Part IV: Keeping Your Bike on the Road in .NET

Create QR in .NET Part IV: Keeping Your Bike on the Road

Once a month, set aside half an hour or so to give your bike the once-over Specifically, there are nine steps that you should take every month everything from checking the tires to cleaning One way to stay on top of your monthly maintenance is to choose a day of the month that you can easily remember For example, if your birthday is June 13, do your maintenance on the 13th day of every month

Examine your bike for signs of stress and structural damage Visually inspect each part of the frame for cracks or other visible signs of wear and tear For the hard-to-see parts of the frame, such as the underside, rub your hands along the surface to feel for bumps or ripples Pay particular attention to areas where the frame is welded On aluminum frames, in particular, look for any hairline cracks or weak points Hold the wheel between your legs and turn the handlebars side to side If there is movement in the handlebar or stem, you may need to tighten the clamp bolts on the handlebars, tighten the stem bolt, or adjust your headset (see 15)

Lift each tire off the ground and give it a spin to see if it s spinning in alignment As the wheel spins, keep your eyes fixed on the brake pad as it rotates, looking for any wobble If you see any wobble, it s probably time to true the wheel (see Truing the wheel, later in this chapter) You ll be able to examine the alignment better if you have a bike stand You can also turn the bike upside down, being careful to protect the shifters Or have a friend lift the tire off the ground while you spin the wheel and examine it Also, inspect the tires for signs of wear, such as cracks, cuts, tears, or bulging If you have a badly worn tire, it should be replaced immediately (see 6) Examine the tread and remove any debris or objects that may be lodged inside

Finally, check for tightness in the spokes Check two spokes at a time, grabbing them between your thumb and finger to test for what should be an even tension around the wheel In the rear wheel, one side may have a slightly different tension then the other, but these should be uniform for each half If you find any spokes that have too much or too little tension, make an adjustment with a spoke wrench (see 7)

Even though we recommend in 16 that you give your bike a proper cleaning after every ride (if you ride in especially muddy or dirty conditions) or at least weekly, let s face it: Most people probably won t do it that often If you don t have the time to clean your bike after every ride or once a week, you really do need to do it during your monthly inspection Dirt is your bike s worst enemy Over time, it works its way into your bike s parts, causing them to wear out faster Turn to 16 for instructions on how to properly clean your bike Cleaning your bike is easier the more frequently you do it If you wait until it s caked in mud and covered in grime, it ll take you a lot longer to get the job done If you stay on top of cleaning after every ride (or at least once a week), you ll be able to finish the job much faster

You probably wouldn t dream of driving your car without changing the oil every three months or 3,000 miles And you should take the same approach with your bike Your bike has many movable parts that require lubrication to reduce friction and stay in good working order A lube job is especially important if you ve been riding frequently, if you ve been riding in wet or dry conditions, or if you ve just cleaned your bike Turn to 16 for instructions on how to properly lube the moving parts and pivot points on your bike