We hope you are looking forward to participating in a couple of Sportives in the next while. The friendly (albeit a bit grubby) lads from the Cycle Superstore workshop would like to give you their top tips on keeping your bike in shape over the summer. Most of the mechanical failures encountered are easily preventable by some simple bicycle maintenance:
Keep It Clean
I know it sounds simple, but a clean bike and drive train is the foundation for you completing the event. Dirt and grime build-up will accelerate the wear on your chain and reduce the efficiency of your chain. Our advice would be to purchase a chain cleaner or a simple cleaning sponge. Our chain cleaners can be found here.
Once your chain is cleaned, it is time to apply chain lube. You have two options, a wet or dry lube. As the name suggests the wet lube is for wet conditions. The lube is excellent at repelling water, but its sticky nature means it will attract dust in drier conditions. A dry lube is less sticky will attract less dirt but the trade off in this is that it can be easily washed off in wet conditions. More information about the different lubes can be found here
Fresh Tyres
It goes without saying how vital your tyres will play in you completing an event. Remember they are your point of contact with the ground. Poor tyre pressure or tread will inevitably lead to punctures or in some cases a blow-out
Check the recommended tyre pressure – it is usually written on the tyre side wall and will indicate maximum and minimum pressure. Pump the tyres the night before to ensure there are no slow leaks. At least once a month check and adjust your tyre pressure using a pressure gauge. Carry a handheld pump on your bike (never in your back pocket). Our range of track pumps can be found here and our range of mini pumps here
So how do you know if you tyre needs replacing. Some manufacturers have tread indicators on their tyres. One such example is Continental Road tyres who have two ‘tap holes’ in the centre of the tread. Once they disappear it is time to change the tyre. For mountain bike or off-road tyres if the blocks on the tyres are no longer sharp and are rounded off, it is time to change them
