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How to maintain a bike ?
May 25, 2023
Maintaining your bike is essential to ensure a long life but also to ensure your safety through small, simple and frequent checking of the bike and parts. Today we give you the essential steps of bike maintenance.
No matter what type of bike you have – road bike, mountain bike, etc.. – the general maintenance remains the same. Conversely, the frequency of maintenance will be different depending on the use you make of your bike.
It is also worth mentioning that weather conditions have an impact on bike maintenance. A dry environment will have a different impact on the bike than a wet environment.
Things you will need
WD-40® Multifunction Product
Microfibre towels
A big brush
A more precise brush (toothbrush type)
A high-pressure cleaner or garden hose or at least a basin of water
Step 1
CLEANING THE BIKE
The first step in bike maintenance is cleaning. Place yourself preferably outside near a sewer to facilitate water drainage and near your workshop or garage to have all the tools at your disposal.
Place the bike on a bicycle stand or turn the bike over with the saddle and handlebar facing the ground to allow easy access to the chain and turn the wheels.
Once the bike is in the correct position, rinse it with water using the high-pressure cleaner at the lowest pressure level or the garden hose. Insist on parts that are dirty or dusty, such as sprockets, chainrings, derailleur and chainrings.
The ideal solution is to use soapy water to facilitate the removal of dirt or specialized products such as a cleaner and degreaser. For these, we recommend WD-40 Bike Cleaner and WD-40 Bike Degreaser. If none of these products are available, you can use the WD-40 Multi-Use Product.
Remember to degrease your chain completely, even if it means spending more time on it. In this case, use the large brush and the small brush to remove all traces of dirt.
Once all these steps have been completed, rinse the bike with water. It is thus ready for further inspection and maintenance.
Step 2
CHECKING OF ELEMENTS
CHECK BRAKE CONDITION
First, check your brakes regularly. There are two types of brakes: brake blocks and disc brakes.
For brake blocks, check front and rear wheel for block wear. After a certain time, the block wears out and no longer brakes. In this case, it is important to change the brake block quickly to ensure your safety! You can find this type of item in sports shops or specialty bike shops.
For disc brakes, check the condition of the pads, clamps and discs. They last longer than skates. However, always keep them clean and do not cover them with a greasy fluid such as chain lubricant. However, if you apply a greasy fluid to your brake discs, degrease them immediately using a specific product (do not use the Multi-Use Product).
CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE CHAIN
Then check the condition of the chain by inspecting the links, sprockets, derailleur and chainrings. If a part appears broken or damaged, ask a professional at a sports or bicycle store.
CHECK THE REST OF THE MOVING PARTS
Finally, we invite you to regularly check the condition of the saddle, handlebars and brake levers. Sometimes they require a small tightening of screws for a good hold.
Step 3
LUBRICATION OF THE CHAIN
Once the parts have been checked, you can continue with the bike maintenance with the lubrication of the chain.
Your chain is now clean and neat, the residues of old lubricants have also been eliminated. You must therefore lubricate it again to ensure good performance of the bike.
If you do not have any specialized bicycle lubricant available, we advise you to apply WD-40 Multi-Use Product to your chain. However, lubrication will be less effective than if you use a specialized product. We therefore advise you to use it in exceptional cases and to equip yourself with a specialised lubricant for your bicycle.
For a perfect bike maintenance, it is better to adapt the chain lubrication according to the climatic conditions.
In wet and muddy conditions, a rather greasy lubricant should be used to protect against corrosion and prevent the accumulation of mud. For example, there is the WD-40 Bike Wet Chain Lubricant (check availability according to your country).
On the other hand, in dry and dusty conditions, a dry lubricant should be used to prevent dirt from sticking to the chain and thus clogging the links. For this, we offer the WD-40 Bike Dry Chain Lubricant (check availability according to your country).
Once the right product has been chosen, turn the chain by operating the pedals and apply the product to the chain, carefully avoiding the brakes. Then shift the gears so that the product is applied to all the pinions.
Step 4
THE FINISHES
Finally, finish maintaining the bike by protecting it and making it shine.
Apply the WD-40 Multi-Use Product on the frame with a clean cloth, as well as on the mudguards and shelves. The product will make your bike shiny and protect it from corrosion.
Your bike is now ready for new outings!
FREQUENCY OF BIKE MAINTENANCE
For daily use of the bike on short trips, we advise you to do these bike maintenance steps every week or two weeks.
For use on dirty paths, we advise you to maintain the bike after each ride, or at least wash it after each ride.
Keep in mind that the most important thing is the condition of your chain and brakes!
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