Even though some people are virtually married for their bicycles, even they have to agree that winter is simply too harsh for this mean of commute. Once this moment arrives, however, that they will be forced to store their bikes away, at least until the spring arrives. Most commonly, this includes removing a water bottle and electronic devices such as cyclo-computer, thoroughly cleaning the pike and airing up the tires. Still, once it’s spring again, you can’t simply dust your bike and mount it. In order to get the most out of your early spring riding experience, you need to properly prepare your bike and here are a few tips that may help you out.

Start with the wheels and tires

The first issue you need to attend here is one of wheels and tires. Luckily, this is quite a routine checkup that can be done in just several minutes. First, you need to inspect the tires for any traces of wear, fraying, cracks or holes. In a situation where there is any noticeable damage, it might be for the best to simply replace the tires, seeing how this usually isn’t a considerable investment, to begin with. On the other hand, if tires seem to be in a proper condition you can simply inflate it a bit. For this, however, you need a reliable pump. The easiest way to get a reliable high-end pump at a moderate price would be to look for it from online retailers such as Topeak.

Once you are done with the tires, you might want to do some checking on the wheel itself. You can start by checking if the wheel is straight. This can be done by simply lifting one end of your vehicle, spinning the tire and visually examining the wheel for any warps. Once this is done, you can also check spokes and tighten any of them that seem slightly off. For this, however, you will need a spoke wrench, which is a simple and inexpensive, yet vital item to have in your arsenal.

Check your brakes

When it comes to the overall safety of your cycling sessions, there is probably nothing more important than the reliability of its breaks. The easiest way to do so would be to take your bike for a couple of spins and see how it performs. Keep in mind, though, that this is merely a test drive and that you shouldn’t accelerate too harshly, due to the fact that you might not be able to stop.

As for any potential repair, most of the problems regarding your bicycle breaks can be solved by replacing the cable or by simply unscrewing the barrel a bit. While you are at it, you also need to make sure your brake pads are in proper working order as well. If not, you can simply replace them, seeing how this particular part is also quite inexpensive.

Clean the bike

Finally, before you take your bike outside for its first annual ride, you need to clean it as thoroughly as possible. Luckily, this can be done in several simple steps. You need to start by cleaning the chain and discs, which are the greasiest parts of your entire bicycle and thus, by far, the most difficult to clean. Next, you need to clean the rest of the bike. For this, you will need some bike wash and a brush. In the end, don’t forget to re-lube the chain, seeing how this will greatly affect the performance of your bicycle.

Conclusion

A lot of people believe choosing the right bike to be key in a positive cycling experience, a proper maintenance usually turns out to be even more crucial. Your bike has the needs of its own and these greatly depend on the season or the region you are currently in. Still, mastering this skill is far from difficult and all of this rarely takes up more than several hours of work on an annual basis. In other words, it is more than worth all the effort invested.