Whether you’re an avid cyclist or a weekend rider, keeping your bike in good condition is essential to making sure you can continue enjoying your ride.
Unless you’re a professional bike mechanic, figuring out how to keep your bicycle working the way it’s supposed to can seem like a bit of a challenge — especially if you’re new to riding. Fortunately, maintaining a sports bike isn’t all that difficult once you know what to do it just takes a little extra time and effort.
Are you ready to start getting your bike back into shape but aren’t sure where to begin? We’re here to help! Here are five bike maintenance tips every cyclist should know.
1. Keep Up with Regular Maintenance
Whether you want to find a sports bike repair shop or DIY everything, keeping up with maintenance is essential to keeping your bike in shape.
From replacing the tires to tightening the bolts, there are several moving parts on your bike that can shift and wear down over time. Checking and fixing these parts won’t only help ensure a smooth ride, it will extend your bike’s lifespan.
2. Check Your Tires Before You Ride
One of the most basic maintenance tips for bikes is maintaining the correct tire pressure. Riding on underinflated tires won’t just make your ride more challenging — it can also lead to full-on flats or even costly damage to your bike’s rims.
The best way to ensure your tires are good to go and inflated right is by checking them before every ride. Because bike tires are prone to rapid deflation, you should consider carrying a small air pump with you every time you go out.
3. Keep Your Bike Clean
While this may not sound like a regular sports bike maintenance tip, cleaning your bike is essential to keeping it in good shape. Apart from making your bike look its best, keeping your bike clean will help prevent the build-up of dirt and grit.
If left unchecked, this build-up could lead to scratches, rust, and other damage. You should also regularly de-grease your bike chain to keep it running smoothly and working correctly.
4. Lube Up
Every avid cyclist knows that lube is a bike’s best friend. The heart and soul of your bike is the drive chain, and if you want to increase its lifespan, you’ll need to apply lubricant regularly.
There are two types of lubrication, wet and dry, and the kind of lubrication you use depends on the conditions you will be riding in regularly. If you plan on biking in damp conditions, such as muddy areas, high humidity, and rain, you should apply wet lubricant to your bike chain.
Alternatively, if you plan on riding in more arid conditions, like urban areas or deserts, you should use a dry lubricant.
Keep in mind that lubricant can also trap dirt and grit in your bike chain. So, you should check, clean, and relubricate your chain often.
5. Bring It In
Finally, it’s no secret that leaving things outdoors and exposed to the elements for extended periods will lead to damage. Whether it’s rust from moisture or an animal chewing on your seat, there’s no limit to the kind of damage your bike could sustain if you leave it outside.
If you want to extend the life of your bike, you should consider a few indoor vehicle storage options. It doesn’t matter whether you decide to rent a designated storage unit or put a bike mount up in your hall. Bringing your bike inside when you aren’t using it is the only sure-fire way to protect it from the outside world.
Must-Have Bike Maintenance Tips
If you don’t take the necessary steps to keep your bicycle in shape, odds are you’re not going to get to spend a lot of time riding it. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert to maintain your bike yourself, and the rewards are well worth the extra work! By sticking to these bike maintenance tips, you’ll be able to keep your sport bike in perfect condition so you can continue to enjoy it for years to come.
Are you looking for more advice on how to maintain your bike? We’ve got you covered! Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful tips and advice today!