Get Your Bike Ready for Spring

Clean your bike 

The first thing you should do to check your bike is to make sure it’s clean. Wipe off dirt, mud, and cobwebs using a sponge and a bucket of water. Then clean the chain with chain cleaner. Next, we recommend using a bicycle cleaning product, which is easily sprayed onto the bike. Allow the cleaner to work for a couple of minutes, then rinse off with water. Once the bike has dried, it’s time to lubricate the chain. You can either do this with the lubricant that comes with the chain cleaner or buy additional bike chain oil. Be careful not to use too much, as excess oil easily attracts dirt and gravel. 

Check the brakes

Now that the bike is clean and fresh, it’s time to check the brakes. Make sure the brakes are not worn down and test them to ensure that they are working. If you notice that the brakes feel loose or go far in, the brake cable needs to be tightened. On the other hand, if your bike has hydraulic brakes, you will need to top up the brake fluid.

Check tyres and wheels

Has the bike been stored away all winter? If so, air has probably leaked out of the tyres. Therefore, start by pumping up the tyres to the recommended pressure, and check that the shape of the tyre looks even and good. Look for signs that the tyre has worn down on the road contact surface and acquired an edge-like shape, or if cracks have appeared in the tyre. This can indicate that it may be time to replace the tyre to avoid punctures in the future.  

As you use the bike, nuts and bolts can often come loose. Therefore, it’s important to periodically tighten all nuts. Also check all the spokes to make sure none is missing or loose. A missing spoke may seem insignificant, but it can cause the entire wheel to become skewed and, in the worst case, to break.

After completing all these steps, your bike is ready for another season. Now all you need to do is put on your helmet, get on the saddle, and pedal away!