eBike Breakdown Off-Road? Here are the Tools and Parts You’ll Need

Things break. That's just the way of the world. One moment everything is going fine, and suddenly a vital piece of equipment fails on you. 

What do you do if the strap on your hunting pack breaks? Or how about your truck? You don't just throw in the towel. Instead, you fix the problem on the spot and get yourself up back up and running. 

Why should it be any different for your hunting eBike? There are plenty of parts of your bike that you can fix on the trail. But, just like anything else with hunting, preparation is key. 

We're going to highlight some of the eBike parts, and eBike tool kit you should keep on hand if things go wrong. 

What can you fix on the trail?

A major part of being prepared is knowing that there are things you can and can't do in the field. Just like you wouldn't rebuild your truck's engine on the side of the road or sight in a gun in the middle of the hunt, there are parts of your eBike you shouldn't try to repair in the wild. 

So, how do you prepare for situations that you can't deal with on the fly? Contingencies. You have roadside assistance in case your truck experiences an extreme failure. You have iron sights, and spare hunting rifles if an old reliable's scope bites the dust. 

When it comes to an eBike, you shouldn't try to repair the motor, gears, interface, or battery packs in the woods.

Of course, all of those things can fail, but repairing them requires a certain level of precision and safety that you can't offer outside of a workshop. 

The good news about an eBike is that there's still a bicycle underneath all of those complex systems. So long as that base remains intact, it is the contingency that can get you out of the woods. All of the tools and parts you carry should surround just that.

What you need to get back up and running.

Being prepared for repairs is a trick in itself. Do you remember the first roadside tool kit you threw in your truck? It probably looked a lot like you were moving your garage’s tool collection around with you. 

That's until you started to understand what was most likely to fail and exactly what you'd need to repair it. So now your roadside emergency toolset is a lot more manageable and probably fits under the rear seat. 

The point we're trying to make is that you can't carry a bike repair shop around with you on a hunt. You need to stay maneuverable and lightweight. To do so, you need to cut your selection down to cover just what is most likely to fail you in the woods. 

Let's begin with spare parts: 

• Patch kits: Your tires are on the front line. There's no doubt that they take more abuse than any single part of your eBike. It's not out of the realm of possibility for punctures to occur. At the very least, you will need patches to perform a repair.
• Inner tube:  Obviously, you should keep inner tubes on hand for tires that are designed to rely on them, but even if your tires don't rely on inner tubes from the factory, it's a good idea to keep an inner tube on hand. If you tear your tire or a hole is too big to patch, an inner tube can fit inside and hold air. As a bonus tip, inner tubes can also serve as gripping tools for many repairs, which can prove useful in emergencies. 
• Spokes: The tire isn't the only part of your bike's wheel assembly that can fail. Spokes can break, especially if they come in contact with sharp objects, such as the rocks you're riding over. Since they are responsible for supporting the weight, keeping spares on hand is not a bad idea. These are light but can take up a lot of room, which is why touring cyclists often tape spares to the frame instead of jamming them into a pouch. 
• Drive chain: Your eBike's drive chain is built to endure serious stress. A hard blow can still put it out of commission, though, which is the equivalent of your truck spitting out the driveshaft. Thankfully, drive chains are much more compact and easy to repair. It's a good idea to keep a spare in your emergency kit because you certainly need one to get home. 
• Replacement hardware: Vibrations and hardware don't get along. Over time, vibrations from riding around will loosen nuts and bolts up.If you're not taking the time to go around and tighten things up, you're bound to lose a few. You're only human, and it's bound to happen. It's a good idea to keep spare nuts and bolts on hand. Be diligent in your selection because the weight will add up. Whatever bits of hardware you most frequently retighten during routine maintenance is exactly what you should keep on hand. 

eBike Tools

That covers all of the parts you should carry, with room for discrepancy regarding your exact make and model nuances. Parts are nothing if they can't be installed, though. So, let's jump into the tools you should keep on your eBike to get the job done. 

