10 tips to maintain your bike in winter
Riding a bike during the fall or winter is very exhilarating although the harsh conditions of this time of year take their toll on the bike.
Mud, trail dirt, rain and snow can damage the transmission or bearings.
In this article by Treck, they give us a series of tips to keep the bike ready.
1. Wear dark clothes
If you are going to manipulate the bicycle, the ideal is to use dark. You will handle grease, lubricants, and the stains will dirty the clothes, but they will be masked under the black tones.
2.Clean the dirt from the bike
In winter, it is best to wash the bike after each ride to prevent mud from sticking or freezing to the frame, but this is even more important if you are going to take it to the workshop.
Keep your workspace clean by scrubbing the bike well with a bike cleaner and a set of brushes, then rinse with low pressure water, being careful with the bearings, seals and bushings to avoid getting mud inside.
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Related: Noises in disc brakes: causes and solutions
Dry the bike with a clean cloth and take time to clean the seals on the fork, dropper post and shock if it is a full suspension bike before taking it to the shop.
But first of all use a pressure washer
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3.Care of the chain
Put the bike on a rack and use a specific chain cleaner or an old toothbrush to clean all the links and check that they are not worn.
The chain tends to wear out before any other part of the transmission, so it is important to spend time cleaning it thoroughly, as this will prolong its useful life.
Once the chain has been thoroughly cleaned, use a lubricant wet and allow 5 to 10 minutes to allow the lubricant to soak into the plates and chain links.
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Wet lubricant is preferable to dry lubricant for winter, as it is more viscous. Wipe the chain to remove any excess lubricant with a clean, dry rag to prevent a buildup of dust and dirt.
4.Protects the frame
To help keep water and mud out of the bike, spray protective sealant on a clean rag or shop towel and wipe down the frame.
Avoid spraying the protection sealant on the frame, as it can cause problems if it comes in contact with the brake pads or discs.
Related: To what pressure should the bicycle wheels be inflated?
5.Check the hardware
Use a torque wrench to tighten all bolts to specifications. The torque wrench is especially important as it tightens the bolts around the carbon components and on the frame, avoiding over-tightening so as not to cause cracks and major damage.
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Work from front to back starting with the front axle and brake adapter, working your way up to the stem, headset, shift and brake levers, then to the cranks, pivot bolts, seat post and the seat clamp, and finally on the rear of the bike, most notably the rear brake adapter, derailleur, and hub.
6.wheels
Check the tires for tread wear and replace them if they are old.
Complete the tubeless setup by removing the valve core and use a small bottle of sealant for added puncture protection.
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Change the valve core and fan the tire to the desired pressure.
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Take a few minutes to review the radios; as we often forget about them during the season, so it's important to go over them, hand-tightening them if necessary.
7.The change
Go over the entire cassette, top to bottom and bottom to top to make sure the shifting works accurately.
If not, adjust the limits of the derailleur to align it better, or visit your nearest Trek store for help in adjusting it correctly.
8.Stopping power
Remove the pads from the brake calipers and inspect them for wear.
If they look glassy, use a piece of fine-grit sandpaper to roughen the surface of the pads to prevent buildup.
Check the thickness of the brake pads; If the brake fins stick out more than the brake pad, you'll probably need to change them after a couple more rides.
9.inflation
It is unusual to lose much or some air in the suspension during the season, but it is worth taking a few minutes to check the pressure while you have the bike in the shop.
Check the fork and rear shock pressure with a shock absorber pump, and make any necessary suspension adjustments.
To finish, spray the suspension with some suspension spray on the fork legs to keep the mechanism running smooth.
10.Bearings
Tune up the most important bearings to roll smoothly.
During the winter, a lot of dirt tends to accumulate, and keeping the bike clean will prolong the life of the components.
Pull the crank to clean the bottom bracket and remove the fork to clean all the bearings in the headset, then grease them to tackle the trails during the freezing winter.
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Taking the time to care for your bike is a very rewarding way to take advantage of the off-season.
This way you will be prepared to ride in the spring in full condition and, in addition, it will give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the bearings and other parts, and thus avoid unwanted creaks in the coming months.
