Summer sportsmen* and sunshine cyclists beware. The roads may be losing their winter garnish of snow and ice, but you don’t want to be in too much of a hurry to hop onto the saddle. If your bike has spent the last few months hanging around in your garage or cellar, it pays to take an hour or two to make sure it’s ready for the road.

In short, it’s time to spring-clean your bike. Now here’s a checklist to start you off:

• Give your bike a complete going-over. Fix any mechanical problems you discover, and…
• Pay special attention to the chain and drivetrain; clean it if necessary.
• Give your bike a wash, or at least wipe it down.
• Inspect the tires and bring their pressure up to the recommended PSI.
• Lube all moving parts.
• Take an inventory of the tools in your seat pack or saddle bag, and…
• Don’t forget the spare tube!

These are good ideas even if you gave your bike a thorough overhaul at the end of the last season. Tires go soft as the months pass, and a surprising amount of gunge can accumulate on a bike’s drivetrain when it sits in a garage all winter. An hour spent ensuring that your machine is roadworthy is always time well-spent.

Done already? That wasn’t hard, was it? Now hit the road!

*Not that I’ve got anything against sportswomen, you understand. I don’t. But I’m not a whole-hearted convert to the new gender-neutral English vocabulary, either. “Sportspeople” just doesn’t cut it, I’m afraid, and “sports” is susceptible to misinterpretation. Got that, Sport?

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Further Reading

• “Maintaining, Modifying, Outfitting, Storing & Riding Your Bike” Index to archived articles.

• “Getting Ready to Roll” A routine which also works for bikes you’ve owned for some time.
• “Use a Chain Wear Indicator to Improve Drivetrain Longevity” As the title says…
• “Chain Reaction: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Drivetrain inspection and cleaning.
• “A Clean Bike is a Happy Bike” Bike cleaning, my way.
• “Feeling a Little Flat Lately?” How to keep tires in top shape.
• “The Essential Saddle Bag and Tools: A Cyclist’s Best Friends” Simple but good.
• “Tool Up to Ride: Be Ready for Roadside Repairs” Do you have the right tools in your saddle bag?

• “The Pre-Ride Check” Things to check before every ride.

 

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