CBR E-Bike Library Loan Information Page
G’day! We hope that you’re having a great experience with your bike already, but we want to give you some more information and tips to maximise the fun and enjoyment you can have with the bike that you’ve loaned from us.
This is a handy guide to ensuring that your time with our bike is safe and comfortable, but we’ve also packed this page with a whole heap of fun ideas and suggestions to make sure that you get the full e-bike experience.
Before we start, there’s a few things to keep in mind to ensure that your time with our bike is as safe as possible. Cycling is an inherently dangerous activity, so make sure that you operate the bike safely at all times. In the event of any incident, please contact the Bike Library Project Officer on 0466 187 384.
Cycling Safety
Cycling is an inherently dangerous activity, and high speeds and poor infrastructure don’t make things any better. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Always have every rider (including the kids) wearing helmets that comply with Australian Standards
When at a junction, use hand signals to indicate your direction of travel, even if this is straight ahead.
Pedestrians have priority. Always give way to a pedestrian and make yourself known by ringing your bell and slowing down when operating near people.
When riding at night, ensure that you’re using both the front facing white light and the rear facing red light.
Make yourself visible by wearing fluorescent coloured clothing, preferably with retroreflectors fitted.
Light rail tracks pose a significant hazard. Always cross them at a right angle to avoid your wheel becoming lodged in the groove.
If riding on the road, avoid the blind spots of motor vehicles, and keep to designated cycle lanes.
When braking, use your back break first, followed by the front brake. Using your front brake first could lead to wheelbarrowing.
E-bikes are heavier and can be longer than standard bikes. Plan for wider corners and remember that you’ll have a longer stopping distance than normal.
Things to do
With an e-bike and just a little bit of effort, there’s a lot that you can get up to in Canberra. Here’s a scavenger hunt style list of things to do with your loaned bike:
Circumnavigate the great lakes of Canberra (Lake Tuggeranong, Lake Ginninderry, and Lake Burley Griffin)
Take your bike shopping! Head to your local shops or corner store and pick up a snack, or your entire weekly shop (depending on bike capacity)
Take it old-school! Turn pedal assist all the way down and ride to your heart’s content. Go for a full body workout!
If your loaned bike can carry the kids, give it a go! Take them to the park, to the shops, or to school.
Tackle that hill that’s been intimidating you when riding a push bike. Set your pedal assist to its highest setting and see how easy it can be!
Get out and about! Become a resident of the bike paths, the garden tracks, and the footpaths. Use the assistance to get out in nature, exploring your community further than you ever have before.
Bring along some more wheels, whether they belong to your friends, partner, or kids. Go for an epic bike ride with anyone you can wrangle along, and feel free to show off just how fast and far you can go!
Visit our museums, galleries, and other public spaces. More visible biking results in better biking.
Helpful Tips
Wet Weather Cycling
Reduce your speed and give yourself a larger turning radius.
Keep out of standing water. Puddles may look tempting, but you have no idea of the hazard that lay beneath the water’s surface.
Consider reducing the air pressure in the tyres (just a little) to give you some extra grip. Remember to pump them back up afterwards though.
Charging
When charging the bike, don’t cover the charger with anything. As with all chargers, it will get warm, so please separate the charger from flammable materials like paper and fabrics.
Most chargers have a LED charging indicator on them to let you know when the bike is charged. Please only keep the charger plugged in and running if the battery is still charging.
Locking and Security
You have been supplied with a high quality ABUS Bike Lock. Please ensure that you use it and lock the bike to a solid post whenever leaving it unattended.
The bike you’ve loaned from us may also have additional locks fitted. Please use every lock available to you to keep our bikes secure.
Beating the Cold:
Wear a warm, waterproof jacket to keep you comfortable and dry
Consider wearing riding gloves to reduce the wind chill on your hands and fingers
Share your experience
We love seeing what our loanees get up to with their loaned e-bikes. Please take all kinds of photos and videos of your time with the bike, and share them, well, everywhere!
We’ll pop some hashtags here to make it easier for us to find (& share) your cool photos and stories.
#electricbikes
#sustainability
#SEEChangeCBR
#canberraelectricbikelibrary
If you’re keen to have even more impact, and love getting the active travel message out there, tag the following in your post:
@EPSDD
@actgov
@SEEChange
We share loanee stories on our social media to let the Canberra Community know more about the library and thouse who loan a bike from us. If you’re interested in featuring in one of these stories, send us an email at hello@seechange.org.au
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Electric Bikes in our fleet have all been tested to be water resistant, meaning that a short period of time in light rain won’t be a problem for them. That being said, prolonged exposure to heavy rain or total immersion in water can start to cause problems.
After riding in the rain and you have arrived at your destination, power down the bike and dry the electrical components of the bike with a towel. Do not turn the bike back on with wet electronics and electrical contacts. If there is water in the charging sockets and the battery-bike interface, wait until all water has evaporated until starting the bike back up.
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There’s two different answers to this question.
If the bike has experienced a small issue due to circumstances beyond usual wear and tear while out on loan, it’s usually easier for you to repair the issue yourself if you can, or visit your local bike shop. This is true for small issues like a tyre puncture, if a brake actuator has become unattached, or if the chain has jumped the cogs.
In the event of a larger (and rarer) issue, such as a tyre completely failing, a fault in the electrical system, or a major gear malfunction, please contact us in the first instance so that we can advise on the appropriate solution. The Library has a preferred service partner, and can arrange for timely repairs to bikes in our fleet. Contact us on 0466 187 384 to organise large scale repairs, or to notify us of an incident.
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You should make sure that the bike has enough charge in the battery prior to your journey. However, it can be easy to forget to check this before every ride.
All bikes in our fleet can be ridden with a flat battery. That being said, the bike will be harder to ride than a standard pushbike due to the extra weight of the frame and battery.
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