Easy bike maintenance that will save you money
Undertaking regular bike maintenance is a topic that applies equally to female and male riders but this post is directed more to women who often think they aren’t very good at things like easy bike maintenance. And that simply isn’t true. You don’t have to be a man to learn some basic (or even more advanced) bike maintenance. Women are just as capable, or perhaps even more, than men at keeping their bikes in good working order. Keeping your bike running well can actually save you money because the parts on your bike will wear better and need replacing less frequently.
Here’s a few tips for the basics:
Tyres
Pump up your tyres regularly. I do mine at least once per week. You will find the recommended PSI for your tyres on the side wall. Typically road tyres should be at around 100 PSI. You should also keep an eye on wear and tear of your tyres and have a close look for any pieces of glass or similar that can gradually work their way through the rubber and cause a puncture.
Chain & running gear
Every few weeks you should clean your chain with a rag to remove the gunk that has accumulated from the road. Once it’s clean you should apply a suitable lubricant. Ask at your local bike shop for a recommendation for the most suitable lube for your bike and type or riding. After applying the lube you should wipe off any excess or otherwise you’ll end up with a gunky mess which will attract dirt and grit from the road.
Every so often (this will depend on how often you ride) you should degrease the chain and other running gear elements like the rear cassette and jockey wheels on your rear derailleur. There are plenty of specialist products available to degrease your bike – don’t use WD40.
Brakes & braking surface
Brake pads, both calliper and disc brakes wear out and need to be replaced. You can also keep your brakes in good condition by cleaning the pads and braking surface occasionally. Don’t use anything with lubricant, just soap and water will do the job. Disc brakes are a little bit trickier but can be cleaned and maintained. Just be careful not to put your fingers on the rotors because the oil in your skin will contaminate them.
Frame
You should also wipe down the entire bike on a regular basis. This is so it looks good, but it also helps with wear and tear. I clean my bike with baby wipes which are nice and gentle on you and the bike, but effectively remove grease and other muck. I also wear plastic gloves when I clean my bike which keeps my hands clean, and encourages me clean it really thoroughly.
Regular servicing
About every 12 months you should get your bike serviced at your local bike shop. It’s relatively inexpensive and is well worth it to keep your precious bike on the road.
You should post this every couple of months – I was enspired and cleaned and chained – thank you – still think bringing it ABS is so much easier…..
You’ve made a good point Nicola – I should do more bike maintenance myself. Unfortunately I have a reliable angel in the gararge. I put my bike on the work rack and the next time I ride it, it’s lubed, tuned and tyres are in good form. As much as I consider this a gift that I love, I should take more interest in what has to be done and how to do it. One day the angel might not come? (or more to the point, might not attend to it in the timeframe I need it done.) I agree with Michelle – you should post on this topic again – remind us to action this… PS… I did read your inspiring post on storage options. Thank you 🙂
I have started a few months ago to do all the maintenance on my bike and past the initial overwhelming feeling of not really understanding fully how to tweak things, it’s ultimately fairly easy… after all, there is no motor and you can see almost everything. I recommend to anyone to just start doing it and it’ll go well, I promise 🙂