Bike Maintenance
It is not rocket science but it could save your life, click that read more to learn about how best to look after your bike, and make it last like it was built to. We are just an email away or a visit to our store so if you have any nagging questions or concerns flick us an email or bring it in for a physical inspection!
“How do I maintain my bike?”
A) 1. The first step is cleaning, often we recommend cleaning once a week. You guessed it, clean it! Why is cleaning your bike so important? Strong weather conditions such as; rain, snow, dust and road dirt can cause damage to the bicycle parts and may cause long term erosion in the future. Better safe than sorry huh?
“What are the areas that will need maintenance?”
A) Drive Train: shaft, sprocket wheel, chain, hubs, rims, and tires.
Braking systems: brake calipers, brake levers, brake lines, brake pads.
The nuts and bolts: you may not notice a screw coming loose or falling off which can results in an accident or injury, so be careful, and a regular clean is a good excuse to have a nosy around, making sure eveything is still there.
If you are unsure about what is what get on to bing.com and do a quick search!
“My brakes feel funny/aren’t working well”
A) Check the brakes are tight by pulling on the lever, if they seem a little loose for what you need them for it may be time to bring it in. We recommend replacing the brake lines every six months or so which won’t cost much and could save your life. It could also be that the brake caliper is not functioning properly, or that the brake pads and rims are not quite in line with each other.
“How do I know if my tires are flat/need replacing?”
A) 1. Have a look at the tire to see if it has any signs of cracking, if the tire appears to have cracks you will need a replacement. This usually occurs when you are riding on tires that are going flat. To simply check the pressure of your tire pinch the tire with your thumb and forefinger and if the tire gives in a little you will need to feed more air into it. 2. Keep it at the standard tire pressure (which will require a pump pressure gauge) so make sure that it is up to and not higher than what is identified on the tires PSI or BAR, but we generally recommend pumping to 100psi. Lower than the standard tire pressure will cause the tire to crack making the inner tube more likely to puncture.
“Maintaining a healthy chain”
A) Keep the chain joints and surfaces clean with an old rag. Regularly use chain oil (the chain oil we have in stock is top notch) and give the chain a squirt every couple of weeks.
“Checking the rims correctly”
A) The rim is that metal bit just below the tire on your wheels. Pick up the bike on both the front and the rear in turn while standing directly infront or behind and give it a whirl. With an eye looking directly down notice any contortions from the line either the wheel going left or to the right or up. This is the wheel getting out of true from hitting some bumps in the road or other such things and can over time completely mess up your frame. Bring it in to either of our stores or your local and they can get it back to true in no time at all.
“The Internal Gear Hub explained”
A) The Internal Gear Hub, for the average user, keeps a clean and minimalist appearance while also giving more flexability on the hills. After a long distance ride or over a long period of regular use you will need to bring it in for an oil change. This is important to keep it running smooth and increases the hubs life.
“Dont forget about the chainring”
A) The Chainring should be kept clean, mainly focusing on the teeth removing the muck that builds up. If you begin to notice the teeth being worn down you will need to replace it with a new one.
