics.
Crucially, never blast water straight at the battery contacts, the motor or the display. Wipe those by hand, dry the bike off after a wet commute, and a light coat of furniture-style polish on the frame keeps the muck from sticking. If you're storing the bike for a while, keep it somewhere dry rather than a damp shed — that's what keeps the bolts and chain from going orange on you.
A quick word on power settings and the law
Most of our city e-bikes — the Fiido C11 Pro, C21 and D3 Pro among them — are pedal-assist bikes with a 250 W motor that cuts off at 25 km/h. That meets the EU pedelec standard, so they're treated like ordinary bicycles on Irish roads: no tax, no insurance, no licence needed.
Some of the bigger, moped-style models — the likes of the Engwe M20, the Engine Pro 2.0 and the Pixar M9 — are more powerful than that. On the public road they should be ridden in their road-legal pedal-assist setting, with the full power saved for private land. It's not always black and white, so if you're unsure where your particular bike stands, just ask the team — we're happy to talk you through it so you're riding right.
Pixar — and why servicing in Dublin matters
A quick mention of the Pixar bikes, because we're proud of these. Inner City Scooters is the official and only Pixar stockist in Ireland — the Pixar M9 and the Pixar C1 Pro bought from us are genuine bikes, with a real warranty behind them and parts and servicing right here in Dublin.
That last part is the bit people overlook when they're tempted by a grey-import bargain online. When something needs a look — a software update, a brake bleed, a part down the line — you want a shop you can wheel the bike into, not a phone number in another country. Buy your Pixar from us and you've that peace of mind sorted from day one.
When to leave it to us
The bits above are grand to do at home. For anything beyond that — a brake bleed, a wheel that's gone out of true, a motor or electrical niggle, or just a yearly once-over to keep things sweet — bring the bike in and let us at it. Every bike we sell comes with a 1-year limited warranty, and we're set up to service the bikes we stock properly, with the right tools and the right parts.
The handiest way to get sorted is to book a repair or service appointment online so we've the time and the right parts set aside for you. You're more than welcome to walk in as well, but we'd always recommend booking ahead so you're not left waiting around.
And if you'd rather pick up the bits and do it yourself — a new tube, brake pads, a charger, a chain or any of the everyday spares — have a browse through our parts and accessories for electric scooters and bikes. It's a handy place to check what's there for your own bike or scooter before you call in.
And for a few quick pointers straight from the man who works on these bikes day in, day out, have a look at this short from our own technician — a handy minute of tips you can put to use at home:
If you've been thinking about an upgrade, remember most of our range is eligible for the Bike to Work scheme, which can save you a tidy chunk through your employer, and we offer Humm and Klarna instalments if you'd rather spread the cost. You'll find us at Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin, and we deliver right across Ireland if you can't make it in.
So give the battery, the tyres and the chain a bit of love this summer, keep the worst of the weather off it, and your e-bike will keep doing the business for years. And if anything at all has you scratching your head, call in to us or drop us a line — we're always happy to help. Safe spinning.
