How To Maintenance Your Hybrid Bike

Riding your bike on different terrains regularly bring tear and wear. Imagine spending thousands of dollars on repairing your hybrid bike only to break down after a short while?

I know you don’t want that to happen. However, you cannot afford to leave your thousand-dollar hybrid bike poorly maintained and unattended. 

That can be a very big disservice to this precious asset. Moreover, it is necessary to constantly check your bike regularly for efficiency and performance.

The checking ranges from the tires, brake pads, to paddles and all parts of the bike which includes oiling moving parts and changing of worn out parts.

Tips On Maintaining A Hybrid Bike

To maintain your bike, first, you need to know your bike well. Knowing the bike means, knowing every part of the bike and the purpose of the part to the bike mechanism. Additionally, you should also know what kind of terrain you do need to ride your bike.

The kind of terrain used and how often you use your bike will determine the level of service to give your bike. Checking your bike frequently helps you know when your bikes need an upgrade or a replacement of part to stop tear and wear.

The Tires:

The kind of terrain you ride your bike will determine when to change the tires. During winter seasons, you need to replace your normal tires with wider tires to avoid resistant puncture. If you use your bike regularly for commuting, you need to check your tires pressure constantly to avoid puncture and fast wear and tear of the tires. Before getting on any ride, ensure that the tires have required pressure and if not make the necessary adjustments.

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Brake Pads And Brakes:

The braking system in any automobile is the safety measure. Poor braking system or default braking system on a bike can be very dangerous. Before getting any ride on your bike, you need to ensure that the braking system is working properly. Change the brake pads occasionally after a month or two months depending on how often you use your bike.

The brake should engage smoothly and properly. If any tightness is encountered on the brakes, an adjustment should be made. The brake pads should not be slippery so as to avoid a miss. On top of that, they should engage tight and instantly depending on the speed of the rider. Brakes cable should be replaced if any hardness is sensed on pressing the brake paddle. The disc brake pad should be replaced when there are less than 1mm of the fractioning material on the tires.

The Gear:

Gears are a crucial part of a hybrid bike when it comes to switching different terrains. Changing of gear should always shift smoothly with proper adjustment on paddling. Just as brake cables are changed upon rough operation, so is the gear cable. The gear cable should operate smoothly with no difficulty. Before riding the bike, you should inspect for any fluid leakage from the gear cables and if any noticed, the cable should be changed wholly. The hybrid gear system is much complicated and always needs a specialist to work on it or to refer to the owner's manual before making adjustments.

Wheels:

The rims are fast to tear and wear out as a result of contact with wetness, dust, and mud. To keep the bike robust and solid, you need to avoid, mud, wetness and grit them using mudguard. The mud and dust should be wiped clean before keeping the bike after a ride. Before your rides, you need to ensure the wheels are up to the required condition and if not, necessary adjustment ought to be made.

Oiling And Cleaning The Movable Parts:

Lubricating the moveable parts is so important to reduce wear and tear. The chain is the most important part of the bike which should be kept oiled and lubricated often so as to ensure smooth and easy riding. Oiling the fractioning parts of the bike helps reduces rusting of these parts. Over-lubricating can also be a bad maintenance technique as it lowers performance and damage of bike components by causing slippery and miss to the movable parts such as a chain. If accidentally you over lube your bike, you should wipe it off before ridding.

Cleaning the bike is one of the best practices that riders need to practice. After a ride, the bike should be kept clean. All mud should be wiped clean and all wetness dried up. Brush should be used to reach those parts that are hollow and curved. The mud and wetness lead to tear and wear so you should keep your bike clean. The rims are the most prone to rusting. To prevent this, use clean water to wash your bike before you store it to avoid dirt build-up.

Using a pressure washer to clean your hybrid bike is not a good idea as it can cause damage on the wheels bearings. Instead, using hose pipe water is the recommended but without pointing the fork seals directly. The hose pipe water should be pointed downwards. Avoid using salty water as it acts as a catalyst in rusting the metal parts of the bike. Fresh water is highly recommended when cleaning the bike and using a softening detergent to remove all the dirt.

Conclusion

A hybrid bike life span is determined by how regularly you service and maintain it. However, using the bike on a daily basis regardless of how you service and maintain it will shorten its life span. Lubricating the movable parts of the bike regularly are the best service you can give to your huge asset. Cleaning your bike after ride reduces the chances of rusting metal parts of the bike. Additionally, through lubrication, you can reduce wear and tear. Finally, proper maintaining of bikes comes from loving your bike and knowing the best etiquette regarding bikes. I hope you now have some effective tips that will help you maintain your hybrid bike.

Reference: Wheelies Uk