1. Clean and lubricate your chain
The chain and sprockets on your bike play a key part in the transfer of power in your legs to your wheels, making them go round and round. When they collect dirt and grit and get gummy, not only does it slow you down, but they also wear out faster. Keeping your chain clean and lubricated is one of the best ways to keep your bike working well
2. Lubricate the moving parts of your brakes and derailleurs.
Your bike has quite a few moving metal parts that are vulnerable to dirt and moisture. To keep your bike happy and functioning well, these parts should be lubricated regularly.
Pivot points on the brakes and derailleurs are good examples of the types of places you should target because they are vulnerable to attracting dirt and grit due to their placement on your bike. but you can spot many of these places just by watching your bike in action and seeing where metal parts move against and around each other.
For instance, think about your brakes. On most road bikes, they are mounted on a bolt on the frame above your wheel. When you squeeze the lever, the brake pivots around this bolt as it contracts. It's these places where you want to apply a couple drops of oil.
3. Inspect your brake pads.
A quick check of your brake pads will often reveal potential problems that are easy to fix. You want to check:
- Are your brake pads properly aligned?
Brake pads are the little rubber things that clamp down on your rims to slow you when you squeeze the brake levers. Make sure they are hitting the rims evenly, and aren't either rubbing the tire or missing your rim partially or completely.
4.
Check the pressure on your tires.
One of the simplest things you can do is the one that can have the greatest effect, and that surprisingly, people most often overlook.
Paying attention to keeping the proper level of air pressure in your tires accomplishes many things:
Checking for proper air pressue in your tires before every ride is quick and easy to do
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