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Routine Maintenance
By Howie Spinsalot
Your wheels are probably one of the most important parts of your bike. They
are the key component in reducing rolling resistance on your bike which is
what helps to make you a faster rider. In addition, your wheels (more specifically your tires) are the only part of your bike that should come in contact with the ground. If its not the only thing that came in contact with the
ground, then youve had a bad day! My point being You dropped several
hundred bucks fro the wheels, yet why do they seem to get the least amount
of attention when it comes to the parts of your bike?
So what exactly needs to be done to those wheels and how often? Well, first
and formost you should have those hubs repacked every year and possibly
twice a year depending on how many miles you put on your bike and in
what conditions you ride in. If youre a die hard rider that puts 5,000 plus
miles on your bike each year, then youll need to have those hubs repacked
on a bi-yearly basis. In addition, if you regularly brave the bad weather and
ride in wet and rainy conditions, you fall into this category as well. When
it comes to repacking those hubs, have a reputable bike shop do the work.
Trust me its not worth the risk doing it yourself if you dont know what
youre doing. If you are determined to do it yourself, pick up a good book or
ask the local wrench at your bike shop to show you how. Often if you throw
him a couple of extra bucks hell be more than happy to show you how to
do it. Its not exactly the most sought after task performed by your bike shop
mechanic! Either way make sure the job is done correctly.
In addition to repacking the hubs, make sure that there are no broken
spokes on any of your wheels. If there are, again, have them replaced. Also,
make sure that none of the spokes are bent or loose, if they are, replace them
as well. Once your spokes are taken care of, have the wheel trued. Nothing
adds rolling resistance to a bike like an out of true wheel.
Finally, make sure that you replace your tires yearly or sooner depending
on your annual mileage and the conditions under which you ride. Torn or
frayed sidewalls are an accident waiting to happen! Also check for dry rot.
Depending on the age of the tires, having your bike hang in the garage over
the winter months could cause your tires to deteriorate and show signs of
dry rot. If you are going to store your bike for any length of time, its a good
idea to let the air out of the tires until youre ready to ride again.
Follow these tips and you are well on your way to a fun and safe year of riding. Check out this article next month when I go over proper crank maintenance. Until next issue, stay safe and keep the rubber side down!
Race Calendar
January
January 27, Indoor Time Trial Series 2. Scranton, PA. United States:
570.567.8910 www.scrantontt.com.
February
March
March 01, St Pattys Road Race.
Boston, MA. United States:
617.222.2222 www.pattyrr.com.
March 01, Leprechaun Crit.
New York, NY. United States:
202.222.2222 www.nycrit.com.
March 02, Windy City Time
Trial. Chicago, IL. United States:
312.222.2222 www.windycitytt.
com.
March 02, Spring Classic Series
1. Atlanta, GA. United States:
404.222.2222 www.atlantawheelmen.com.
March 03, Half-wheel Road
Race. Reading, PA. United States:
610.222.2222 www.halfwheel.com.
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