We’re lucky enough to be able to ride year ’round in Ashland due to the mildness of winter here. Many of you may not agree with that assessment but believe me, after spending decades in the high country of Montana and Colorado, winter in southern Oregon is not as tough. Nevertheless, I know many of you have your bikes in temporary storage while awaiting warmer days. Now is the perfect time to consider a pre-season tune-up to assure that you’re safe and ready to go once the temps reach your comfort zone.

Even the most expensive of bikes, whether standard or electric, experience component wear and require periodic maintenance to keep them running smoothly. This will also prevent more costly repairs down the road. Every bike should, at minimum, have a general tune-up performed on it once a year. Items to be addressed include: inspect and adjust brakes, gears, cables, headset, hubs, bottom bracket, and wheel spokes. Tire pressure and tread condition, as well as all bolt tightness should be checked. Chain wear is a key item to be checked; replacing a worn chain is far less expensive than waiting until it wears all the gears as well. Following these guidelines will assure that your first ride of the new season will be safe and secure.

Now can also be a great time to invest in any accessories that you’ve been considering to make your riding experience more pleasurable and effective. Baskets, bags, fenders, horns, cell phone holders; all these items can take your riding to the next level.

How about your helmet; is it comfortable and you use it, or does it sit at home while you venture into the world unprotected? There’s nothing pretty about a head injury. We’ve been privy to numerous episodes where a helmet has saved a rider from serious injury. Trust me; helmets save lives!

OK, now you know what it takes to stay ahead of the curve before the upcoming warm weather riding season. Make an appointment to get your bike in tip top shape now and avoid the rush when everybody else is scrambling to get their bike serviced. Who knows; you may even find yourself adding a few months to your usual riding season, and that’s a good thing for us all.