# Electric bike covers



## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Hi
Does anyone know where we can get some electric bike covers for the van?
Taylormade said they are going to do them at some point but not at the moment. :?:


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

we just have saddle covers. we don't bother with covering the bikes anymore, the covers were not completely waterproof and were a nuisance in my view. Spend the money on upgrading your locks instead

Noel


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We foolishly bought the Fiamma one to cover the two (or three) bikes on the back.......

it was an absolute disaster and we NEVER wish to use it now;

1. the zip is flimsy and failed the very first time we used it, replacement supplied very quickly,

2. getting it on was a monumental task which required a step ladder to reach over the top - and the zip is so fragile that you could not just gently pull it down,

3. once it was on (that took 1 1/2 hours) the rear view was totally obscured,

4. it flapped annoyingly, while under way, so we had to keep stopping and put extra straps, elastics, pieces of rope and anything else we could find to reduce the flapping before it ripped the flimsy zip apart,

5. the cover is not waterproof -the water goes through the zip as if it wasn't there....

6. taking it off also required the use of the step ladder - I am 6' and MrsW a mere 5' 10", so reaching up was not a problem but accessing the top of the bikes to gently feed the cover over the handlebars, saddle, brake levers etc., WAS a problem.....

7. when you took it off, the inside was wet - that meant that the water was being held against the bikes, rather than allowing them to dry out after the occasional shower (it only rained twice during the week, the first time for 5 days and the second time for 4 days.... :lol: )

All in all, a total waste of money and it went back as "unfit for purpose" - full refund given instantly and the comment that "lots of others have found the same problems, we are not going to stock them anymore......" :roll: 

Be guided by our experience, save your money, we now simply take the saddle off of the electric bike and take the battery out - putting those items inside the MH for safety.

Our bikes are secured by a D shackle, and a thick, plastic covered chain with a wailing padlock, both of which incorporate parts of both bikes AND the frame of the rack, it might be possible for a really determined thief but there are easier targets around and they would not get a whole electric bike without going into the MH too......

Dave


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

tincan said:


> snipped: we just have saddle covers.


Hi

Same here, a couple of plastic bags to cover the seats, a good lock and a Strikeback alarm with a cable to protect the bikes is what we have. I am always amazed at how little muck gets onto the bikes when we travel in the wet, there is always some but a quick wash or wipe off removes not only the travel muck but the muck we got on them when cycling tracks.

I did think about making a cover, well more of a rain protector for when parked up rather than for travel but have not got around to it yet. We carry two electric bikes one facing left the other facing right so I planned to cut and hem piece of waterproof material to fit from one front wheel, over the handle bars to the other ...forming a simple roof over the bikes.

Mike


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## Friant (Feb 10, 2008)

Agree the Fiamma version is too flimsy and does not provide any protection for the bikes.

The new bike cover from Kampa is good, has a variety of toggles and cords to give a good fit and is nice and thick, not going to rip this on the first outing. It wasn't expensive, £30 ish I think, it covers two electric bikes easily.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Yet another in full agreement.... BUT!

As we had tried to sell the cover without luck and were stuck with it, I realised that when touring and the two electric bikes were standing together with their 'Strikeback' alarm cable linked in, the cover was perfect for keeping the rain/dust off overnight when the rust making damp tries to get a foothold. At this point the cover is a doddle to use.

Alan


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi Greygit,
After reading the above if you still want one we have a Taylormade bike cover, only used twice, that you can have for £20 + P&P. It was such a hassle to put on - took about half-an-hour by the time you had wrapped it underneath and secured with at least two long bungee cords - that like the others above we now only use a couple of strong polythene bags. We have the A&S folding bikes and they are mounted nose-to-tail fashion on the bike carrier with the handlebars folded but not the frame. The poly bags go over both the saddle and the handlebar folding joint, preventing the latter from filling with water. Just got back from the Newbury show and not taken the bikes off yet, so pics attached!

Alan


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Not sure what version of the Fiamma cover you have tried.
We just bought a Fiamma two-bike cover for our A&S folders, but it is not zipped - more like a big shower cap. Goes over the top and fastens underneath with bungees. Pocket on the outside to take a reflective warning panel. Paid about £26 - haven't got the box with us, so can't quote a model number.
Bone dry bikes despite the foul weather in Germany at the moment.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Tony to the Grey Git :lol:

try:

http://www.bags4everything.co.uk/infopage.aspx?aid=16

tony


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

Electric bike covers?

How do they work then?

Do you have a remote that you can work from inside the van?

:lol:


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## oxford-wanderer (May 20, 2008)

I recently bought one of these for our electric bikes, not cheap but good quality. It is a little bit big but you can crisscross the straps which clip together, the straps are also adjustable.

http://www.bags4everything.co.uk/vi...-IN-COLOURFAST-WATERPROOF-BREATHABLE-MATERIAL

Hope this helps.

