Bicycle Maintenance for your new Bikesxpress.com cruiser. Cleaning
A clean and polished cruiser bike has less wind drag, looks better,
lasts longer and you will also feel better about its appearance when you
ride it. It’s a good idea to clean your bike after every serious ride. This
doesn’t mean that you have to wash your bike every time you ride it.
Unless your bike is noticeably dirty, you can usually spray a good bike
cleaning/polish product on your bike and wipe it down. Products that
have a protective teflon or silicone base leaves the bike clean and
polished and helps protect the paint – making it easier to clean the
next time. After wiping down your new bikesxpress.com cruiser ,
shake-dry your bike by lifting it slightly off the ground and bounce it a
couple of times, then wipe it down with a clean rag. (Gently bouncing
your bike like this will also let you know if there is a loose part that
needs tightening.) Lube Lubricating your bike
is really quick and easy. If done regularly, it will result in a smooth,
quiet riding bike and extend the life of your bike parts. Your bike
will also shift better making for a much
more enjoyable ride. Select
a good quality lube product that fits your riding style and conditions.
Ask your bike shop for recommendation if necessary. Apply the lube to
these lube points: Chain – on each link’s joint and side plates.
Derailleurs – on the pivots and internal springs (for Multi-Speed Beach
Bikes) Brake Arm – on the pivots and cables. (for Multi-Speed Beach
Bikes) Levers – on internal pivots, springs, and cables. (for
Multi-Speed Beach Bikes) Bolts Check tightness
of bolts periodically. Nuts and bolts can loosen over time. At least
once a season, check the bolts o your bike’s seat post, crank, water
bottle cages, and chain-ring. The bouncing technique described above is a
good way to make a fast check for loose bolts. Tires
Inspect – Regularly inspect your tires for embedded objects, cuts,
bulges, and excess wear. A quick inspection before each ride can help
prevent a tire “emergency” on your ride. Check tire
pressure – Check the sidewall of your tires to see what pressure (PSI)
you should inflate your tires to. Keeping the tires inflated to this
recommended pressure will make it a lot easier for you to pedal your
bike and will extend the life of your tires. It’s a good idea to air up
your tires before each ride. A tire can loose significant pressure even
overnight. Invest in a good bicycle floor pump to make the tire
inflating process a lot easier. Repair – Instead of
having to take your bike to the bike shop every time you have a flat
tire, you should be able to fix or repair tire flats yourself. It is
usually easier than you might first think. Just remember, practice makes
perfect.Other than properly inflating tires, lubricating the drive
chain is your only routine maintenance. One of the
basics of bicycle upkeep is the ability to change a bicycle tire.
Whether the reason behind the change is to repair a flat tire or add new
tires, the ability to change a bicycle tire is an essential skill for
every person who owns a bike. Here is a simple set of instructions to
help even the novice get into the swing of changing bike tires. First,
it is important to gather the essential tools. This will include a set
of bicycle tools and at least one replacement inner tube for the tire. The
type of tools required will vary, depending on the construction of the
bike. Most Beach Cruiser models generally have axle nuts that hold the
bike tire in place. Know what tools you need and have them on hand
before you begin to change any bicycle tires. At this point, you are ready to change a bicycle tire.
The second step in the process to change a bicycle tire is to flip the
bike over, so the wheels are off the ground. This will make it easier to
flip the levers or loosen the axle nuts. Once the wheel is free of the
axle, lift the tire and wheel from the axle. If there is any air left in
the tire, finish deflating the tube. Use a tire tool to slowly work
between the
tire and the rim of the wheel. The idea is to pop up the
edge of the tire so that it is free from the rim. Work around the rim
until the edge or hem of the tire is lapped over the rim. Remove the
tire and the tube from the rim. Once the tire is off the rim, you can either patch the punctured tube or replace it with a new one. To change
a bicycle tire inner tube, simply remove it from the interior of the tire and work in a fresh one. Make
sure the new tube is more or less evening placed within the tire. There
should not be any twists or pinches in the tube, as that will make
inflating the tube impossible later on. Once the tube is
in place, gently begin to work the tire and tube back onto the rim. This
will involve reversing the process used to remove the tire in the first
place. Roll the tire back into place over the edge of the rim, then use
the tire tool to make sure the hem or edge of the tire is settled back
into position on the rim, with no overhang. As a final step in the
process to change a bicycle tire, inflate the new tire and tube, taking
care to make sure the amount of pressure is at the proper level. Once the tire is inflated, secure the tire to the axle with the nuts or by using the lever to lock the tire back into place. |
