Easy ways to keep your bike running smoothly and safely
Getting into simple cleaning and maintenance habits will keep your bike running at its best and save you money on expensive damage repairs. It’s definitely worth the small amount of time and effort it takes. Ultimately, a well-running bike with a clean drive train and correctly inflated tyres will feel great to ride.
Check out our six maintenance tips below.
- Wash your bike – with care!
It’s worth cleaning your bike at regular intervals and particularly after longer, dirtier rides. Bikes attract all sorts of muck that can cause mechanical problems if left to set.
Using a sponge and a bucket of warm water, a hose pipe at gentle pressure or even a watering can, rinse off any mud or debris.
Next apply a bike cleaning product, we recommend Hope Shifter (£5.99 for a litre bottle) or you can use a car shampoo.
Leave the product to do its work for 5 minutes or so, then rinse off thoroughly with cold water.
Bounce off the excess water or leave to air dry before continuing with your bike maintenance.
Don’t use a jet washer as it may dislodge bearings. Keep hose pipe pressure gentle.
If you’re short on time, just wash the moving parts, especially the chain, cassette and chainrings.
2. “Oil” the chain – but don’t go crazy
Oiling the chain (these days it’s lubricant rather than oil) is essential for keeping your bike running smoothly and protecting your drivetrain from damage. We recommend Juice Lubes – the Wet Conditions or All Conditions versions serve most bikes well and cost £7.99 for a bottle.
A common mistake is to use too much product along the whole chain. This isn’t necessary. Instead apply a little bit of the lube to a small section of the chain then work it through by turning the pedal.
Avoid using spray products as they end up everywhere and could contaminate disk brake pads. (It’s fine to use spray disk brake cleaner though).
3. Check your chain – easy with a tool
A worn bicycle chain can cause bad shifting and eventually even damage the derailleur and rear cogs – which is expensive to fix.
Checking your chain with a special tool to see whether it needs replacing is definitely worth it.
We recommend the Park Tool Chain Checker (£10.99), which will check to see how loose the links on your chain are. It only takes a moment to do this, you can watch a how to video on You Tube or we’ll show you how in store.
4. Check tyres for wear – watch for cracks, cuts and worn sections
Do a visual check of your bike’s tyres, looking out for any cuts or cracks. Wear is particularly noticeable in the rear tyre which takes all your weight.
Check the middle section in particular – does it look flattened and squared off rather than curved? If so, it’s a sure sign it’s getting worn and it’s time to get a new one.
Some tyres have a wear indicator indent which will disappear when tyres are old. Examine these regularly too.
5. Check your brake pads – damage is doubly bad
Brake pads get worn out, just as they do on a car. Quite apart from not stopping the bike safely, worn out disc brake pads risk damaging the disc rotor which is another expensive repair job.
If your bike has rim brakes, any wear to the pads will be obvious at a glance.
With disc brakes you need to take the wheel off to reveal the pads. If you can see any spring through the pad, they are definitely worn out and will need replacing.
6. Make sure your tyres are pumped to the correct pressure – get more speed for free!
There are big performance benefits to be had from running your tyres at the right pressure – and it won’t cost you anything.
Over-inflation causes loss of grip and makes for a slower, uncomfortable ride. Under inflation increases rolling resistance making it harder and slower work, plus your tyres won’t track properly around corners.
There’s a free online tyre pressure calculator that will calculate your optimum pressure based on a number of details you can add including your weight, weight of your accessories, style of bike and type of surface.
Don’t over think it. Just enjoy the process.
Looking after your bike doesn’t have to be a chore. Giving your trusty steed some TLC after all its hard work carrying you around can be therapeutic.
If you do find any damage, book your bike in for a free no obligation assessment at the Red Kite Cycles workshop. Our experienced mechanics will let you know what needs doing and how much it will cost. Give us a call on 0121 745 21618.
Happy fettling!
Slingshot Website