Take Cycling to the Next Level
No one is born with comprehensive bicycle mechanic skills. That is something you have to learn by doing easy bicycle maintenance yourself, or more preferably by being taught by someone with experience.
Also, don't overlook regular maintenance by a bike mechanic. If you ride regularly, bring your bike in for twice-yearly tune-ups to ensure that complex, hard-to-evaluate components such as spokes, bearing surfaces, derailleurs and cables are inspected and serviced regularly. These bike parts should always be serviced and adjusted by experienced mechanics.
Basic Supplies
These simple items address most cleaning and lubing tasks.
Clean rags: Keep plenty of these on hand for grease, oil and wax-related tasks and for general cleaning and drying.
Brushes: Have several sizes and shapes to get into hard-to-reach places to remove the grime that rinsing alone can't get. Old toothbrushes work great.
Water: When used carefully, water can be a handy tool, but be careful here. Water, especially when coming from a high-pressure hose can cause damage to sensitive bearing systems throughout your bike.
Soap / general cleaner: Use diluted dishwashing soap or preformulated bike wash cleaner for frame cleaning.
Degreaser: A bike-specific degreaser (avoid kerosene or turpentine) will clean up gummy parts like your bike chain. Choose a solvent that is easy on the environment (and you). Dispose of all solvents properly.
Chain lubricant: Properly lubricating your chain helps extend the life of your drivetrain. Always apply bicycle-specific lube oil to a clean chain.
There are two types of lube: wet or dry. Wet lube is best to use when you’ll be riding in wet conditions. It strongly adheres to the drivetrain and is less likely to rinse off in rain. That said, dirt and grit will also stick to it, so be sure to wipe off excess lube.
Dry lube excels in a dry environment. Dirt and grit stick less to dry lube, but dry lube does rinse off easily if you find yourself riding in the rain.
Bike stand: This will allow you to position the bike at a comfortable height while you’re working on it. It will also allow you to turn the pedals or remove the wheels so you can clean all the moving and hard-to-reach parts.
What to Clean and How
Most dirty bike components can be cleaned by wiping them carefully with a damp (or dry) rag. Other components require occasional brushing, scrubbing and relubrication.
Your drivetrain (front chain rings, rear cassette, rear derailleur and chain) deserves the most frequent attention, so watch our video for some useful instruction.
