DID YOU KNOW?
Pequot Cyclists Newsletter
December 2001

¨       Tires lose pressure over time. Rubber is semi-porous, so all tires, even car tires, seep air. Add air to your bike tires every few weeks. If the bike sits for several weeks and goes flat, try reinflating the tires before deciding to replace the tubes.

¨       Be sure your tire valves and your pump are compatible. There are two types of valves; presta and shrader. Your bike shop can be sure the pump matches. Adapters are available for very little cost.

¨       A kickstand is not a pleasant thing to tangle with in a crash. Consider not having one on your bike. Just be careful where you rest your bike. If you must lay it down, don’t lay it on the right side, you could bend the derailleurs or get the chain full of dirt.

¨       Bike shorts are meant to be worn by themselves without underwear. They are designed to prevent chafing and fabric wedging leading to sore spots.

¨       The grease on a new bike chain isn’t chain lubricant. A layer of light grease is put on the chain at the factory to prevent rust. It will attract grit, so clean it off with a citrus solvent and apply real chain lubricant.

¨       Replace chains often. Chains are cheap compared to buying a complete drive train. You can get much longer life out of the cogs and chainrings by replacing the chain every 500 to 1,000 miles. Don’t wait too long. A fresh chain on worn teeth will skip and grind.

¨       Helmet adjustment is crucial. It should sit level on the head, not tilted back like a bonnet. The plastic side pieces of the straps should be adjusted to fit right below your ears. You shouldn’t be able to shift the helmet from side to side.

¨       Be sure to use chain lube and not just household oil. Although the light oil that you use around the house may work well to fix squeaky door hinges, it’s too thin to do the job of lubricating a chain. Definitely don’t use WD-40 as a chain lubricant. WD-40 has a high percentage of solvent, so it does a good job as a chain cleaner, but isn’t very good as a lubricant.

¨       Companies that make bicycle lubricants invest fortunes in developing their products. It pays off; most chain lubes, cable lubes, bearing grease, and cleaners from these companies work far better on bikes than household or automotive products do.

¨       Although you can find most of your standard tools [Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, combination wrenches] at your local hardware store, you need to visit a bike shop for the specialty bike tools. Take care of them and they’ll last a lifetime and justify their cost.

¨       Never use a screwdriver as a tire lever unless you like to ruin tires and inner tubs. The sharp edges of a screwdriver can rip into the bead of a tire. Save money, get a set of tire levers and use tools properly for what they were designed for!

¨       Protect your investment. To fin a bike that fits and fulfills your secret yearnings takes time and money. Dust, dirt, sand, road grit, and dirty looking lube will damage your bike parts very rapidly. Keep all areas of your bike clean. Shiny parts should shine. Take the time to wipe it off after every ride or two. Wax the frame occasionally and clean the “nooks and crannies” the best you can.