Image by richardmasoner via Flickr
Mountain biking is all about getting out in the wilderness and having fun. However, there is a boring and tedious part to mountain biking; having to care and maintain your bike.
Bike maintenance is critical to ensure the safety of yourself and others who are riding the bike. A well maintained bike will also run smoother which allows you to focus on the thrills and excitement that comes with mountain biking and not worry about getting injured.
Here’s a look at some of the basic mountain bike maintenance you need to do to your bike on a regular basis.
A Complete Wash
Mountain biking can be a very dirty sport. The dirt and debris that you ride through while biking can collect in the wheels, chains and other parts of the bike which puts your safety at risk. Every once in a while a complete wash of the mountain bike is needed. Everything from the seat, handlebars and wheels needs to washed with soap and water and hosed down.
The Wheel Test
A complete wheel test needs to be performed to make sure your bike is operating properly. Place the bike with the wheels up to perform this test. Take each wheel and make sure it turns properly in the bike and there is no interruption. You will also want to check the air pressure of each wheel and fill any that have low air pressure.
Running through the basic mountain bike maintenance steps once a month will ensure that you are safe and secure while enjoying your favorite extreme sport.
