Bicycles have become an essential form of transportation in today’s world. With so many health and environmental benefits, it seems like more and more people are ditching the four wheels and choosing to jump on two instead.
Whilst bikes are easier to maintain and keep on the road in comparison to motor vehicles and buses, they still take need some care and attention to keep them in good condition.
Here are simple and quick-fire tips you can follow to keep your bike in almost brand new condition and running on the road.
Invest in the right equipment
As durable and resilient as bikes can be, they do fall victim to some minor injuries such as a ripped tyre or broken chain. Investing in high-quality repair equipment makes repairing these issues much quicker and easier.
Keep it clean
A simple way to prolong the lifespan of your bike is by keeping it clean. This may sound like a very tedious job but it really does go a long way when it comes to the maintenance of your bike. And all you need is some soapy water, a sponge and an old toothbrush!
Keep your tyres inflated
If your tyres aren’t inflated properly then they can be more prone to receiving punctures. A standing track pump with a pressure gauge is usually the best thing for the job. There are numbers on the side of your tyre with the letters PSI – this indicates how much air your tyres need.
Check the brake pads
It’s never a good idea to neglect the quality of your brakes – for obvious reasons! You can usually tell they’re worn out if you can barely see the grooves in them anymore. Fitting new brake pads if very simple and cheap which you can look up how to do online – all you need for the job is a set of Allen keys and a little bit of patience!
Get a professional service
Getting your bike professionally serviced once a year is usually a good idea to keep it running well on the road. You can sit back and relax with this one and let the pros do their thing. It’s kind of like an MOT for your bike.
Lubricate!
There is some bike-specific lubricant you can invest in to apply on the metal touching metal areas of your bike. You can apply it sparsely to these areas. Make sure that you have cleaned your chain properly before oiling it as you may end up just making matters worse!
Check that your wheels are “true”
You do this by turning your bike upside down and spinning the wheels. If they wobble from side to side then they need “truing”. You can either do this yourself with some special equipment or you can get a bike shop professional to do it for a small fee.
