Treat yourself to a bike service

Give your bike some care and it will last considerably longer – maintenance prevents both injuries and accidents but above all it is so much more fun to cycle on a bike that works as it should!

The easiest way is to let your bike be serviced by a bike workshop but below you will find some tips on simpler things you can do on your own.

If you want to service your bike at home, you need to make sure that the bike is steady, a simple tip is to set it upside down when you’re working on it if you don’t have access to your own bike stand. Make sure that the handlebars are on a soft surface and mount off the bell only, as it can otherwise easily break /become scratched.

Good things to check:

For your bike to be safe and function as it should, it is good to periodically check its different parts. Below you will find the most important parts to check and ensure that they work as they should.

Spokes
Make sure that all spokes are fixed and that no one is off. A wheel with broken spokes will be crooked eventually. Spin the wheels and make sure they’re not crooked. A crooked wheel can usually be fixedat a workshop, but if you cycle too long with it it can eventually be too damaged to be able to repair, which is much more expensive to fix.

Chain
Make sure the chain is tense. This is among the most common errors that many cycle around with, a far too slack chain. A slack chain poses not only a risk (as it can more easily drop out) but also wears considerable more on the powertrain’s other components. Make sure it is tense enough and does not flex more than about 1-2 cm.

Screws and nuts
Make sure that the screws and nuts are tightened. A cycle is exposed to a lot of vibrations while travelling and tightening screws and nuts is important. In particular, ensure that the nuts at the wheel axles are hard enough make sure there’s no looseness for wheels and pedals.

Maintenance:

Cleaning
Keep your bike clean and shiny! =) This is probably the single best tip to extend your bike’s lifespan. Unfortunately there are many cyclists who more or less never clean their bike. You don’t have to go bananas with polish and rub with toothbrush, it’s good enough that you periodically remove the worst dirt. Use a brush for the chain and rinse off the worst dirt with water. Then of course it does not hurt that sometime a year be a bit more accurate and clean the chain and cassette.

Right pressure
Make sure you have the right pressure in the tires. A bike with too little air in the tires is considerably slower than one with proper pressure. Please check with a bicycle pump that has pressure meter. The old classic “pressing with your thumb” is rarely particularly reliable way to control the right pressure =)

Give your bike some grease
Grease the chain and moving parts regularly, especially if you cycle in winter or in conditions with a lot of dirt/salt. Use a good bicycle oil (not any universal lubricant, it just sticks more dirt over time) and hang make sure to put just enough.

Good things to service/replace:

Chain
As has already been mentioned, the chain is the part of the bike that wears the most (it’s the one that makes sure your strong legs makes the wheels spin) Make sure to stretch the chain at regular intervals but make sure to change the chain when it’s too stretched. A bike chain is a consumable and stretched over time, however, it can vary greatly depending on the bicycle style, the nature of the cycle path, how well greased/ cleaned it is, etc. Everything from a few hundred miles to the triple is its longevity. Either you can buy a chain wear indicator and check for yourself, or you can let your local bike workshop check it for you and change it for you if necessary. –

Tires
Change your tires when they start to get worn or old. A pair of worn tires have a worse grip but also get punctured significantly more often. Check the tire’s pattern and see if it has cracks on the sides.

Brakes
If your bike has rim brakes or disc brakes, brake bricks need to be replaced if they are worn out. Let your bike workshop check these when you submit to service.

In short, your bike should be serviced and maintained, just like any other vehicle. But if you do it a little now and then instead of every two years, you will avoid future damage that has greater costs. We offer of course service in our own stores on St Eriksgatan 106 in Stockholm and Davidshallstorg 1 in Malmö.