Every bike needs love every now and again. So I wanted to fill you in on a few things you can do to keep you and your bike happy and running smoothly.

Before every ride.

1 – Check your tires – Checking the pressure in your tires is something that you should do before every ride. Not only will it make your bike ride nice, It will also help prevent pinch flats and keep your tires from feeling all squirmy in corners. Dont know what pessure to pump them too? Look on the side of the tire for the recommeded pressure.

2 – Lube your chain – A quiet bike is a happy bike. Nobody likes a squeaky chain. And I mean nobody. I keep a rag and chain lube in the door of my truck so I can always make sure its nice and lubed before every ride. Its also super easy to do. Take a rag and hold it on the chain while turning the pedals backwards. Next drip lube on the chain while you backpedal. Rotate the pedals a few more times. Grab a rag and wipe off the excess while back pedaling. Boom! You’re done. Its just that easy.

Every few rides

3 – Check shifting – Checking shifting is also easy. Hang the bike up or flip it upside down, rotate the pedals forward and shift through the gears. Click up one gear and make sure the chain moves up one gear,all the way from hardest to easiest. Then back down. If it’s slower going up than down or vice-versa its time for a tune up.

4 – Bolt check – Its always a good idea to check all the bolts on your bike. Just using your bike will cause some bolts to loosen. Check them in an order of your choosing. I always go front to back. Starting with stem bolts and ending at the back of the bike. Using a torque wench is a good idea for many bolts on your bike. Doing so will prevent you from over tigthening any. Pivot bolts are also a place where you should use a toque wrench and tighten to manufacturer specs.

5 – Check your chain – Checking your chain for wear is a good thing. Replacing your chain is much cheaper than new chainrings and cassettes. You can either use a chain checker tool or take your bike by your local bike shop and they will be happy to check it for you. As far as how many miles you should get out of a chain can widely very. Its a good idea every few rides just to check it out. It only takes a minute to do and will save you $$$ in the long run.

 So there you go! 5 easy things to do to keep your bike running smooth.