With the sportive season well under way, our assistant workshop manager Andy Bent, gives his top tips on making sure your bike is sportive ready. The majority of the mechanical failures encountered by participants on sportives can be prevent by some simple bicycle maintenance
Clean Bike & Clean Drive Train
I know it sounds simple but a clean bike and clean drive train is the foundation for you completing any sportive. Cleaning your bike regularly will help prevent the buildup of dirt and grime that would otherwise affect any moving mechanical parts, like brakes seizing of gears not operating properly. There are loads of bicycle specific cleaning products and they can be found HERE
Not only is a clean bike essential, but so is a clean drive train. So many people appear at the start line of a 
sportive with a drive train covered in dirt and grime. The buildup of dirt and grime will accelerate the wear on your chain, but did you know that a dirty drive train can cause you to lose a measurable amount of efficiency on your chain. My advice would be to purchase chain cleaner or cleaning sponge. Our chain cleaners can be found HERE. Once you’ve cleaned your chain, it’s time to apply chain lube. You have two options, a wet lube or a dry lube. A wet lube is designed for wet conditions. This lube is excellent at repelling water but is sticky in nature. This means it will attract more dirt. A dry lube is designed for dry conditions. This lube doesn’t last as long as wet lube and will only last approximately 30km-80km.
Tyres in Good Condition/ New Tubes
It goes without saying how vital these parts play in you completing a sportive. Remember they are your point of contact with the road. Poor tyres will inevitably lead to punctures. In some cases your tyre will suffer a blowout, meaning your stranded on the side of the road, with no hope of finishing the event. A blow out may also lead to you having an accident.
So how do you know if your tyre is worn out? Some tyre manufactures have tread indicators on the tyre. Continental has two small ‘tap holes’ in the central area of the tread. When these two holes disappear, it’s time to replace the tyre. Increased tyre wear could be caused by insufficient inflation pressure. If you don’t know what pressure you should inflate your tyres too, have a look at the side wall of the tyre. This will tell the minimum and maximum pressure you should inflate your tyre to. My advice would be that you check and adjust your tyre pressure at least once a month with a pressure gauge
Now that your bike is ready, what should you pack into your saddle bag?
A Rear Derailleur Hanger
Not the device you use to hang your clothes, but a bicycle part. This part is vital and if it breaks during your 
sportive, your event is done. It costs somewhere in the region of €20-€40 and will ensure you’ll make it to the finish of the sportive. The hanger is located at your rear mech. It is a sacrificed part on your bicycle, designed to deliberately bend or break in order to limit or prevent damage to the bike frame and other components. As each bicycle model has its own unique hangar, the likelihood of any mechanical support having one is slim.
Two Tubes
You should always check on the conditions of your spare tubes. There is nothing worse than picking up a puncture only to discover that your replacement tube also has a tear or puncture. If you’re not sure what size your replacement tubes should be have a look at the side wall of your tyre. There, you will find the tube size as well as maximum and minimum pressure. Remember rubber perishes over time so make sure that your spare tubes are fit for purpose. As well as having two tubes you should also have a mini pump. Our selection of mini pumps can be found HERE
Multitool
Another essential item for your saddle bag is your multi tool, which includes a chain breaker. This coupled with a chain connector/powerlink will ensure that you’ll get going if you snap your chain. During this year’s Wicklow 200, we had to deal with numerous chain snap at a steep climb after the Rathdrum food stop. When purchasing a chain connector, make sure it’s suitable for your groupset’s speed. Our chain connectors can be found HERE
By Andy Bent
Andy is Cycle Superstore’s assistant workshop manager and has been in the cycling industry for over 20 years.
