Looking after your bike before an event for max fun, min risk!

Your bike is your prized possession. So why not give it the love it deserves to allow it to take you on many more miles to come? Ensuring your kit is ready for action is a key element to preparing for your challenge and makes for a far more enjoyable experience overall. 

Here are some of our recommendations to maximise your enjoyment when you are on a challenge (or generally out enjoying time in the saddle!) and minimise your chances of having to stop en route to carry out fixes. Let the hills keep on rolling! 

• Get your saddle height and position fixed correctly to you to minimise any aches and pain and make you more efficient.
• Keep it clean! To get the most out of your bike, some TLC will go a long way. Cleaning your bike regularly helps to prevent the gears from getting worn out and keeps it running smoothly. 
• Check your tyre pressure to see whether it is suitable for the terrain you are going to be covering. The right tyre pressure can make any terrain feel more comfortable, will make you more efficient (helping to conserve energy!) and you are less likely to get punctures. It’s a no brainer! 

• There can be a fine art to this process to ensure it is not carried out excessively, however keeping your chain lubricated helps keep things running smoothly. To be clear, this is not just simply covering the whole thing with chain lube or spray lubricant! As this runs the risk of getting in your brakes. With an old rag, use proper cleaner/degreaser and then apply the chain lube. Lube the inside of the chain (the bits that touch the cogs). Making sure to also wipe off any excess. Nailing a smoother drivetrain equates to increased durability and efficiency and we’re big fans of that.
• It’s important to keep an eye on how worn your tyres are. Some tyres have ‘wear indicators’ once they get old (or tyred ha!) that you can use to keep a note of this. If your tyres are worn, they are far more likely to get punctures and that means a greater wait time between you and your post ride refuel!
• An obvious one but often disregarded for a rainy day. Get your bike serviced! Head to your nearest bike shop for this for great local knowledge and personal service. In our event experience, we find that most people who have problems with their bikes at an event are those who haven't had their bikes recently serviced. Why risk it??
• Take time to check your brake pads for wear and look to see if they are rubbing the rim or discs depending what brakes you have. 

On training rides before the event, you can do all the above self-checks to assess your bike’s condition and see if you need to make any adjustments ahead of the big day. It will also help make your training rides more comfortable.

If you don't feel comfortable doing these checks yourself, don’t worry. Just head to your nearest bike shop and ask the team who will be happy to run things through for you. 

We would always recommend visiting your local bike shop as they will have a wealth of experience and will have handled bikes of all shapes and sizes. Speaking to a professional is no time wasted.

Depending on your location across the country, don’t forget to check out our awesome Cycle Providers. We only work with the best and are incredibly proud of the incredibly experienced Cycle teams we work with to bring our events to life.

You can check out: Cyclewise / Cycle-Tec / Cycleworks ahead of our next event to get your bike in gear!

As well as the forementioned fundamental checks you can carry out, it is also worth doing your own research to see how you can improve the longevity of your bike and what small adjustments you might be able to make to help your comfort levels. 

This blog has been put together to give you a handy checklist of preparation to help get you in gear for your next ride, whether that be on your own adventure or giving your wheels some action on an event.

Feel free to get in touch with our team to chat over any questions you might have to help look after your bike. Look after your bike and it'll look after you!