- Wash Your Bike: For some riders, this goes without saying. However, many riders don’t even get the point of washing their bike. It’s not just about making your bike look new and shiny. Rather, keeping bikes unwashed for prolonged periods can lead to build up of dirt, grease and mud on the mechanical parts. This will reduce the smoothness of the bike, increase the wear and tear and can even lead to rust in the long term. Although it can get demotivating at times, especially after spending so much time washing the bike only to get it fully covered in mud the next day. However, if the bike is ridden regularly, then washing the bike once a week will surely help keep the bike new and shiny both from the outside as well as the inside.
- Keep the drivetrain lubricated: As mentioned before, mechanical parts are known to generate friction which leads to wear and tear. Although it’s scientifically impossible to avoid it completely, it’s surely possible to slow down the process by lubricating the drivetrain of the cycle regularly. Always check for dust and dirt on the drivetrain and clean them away with a cloth and relubricate the drivetrain again every now and then, especially after a wash. One thing to keep in mind though is to never use grease to lubricate the chain as it will only lead to the building up of dirt. The best oils to lubricate are the ones made specifically for cycles but the ones used for machineries work equally great too.
- Never forget to keep the nuts and bolts in check: Every part of the bike is put together with either a nut, screw or a bolt. These don’t easily fall apart but tend to get loose over time, especially during bumpy rides. Hence, it is recommended to keep in check and carry extra nuts and bolts as it will help to replace any lost nuts and bolts immediately after observation. You surely don’t want your bike to fall apart in the middle of a ride!
- Learn to repair tyres on the go: Imagine coming back home from work late at night all alone and the tyre runs flat! As scary as it might sound, it can turn into a reality at any time given the condition of Bangladeshi roads. Hence, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry and to always carry a tyre repairing kit and when riding bikes and even extra tubes on long rides. Again, there are countless videos on YouTube which can help in teaching how to fix a flat tyre.
- Get the bike serviced from a good workshop once in a while: No matter how well the bikes are taken care of, some parts will still wear and tear out and should be fixed upon the inspection of a well experienced mechanic. Besides, some parts like the brake and gear cables can only be lubricated by opening up the whole brake and gear setup and this is by no means, an easy task. Hence, it is always advised to do a general servicing of the bike from a reputed workshop once every few months.
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