It's that time of year - the temps are rising, the days are longer, and you're contemplating taking your bike out for its maiden voyage. However, if your bike has been collecting dust, you might want to take a quick look at our helpful guide of Bike Maintenance Made Easy. Just follow our steps for cleaning, lubing and detailing and get your bike back in terrific riding condition. Don't have time to tackle the tasks yourself? Bring it by and we'll take care of it for you! We've got a tune fit for exactly your needs.
Cleaning Tasks
Cleaning your chain
Instead of the old fashioned kerosene or turpentine in a bucket method for cleaning your chains, use a degreaser and cleaner tool. Put the degreaser in the tool, snap the tool on your chain and backpedal your way to a clean chain.
Keeping your chain clean
When your bike chain and gears aren't too dirty, use a brush to quickly clean your chain and gears. Thin, stiff-bristled brushes fit into small places and can be used "dry" to remove the heavy stuff, or moistened with degreaser to do a more thorough cleaning job.
Cleaning your drivetrain
Give a speed degreaser a shot for cleaning the rest of your drive train. Degreasers spray on in clean in just seconds.
Cleaning your cogs
Clean your cogs easier and faster than ever with a floss for your bike. This tool is perfect for cleaning those hard-to-reach areas. Its microfibers attract and hold grit and grime for an easy cleaning job.
Lube Tasks
The Chain
Keeping your chain lubricated is one of the ways to ensure ease of pedaling, ease of shifting, and to prevent squeaking. To keep your bike running right, keep your chain clean and well lubricated at all times with chain lubes.
The Derailleurs
Your derailleurs work hard with every shift of your bike, and are key to keeping your drivetrain wear to a minimum. By lubricating your front and rear derailleurs you can keep shifting both quietly and smoothly.
The Brake And Shift Levers
The working parts on your brake and shift levers also need to be kept clean and lubed for optimal braking and shifting. Apply a dry lube to the pivot points while running your levers through their range of motion. Also, apply the lube to the adjusting barrel threads.
Detailing tasks
Give your bike a wash
After a long ride, or a long winter in storage, your bike needs a full wash. Washing can be fast and easy with the right product. The right cleaning agent will quickly break down the dirt and grime that accumulates on your frame and components.
Revolutionize your cleaning with brushes
A sponge or rag can do the job, but cleaning becomes much easier with the right set of brushes designed specfically for the task of cleaning your bike. Special brushes make cleaning the frame, wheels, tires, and hard to reach places a cinch.
Make your bike shine like new
A polished bike not only looks amazing, but it even seems to ride better. Modern frames and components are made to shine. Beyond aesthetics, polished frames and parts stay clean longer as they resist dirt and moisture.
Other Tasks
Grease Your Seatpost
Simply removing your seatpost every few months and applying a thin layer of grease to the part prevents corrosion and makes it easy to raise and lower your seat.
Lube Your Suspension
It's important to keep the gaskets, O-rings and stanchion legs on your bike lubricated. In addition, most shock makers recommend having the shock oil replaced with new oil once a year.
Cleaning Your Caliper Brakes
It's important to keep the rims clean of any rubber deposits from the brake pads and clean of grime and dirt, too. A good degreaser is perfect for this task. After the rims are clean, check your brake pads. Glazed, hardened or dirty pads can cause a loss of braking power and squeaking noises. Clean them by scrubbing off any debris and hardened glaze with sandpaper.
Cleaning Your Disc Brakes
Disc brakes offer impressive stopping power, but to maintain this power, you have to keep them clean. A name brand degreaser will easily remove both dirt and glaze off the rotors. Just be sure to replace the pads if they get chipped or contaminated with grease and grime.
