Most people go out for a bike ride for enjoyment, but don’t give enough thought to the prevention of problems that may occur. By just taking a few minutes to make sure your bike is well-tuned before you set out, you can keep from spending hours on issues later.
One of the most important things to purchase along with your bike is a simple tool kit. If the bike salesman doesn’t offer you one, make sure to ask for it. The first time you need to use it, you’ll be happy you bought it.
So now that you have a sturdy bicycle and a good, basic tool kit, what next? The best thing to do is to perform some routine preventive maintenance before problems come up on the ride.
Some bicycles need more maintenance than others. This also depends on your style of riding. For instance, if you occasionally ride through town, your bike won’t need as much care as if you ride a mountain bike on trails. But even so, routine checks will benefit the occasional rider as much as the die-hard mountain biker.
The things that need regular checking on a bike are very similar to what a mechanic needs to check on your car.
One of the obvious things to check on both a bike and car are brakes. When you squeeze the brakes on the handlebar of a bike, it causes the brake pads to compress over the metal frame of the wheel. It won’t cause you to stop immediately, but will slow you down enough for you to put your feet down.
So regularly make sure that your brake pads are not worn down. Replace them if they are. Also check that the pads are making contact with the metal of the wheel and not the tire itself. If they connect with the wrong part, it could cause you to stop on a dime, which will most likely result in you taking a tumble over the handlebars. Not fun.
Something else that needs to be checked regularly are the wheels. Just like in a car, air pressure in bike tires can change. So make sure you check the pressure and add more air if needed. If a tire has the incorrect amount of air pressure, it will affect your ability to stop. You could also get flats more often when you drive over obstacles because the tire could get pinched around them (this is called pinch flats).
Also keep an eye on your treads. It’s very important to have good treads and replace the tire if they are too low.
Check your seat and make sure it hasn’t become wobbly. If it has, just tighten it with a wrench from your trusty tool kit.
Make sure your bike chain is not becoming encrusted with grime. If it gets too dirty, it could impact how well it changes gears. And you don’t want shifting gears to fail at a time when you are expecting them to work properly, such as when you come to a hill.
So if your chain is becoming too dirty, clean it. The traditional way is to remove it and soak it in a container of solvent. But you can also buy an on-the-bike cleaning machine which clips on the chain and allows it to pass through brushes/solvent without removing the chain first.
Also keep an eye on your bike frame and watch for rust. A small spot of rust can quickly grow and cause weak areas on your frame. To prevent rust, try not to leave your bicycle outside in harsh weather without a waterproof cover on it.
By taking just a little time to do some routine maintenance, you’ll lengthen the life of your bike and allow yourself to enjoy a worry-free ride.
In addition to regular maintenance, Sebastian Fawne knows the importance of being seen at night when riding your bicycle, so he has a website http://www.bicycletaillights.com all about bicycle tail lights.
What can we do on mountain biking trails besides mountain biking?
We’re doing a week long trip and we want one day without mountain biking. We’re already doing geocaching.
Best answer to best/most ideas.
Answer
Just go hiking for a day and take a different path and see where it takes you