Keep in mind that the most compact versions available are your best friend. You don't need enough torque to move the earth to replace bicycle parts, and you certainly don't need the kind of weight that's attached to those macho tools loading you down. Most of these are also offered in eBike tool kits.

• Tire spoons: Over many years of dragging trophy bucks out of the woods, you've developed quite a grip. It's still not enough to pry a tire from a rim, though. You're going to need tire spoons to remove a tire to install patches, and replace your inner tube. 
• Bicycle Tire Pump: Traversing the wild has also helped you build a powerful set of lungs, but you still won't be able to inflate a tire with them. You'll need a bicycle pump to fill tires after repairs.  
• Hand wrenches: Most repairs are going to require hand wrenches. Thankfully, you can stick with stubby wrenches or the kind of stamp wrenches that comes with the assembly-required furniture you hate. However, do yourself a favor and keep an adjustable wrench on hand as well for axles and the odd nuts and bolts you forgot about. 
• Socket wrenches: Sockets and hand wrenches can be used interchangeably in most situations, so you might not need this tool. If, however, there are bits of hardware only a socket wrench can approach, you should keep at least that size on hand. That's especially true if you don't think you'll need it. We guarantee fate dictates that's the bolt that you'll need to tighten down on. 
• Allen keys/Torx Wrenches: Allen keys and Torx wrenches are often used on mounting brackets and clamps. It's not uncommon for these bits of hardware to come loose over time, and you will need to tighten them up every so often. In most cases, you should only need one or two sizes to cover anything you'd need to repair on the trail. You can save weight and space by carrying only what you need, but we recommend keeping spares because these small tools are very easy to lose track of. 
• Spoke adjuster: Spokes come loose and break from time to time. An adjuster is a must-have tool for replacing and tightening them. Thankfully, these won't take up much space in your kit, and they are very lightweight. 
• Screwdriver: Not all eBikes call for a traditional screwdriver, but there are some that do. If your eBike requires one for the kind of repairs you'll do on the trail, you'd better throw one in your tool set. Consider a bit driver, though. These can feature socket attachments allowing you to combine two tools into one, saving you space and weight. 
• Chain tool: A chain tool is the second of only two specialty tools you should keep in your pack. This tool is essential for removing and installing chain links, and you will need it if you intend to replace your drive chain. 

Knowing your eBike is essential. 

Before you start blindly collecting tools, the best thing you can do is spend some time with your eBike.  Familiarize yourself with all of the key areas we covered here, and learn what tools you need to perform repairs. 

Not all bikes rely on the same types of fasteners, and you need to know what works for you. Not only that, but it's a good idea to learn the repair process beforehand.

There's nothing like trial by fire, but learning how to replace a tire tube by yourself in the freezing rain isn't a good idea. 

It's also wise to learn about the weak points of your bike. As we said, there's room for nuances, and we only covered the basics.

It's important to learn what parts of your exact bike is prone to failure and how to fix them in an emergency situation. Talking with local bike shops and reading through forums is a great way to obtain this information. 

Tool kits are an option. 

If you've been diving deep into our picks for the top hunting eBikes and fat-tire hunting eBikes, you might have noticed a way to save yourself time and money.

Most eBike manufacturers offer replacement parts and accessories. In those offerings, you'll find tool kits are usually available. These electric bicycle tool kits are assembled by people who already know your bike inside and out. 

These kits cover everything you need to repair your bike on the fly but use very compact and lightweight versions in a pouch that usually mounts directly to the bike. They are very handy and are more than worth the investment. 

We covered a lot here, but this is all stuff you already know. You grew up riding bicycles, and that's the first thing you learned to fix up.

That's all you need to do if your eBike fails you in the woods. You're just trying to make sure the bicycle at its core can get you home. 

Not only that, but it's something you can quickly learn. Even if you never repaired a bicycle, you teach yourself how in no time at all.

You taught yourself how to hunt, dress a buck, sight in a rifle, and tear it down for cleaning. We know that learning how to fix one is as easy as riding a bike for you.