Paul


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

holeshole said:


> Hi Greygit,
> After reading the above if you still want one we have a Taylormade bike cover, only used twice, that you can have for £20 + P&P. It was such a hassle to put on - took about half-an-hour by the time you had wrapped it underneath and secured with at least two long bungee cords - that like the others above we now only use a couple of strong polythene bags. We have the A&S folding bikes and they are mounted nose-to-tail fashion on the bike carrier with the handlebars folded but not the frame. The poly bags go over both the saddle and the handlebar folding joint, preventing the latter from filling with water. Just got back from the Newbury show and not taken the bikes off yet, so pics attached!
> 
> Alan


We have a new Taylormade cover ourselves only used on one trip to Spain,but don't think it would fit the electric bikes as its too dam small for ordinary ones.
We only used the cover for travelling up and down to Spain as we tend stay in one place then cycle from there so we only fit the cover going down then back up.
Re, not covering the bikes, we were told that electric bikes don't like a lot of the wet stuff in the battery contacts and as we will be taking the batteries of the bike to reduce the weight at the rear it will be leaving the contacts exposed. Besides from experience the rear of the vans we have had (5) have all seemed to have attracted filth from the road when traveling in the winter and as these are new bikes they are still new toys.:wink:


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Scattycat said:


> Electric bike covers?
> 
> How do they work then?
> 
> ...


If you have ever tried to fit a bike cover then you would know that if they did make a remote controlled one you would buy it!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

As I commented earlier, we have given up any thoughts of using a cover again - the bikes stay clean on there and dry out quickly if they get wet from the rain, 

so although a remote control version would be great (I wonder whether that could do remote exercise without any effort as well......?)

I doubt that we will reconsider our decision, once bitten twice shy.

Dave


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

greygit said:


> Scattycat said:
> 
> 
> > Electric bike covers?
> ...


 :lol: Believe me, I have.

On our Rapido the bike rack is so high off the ground making the cover so hard to get on that I've now decided to buy a rack that we can lower. :lol:


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

greygit said:


> We have a new Taylormade cover ourselves only used on one trip to Spain,but don't think it would fit the electric bikes as its too dam small for ordinary ones.
> We only used the cover for travelling up and down to Spain as we tend stay in one place then cycle from there so we only fit the cover going down then back up.
> Re, not covering the bikes, we were told that electric bikes don't like a lot of the wet stuff in the battery contacts and as we will be taking the batteries of the bike to reduce the weight at the rear it will be leaving the contacts exposed. Besides from experience the rear of the vans we have had (5) have all seemed to have attracted filth from the road when traveling in the winter and as these are new bikes they are still new toys.:wink:


Presumably then you have full-size bikes with 26in or more wheels and non-folding. I do not know whether Taylormade made more than one size of cover but ours absolutely dwarfs our small folding bikes. In fact that was much of the problem - it was too big and needed to be wrapped around with ropes to stop it all flapping around. I didn't realise that electric bikes were any bigger than normal bikes - especially with the battery removed.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

we cover the saddles

The batteries are inside anyway

it's enough to get the bikes off
Never mind fighting with a cover

aldra


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I use a very heavy duty motorbike cover which is only marginally less interesting to fit than a tarpaulin! Oh and about 20 bungees!I had a couple of lighter weight, tent like material covers, but they were too short for the electric bike. I must admit to just not bothering to use the bike on a couple of occasions as it was too much bother to undo it.

As I have a towball bike rack I thought the bike might get dirtier than on a higher fitted rack, but I am tempted to try with just the saddle covered. Like others I put the battery inside anyway.

Does anyone else use a trailer type or tow ball rack?


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## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

We had 2 fold up 20" AS bikes and got a friend who runs Smith Boat Covers to make us a good cover to protect the bikes



This is now for sale, as we have upgraded to larger size bikes.[/img]


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

we will look at the battery contacts and maybe wrap a plastic bag around those

No way are we going to fight with a bike cover as well as bikes

Never would get them off the rack :lol: :lol: 

Aldrak


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

I have a confession to make, we loaded up the van yesterday as we are going to a weighbridge this morning to get the weights so I can contact the tyre manufacturers to get the correct tyre pressures. 
When we put the electric bikes on the rack we tried the cover to see what size we would need only to find the cover fitted the bikes fine?! 
I find this very odd as the cover was a pig to put over the normal bikes and as the electric ones are at least five inches longer I just assumed no way would it fit...... Mind you I must admit to being very pleased. 
So ,thanks to all for your feedback and apologies if I have wasted your time.


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