Saturday, September 5, 2015

The Basics Of Bicycle Tune Up

By Daphne Bowen


The purposes for which modern-day bicycles can be used for are ever increasing and getting more complex. In most developing countries, people use them for transportation as well as a source of employment. In more developed states, they get used in competitions, fitness training, and recreational purposes. All the aforementioned uses require proper bicycle tune up for them to be achieved easily and more effectively.

Poor bike maintenance can lead to accidents to the rider or other people or both. It can also lead to damage of property, which may cost the rider a lot of money in paying for damages caused. Bikes that are not maintained also wear our first, partly because of excessive friction between various parts and components. Most steps involved in tuning up a bike are pretty simple and for people who are hands-on, it should take a few hours to complete.

The job is manual in nature and some people do not like such jobs. In such a case, one should visit any of the many bike shops in Cincinnati, Ohio to have a good tune up. Charges by most Cincinnati bike shops are within reasonable limits and they are run by experts in this field. That implies that an effective job can be done within minutes. The rest of this writing is about some of the basic tips one can follow for a DIY project.

Cleanliness is always the first thing that should be considered. A bike that is thoroughly cleaned is half-way maintained. Cleaning should be done using cleaning products that do not cause harm to the environment, people, or animals. There is a wide variety of biodegradable cleaners on the market to choose from. Special attention should be paid to cassettes, derailleurs, brakes, chains, chain rings, pedals, and frames during cleaning.

Cleaning may require dismantling some parts of the bike in order to clean them properly. Such parts ought to be dismounted carefully and cleaned well. Before they are returned, bicycle grease must be applied well. Grease is preferable over oil because it last longer, hence provides protection for a longer period.

Another part to pay attention to is the brake system. When checking the brake system, one should press the brake levers while the rear wheel is spinning and observe how long it take for the wheels to stop rotating. An effective brake system should stop the wheels instantly. Next, the brake pads should be checked for uneven wearing and other damages. They must be replaced if they got used up.

Efficiency of the drivetrain must also be checked. The drivetrain is the system that transmits the force generated by pedaling to the rear wheel. As such, it needs proper servicing and greasing. Wherever necessary, any components that are loose should be tightened up. After that, wheels must be investigated for proper rotation and any misalignment caused by damaged by brake pads.

Finally, a test ride has to be conducted just to ensure that everything is in order. One can never be sure without test riding. Any problems discovered during the test ride must be fixed before taking off to the streets.




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