If you’re new to cycling, looking after your cycle may seem like a daunting task. But don’t worry as basic bicycle maintenance can be broken down into three main tasks: pumping your tires, cleaning your bike, and lubricating your chain. If you are new to cycling, this may be a great article for you to look after your bicycle.
A perfectly functioning bike is great to ride, which means that you’re more likely to enjoy riding so you’ll ride more. To keep your cycle in great shape there are a few things that we would recommend in this article that you should be doing regularly.
- If you want your bicycle to give you 100% on every ride, it is a must that you maintain it carefully. This means regular servicing of the components and replacement when worn out.
- There is nothing wrong with using a pressure washer to wash your bike but you have to understand the tool. If it is held at a distance that’s safe enough for you to spray it into your hand without hurting, you can use it on the bicycle at that same distance or greater distance. It’s when you go close and get into the high-pressure zone that it becomes dangerous for your bicycle. If you choose the right nozzle, such as one with a wide fan spray, it is much safer than a narrow, pinpoint, or rotary turbo nozzle. By using a foam sprayer to soap the bike and a pressure washer at a safe distance with a wide nozzle to rinse the bike, you can greatly reduce the amount of water necessary to wash your bike.
- You should never use a cotton towel or paper towel to dry your bike as it will scratch or damage the finish especially if it is a matte finish. Always try to use a bicycle detergent or car shampoo as anything else can dull or damage the paint. When drying, use a microfiber cloth to get the bulk of the water off the easy-to-reach areas. Then follow up with a small blower.
- If you have put a ceramic coating or polymer coating on the paint finish, be sure and try to use the right type of soap as you can damage these coatings by messing with the pH. Traditional automotive wax is even more fragile but as it’s much less expensive, it is more of a sacrificial coating than either the poly or ceramic coatings. Soft paint brushes are excellent to reach into those hard-to-reach areas like cleaning the bottom bracket in the area between the front derailleur and chainrings.
- If you are going to use an aerosol degreaser that contains any petroleum, distillates, or any other type of oil to include citrus-based degreasers on any part of the bike, take the wheels off and remove the brake pads before spraying it. Keep those parts far away from the spray and over-spray. Always try to use pH-neutral cleaners or you can damage the finish on anodized parts.
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