Time To Tune Up
This article 1st appeared in the February edition of the Ashland LocalsGuide
We’re lucky enough to be able to ride year ’round in Ashland due to the mild winters here. Many of you may not agree with that assessment but trust me, after spending decades in the high country of Montana and Colorado, winter in southern Oregon is a piece of cake! 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 major 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. On that note, if appearances are a primary deterrent to you wearing a helmet, please come see the stylish helmet covers we offer to help you present a more fashionable appearance while you protect the only head you’ll ever have in this lifetime.
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 in a few months from now. 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.
