Regular bicycle maintenance is pivotal to ensuring an efficient, safe and comfortable ride. By showing your bike some TLC, you can substantially prolong the life of its components and your bike as a whole.
In this guide we’ve explained some bike maintenance techniques and tricks as well as highlighted a few essential accessories that all cyclists need. Fortunately, bicycle maintenance doesn’t have to be a gruelling task, so these tips can be utilised by both veteran riders and those with less experience alike.
Frequently Clean Your Bike
Frequently cleaning your bike is a must for all cyclists and is particularly important if you’re often riding in muddy/wet conditions. In addition to ensuring your bike is gleaming and looking in tip-top condition, a thorough wash helps to protect parts from wear and tear, and also helps to prevent corrosion and rust.
Some cyclists simply use a sponge and a bucket of hot water to clean their bike. However, for the best results, it’s advised that you use a specifically formulated bike cleaner, like the Monkey Juice Gel Bike Cleaner. Safe to use on all surfaces, it is designed to instantly lift and remove stubborn dirt and grime generated from riding. Unlike other cleaners, it clings to the surface of the bike and penetrates microscopic holes within the dirt, quickly lifting particles away.
Purchase the Monkey Juice Gel Bike Cleaner >
Lube Your Chain
Your chain is imperative to the performance of your bike so it’s critical that you look after it. Mud, sand, rain, snow and road salt can all be of detriment to your chain, but by lubricating it you are helping to preserve its original condition and ensuring a smoother ride.
A wide range of bicycle lubricants are available to buy on the market. The BananaSlip Tungsten All Weather Lube, for example, is the world’s first cycling lubricant to use the friction modifier Tungsten Disulphide and is incredibly popular among cyclists. The lube is dual viscosity, ensuring it penetrates all moving areas of the chain before setting to a dry, anti-fling layer within minutes.
How often you should clean your chain depends on how, where and when you ride. Those who ride in muddy and wet conditions will probably have to clean and lube their chain after every ride, whereas those who only ride on paved roads in the sunshine won’t need to clean it as regularly.
Purchase the BananaSlip Tungsten All Weather Lube >
Check Your Tyres
We recommend that you inspect your tyres before every ride. Look for things like stones, glass and nails in the tread – all of which are commonly picked up by tyres, especially when it’s wet – carefully removing anything that could cause a puncture.
You should also check your tyre pressure, making sure both wheels are pumped up to a suitable psi. Some bike tubes can lose considerable air pressure fairly quickly and even a slight difference can influence your bike’s handling and comfort, so it’s important you pay attention to it. If you haven’t already, we advise investing in a floor pump with an air pressure gauge.
Check Your Brakes
Next on our list of bicycle maintenance tips is to check that your brakes aren’t worn down. It is crucial that your brakes are working as expected not only for your own safety, but also for the safety of other cyclists, pedestrians and road users.
Most brake pads have wear indicators (usually circles or lines) and if these have disappeared from the pads, it’s a sign they’ve worn down and will therefore need replacing. Another sign that suggests your bike’s brakes are worn down is if you hear a screeching sound whilst braking.
Ideally you should replace your brake pads before they reach the maximum wear.
Ensure Bolts, Nuts & Screws are Tight
Your bike’s parts are held together by numerous bolts, nuts and screws and the last thing you want is for your bike to fall apart whilst riding.
Every week or so quickly check for any loose parts – you can do this by gently bouncing your bike on the ground and listening for any loose components. Be sure to tighten any loose screws before your next ride.
A top tip is to carry some spare nuts and bolts with you whilst riding so that you can fix any issues right away, even when you’re not at home.
Get Started with Tru-Tension
We hope this guide has provided you with some useful tips and ideas for maintaining your bike.
Regardless of your bike’s manufacturer and model, be sure to also take a look at our range of bicycle cleaning and maintenance products on offer here at Tru-Tension. We manufacture and stock a wide range of lubricants, tools and products, all of which allow you to get more out of your bike.
See more: How to Store a Bicycle for Winter