Keeping your Bike in Tip Top Shape

This will probably not come as a surprise to you, but having your bike in tip top shape is very important to not only your enjoyment on your bike, but also your safety. It doesn’t take long to go over your bike and make sure things are the way they should be. Going around your bike with a wrench kit and tightening all nuts that may’ve come loose is one of the best ways to ensure that you get safely from point A to point B. A loose chain is a problem just waiting to happen. Having the chain on your bike at the required tightness ensures that you get optimum power from your pedaling and also ensures that the chain will stay in place and not crown off the crank. Proper cleaning and lubrication of your chain will also make pedaling much easier and prolong the life of your bike. There are several excellent bike greases available. Ask your local bike shop what they use and pick some up for your bike kit and your garage.

Always Better To Be Sure

Tightening the post clamp of your seat will make sure that your seat stays in the proper position. There’s nothing worse than having the seat of your bike drop down a notch or two while you’re pedaling and throwing you off your balance. When the seat’s in the correct height position, the physical strain on your lower back muscles is greatly reduced allowing you to travel much further without pain. It’s never a good idea to skimp on a high quality bike seat, after all…it’s where you’re going to be doing all your pedaling work from. Wouldn’t you want to be as comfortable as you can be doing all that work? Many of the newer bike seats have ‘relief cutouts’ designed into them so that blood flow isn’t restricted while you’re sitting for hours on the seat. This means that blood flow to the groin and leg areas isn’t ‘pinched off’ while you’re pedaling, causing muscles to cramp up.

Your bike repair kit should always be in the best shape and easy to reach. Taking the time to go over the repair supplies you have on hand – especially just before a long road trip – is one of the best ways to ensure that you get back home easily if you have a flat tire or need to make other repairs. Basic tools such as tire levers, hand pump or CO2 inflator and spare tire tubes should be in your kit as well as needle-nose pliers, spare water and snacks for yourself. Having a small tube of sunscreen in your bike kit will also come in handy on those days when clouds give way to sunny skies while you’re out on the road. Incorrect tire pressure can also cause many problems for bikers who travel on roads that may not be the smoothest places to ride. Holes or ruts may work to slide the tires and tubes along the bike rims and damage them. Also be sure that any wobbly wheels are seen to right away. Having loose spokes is usually the reason that wheels become wobbly and riding over rough terrain will only make the matter worse if not corrected.

Brakes are also very important to your safety while traveling. If you pull in the brake levers all the way and the bike is still able to move forward, they need to be adjusted. It’s important to remember that any strange noises coming from your bike while you’re traveling should be seen to right away. Most repairs to your bike will take less than 30 minutes and are always well worth the effort.