cycling suggestions

Bikes Need Love Too

Spring is just around the corner and it is time to pull out your bike and hit the road again.  For some, the riding never ended, but for those of you who hung your rig up for the winter and headed out to the gym, now is a great time to do some pre-season maintenance so you don’t end up stranded on the side of the road during your first ride. 

Bikes need TLC just like people.  That means you need to take some time each year to thoroughly check out your equipment and replace worn and old parts.  The biggest question for many people is, “What should I be looking at?”  

You can pretty much start anywhere, but I like to begin with my drive train.  To do that, I first look at my chain.  Believe it or not, chains don’t last forever.  They can and will wear out and when you least expect or desire it, they will break.  Trust me; a broken chain can be dangerous at worst and really annoying at best.  Unless you are a real tech geek and have a chain wear tool the best option is to stop into a shop and have them check for chain wear.  At a minimum it is a good idea to have your chain looked at once a year.  However, if you ride a lot, you may want to have it looked at periodically. 

Even if you don’t need to replace your chain, it is still important to keep it clean.  Before the season gets too busy, thoroughly clean your chain.  Use a bike-specific cleaning agent to clean each link individually and wipe it dry with a clean rag.  Once you have finished take your favorite lube and oil just the rollers on each link.  Let it soak in and then wipe the excess off the outer portion of the chain.  You only need to lube the part of the chain that moves and anything above and beyond that just attracts dirt.  During the season, be sure you take a few minutes after each ride to wipe your chain clean and periodically apply new lubrication.  If it rains, the chain will need more lube and you should take the time to clean and re-lube it before you ride again.  A chain that is full of gunk will not perform as well as one that is clean; wears out sooner; and, can lead to other, more serious problems.

The cassette, or cluster of gears on the rear wheel, also wears out over time.  This can cause your chain to not shift properly making it harder to get into the desired gear.  One sign of wear can be improper shifting when your derailleur is properly adjusted.  Since it is sometimes hard to judge whether it is the cassette or not; it is a good idea to have a shop mechanic help you take a look at it as they will know exactly what to look for.  This piece of equipment is another area where grease and grime can build up and should be a focus of that thorough spring cleaning.  Get in all the nooks and crannies with a brush and wipe each cog clean with a dry rag.  You don’t need to lube your gears, so don’t.  All that the lube will do is cause more dirt to collect and make a mess. 

Shift and brake cables are another area that many people take for granted.  Take some time to check the entire length of each cable to see if there is any damage.  If there is a nick or cut anywhere in the cable, it’s time to get a new cable.  Likewise if the cable has begun to fray at any location it could end up breaking just when you least want it to.  It is important to regularly check cables and if you see a problem don’t wait to fix it. 

Tires are an obvious area to check but you would be surprised how many people keep riding on old and worn tires.  Check to see if there are nicks or cuts in the rubber, or if there are any foreign objects lodged in them.  Tiny stones and other debris can get lodged in your tire and over time may work their way through the outer casing causing a puncture.  It is always a good idea to examine your tires on a regular basis and remove any foreign objects that may have gotten stuck in them.  If you have a tire with a lot of nicks or cuts it may be a good idea to replace it.  Another common problem is the flattening out of the tire.  Instead of being nice and round, the tire starts to take on a square look.   A tire needs to have a round shape so that it grips the road properly.  Square edges can cause you to lose grip in corners, leading to a wipe out.  Look for wear and tear, degradation of the rubber or plain old dry rot.  If the tire’s rubber is starting to harden or it is full of lots of tiny little cracks this can be a sign that the tire is starting to deteriorate or develop dry rot.  Don’t keep riding it, get a new tire.  Finally, pump up your tires every time you ride.  Road bikes use high pressure tires and between rides they will lose a little bit of air.  Not only does a tire with low pressure slow you down, but it also is prone to a pinch flat.  This happens when you hit a bump or hole in the road and the inner-tube folds back on to it causing 2 small holes.  Some people call this a snake bite because it looks like your tire was bitten by a snake.  Proper tire pressure will eliminate most instances of this and ensure that your bike handles the way it should

Finally, check all your components for loose parts.  Derailleurs, brakes, crank arms and steer tubes can all become loose and out-of-adjustment.  Be sure to examine them closely and tighten any loose parts.  Wheels also can go out of true and spokes can become loose so don’t forget to give them a once over as well.  Last but certainly not least, check your frame out.  You would not believe how many people have discovered during routine cleaning severe damage to their bike frame.  Look for cracks, nicks, dents or other damage.  If you discover any type of damage be sure to ask your shop mechanic to take a look at it to be sure that the integrity of the frame has not been compromised.

If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming to you, don’t worry.  Every shop has a variety of maintenance packages from the super deluxe to the basic once over to help you out.  If you are not into the mechanical side of things take it in to your local shop and ask for their help.  They will be more than happy to check things out and be sure that your machine is ready to rock.  If you do like to wrench but just need some guidance there are some great books out there from Park Tool, by Leonard Zinn; and others that will give you all the info you can handle on how to maintain your equipment.