#Small home bike workshop professional#

Then we want to make sure it has enough oil on, and there’s no rust anywhere. How do we check a chain? Firstly, visually inspect it to make sure it isn’t split anywhere, or it’s not loose or sagging. The better you look after it, the longer you can prolong its life. Depending on the terrain you’re on, it might be more or less. If you don’t look after your chain, it is prone to snapping, rusting and working ineffectively, and wearing down other components quicker than normally.Ī chain should typically last roughly 1500 miles. The next thing I would look at is your chain. Read More: Different Kinds of Brakes Explained If they don’t work correctly, you might need new pads, discs, or new cable inners and outers. Once that’s checked, you’re going to want to pull the brakes and make sure the wheels stop, then if so, a quick road test to make sure they work as they should. The discs make sure there’s more than 1.5mm width in the disc. Make sure they have enough life left in them by looking at the pads breaking surface, and making sure there’s some left. So how do we check our brakes? Well, firstly, before anything, visually inspect your pads and if you have disc brakes, the discs too. If your brakes are not up to scratch, they can take longer to slow you down, or they could just stop working altogether, which would be even worse. If there’s one thing not to mess about with, it’s your brakes.īrakes are vital to keeping you and others around you safe, and they are straightforward to keep on top of. If they need changing, change them like you would a puncture, ensuring they go on with correct rotation. To check your tires, you need to visually have a look first for any holes, splits, or that they have gone past the wear point, then after, give them a pinch to make sure they have a decent amount of air in. They say tires should be able to do roughly around 1,100-1,800 miles, and in my opinion, I believe that’s about the right time to start changing them. Not only are old tires not very safe you also typically get loads of punctures on old tires, meaning you are spending time and money on repairing and replacing tubes. The first reason is safety, and if your tires are not in good shape, you can expect them not to have good grip, you can expect chances of getting blowouts, and also they can start to split and wither. They are vital to getting your bike in tip-top shape and in my opinion, one of the most important things to keep an eye on. The first thing when it comes to bike maintenance you need to keep on top of is your tires.

#Small home bike workshop professional#

In this section, we’re going to speak about parts you can maintain at home, and that are easy to keep on top of, then in the second section, parts that need maintenance, but we recommend seeing a bike shop when you need professional service. This is basic maintenance, so we’re going to think about bike parts and maintenance we need to keep an eye on and that we can easily work on at home. What Are the Main Parts That Need Maintenance?

Then when you eventually go to the bike shop, you will be getting a hefty bill when changing the chain regularly could help avoid that. In the long run, it will end up costing you much more.Ī great example is your chain, if you let that get too worn, it will wear your cassette and chainrings much faster. If you don’t keep on top of general maintenance, you will see other parts of the bike will get affected. If you don’t keep on top cables, your bike will feel awful to ride and be slower. For example, if your tires are not pumped up enough, they will lag, and you might get pinch flats. Things like an unoiled chain will make you lose power and also might cause other parts to break. If you don’t look after your bike, it won’t perform well. Luckily enough, they could stop on just one single break in the end. The worst one was someone’s brake failing down a steep descent. I have been cycling for many years and have seen many potentially dangerous mechanical failures that could have been avoided just by doing a few checks and some basic bike maintenance. The most important reason we will ever have to look after our bikes is safety. Let’s talk about the most important reasons. Why is bicycle maintenance essential? There are so many reasons to keep on top of your bike’s health and make sure it works properly. If you want to keep your bike on at its best and avoid the local bike shop repairs as much as possible, continue reading this article. Typically we call this bike maintenance, and you would be surprised at how easy it can be. We all love our bikes and riding them, but if we want them to work correctly and be on top form, we need to show them some love and give something back to them for all the hard work they give us.