Of course, you want your road bike to be in good technical condition. Safety comes first. In this blog, you will learn why it is important to maintain your road bike regularly and how to do it properly. Later in this article, we will take a closer look at the products you need for road bike maintenance. After reading this blog, you will be ready to ride safely every time.
Why should you maintain a road bike?
It would be great if a bike could keep working perfectly without any maintenance. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Every time you ride, your road bike comes into contact with dirt. This is unavoidable. While cycling, the components are exposed to things such as sand, mud, grass and salt.
Over time, this dirt can affect the entire bike and cause problems such as corrosion and rust.
Dirt that ends up on the chain will spread across the entire drivetrain. Besides corrosion and rust, this can also cause the bike to run less smoothly. The chain will move less freely, which means you will also lose speed. And a road bike is designed for speed. A chain that skips or hesitates at high speed can create dangerous situations.
Always make sure your road bike is fully in order. This helps prevent dangerous situations and extends the lifespan of your bike.
How do you maintain a road bike?
Road bike maintenance consists of the following tasks:
- Cleaning the road bike;
- Cleaning the chain of your road bike;
- Lubricating components with the right lubricants.
Cleaning a road bike
If you want to remove all dirt from your road bike, you need a dedicated bike cleaner. This will clean the frame and wheels until they shine again. Use the following supplies and steps.
Important: Never use a pressure washer. It can remove grease from between the components of your bike, which may cause wear.
Supplies for cleaning a road bike
- Bike cleaner;
- A bucket of water or a garden hose;
- Brush;
- Microfibre cloth;
Step 1
Apply the bike cleaner to the frame and wheels of your road bike. Do not start scrubbing immediately. Let the cleaner dwell for a short time, but make sure it does not dry completely.
Step 2
You can now use a brush to remove dirt from your road bike.
Step 3
Connect a garden hose to the tap or fill a bucket with water. Rinse the dirt and cleaner from the bike.
Step 4
Take a dry microfibre cloth and dry the entire bike.
Cleaning the chain of your road bike
For the chain, you need a chain cleaner. This will remove even stubborn dirt from the chain.
Supplies for cleaning the chain
- Chain cleaner;
- A bucket of water or a garden hose;
- Brush;
- Microfibre cloth.
Step 1
Spray the chain cleaner over the entire chain or drivetrain. Let it dwell briefly, but do not allow it to dry.
Step 2
Remove all dirt from the chain and drivetrain with a brush. Make sure to clean properly between the links.
Step 3
Wash the chain with a bucket of water or a garden hose to remove all dirt.
Step 4
You can now dry the chain with a microfibre cloth.
Lubricating components with the right lubricants
Once your chain is clean and dry, it needs to be lubricated again. You can do this with a lube. Which one is right for you depends on your situation. We will explain more about that later in this blog.
Supplies for lubricating the chain
- lube;
- Microfibre cloth.
Step 1
Drip the lube onto the chain, then turn the wheel. This allows the product to spread properly across the entire drivetrain. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Step 2
After 15 minutes, remove the excess lube with a microfibre cloth.
Using assembly paste
It is not only the chain that needs a lubricating layer. Stems, seat posts, bolts and threaded parts also benefit from lubrication. This helps when replacing and adjusting components.
Assembly paste also reduces wear, squeaking and creaking, and improves grip. When applying it for the first time, you may use a little too much assembly paste. Any excess paste can easily be removed with a cloth. After a few maintenance sessions, you will know exactly how much assembly paste you need.
Which products do you need to maintain a road bike?
For complete road bike maintenance, you can use the following products:
- Velorest Bike Cleaner;
- Velorest Chain Cleaner;
- Velorest Chain Lube Wet
Velorest Bike Cleaner
This bike cleaner has been specially developed to remove grass, mud, sand, salt, oil and grease. Velorest Bike Cleaner has been extensively tested for safety and performance.
The combination of ingredients is safe for every part of your road bike. It has no negative effects, such as damage to the paintwork or bearings.
Velorest Chain Cleaner
Use Velorest Chain Cleaner to clean your dirty chain. Just like Bike Cleaner, this chain cleaner is safe for all parts of your bike.
It helps remove sand, salt, mud, grass, oil and grease. Velorest Chain Cleaner is highly concentrated.
Velorest Chain Lube Wet
During cold and rainy days, it is best to apply Velorest Chain Lube Wet to your chain. Velorest lube gives your chain a water-repellent layer and helps it run smoothly.
The disadvantage of lube is that it attracts dirt.
