1. Clean your chain
A bike’s chain experiences a lot of wear and tear every time you take it out, so the first thing you want to do is wipe it down with a towel and check it for dirt, rust, or excessive amounts of grease. You don’t need to go overboard with a degreaser, though, just a few sprays should do the trick, before wiping it again. Grab a fine-bristled brush to get in between the links to remove any hard-to-reach grime. Finally, and arguably most importantly, lubricate the chain by gripping it with a cloth that has lubricant on it and running the pedal backward. You want to lubricate the chain once a month to prevent the bike’s bearings from grinding, which can make for a very rough ride.
2. Pump the brakes
The importance of keeping your brakes properly adjusted cannot be overstated. That’s why you should check them every time you head out on a ride. Inspect the pads for signs of wear, like lines or metal poking through. You may need to replace the pads if this is the case. Additionally, test your brakes out for noise abnormalities like grinding. This may show that the pads aren’t hitting the rim in the right spot. You can shape the pads and the rims with steel wool or sandpaper to fix this issue.
3. Check your tire pressure
Getting stranded with a flat on a mountain trail, backcountry road, or city street is no fun, no matter how skilled of a cyclist you are. That’s why it’s so important to check both tires’ pressure. The recommended psi level is printed directly on the tire, so grab a gauge and do a quick check. While it’s easy to see when a tire is close to flat, making sure it’s optimally inflated is more difficult at a glance. It’s always a good idea to bring a spare with you, along with a hand-held pump.
If you’re not comfortable doing these tune-ups at home and want a walk-through from a professional head on over to Bay Area Bicycles in Corpus Christi. They provide free safety inspections and can educate you on diagnosing frequent bike issues.
The shop has been locally owned and operated since 1987 and the staff there can help you with everything from maintenance to repairs, finding the right bike for you, properly fitting your bicycle to your body, and so much more. Visit them online at BayAreaBicyclesCCTX.com, in person at 6020 S Padre Island Drive or call them at (361) 993-7000.