Servicing your bicycle to keep it in excellent condition means that it will be ready and safe to use any time you need it. There are many reasons to service your bike frequently and many factors that you need to keep in mind when doing so. Cycle Fix London give you their top tips!
Keep Your Bike Running Like New
When you haven’t serviced your bike in a long time, dirt and grime will build upon your chain, crank, and other parts of your bike and negatively affect the performance of your bike.
Regularly servicing your bike is a must if you are serious about bike riding and want to have the best cycling experience. There are several things you can do to keep your bicycle running like new. Until you need to take it to the shop to get it repaired or serviced.
Some of the obvious and important tasks you need to do are mentioned below:
1. Keep Your Chain Clean
If your bicycle is experiencing poor shifting, then the main cause is likely your bicycle’s chain.
Dirt and grime can build up in this area and contribute to the early wear and tear of your bicycle. When cleaning the chain, you may need to remove it and soak all of it in a cleaning solution if you haven’t cleaned it in a long time and have let a lot of dirt and grime build-up. However, if you have already been paying attention to your chain, then you can clean it while it’s still attached to the bike.
You can use a solution to dissolve the grease and grime while still leaving a healthy coating of oil behind to keep gear shifting smooth. Use a cloth to wipe off any excess liquid of the chain if necessary, after using a solution.
2. Inspect Your Tyres
Inspect your tyres before you ride your bicycle. This should be part of your pre-ride check.
Even if your tyres are new, check them regularly as foreign objects could have damaged or if left in place, potentially wear the tyre away. Punctures may need to be repaired or new tyres fitted. A quick visual tyre inspection before your set off can save you time on getting stranded with a flat/damaged tyre.
3. Brake Check
Once you have been riding your bike for several months, the brake pads can start to wear, and the cables can begin to stretch.
Check to frequently to make sure the brakes are working as they should.
4. Clean and Polish
This doesn’t include washing your bike completely and thoroughly, but this allows you to inspect all aspects of your bike and identify any parts which need changing, repairing, or adjustments.
This can be done using some cleaning solvent and a cloth.
5. Wheel Straightening
Before you start riding your bike, check that the rotation, and alignment of each wheel is what it should be.
If there are any issues such as wobbling, then you need to fix them before riding the bike. This will keep you safe when riding, and improve the quality of your riding experience.
A Safer Bike
It’s necessary to conduct a safety check for your bicycle before any ride. If not every ride, we recommend at least once per week. There is a procedure you can follow that helps you identify potential issues in a methodical way.
This check includes:
- Rear-wheel
- Spokes
- Tyres
- Seat
- Chain
- Pedals
- Stem
- Headset
- Brakes
- Frame
- Front Wheel
Recycling Used Bicycle Parts
Here at Cycle Fix London, we recycle all used bike parts. Old bicycle parts, even those in terrible condition, can be repaired, refurbished, and re-used.
We allow customers to give us their old bicycle parts if they are going to not use them anymore, this always for proper disposal and helps the environment.
Daily Commuters – Bicycle Care
Servicing your bike is essential, whether you use it regularly or as little as once every month. It doesn’t matter what the season is, the type of terrain you ride your bike on, or how often you use it, servicing your bike is a must for everyone. This will improve the bike’s performance and make your riding experience better and easier. If you commute by bike, then servicing will improve your biking experience and can make your commute a whole lot better.
While your biking experience can be improved through bike maintenance, the main reason to service your bicycle is to ensure your safety. The process of getting your bike serviced will detect any issues with the bike’s functionality and help fix them. This will make your daily commute easier, better, and most importantly, safer.
Learn more about Bicycle Servicing or view our Workshop Pricelist