When and Why You Should Get Your Bike’s Suspension Checked

Riding a bicycle is a terrific way to get some exercise. It’s also a viable way to get around, especially in urban environments. For proper upkeep, you should occasionally be taking your bike to a bike repair shop to have it inspected and maintained.

One of the key components of bicycle repair is having your suspension checked and tuned up. On mountain bikes, your suspension is especially important, as it can offer you better control when riding off-road and prevent you from losing control and falling.

This article will cover FAQs on when you should get your suspension checked and why it’s important.

Why is it important to have your bike’s suspension examined?

We touched on it above, but the suspension for mountain bikes not only provides better comfort while riding but better stability too. Many mountain bikes have both front and rear suspension systems designed to reduce harsh bouncing when driving over rougher terrain. The thing about suspension systems in all vehicles is that they’re prone to wearing down gradually.

If you fail to take your bike into a bike repair shop regularly to have the suspension checked, it may be close to failure, and you wouldn’t know it. Should your suspension fail completely while you’re riding, you could lose control and take a spill. You could also have your suspension fail and be stranded and forced to walk your bike back to your car in the middle of the wilderness, which would be a treacherous predicament.

How often should you have your bike’s suspension checked?

Keeping your bike on a regular bicycle repair schedule is a great way to increase its longevity and ensure that small issues don’t become big ones. How frequently you have your bike’s suspension checked will depend on a few factors.

The first factor is how often you’re riding. If you’re riding long, off-road races every other weekend, you’ll want to have your bike’s suspension inspected frequently. You could do it every week or month if you’re riding every weekend, but a good rule of thumb is to have your bike’s suspension examined for every 200 hours of riding time.

What if you don’t ride your mountain bike that often? How often should you have your bike’s suspension checked? You should take your mountain bike to a bike repair shop at least once a year (regardless of riding time) to have your suspension checked because of how crucial it is to your bike.

Can you do anything yourself to maintain your bike’s suspension?

Of course. You should begin by researching the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines and following those when it comes to your suspension. You can install a mudguard on the suspension to prevent dirt, dust and debris from getting onto the stanchion.

You should also clean the stanchions of your suspension with a soft cloth and delicate cleaning solution to prevent them from becoming caked with dirt.

Call to have your bike suspension inspected today

If you need to have your suspension inspected or require other bicycle repair services, give us a call at Bicycle Doctor House Calls. We’re a mobile bike repair shop, and we’ll come to you to help you repair your bicycle and get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Categorised in: Bicycle Maintenance

This post was written by Writer