Owning a bicycle is a pleasure. You want your two-wheeler to keep running smoothly and flawlessly for years to come. This is usually not doable if you do not take the necessary care of your bike or overlook its regular maintenance and repairs. 

Bicycle repairs and maintenance is very important, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be done in the bike shop. The Good news is that you can follow some easy do-it-yourself tips to make sure your bike is ready to ride at all the time. 

Let’s take a look at some of these here:

 

• Clean & Lubricate Your Drivetrain 

 

You may feel bad when your friends ride past you with loud fast-moving and squealing sound from the bicycle chain or sprockets. Perhaps, this not-so-sweet sound is coming from your bicycle being produced by metal rubbing against grime, metal, and mud.  This usually happens when all lubrication has worn off for long, shortening the life expectancy of the sprockets and chain. While it can be expensive to replace these items, do regular cleaning and lubricating the drivetrain to save on money.  

• Inflate Your Tires

Tire pressure can dramatically influence the quality of your bicycle ride. Having a low pressure of the tires does not allow you to increase your speed while traveling and keeps you flat especially on hard surfaces. Like every ride, the tires of your bike need to have suggested pressure so you can enjoy a smooth ride every time. This is only possible when you keep checking your tire pressure regularly. If you think you won’t be using your bike for a long time, such as a couple of months or so, try keeping the tires inflated even during the hiatus. It will be wise to take off the tires completely to prevent cracks on their sides. 

 

• Check Nuts and Bolts

 

Keeping all the nuts and bolts of your bike tight can be helpful to avoid mishaps while riding. It will prevent rattling and banging sounds coming from your bike all the way. It is even better to get spare nuts and bolts when you buy a new bicycle so you have no difficulty if a screw or bolt falls off or gets misplaced.

• Correctly Adjust Brakes

If you love driving fast, make sure that your brakes work effectively when needed. If you pull the brake lever but it touches the handlebar and still doesn’t happen, it means you need to bring the brake pads close to the rim or disc. Ideally, tight the adjustment barrel in the brake lever or the brake arm end as it will move the pads close to the disc or rim. You may need to unscrew the bolt containing the wire and tighten the wire, and subsequently screw the bolt back on. Do not forget to twist the adjuster that holds the wire as well as the wire covering to the best movable setting. This will help you have more space and convenience to make the necessary adjustment in the brakes.