I always know that spring has sprung when I see the first cyclists out on the road. I live in Colorado’s Vail Valley, and only a brave few ride outside all winter long. But now that the temperatures are warming up, the serious-athlete-cyclists have started appearing, all spandex-clad, even though volatile spring weather shifts from blue skies in one moment to rain, sleet, or snow in the next.
When the skiing season officially ends, then the recreational cyclists start showing up outside in droves. I’ll join them…but I’ll have to dig my bike out of the garage first, displacing the winter season’s gear in the process. And then, I’ll face the key question: Is my bike really ready to ride?
In order to get a bike ride-ready, it’s important to do both a general cleaning and to perform routine maintenance checks, too. Here are a few key things to consider:
SPRING BIKE CLEANING
Even if you failed to clean your bike at the end of the last season, general bike cleaning is something that you should be able to do yourself as long as you have the time, space, and a few good tricks and tools. The Learnist board “How to Clean and Care for Your Bike” will teach you the basics if you’re new to bike cleaning or if you need a refresher. You’ll learn what supplies to gather and how to clean the bike’s chain and drivetrain, among other key things.
When cleaning a bike, it’s also important to understand how different types of bike lubes and cleaners work. While soap and water are helpful for cleaning a bike’s frame and tires, a chain degreaser will make cleaning the chain a breeze. And it’s also good to know that specialized bike-cleaning products exist, along with new options for choosing cleaners that are environmentally friendly.
SPRING BIKE MAINTENANCE
Bike maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating the bike’s chain is a part of any routine cleaning, but it’s also important to check other parts of a bike regularly to make sure that it’s running safely and smoothly. In this collection of bicycle maintenance learnings, you’ll learn how to assess your bike and perform basic maintenance from inflating a tire to replacing brake pads. Fourteen different bike maintenance topics are covered here, and each of the topics will help you understand an important task.
If you feel unable to perform any of the key routine maintenance tasks, then don’t hesitate to take your bike to a local expert. It’s a good idea to take a bike in for a tune-up at the beginning of each season to make sure that items beyond your abilities—or beyond the scope of simple bike maintenance—are addressed by experts who can keep you safe and out there cycling all summer long!
