If you’re an avid Cyclist, you may know that there are key features of your Geared or Single Speed ,MTB or Hybrid Bicycles, that ensure your ride is smooth, safe, and enjoyable. Maintaining your Bicycle not only gives you a Good riding Experience on daily basis but also Increase the Life of your Bicycle.Hence, Regular Bicycle checks with a bike mechanic and Good lubrication from time to time is required for almost all Bicycles bought online or offline including the one used for small city rides or the one used for long rides or race.
In this blog, OMO Bike's Technical Team shares three reasons why regular maintenance is critical for riding safely and avoiding costly bike repairs down the line
Note : - Always check your Bicycle before for any loose components before going on Long Rides and get it serviced by professionals if you find any issue.
1. Safety: Bicycle maintenance, Geared or Without Gear , MTB or Hybrid Cycle, is a preventive measure against riding an unsafe Bicycle. Don’t wait for something to pop mid-ride, as this could lead to injuries and major damage to your bike. Bicycles that are serviced regularly are tightened, inspected, and lubricated , ensuring their parts are in working order and pose no risk of seizing, breaking, or corroding.
2.Savings: Similar to Car or Motorcycle, regular Bicycle maintenance helps you avoid costly future repairs. Regular maintenance of Bicycle helps you find problems at early stage which can be resolved with small repair instead of getting hit in future with a huge bill on replacement of parts.
3.Smoother Ride: A tune-up for all kind of bicycle, including geared and non geared MTB or Hybrid, is required at least once in 2 to 3 months or depending on usage to keep your bike in good condition for smooth riding. While going for checkup or service, do check if your bicycle Mechnic is checking the parts of the bike that are more complex and difficult to maintain, such as the spokes and cables, and fine tune them if required. Just like a Car or Motorcycle with engine oil replaced, you will notice the smooth and light riding experience on your Hybrid or MTB cycle after service.
As we mentioned above , a regular checkup is needed once in 2-3 month from bicycle mechanic but you can also DIY few things(Clean, Grease and Lubricate) at home for smooth and noiseless riding experience
SO LETS UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE DEGREASER, CLEANERS AND LUBRICANTS ONE BY ONE:
DEGREASING YOUR MTB or HYBRID CYCLE
Degreaser is used to break down the old, grimy lubrication on the bicycle so that it can be replaced by smooth fresh lubrication in the form of oils or grease depending on the place of application. Degreasers are typically harsh in nature, need to be used sparingly and are used liberally on the major drivetrain components – chain, cassette, crank, derailleurs – to ensure they are clean, because Our bikes have plenty of moving parts and require some form of lubrication to ensure efficiency and prevent wear and tear. Unlike automobiles, bicycles have a lot of exposed components to reduce unnecessary weight on Bicycle due to which lubricants/grease end up gathering dirt and grime which not only reduce the life of the component but also reduce performance.
A good degreaser, when paired with a good brush set, will make drive train maintenance much easier. Old rags and toothbrushes can be a makeshift option too, to get rid of stubborn grime from those though to get at places.
USING BIKE CLEANERS:
Bike cleaners are designed to be used on bicycle frames and components after the heavy grease has been stripped out using a degreaser. Bicycle specific cleaning agents ensure delicate components like bicycle seals, plastic components, and the paint job are handled with care and prevent any side effects.
Bicycle cleaners definitely help to make washing the bicycle much easier. These products are not strong as degreasers, and cannot be used instead of a degreaser. They are typically used on frames, saddles, wheels and other hard to reach parts to strip light grease/lube on them. Again, having proper bike specific wash brushes help to ensure we can reach those nooks and crannies and make it so much easier to wash a bicycle fast.
LUBRICANTING THE BICYCLE COMPONENT:
After degreasing the old grease, cleaning the surface with a bicycle-specific cleaner, its time to ensure we apply the correct lubrication to ensure the bicycle is ready to be ridden. Lubrication helps in reducing the friction between components, ensures the ride is smooth, and also prevents wear and tear of the rubbing components.
There are two major forms of lubrication, Grease and Oil.
Grease is generally applied on ball bearings, cables, and threaded areas on the bike. Grease is used while installing fixed components like seat post, headset as this helps to ensure components don’t seize over time.
Bicycle Oil (bicycle lubricant) is majorly used on the drive train components of the bike – chain, cassette, derailleurs, and the crank. Oils are less viscous, and hence easily slide between the chain links to help in smooth movement of the chain.
We have three major kinds of bicycle lubricants
- Dry Lube: best suited for dry and dusty conditions. It leaves a thin coating on the chain which does not attract dust; this would be an ideal choice when riding in dry conditions.
- Wet Lube: more viscous compared to a dry lube. They are well suited for wet riding conditions; they stick on the chain even during rains.
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All Weather Lube: These are more generic that are suited for all riding conditions.
A well-maintained bike is always more fun to ride. By taking care of these D.I.Y maintenance activities – Degreasing, Cleaning and Lubricating – you can enjoy your cycling a lot more and also ensure maintenance and replacement costs are minimised.
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RIDE HARD & RIDE SAFE..................