5 things to avoid when adjusting and cleaning your bike

Bikes typically lose their efficiency and stability over time if not properly cared for. The wheels, the chain, the brakes, the chassis... all these elements wear out with the use of the bicycle and there are very common errors that will cause its operation to deteriorate more quickly.

In today's post we will discover 5 major mistakes that are commonly made in the care or maintenance of a bicycle. Stay to discover them if you want to keep yours intact despite the passage of time.

1. Avoid washing your bike with pressurized water and aggressive products

No matter how dirty your bike is, avoid washing it with water that is too strong to prevent the operation of the bearings from being altered. Take a damp cloth or a rag that is not very hard and neutral soap and water to gently clean the surface of it so as not to damage its finish. If you prefer, you can also use a hose reducing the water pressure to a minimum.

In addition to the pressure of the water, very aggressive products contain chemical components that can lift all the paint on your bike and cause real damage to it. Surely you want your bicycle to keep its paint, finishes and naturalness in good condition for many years, therefore, avoid a bad cleaning exercise to ensure that it accompanies you for as long as possible without having to replace some parts or elements of it.

2. Avoid overtightening the bolts and nuts on the bike

There is a belief that tightening the bolts on the bicycle with great force will guarantee greater stability and resistance. Nothing could be further from the truth; overtightening the nuts and bolts of your bike will only affect its safety. Some of the nuts on the bike need a very specific pressure and force to work properly. If they are tightened too vigorously, their delicacy may end up deteriorating the bicycle frame. In addition to risking certain parts of your bike suffering a loss of efficiency, you also risk not being able to loosen those bolts over time.

3. Avoid greasing your bike's chain without first cleaning it

A very common and quite harmful mistake in the operation of your bicycle is to grease the chain before cleaning it.

Although it is essential to grease the bicycle chain to prevent it from collapsing, it is also necessary to keep it clean so that the components of the product work effectively. Sometimes there is a tendency to think that the products that lubricate the chains already remove the dirt from it without the need to use a neutral soap beforehand and this is a blunder. The products used to lubricate the chain of your bicycle will prevent it from drying out and the rollers from colliding with the plates of the same, but in no case will they clean the remains of dirt that are found on it.

4. Don't put away the dirty bike

When riding in wet or dirty conditions, it is essential to remove mud and debris from the bike to prevent it from getting into the transmission and frame of the bike. The longer the dirty bicycle is kept, the more difficult the cleaning process will be, and as we have already seen in point two, abusing the pressure of the water to remove stains from the bicycle is detrimental to its operation and appearance. . In this way, try to clean the remains of dirt from your bicycle as soon as you arrive from your route. Also, in addition to preventing the parts where more waste accumulates from deteriorating, it will be much easier for you to clean it effortlessly.

5. Forgetting to change the tires on the bike

As with car tires, bicycle wheels warn of their wear through a groove or small hole in their tires that disappears as the use of the bicycle increases considerably. If, on the contrary, your bike does not have these grooves that indicate the deterioration of the tires, simply take a look at them from time to time to verify that they do not have a concave braking surface. At this precise moment is when you have to change the tires of the same and replace them with new ones.

The thought that bicycle tires last forever is very common among cyclists who have just joined the sport, for this reason it is necessary to read the manufacturer's instructions to avoid unpleasantness or accidents in the long run.

Going out to ride a bicycle is something truly pleasant if you like to practice this discipline. However, there is something that is not as enjoyable as going out on the road with your two-wheeled companion: repairing and maintaining your bicycle. Despite being a tedious and constant procedure, it is essential to spend time taking care of and repairing the damage to the bicycle in order to avoid late unnecessary expenses and unexpected accidents.