Five Maintenance Tips That Can Save You from Costly Bike Repair in Boca Raton, FL

Taking care of the things you own should be a no-brainer, but there are some possessions that require a little more upkeep for cost and safety reasons, such as bicycles. That being said, here are five do-it-yourself maintenance tips that can potentially save you from costly bike repair in Boca Raton, FL:

• Store it properly: No matter what type of bike you have—road, street, racing or comfort cruiser—never leave it outside in the elements. Leaving a bike sitting outside exposed to the heat, rain, wind or humidity, especially when there’s a lot of moisture in the air, can cause metal corrosion, cables and pads to weaken and even destroy your tires. To protect your bicycle, store it indoors, like in the garage, a shed or your home’s entryway.
• Check it over before every ride: Doing your own inspections before a ride, as well as the times in between, is a good practice that can save you from expensive bike repair in Boca Raton, FL. Inspect your brakes for uneven pad wear or worn down pads, brake pads that are off center and touching the tire and levers that should not be loose. Check your tire pressure for under- or over-inflation by matching pump pressure to the correct tire PSI, and while you’re down there, make sure the tread looks good and that they’re free and clear of tire damaging debris.
• Clean your bike: Whether you have a road bike or a street bike, it doesn’t matter—all bicycles will get dirty to some degree, which is why it benefits you to wipe down your bike top to bottom after every ride. For a more thorough cleaning job, using a cloth, wash it with soap and water or a solution specifically designed for bicycles. Be sure to clean your bike’s chain and gears of gunk buildup, but be careful not to rinse using a hard spray setting that can knock components out of whack. Bounce your bike a few times to remove water, then hand dry with a clean cloth. Polish if desired.
• Lubricate essential parts: It’s important to keep moving parts lubricated for safe riding and to avoid destruction to your bike. After cleaning, or in general, you may need to use a bicycle-specific lubricant on the chain, cables, shifters, brake joints and derailleur. Wipe away excess lube from lubed parts, as well as any that may have gotten on the bike frame or other surfaces.
• Schedule an inspection: Owning a bike can be compared to owning a vehicle—you must maintain it for all around proper function. Regardless of whether you ride your bicycle everyday or you’ve recently pulled it out of storage, it’s a good idea to take it in for routine safety inspections and tune-ups, especially if you’ve crashed it or purchased a used bike.

If you find yourself in need of assistance with your new or old bicycle, give the team at Bicycle Doctor Inc. – House Calls a call for assembly help or bike repair in Boca Raton, FL. Whether it’s an alignment you seek or your gears require repair or replacement, we provide a myriad of bike services in-house or at your house!

Categorised in: Bike Repair

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