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Battery Care & Cold Weather Tips

Keep your WheelLab battery performing at its best year-round

Battery Care Guide

Storage

  • Store at 40–60% charge for long-term storage (over 2 weeks)
  • Ideal storage temperature: 10–20°C
  • Never store fully depleted — below 10% triggers deep discharge protection and the BMS may not recover
  • Charging

  • Use only the supplied WheelLab charger — cheap aftermarket chargers skip balancing and shorten cell life
  • Charge after every ride when possible
  • Don't leave at 100% overnight repeatedly — charge to 90% for daily use if your charger allows it
  • Danish Winter Operation

    Battery capacity drops ~20–30% below 5°C and ~40% below 0°C. This is chemistry, not a defect.

    **Winter tips:**

  • Store battery indoors overnight
  • Fit it to the bike just before riding — never leave it outside in a cold garage
  • Start at low assist to warm cells for the first 5 minutes
  • Buy the neoprene insulating sleeve if you ride year-round — keeps cells 5–8°C warmer
  • Charging in Cold Weather

    Never fast-charge a battery below 5°C — lithium plating can cause permanent capacity damage and in extreme cases, thermal issues. Standard 2A charging is safe down to 0°C. Below 0°C, warm the battery indoors first.

    Lifespan

    With proper care: **800+ full cycles** before capacity drops below 80%. At 3 rides/week = 5+ years of use.

    Warning Signs — Stop Using Immediately

  • Any visible swelling or deformation of the case
  • Unusual heat during charging (surface temperature above 45°C)
  • Sudden significant capacity drop (40%+ in one charge cycle)
  • BMS repeatedly cutting out at partial charge