All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

The most common safety risks that we come across in our daily work around bicycle safety, technology and operating instructions are also published by us in articles in the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR (Europe's road bike magazine no. 1), BIKE (Europe's mountain bike magazine no. 1), MYBIKE and EMTB in order to make this information, which is important for the industry, available to a wider public.

For many years now, the Eurobike Show Daily, trade fair magazine of the annual Eurobike Show, has also given us the opportunity to publish our view of major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent expert presentations about all areas of bicycle technology and the bicycle market. In addition, we are quoted by further special-interest magazines of the industry and the trade as well as increasingly by radio and television in their media reports, which shows us that we are spot on with our advice. The section "News" informs you about the latest news from our specialist areas. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to areas of interest.

EMTB 03/2022
Reading time 1:05 minutes

Old battery: Refreshing or buying a new one

Reader’s question: Dear EMTB-team, I have been riding an e-mountain bike for about five years. Now my battery is slowly going down to its knees. With that in mind, I ask myself: Is buying a new battery or having it repaired – by a specialist company, of course – the better choice?

Reply by Dirk Zedler, sworn in expert witness for bicycles and electric bicycles

Unfortunately, refreshing an old battery with new cells is only a good idea in theory. As a matter of fact you could avoid electronic waste in this way. But, as far as I know, no one among the suppliers makes sure that refreshed batteries undergo the same tough test procedures for waterproofness and impact protection as the major original equipment manufacturers. At the same time, however, refreshing weakens the battery casing, as it has to be opened to replace the worn cells. All in all, this increases the risk of the battery being damaged by falls or water penetration after refreshing. The risk of serious defects, including battery fires, is also increasing. I therefore advise thorough battery care for the longest possible service life. And if the battery wears out after a few years, a new original battery is still the safest option. Unfortunately, this is not very sustainable. However, with over eight million e-bikes in Germany and taking account of the environmental balance, it is overdue that especially the major original equipment manufacturers work on certified recycling or refreshment solutions for their batteries.

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