Spring Bike Tune Up

As the snow disappears, the tantalizing prospect of flying through the roads and trails is starting to look like a reality. Some people live in places where they never have to surrender their bike, but here in Maine, it’s tough for a bike to compete with our winter weather. I’m sure many of you are in the same boat. It’s time to take that bike out the garage, but before you hit the road, you are going to want to make sure your bike is ready to go! Let’s get started!

1. Clean everything.

Hopefully you cleaned your bike before you stored it away for the winter, if not this step is going to be extra important. You’re going to want to clean every component of your bicycle, from frame to chain. Use a biodegradable cleaner like  Park Tool Citrus Chain Brite Cleaner or Pedro’s Oranj Peelz. I suggest using a brush set like  Park Tool's, where each brush is specially designed for certain components, making the cleaning process much quicker and easier compared to an old toothbrush or rag. Clean components are going to have a longer usable life than dirty ones and will perform more efficiently, and I know that you aren’t looking to waste energy on your bike.

2. Check your wheels and tires

Ensuring that your wheels are in proper rotation is going to be extremely important before going out on your first ride. Check to make sure that your wheel is able to rotate fully and does not rub on the frame or wobble back and forth as it rotates. Inspect your rim for excessive damage as a damaged rim will create a domino effect of other damaged parts. Check your tires for wear; it’s pretty easy to spot a bald tire, those will need to be changed. If your tire is good to go, check the tire pressure. Your tire should be rock hard to the touch, but you should check you pressure using a  psi gauge. Most tires will have their suggested PSI range printed right on the tire. Under inflated tires can cause bent wheels and other damaged components.

3. Brakes

At some point or another, you are going to absolutely need your brakes. If they aren’t functioning properly, it’s going to end badly! Make sure the whole brake system is in good working order. Check the pads for wear, if a ridge has formed or other uneven wearing, the pads aren’t in the right position and should be adjusted. If the  brake pads are less than ¼ inch thick, then they need to be replaced. Look at your cables and make sure that there is no rust and no fraying of the  cables; these can lead to ultimate brake failure, something every cyclist wants to avoid. Also, make sure that there isn’t excess slack in your brake line as it will slow the reaction time in the braking system, and as any triathlete knows, efficiency is your friend.

4. Smooth Shifting

This step is a little tricky to do on your own because you need to have the rear tire spinning to shift through your gears. Shift through all your gears while spinning your tire and if you find any gears that don’t change smoothly, you may want to take your bike to the local shop and have your  derailleur inspected. Take a look at your chain, it is usually the first component in the drivechain to wear out and is cheaply and easily replaced.  Chains usually last about 2,000-3,000 miles before they should be changed. Remember if your chain is damaged, it will wear excessively on the other more expensive and harder to replace pieces, so make sure your chain is always clean and in good shape.

5. Lubrication

Now that everything is clean, inspected, and any damaged components replaced, it is time to the moving parts of the bike. The lubricant is going to do a couple things. First, it will coat the components with a hydrophobic layer that is going to resist water. Water is not good for bikes, especially dynamic metal components. Think Rust. Secondly, it will have keep dirt and grime from covering components and create a smoother surface, increasing your efficiency and it’s useable life. Use a bike specific lubricant like  Park Tool Grease Tub or Tri-Flow Aerosol Spray, they are designed to hold up to the extreme condition of your bike. While smoothly rotating your pedals, apply a uniform layer to the chain; also coat the moving parts on the derailleur, brakes and any exposed wire. You might want to consider applying lubricant to the seat post and headset too, to keep every part in tip top shape.

6. Tips! Now that your bike is ready to go, here are a couple tips to give you and your bike the best ride possible.

• Take it easy at first! It might have been a while since you were on your bike, don’t expect it to go as easily as when you were in your prime last summer. Your muscles haven’t been used like this in a while! Go for a couple short rides to get your body used to it again.
• Maintain your bike. Spring is tough on bikes. Puddles, potholes, mud everywhere, and corrosive salt residue on the road all reduces the efficiency and lifetime of your components. If you wash and dry your bike and reapply lubricant after each ride, you’ll keep your bike in ideal riding shape.
• Store your bike correctly. Before you store your bike for next winter, do a thorough cleaning of all your components just as you did when you took it out of storage. Lubricate all your components before storage so they can resist as much water and dirt as possible. Hang your bike if possible to avoid uneven pressure on the tires and if you aren’t able to hang it, completely fill the tires with air so that it is less likely to go flat and damage the tire and wheel. Store your bike indoors if possible. If you do not have the inside space, completely cover with a water resistant cover like a tarp, so as little water as possible comes in contact with the bike.
• While some of these fixes are pretty straight forward, those without much bicycle mechanic experience might benefit from bringing their bike to the local bike shop for more complicated adjustments. Know your limits!