How to Protect Your Bike During the Winter Season

Florida is a cyclist’s paradise. Not only are there plenty of trails and roadways to bike around on throughout the state, the weather is enjoyable year-round. If you’re someone who hails from a different state or who travels frequently throughout the year with your bike, you know that other states aren’t as lucky—especially in winter.

If you’re going to be riding your bike in a climate that gets a lot of snow and cold, it’s important to make sure you’re taking care of it properly. Each of your individual bike parts in Boca Raton, FL needs to be well-maintained to ensure the whole bike will ride safely and effectively in the winter season, and that you’re safe atop it each time you go out for a ride.

Let’s take a look at some of the wintertime maintenance tips you should be following if you’re planning on biking anywhere snow, ice or wind might be a problem:

• Always check your tires before you hit the road. Winter temps can fluctuate heavily—from single digits and teens to up into the 30s and 40s. When this happens, the air in your tires is going to expand and contract. Colder weather may require you to put more air in your tires, while warmer temps may signal that you’re good to ride. Either way, it’s of the utmost importance to check, to prevent blowouts and flats.
• Install mudguards if you’re going to be pedaling through slush on the roads. They’re not exactly stylish or practical, but they’ll prevent salty slush from kicking up onto your bike, where it has the potential to cause rusting or corrosion.
• Along the same lines as mudguards, make sure to wipe your bike down thoroughly after every wintertime ride. Deicers and salt will absolutely destroy your bike if they’re left to fester and any moisture can freeze and thaw in cycles, causing wear to your bike.
• Install wintertime tires to protect yourself from slipping or skidding. Road bike tires have very little grip—swapping your speed-enabled tires out for some with traction might slow you down a little, but it’ll also keep you off the ground and free of road rash.
• Lights are a must-have on your bike during winter rides. There’s almost no real discernable daylight after 3 or 4pm during winter, which means your evening rides are going to feel like nighttime treks. Install some light and, if you have the funds, a radar, to help you stay visible and safe on the road.
• Make sure your chain is properly lubed and appropriately taut. With all of the excess snow and freezing temperatures, loose or dirty chains aren’t going to get you far. Regular chain maintenance will help you stay the course for whatever mileage you’re hoping to hit on your ride.

With special focus on protecting individual bike parts in Boca Raton, FL, you’re going to enjoy a bike that’s equipped to deal with whatever the winter season throws at it. You’ll keep your bike in tip-top condition, so you can ride with peace of mind whenever you get back to the Sunshine State.

Categorised in: Bike Parts

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