How To Maintain A Bike Advice

The cycling season ends slowly but surely with the arrival of the old summer. You will clean your bikes and prepare skis or snowboards for the coming winter instead. To enjoy the good feeling of cycling next year, you need to maintain it. The following lines will advise you on basic bike maintenance.

Wheel compression

Check that the tube is properly inflated. Just press the wheel with your thumb and forefinger. The jacket should be firm, you should not squeeze it easily. As with cars and bicycles, the recommended side pressure on the side of the tire is given. If you find two figures, then remember that a higher pressure value is for road driving and a lower pressure value is for off-road driving. This value represents the maximum value to which you should inflate the tire. Therefore, it is better to inflate the tire to the recommended pressure value. If you exceed the recommended value, you risk loosening and damaging the tire and thus your safety, read more here.

Inflator

I definitely recommend using a bicycle inflator called a pump to inflate the bikes. Pressure compressors on petrol pumps are too powerful. If you decide to inflate your bike with their help, then proceed carefully and in stages to avoid overpressurizing the wheels.

Rims

Check that your wheel rims are in order. They should not be dented, cracked or too worn.

Wheel stringing

Like the rims, check the wheels. Again, they should not be cracked, dented, or show signs of excessive wear. It is important for the string to be properly tensioned.

Wheel centering

You can easily find out if the wheels are correctly centered. Spin the wheel idle and watch its movement. The wheel should rotate without sideways or height deviations.

Brakes

The most important components that should interest you in the brakes are the brake shoes and the brake cable. For brake shoes, first of all check their correct distance to the rim and their wear. It is better to have damaged or too worn jaws replaced. It is essential that the wheels are properly centered for the brake shoes to function properly. Check that the brake cable is properly tightened. The brake cable should not be frayed or damaged.

Chain

The chain is the most stressed part of the bicycle. The chain should be clean and lubricated. Use special means for its maintenance. The chain pulls out over time and needs to be replaced. Leave it to a specialist garage. A pulled-out chain can permanently damage parts of the shift system, so do not underestimate its maintenance.

Wheel washing

Definitely do not wash the bicycle with a wapka (high pressure cleaner). Wash the bike by hand. Wash the chain and components of the shift system with special degreasing agents. You can wash the rest of the bike with classic soapy water.

Lubrication

To lubricate individual parts of the bike, such as the derailleur and especially the chain, use special tools directly on the bicycles. When lubricating the individual parts, be careful not to apply much to the product (too much causes excessive accumulation of dust and dirt).

Warehousing

Store the bike in a dry and shady environment. Before wintering, release the pressure from the tires - at least to half value (the weight of the wheel could damage them). It is advisable to treat the bike with an anti-corrosion agent before wintering.