Daily Bike Maintenance

What maintenance is required day-to-day in order to keep your bike in peak condition? You may find that the wear of consistent riding will take its toll on your bike over time, and with repair costs and spare parts being purchased, this can add up. All of a sudden, your bike has become more of a hindrance than a benefit; whether you decided to take up cycling due to the cost-saving on transport it boasted, or if you’re more of a casual cyclist prone to taking leisurely rides on nice days out, the mounting costs of maintenance, of tyre or inner tube replacement, brake hydraulic repair, chain care, can at times feel like you’re feeding into a sunk cost fallacy. But this does not have to be the case.

Regular maintenance will help to keep costs down and see that your bike handles smoothly. There are some key areas to keep on top of:

Cleaning
Cleaning your bike regularly will prevent the build-up of dirt, dust, and grime acquired when out on a ride. Equally, this will stop a stationary bike from rusting. Ensure the frame is wiped down, the chain is cleaned of any dirt, mud, or other outside elements.

Check your brakes
Your brakes should be in perfect working order at all times. Test the levers to confirm that there are responsive and adequately firm, along with the brake pads to ensure there is no wear. If your brake pads are worn down, this will interfere with your stopping response, which can be dangerous. Any pads that are not up to task should be replaced. We can replace and fit brake cables as part of our servicing and repairs, along with other components.

Check your bolts
Inspect the bolts on your bike that hold the parts together; they should be tight and secure (note that in some quick-release cases, the bolts that hold wheels in place should be tight enough to do this job effectively, but loose enough to release with relative ease when it comes to taking the wheel off).

Check your chain
The bike chain can come under wear, damage, or rust, along with being a prime location for the build-up of mud and dirt. You should use a chain cleaner and high-quality bike lubricant.

Keeping on top of this maintenance can help to keep costs down and avoid big, time-consuming tasks to repair your bike in the long-run. We have a great many services and items that will help to keep your bike in the best condition, including servicing, bearing replacement, and chainset replacement – available at our online store or at our bike repair shop.