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HOW TO KEEP, MAINTAIN AND LOVE YOUR BICYCLE.

By Alex Gunn

Getting in to cycling is a great thing. It gives you the opportunity to explore your world and interact with your surroundings in a new way. As a form of transport, the bicycle is the most reliable, fun and, in many cases, fastest way of getting around the city. Last month’s article On Yer Bike has hopefully persuaded you to take ownership of a bike – in which case you can just get out and ride – but, like most truly worthy things in life, your bicycle requires attention and respect to get the most out of it in the long term. That’s where this article aims to help.

When starting cycling, you need to look at the city with a different mindset. A 5-to-45 minute car journey down Ecclesall road transforms into a reliable ten minute pedal regardless of traffic. A 35-minute amble from Walkley to the city centre now takes ten. But your usual routes around the city may no longer be the most effective. It’s worth doing a little research on the options available and testing them out. Traffic, safety, road condition, hilliness and cycle parking will impact on the ride, as well as overall distance of route. You’ll explore new places and see new sights when looking for the best way to get around. Local organisations like Pedal Ready and Cycle Sheffield can help with route planning. Free cycle maps of the city can be found at most bike shops, or at the online route planning service CycleStreets.

Routes planned? The next stage is spending some time on ergonomics. This will help you enjoy your time on the bike, so experiment with saddle and stem height. Having your saddle too low is very inefficient, and is a common cause of back and knee pain, so just spend some time and find what is comfortable. A good rule of thumb is to raise the saddle to the point where the heel of your straightened leg just touches the pedal. Guides are available online, or ask for help from a fellow cyclist.

Changing some basic contact points such as pedals, a different saddle or some soft, ergonomic grips will make the most dramatic difference to how your bike feels. Brilliant upgrades for your bike are panniers and mudguards to make life more comfortable. Excellent advice on these items is available from online guides, but here’s a free piece of advice: You’re not a donkey, so if you need to carry things, put the weight on your bike using panniers, not your back. Fitting mudguards will make your bike an all-weather machine and keep you looking cool at the end of your journey.

With our changeable Yorkshire weather, it’s important to not let the rain, cold or darkness stop you from riding. For the urban cyclist there is no bad weather, just bad equipment or a lack of preparation. Keeping warm, dry and visible to traffic is essential no matter what the weather is doing. It’s worth investing in a quality waterproof, breathable, high visibility jacket. Gloves, lights and a helmet are all important. There are hundreds of options out there, so your best option may be to go to a friendly shop for advice.

You’ll be so happy with your bike by now that you’ll never want to be without it. This is where security becomes paramount. It’s worth spending around 15% of your bike’s value on a lock. It’s an item that you’ll use for years and could save money, time and hassle. Be aware of the best places to lock your bike, and make sure that when you leave it, both wheels and the frame are secured. If you can leave it in a secure, insured bike park like the Bike Hub in York or Sheffield’s very own Bike Rehab, then even better. Watch this video to see how to lock up your bike properly. If you can keep it indoors at home, or create a safe, covered locking area it will put your mind at ease. Take photos and record your bikes codes, and get it tagged by the police free of charge to aid recovery if it does go missing.

In return for all the fun times, cheap transportation and health benefits, your bike really doesn’t ask much to keep it going strong. Day to day there are some very simple things that can be done to ensure it stays reliable and healthy. Keeping your bike clean and well lubricated will prolong its life dramatically. Washing it regularly will also give you a chance to identify problems early on, and keep on top of regular safety checks like brake pad wear and tyre pressure. Most outer tires tell you the pounds per square inch (PSI) they like to run at.

Learning a few basic maintenance skills like how to fix a puncture will give you the freedom to go further afield, safe in the knowledge you can get home in all situations. If you want to learn more about maintenance, why not try a basic mechanic course, available through ReCycle Bikes and other stores. Otherwise, just about everything you could ever need to know about a bike is available online or by asking your local friendly bike mechanic.

Riding your bike is beneficial to everyone. There is a plethora of help and support out there to keep you rolling. People love talking about bikes, and the community is friendly and strong. If you have a problem or concern about riding, just ask someone or write in to Now Then and we’ll try to answer in writing.

