The Pre-Winter Bike Check
The Pre-Winter Bike Check
Winter is on its way, and with that comes a whole new set of challenges courtesy of our notoriously temperamental weather conditions, so the last thing you want to worry about is clunky gears and creaky bottom brackets. Look after your bike, and your bike will look after you – here’s our list of essential pre-winter bike checks for the home mechanic that’ll prevent the headache of mid-ride mechanicals and the heartache of a hefty post-winter maintenance bill!
Give It A Clean
Giving your bike some TLC is all well and good, but starting out with a filthy bike is only going to make your pre-winter prep more difficult than it needs to be, so first things first: if it’s covered in grease and grime, give it a wash!
Luckily, this doesn’t need to be a complicated process, all you need is: a bucket, cleaning solution, a couple of sponges and some spare time. Spray the bike and leave it to soak – this will loosen up the grit and grime ready for rinsing, and cleaning solutions like Juice Lubes’ Dirt Juice also double as a degreaser. Give it a rinse and gently scrub with a sponge – your frame and drivetrain will be ready for some pre-winter pampering in no time. (Take care around the bearings if using a hose)
Brakes
In the winter you’ll be up against less-than-favourable conditions at times, so taking care of your brakes is important for both your safety and confidence on the bike. If you’re running mechanical, cable-operated brakes, you might’ve noticed that they become slightly squishy or not quite as powerful as they once were. To solve this problem, try simply swapping out the cables – easy and cost-effective, this small change will massively improve your braking performance.
When it comes to hydraulic disc brakes, things become slightly more complicated. If your brakes are squishy or you’re experiencing excessive lever pull, all the signs are pointing towards the need for a system rebleed. For the experienced home mechanic this is something that will be fairly familiar, but if you aren’t 100% sure, don’t hesitate to book your bike in with our experienced mechanics!
It might seem obvious, but before and throughout winter it’s worth checking the condition of your brake pads to prevent excessive wear. Rim brakes typically show a convenient wear line on the pad itself, so if it has gone beyond that point, it’s time for a change! While you’re at it, inspect your braking surface – most rims will feature a wear indicator. Excessive wear on the brake track will result in compromised braking. Checking your disc brake pads is slightly more involved but simple enough; just remove the pads from the calliper with care and inspect. If there’s less than a millimetre of pad then it’s time to replace, otherwise you run the risk of reduced stopping power and air entering the hydraulic system.
Drivetrain
No one likes a squeaky chain and jumping gears, but unfortunately your drivetrain is exposed to all kinds of road spray and grime that don’t do it any favours. This also causes excessive wear on your components, so if left unkempt, a worn chain, cassette and chainrings could result in a sizeable bill when spring rolls around!
Start winter off on the right foot by giving your drivetrain a solid overhaul. Provided your drivetrain components aren’t overly worn (top tip: chain checkers are an easy way to quantify the wear!), use a brush, drivetrain degreaser and some elbow grease to clear out any grit and grime, leaving your components spick and span. Rinse, dry, then apply your chain lube of choice.
If you haven’t already, it’s definitely worth investing in a set of mudguards this winter! Not only will they keep your backside dry, but they’ll also block road spray from getting to your drivetrain so your gears run smooth whatever the weather.
£11.99 £11.98
£11.95 £9.99
£54.99
Bearings
Worn bearings are quite simply unbearable. Creaks, excessive play and general winter bike annoyance can often be boiled down to bearings, and it’s no surprise given the amount of grief they experience from grime and vibrations from rough winter roads. If there’s play in your wheels, you’ve got a stiff headset, or a sticky bottom bracket, installing fresh sets of bearings pre-winter will improve the feel of your bike and put you in good stead to last through to spring without any headaches.
To ensure your bearings stand the test of time, make sure you re-grease them from time to time. If done consistently, you should be able to make it through a full season without a hitch. Bearing standards and sizes from one bike to another can open up a whole can of confusing worms – why not book in with our workshop and save yourself the hassle?
Tyres
Rain and runoff means that the roads are significantly muckier in the winter months, and a few months of riding through gritty, gravelly and pot-holey roads can wreak havoc on your tyres. Opting for heavier duty rubber throughout the winter might lose you a few watts in rolling-resistance, but significantly reduce your chances of roadside puncture repairs in the pouring rain and cold and increase traction on grubbier roads – we know which we’d prefer!
Throughout winter try to make a habit of checking your tyres for debris and imperfections in the tyre, as the last thing you want is a surprise puncture that could’ve been avoided by an extra 30 seconds of pre-ride bike checks!
Bolts
You’d be forgive for overlooking the nuts and bolts. Subject to vibrations and grime, with so many throughout the bike sometimes things can work themselves loose – the last thing you want is for a bottle cage to make a great escape or worse, a stem bolt to come loose on a wet winter ride! Torque them up to the manufacturer’s recommended values with a dab of grease, and you’re good to go.
If in doubt, book your bike in with our expert mechanics at one of our three stores: Farnham, Petersfield, Walton-on-Thames. Our team is always on hand to help!
