Sure & Well-Kept: Getting Your Bike Ready for the First Ride!
A fresh breath of spring not only heralds warmer days but also marks the beginning of the cycling season. Cycling is becoming increasingly popular. In 2022, approximately 143,000,000 bicycles were sold worldwide. In the Netherlands, there are even more bicycles than residents. However, before you dive back into the pedals, it's advisable to give your bike a thorough cleaning and inspection. Because a well-maintained bike not only lasts longer but is also safer.
In this blog post, you'll learn why cleaning your bike is so important and which essential parts you should pay particular attention to before starting your first tour.
That's Why the Spring Bike Check is So Important
Before you hop on your bike and plan your first tour, it's essential to thoroughly check and clean your bicycle. A comprehensive bike check not only ensures safety during the ride but also enhances the performance of your bike. After the long winter months, various components of the bike may have been affected by weather and storage conditions. These may include the following components:
- Tires
- Brakes
- Gears
- Bicycle chain
- Bell
You can take care of many of these yourself, such as inflating the tires, changing the inner tube, attaching a new bell, or cleaning and oiling the chain. However, when it comes to checking the brakes and inspecting the gears, it's necessary to consult a professional to ensure the performance of your brakes and gear system isn't compromised, thus ensuring the safety of your bike.
BY THE WAY
Even if you only cycle occasionally, it's advisable to have a professional bike check done regularly. It's recommended to have an inspection at a bike workshop at least once a year.
Thorough Check-Up
Bicycles often remain in hibernation during the winter months, stored away in the garage, garden shed, or basement. It can take up to six months until they are brought out of hibernation in the spring. During this time, various problems can occur that may affect the functionality of your bike and jeopardize your safety. Therefore, it's crucial to inspect important parts before your first ride to ensure you're safe on the road.
Tire Check
After the long winter, it's likely that your bicycle tires won't have any air left in their tubes. Even new and high-quality tires can lose up to 1 bar of pressure per month. Every 2 weeks, air should be pumped in, even if the bike is in use. For inflation, you can use a standard floor pump or a specialized bicycle pump. However, it's even easier with our Einhell cordless compressors. Compatible with many valves, these compressors come with various adapters. Particularly convenient is the Einhell Hybrid Compressor PRESSITO 18/25, which can be operated with both a battery and a power cord. Its digital pressure gauge displays both the current and target pressure effortlessly. Similarly, with the Einhell Cordless Car Compressor CE-CC 18 Li, the desired pressure can be pre-set via an LCD display.
When inflating your tires, always pay attention to the correct air pressure. Depending on the terrain, tire size, or rider's weight, the correct tire pressure may vary. As a rule of thumb: the wider the tire, the less air pressure is needed. The manufacturer always provides the recommended tire pressure on the tire itself, within a range from a minimum to maximum value. Always adhere to these guidelines when inflating the tire.
You can find approximate values for different tire widths and the corresponding pressure in the following table:
| Bicycle Type | Tire Width | Tire Pressure in bar | Tire Pressure in psi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Bike | 50 mm | 3,0 | 44 |
| Road Bike | 25 mm | 7,0 | 100 |
| Gravel Bike | 35 mm | 4,5 | 65 |
| Trekking Bike | 40 mm | 4,0 | 58 |
INFO
The values in the table are provided as examples. Inflate the tires according to your preferences and usage. For e-bikes, always add 0.5 bar as the battery and motor add extra weight. Always follow the tyre manufacturer's instructions.
Additionally, like with cars, the tread of bicycle tires must be regularly inspected. Different tread depths apply depending on the terrain.
If it turns out that your tire or the inner tube within the tire is damaged and leaking air, you can easily replace the bicycle tube yourself. To do this, use a tire lever to remove the tire from the rim and remove the old tube. Inflate the new tube slightly to make it easier to insert and then clamp it into the tire. Finally, reseat the tire on the rim, inflate it fully, and reinstall the previously removed wheel.
Cleaning & Lubricating the Bicycle Chain
For smooth gear shifting, quite literally, the bicycle chain should always be clean and lubricated. Ensuring your bicycle chain is in top condition is also essential for your safety, as dirt can impair power transfer. You can easily clean the bicycle chain and derailleur with a special chain brush with nylon bristles, a cassette brush, and lukewarm water. Alternatively, you can use a degreaser or a specific chain cleaner to remove old oil and dirt from the chain. Cogs, derailleur, and pulleys should also be cleaned carefully but thoroughly. An old toothbrush can be used if you don't have a cassette brush on hand. Before lubricating the chain, it should be rinsed with warm water and dried. While slowly moving the chain backward, apply oil or chain spray directly to the bicycle chain. The movement will evenly distribute the lubricant across the entire chain.
INFO
Depending on how often you ride your bicycle, the bicycle chain should be cleaned and lubricated every one to two months. It's best to clean it after each major ride. Additionally, before any longer ride, you can oil the chain without cleaning it separately if it's not too dirty.
Traffic Safety
To be safe while cycling, in addition to having two independently functioning brakes (front and rear), the following accessories must be attached to the bike:
- Lights: Dynamo or battery-powered lights
- Headlight: white headlight & reflector
- Taillight: red taillight & reflector
- Reflectors: two yellow reflectors per wheel / white reflective spokes or tires
- Bell: bright-toned and audible
Before each ride, the functionality of these safety components should be checked: Are the headlights working? Are the reflectors still attached to the wheels? Is the bell clearly audible?
Additionally, you should always wear a helmet while cycling to prevent injuries. Accidents can happen not only during downhill or mountain biking but also in everyday road traffic. However, there is no helmet requirement in Germany. Other protective clothing is not necessary when using a bicycle.
Brakes & More
Regular professional bicycle servicing is essential, especially for brakes, cassette, and gears. Only here can the full functionality be guaranteed, ensuring your safety on bicycle paths or downhill trails.
Cleaning the Bicycle
As part of the spring check, it's not only important to service your bike but also to ensure it's clean. Stubborn dirt can be easily removed with lukewarm water and a garden hose. Dried-on dirt such as mud, soil, or bird droppings might require soaking or a bit more pressure to remove. Our Einhell Cordless Pressure Washer HYPRESSO 18/24 Li is perfect for this task. This medium-pressure washer operates at 24 bar pressure and can draw water from any water source using its 5-meter-long suction hose: whether it's a bucket, canister, pond, or lake – thanks to the water filter, the HYPRESSO can function independently of any water tap. This allows you to clean your e-bike, city bike, or mountain bike anywhere. For surfaces prone to scratching, our HYPRESSO is equipped with an additional ECO mode. In this mode, the cordless medium-pressure washer operates at 14 bar pressure, making it especially suitable for bicycle cleaning.
Before pressure washing, you can also spray the frame of your bike with a specialized bicycle cleaner and let it sit for a while. Then simply rinse off the cleaning agent with clear water. Additionally, for stubborn dirt, our Einhell Cordless Surface Brush PICOBELLA 18/90 is also suitable. With the included SOFT brush 120/50, you can gently but effectively clean even more delicate materials, even when wet.
To avoid water spots on the frame and to remove any remaining dirt, you can simply dry the bike with a clean cloth. Regular cleaning is recommended to increase the lifespan of your bike.
In this article you will learn all about:
Lisa Hegewald, as an online editor at Einhell, deals with almost all texts related to tools, gardening equipment, and accessories. Through collaboration with Einhell product managers and practical product training, she consistently expands her knowledge. Her must-have product is the cordless coffee machine because nothing works without caffeine, whether on the construction site or in the office.