Keep riding this winter:

Winter is often looked at to be the time to spend some time off the bike, but it doesn’t have to be. Crisp, clear mornings are beautiful times to be out on the bike. If you’re commuting, there is no waiting at the bus stop shivering, or extra time de-icing the car and waiting for the heaters to kick in. Within seconds of pedalling you feel nice and cosy, and you don’t have the worry of overheating like summer.

All you need is a little extra preparation, wind and waterproof gloves and footwear, a neck warmer and a thin hat for under the helmet should be the extra steps to make life more comfortable. Your bike also needs a little extra prep for winter commuting.

Along with the obvious additions of mudguards and a christmas tree of lights to stay dry and seen, a few mechanical tweaks will help keep your bike reliable through the winter.

Beat that road salt!

The spreaders will be in force for a good few months and your bike needs protection to stop corrosion. Giving your bike a wash off at the end of your commute will drastically reduce the major damage. A can of GT85 is essential to then expel water and to give a thin layer of protection against the next salty attack.

Keeping a can of lubricant and one of de-icer at work is a good way to make sure your bike isn’t left for too long without attention, you’ll also then have the tools ready to combat your frozen bike lock without stress.

Stop components seizing. Remove your seat post, pedals, quill stem, and stem bolts. Clean them with a rag to remove old lubricants, and put a dab of grease on before re-fitting. If these components aren’t protected by a nice fresh layer of grease they can corrode into place, with the worst case scenario being a chemically bonded seatpost to frame which is a timely and expensive fix.

Check those brakes

Winter roads create a gritty grinding paste which on a long descent, or one of our famously steep Sheffield hills wear brake pads faster than you’d like. Rear pads often take the brunt of the wear, with most riders slightly dragging the rear brake all the way down a hill, and just using the front for short sharp bursts. Calliper brake pads will have a wear line present, so keep an eye on how close you’re getting to this. Disc brake pads need to be replaced with 1-2mm of material left, shine a torch directly at the calliper, and looking from the front you should be able to identify where the pad material finishes and metal backing plate starts. If you ever hear a metallic or grinding noise, you’ve gone all the way through your pads, be sure to stop riding until you change these.

Chain Wear

The same dirt and road salt does enjoy accelerating chain wear. Keeping your chain and drivetrain components clean and well lubricated is the only way to keep wear to a minimum. Between cleans, use GT85 to get rid of the offending salty water, and use a thicker synthetic wet lube to keep things running smoothly for longer. If you check your chain wear frequently, and replace the chain before it has a chance to damage your other drivetrain components to keep running costs lower. If you’re in the area and want your chains health checked, just drop by and I’ll always check for free.

So there we go, no need to stop cycling as the winter gets into it’s stride.

Keep enjoying those Sheffield miles.

Sheffield Hardcourt Bike Polo.

Get that beating stick ready, get a ridiculously small gear ratio and come check out Bike Polo. Every Tuesday SoYoPolo meet up for a casual few games, all you need is a bike and some wild banter to join in. See www.soyopolo.co.uk for more info, or drop by Bike Rehab and I’ll tell you all about it and point you in the right direction.

Thinking of getting a new bike off the internet?

Mail order bikes only come only partially assembled, there are some essential steps that need to be completed before the bike can hit the streets. Call today and arrange your new to be bike delivered driectly to Bike Rehab, then stroll on down later that day and collect your new machine after a full, comprehensive professional set up. Then ride away happy!

Have you seen us in this months Exposed Magazine? The guys from Exposed headed over for a chat and to check out Bike Rehab, they seemed to like us so much they put us in the mag. Why not pick up a copy and have a look yourself.

: Andrew Smith has kindly donated nine of his Velo exhibition prints, these now grace the walls of Bike Rehab, come and check them out. The full exhibition is now at ‘Look Mum No Hands’ in London, and copies of “Velo” can be purchased via http://www.bymyi.com/BOOK1.html

Choosing the right bike style
Inspired by the summer of cycling, all those Olympic golds getting you keen to get on two wheels but don’t know what style of riding to take up?
Try this infographic

Bike Rehab will again be offering Free bicycle safety checkovers at Weston Park Live on Sunday 15th. We’re just good like that! Click the picture for a link to check out the latest from the festival.