1. DON’T High-Pressure
Wash your Bicycle:
Please note that while it may seem like you can just blast your bike clean in seconds with a high-pressure hose, that’s a terrible mistake you never want to make. According to the professionals at pressure washing services nova, high-pressure water, especially sprayed from the side, will blast the grease and lubricants right out of the components, such as the hubs, bottom bracket and headset. And it’s a big job to get the water out and fresh grease back in. That’s why you always just trickle the water over the frame from the top when washing and rinsing.

2. DON’T Use Petrol to Wash
Components on your Bicycle:
Many people feel the need to use petrol to wash components such as chains, cassettes, bearings etc, which is again a big no-no in self maintaining your bicycle. Petrol absorbs any moisture, which in turn dries out
O-rings and seals.

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3. DON’T Store your Bicycle Near Chemicals such as Pool Cleaning Chemicals and the Like:
Although it may not seem like a problem storing your bicycle near sealed household chemicals; the fumes that escape from such products can cause the bicycle and components to rust quicker than usual.

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4. DON’T Over or Under Tighten Bolts, Use Torque Readings:
Torque is crucially important and it’s not just about preventing over-tightening.

We often complain of over-tightening (which is also very bad), but the under tightening of bolts is even more common. Under-tightening a stem bolt can be life threatening – where safety counts, use a decent torque wrench.

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5. DO Always Grease Pedals and DON’T Over-Tighten, NEVER Use a Lock Tight:
Over tightening of pedals, leads to stripping of thread, which leads to needing to not just replacing the pedals, but the cranks as well. Greasing of pedals will help lengthen the lifespan of the pedals and helps the pedals handle under exertion.

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6. DO Always Tighten Skewers using Lock System not Turning them to Over Tighten:
Here is the common mistake that many people make when first encountering quick releases; they un-screw the quick release. They use the lever like the handle of a wrench, and rotate it around and around until the quick release is tight or loose depending on whether they want it on or off. Wrong!

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7. DON’T Break a Chain to Clean It
Unless your chain has a reusable master link, keep the chain on the bike. Every time you break a chain, you expand the hole for the rivet, and the chances of that becoming a weak point arises. If you are going to break a chain and plan to put it back, ensure you have the correct installation pin to use; never reuse the pin you’ve pushed out already.

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8. DON’T Pull Out that Internally Routed Cable
Removing a cable from inside an internally routed frame is more a nuisance than a deal breaker, but it’s always easier if you avoid making the mistake. Unless you know whether your frame features internal guiding or not, make use of a piece of thin plastic sheathing or similar to leave within the frame as you replace a cable.

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9. DON’T Drop Small Parts
There is no shame here as it happens to the best of us. The key is to have a clean work surface and floor that makes finding such a part easy. Cheap camping or workout flooring is one way to create a comfortable surface where things will be easy to find. If you have lots of little gaps under shelves and benches, consider closing them off with duct tape or insulation tape – this will save you much time wondering if something has slipped beneath.

And if you’re working on grass, just go inside and pour yourself a stiff drink, you’re not finding that bearing again. At the end of the day, do not drop stuff; use a magnet to keep your spares in check.

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10. DON’T Lubricate Brakes
This is a major fail! Do not lube your brakes or braking surfaces; this may well lead to your death and/or your mates never riding with you again due to the ear drum bursting squealing that will emanate from your brake
application! This also becomes a costly adventure on mountain bikes due to the contamination of the pads and pistons which will need to be replaced, and in
severe cases new rotors too!

Don’t do it, ENOUGH SAID!


 

Brought to you by: REVOLUTION CYCLES DUBAI

For more info, please call or email: +971 4 3697441 | Info@rcdxb.com

Revolution Cycles Dubai, Shop 5, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, UAE

 

Words by: Stewart Howison

Photos by: Jung Francisco