Why Cyclists Need To Maintain Their Bikes Regularly And At The Right Time

Wherever and whatever type of riding you do it’s important to keep your bike clean and well-maintained. We’re not suggesting you need an arsenal of tools at your disposal, but a little bit of basic cleaning and maintenance will go a long way when it comes to prolonging your steed’s lifespan. Anyone can perform basic maintenance tasks on their bikes but knowing when to maintain them and why to even bother can be tricky. We’ve rounded up some of the reasons you as a rider need to maintain your bike regularly.

1. To improve the longevity of your bike

A modern bike can be quite an investment, so it’s not an expenditure you want to be repeating every year or so. Keeping your bike in tip-top shape is important in order to lengthen its natural lifespan. Of course, the last thing you want to do post-ride is clean your bike when you could be enjoying a beer or lazing on the sofa, but try to make sure you clean and lubricate your chain regularly, and give it a good hose down if the weather has been less than desirable on your ride. It’s always easier to clean off wet mud than the dried glue it becomes, so save your future self some time and clean it as soon as you can.

2. To keep it safe

Riding your bike is statistically one of the safest ways to get around, but don’t be fooled by its robust construction — all it takes is one knackered bearing or bolt for you to put yourself (and others) in danger. Make sure you check your bolts at regular intervals and feel for any bearing wear in your headset, wheels and bottom brackets are a good starting point. For MTBers make sure you check your suspension at regular intervals, and your pivot points if you have a full-suspension bike If you feel anything untoward — make sure you take it to a professional, use the Hubtiger app to find a local mechanic with availability.

3. To improve performance

As the adage goes, a clean bike is a fast bike — and it’s true. Keeping a clean drivetrain can improve your efficiency and require less effort for higher speeds. Another way to do this is by performing the ABC checks before riding — check the air in your tyres, your brake pads/discs, and your chain and cables. If anything looks a bit suspect why not book it in for a service?