The Fundamentals of Bicycle Maintenance

Sunday, September 20, 2009 ·

By Bryan Mancoyn

When you want sturdy and reliable transportation, it is hard to beat having a good bicycle. They do need a regular bicycle maintenance routine and proper care to keep them in top riding form. You can expect some bicycle failures; however, when you commit to giving them regular and proper bicycle maintenance you can avoid some trouble.

The design of modern bikes incorporates the use of some really cool lightweight materials as well as some interesting high tech components. Much like a car, bikes need regular checkup and maintenance. You can learn to do your own technician and mechanic work on your bike. This comes in quite handy when your bike breaks down and you have no one else who can fix it for you. Basic bicycle maintenance is essentially vital.

Begin your Bicycle Maintenance with an Inspection

The first thing you need to know is how to clean and inspect your bike. If you spend a great deal of time riding, you need to do this daily. You can get by doing it weekly if you only ride your bike now and then. Alternately, you may clean and inspect your bike monthly.

If you store your bicycle, you really should do a monthly checkup and bicycle maintenance routine to make sure that there are no problems with the bike. Cleaning your bike is easy when you use a small brush, a soft cloth and mild solution of soap. While you are rinsing off any dust and grime, you need to inspect for cracks and splits along the frame, tires, seats and lights.

Tighten Bolts for Safety's Sake

You need to check and tighten the bolts, especially the stem bolts on your bike frame occasionally. Take care not to over tighten these bolts since you can damage or even break them easily. Follow the specific instructions for tightening bolts in order to meet their torque ratings. To do this, you will need to use a torque wrench.

Tires are Essential

Make sure that there is an adequate amount of pressure in your tires while inspecting them. Properly inflated tires are not so easy to puncture or damage. You will be safer riding a bike with properly inflated tires. Patch any small leak as soon as you can to avoid creating even more problems.

Although, it is most often overlooked this is an easy step on the bike maintenance checklist. You need to give each tire a spin so you can visually check them for any type of foreign object that may be stuck in the treads. You can remove small pieces of grit or debris in the treads, while using a tire brush. You can also check to see if any of the tires are misaligned and wobbling and simply requires a quick adjustment.

Check your Chain

You should periodically tighten the bicycle chain. Ideally, you will do this after each time you ride your bike. You also need to check the chain to see if it is loose before each ride. You will also need to take time to oil the bicycle chain.

Bicycle chain oil is specially designed for the chain; it is a thin, non-greasy type of solution. You only need to apply a few drops as needed. In order to work properly, chains, gears and other movable bike parts need a particular amount of lubrication. You will find that when it comes to the various safety features of your bike as well as knowing basic bicycle maintenance will come in handy to keep your bicycle in the best riding shape.

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