Page 12 - June_2014

BIKE MAINTENANCE BASICS

By Ian Buchanan of Fit Werx, Road & Triathlon Cycling Specialists

M
odernbicycles are more com- bricant away from the brakes as lube and
fortable, faster and easier to ride brakes are not a good combination.
than ever. However, a little bike

maintenance is required to keep things POSITIONING & FIT
working well. Spending a little time on the Making sure that your bike fits you well
following items can help your bike (and is very important to your performance and
body) work much better while potentially comfort. If you have had a fitting with a
keeping you from getting stranded on a qualified fitter before, you should have

ride in the process:
bike positioning numbers that you can use
to make sure nothing has moved since your
TIRES
fitting. If you have not had a professional
Make a habit of inflating your tires before fitting before, get one.
each ride. Some tires lose 5-10 psi in as If your riding habits, injury or some
little as 24 hours and properly inflated tires
other major change has happened since
are the best way to make sure your bike your last fitting, consider a periodic assess-
rolls as well as possible while minimizing ment. A quality bike fitting is for riders of
the chances of getting a flat.
all levels and the best way to help you enjoy
For most road bikes, inflating tires your bike as much as possible.
to around 100 psi works well. Inflating
road bike tires to their maximum pressure If you are thinking about getting a
new bike, don’t go about the selection pro-
is rarely advised and will detract from ride cess backwards - be sure to get a profes-
e
quality while often increasing rolling resis- sional bike fit in advance of choosing your e
n
e
n
o
n
o
n
o
na
n
a
t
a
t
i
t
i
o
i
o
n
o
n.
n
.c
.
co
c
o
m
o
m
m
tance too, so don’t overinflate. Hybrid and new bike. There are a lot of high quality
mountain tires will use lower tire pressure,
so be sure to read the sidewall of your tires bikes on the market today, but that does
not mean that they all fit you equally well.
for the recommended range. When filling You should not have to accommodate to
your tires, be sure to inspect your tires and the needs of your bike; your riding position
make sure that the tread is not cracking, should determine what bikes fit best and
cut or becoming overly worn.
are worth consideration.
CHAIN LUBRICATION & WEAR
Getting professionally fit before you
select your new bike, and using that infor-
Keeping your chain clean and well lubri- mation to help you find the very best bike
cated goes a long way toward improving options, guarantees that you will make a
shift quality while minimizing wear. Lu-
bricate your chain at least every couple great choice.
hundred miles with a bicycle specific chain Keeping your tires properly inflated
lubricant (there is a wide range of options and your chain and cables maintained
are easy to learn, quick to do, and make a
depending on the performance and dura- world of difference in how your bike func-
bility you want).
After applying lubricant and letting tions and performs. Making sure you are
it soak in for a minute, wipe off the excess riding in the right position for your individ-
as you want the lubricant on the inside of ual needs can make a world of difference
in how your body performs and in your
the chain rollers and not attracting dirt on comfort when riding. These are things that V
X
the outside of the chain. Have your chain X
X
checked for wear/stretch at the 1,500-mile can make the difference between a great
point and replace it as needed.
ride and a frustrating day spent on the side
of the road or struggling harder than you
CABLE LUBRICATION & INSPECTION
have to up the hills.
If you have questions, seek out a
Unless you have one of the great newer
electronic shift systems on your bike, cable good bike mechanic or bike fitter; many
friction is one of the leading causes of slug- technicians are happy to help educate you
gish shifting. Keeping your cables in good on how to take better care of your bike and JULY 6, 2014
shape is one of the simplest things you can help your body work as well as possible on
do to improve how your bike works.
your bike. And, don’t forget that an annual
tune-up by a skilled professional can be
To lubricate your cables, simply ap-
ply a Teflon-based lubricant to any exposed one of the best investments you can make
cable where it enters a cable housing. Com- in your cycling and a great way to get the
mon access points for cable lubrication are season started right.
at/in the shift lever, where the cable hous- Note: Ian Buchanan is co-owner of
Fit Werx, a bike shop and bicycle-fitting Register online at www.active.com
ing enters the derailleur, and under the bot-
tom bracket (where the cables are exposed studio with locations in Waitsfield, VT
on many bikes). After applying the lube, and Peabody, MA. Ian can be reached Keyword Search: Great Race XXXV
work it into the housing by simply riding at 802-496-7570 or through the Web at
the bike and shifting. Use care to keep lu-
www.fitwerx.com.

12 VTSPORTS.COM
JUNE 2014