This past Monday we hosted our first “Keystone Office Hours” and we are so thankful for everyone who joined us! This is a new virtual series that we will be hosting bi-weekly on Monday nights at 6pm. Every meet up we will introduce a new topic, share some knowledge, and answer any questions you have been wanting to ask us. Office Hours are completely free & open to all skill levels.
Our next Office Hours will be on 2/15 and we will be announcing the topic next week. If you want updates, follow us on instagram or check out our blog to stay up to date.
Woody talking through the finer points of chain lubrication.
Last night we talked about basic maintenance & some winter tips for maintenance and riding. In case you missed it, here is an overview:
Cleaning Your Bike & Lubricating Your Chain
Keeping your bike cleaned & your chain lubricated is the most important thing you can do during the winter if you’re riding in wet, salty, or muddy conditions. Clean components don’t wear down as fast, so your parts will last longer, perform better, and it will save you money in the long run.
Main components to keep clean and lubricated: chain, gears in the front & rear, derailleurs if they have grease or mud build up.
Always wipe down these components with a dry rag before you add degreaser/other cleaner. This gets off all the excess grit and dirt before you add liquid and create mud. Often a dry clean rag is all you need if you’re wiping down your bike regularly. If your bike is really dirty or has grease build up, using a degreaser can be helpful.
Degreasers/cleaners that are safe on your bike:
Your local bike shop probably carries a good degreaser. Common brands: Pedros, Finish Line, Spin Doctor, etc.
Simple Green can be found at any hardware store (diluted 1:3)
Dish soap and water is a great degreaser to use at home
If you have rim brakes, it’s a good idea to wipe down your rims with a clean dry rag if you see build up. You can use isopropyl alcohol if your rims are really dirty.
Keep soap and lubricant away from brakes, especially if you have disc brakes!
After you’ve wiped down your chain, it is time to lubricate it! With your bike on the ground and a rag layed down under it, drip lube on the links of your chain while turning the pedal backwards with your other hand. You don’t need to go too heavy with lube - after you’ve done a full rotation dripping it, continue to pedal backwards so the lubricant can disperse itself. When in doubt, read the bottle and there are often guidelines on how much to use.
Re: Chain lube - there are lots of different brands and lots of different types (wet, dry, wax, heavy, light, etc.) and the best choice for you will depend on what kind of riding you do, how often you want to do maintenance, and well as just personal preference. Pedros Chain J or Syn Lube and Rock & Roll Gold are good options for most folks and can be easily found. When in doubt: ask your local bike shop what they would suggest for your riding style.
Now take a clean rag and wipe down the chain (you can do this while pedaling backwards again) and get as much excess lubricant off! This may seem counterintuitive, but all the lubricant you need has dripped between the plates and rollers in the chain where it can do its job. Excess lube on the outside of the chain will pick up grit, dirt, salt easily which is that exact opposite of what we want.
Maintenance checks
*These are rough guidelines, this can vary a lot based on mileage, riding style*
Before you ride: check to make sure your quick releases are closed correctly, check brakes to make sure they’re connected properly and working, make sure nothing is loose.
Weekly/Bi-weekly: Pump your tires, wipe down & lube chain if you’ve ridden in the rain/snow/mud.
Monthly: Check brake pad wear, check tire tread and sidewall wear, wipe down & lube chain if you’re not doing it more often.
Every year: Tune up, clean bike, lube cables (or maybe replace), check drivetrain for wear and replace parts as needed.
When possible, keep your bike inside or at least covered. If you must keep your bike outside & uncovered, plan on wiping down your bike and lubricating the chain regularly. You will probably find yourself needing to lubricate your cables as well. If you feel like your brakes feel dry or crunchy when you pull the levers or shifting is difficult, that is usually a good indication that your cables are dry or corroded. You can use chain lube & drip it into your housing to loosen them up. Rock & Roll makes a cable specific lube that is really nice, too.
Tips for Cold Hands & Feet!
Aluminum foil or HVAC tape under the sole insert in your shoes. Tyvek (material some mailers are made out of) is also an awesome insulator. Woody has sewn a layer of tyvek into the inside of all of her toe and foot covers to keep feet warm!
If it’s wet, plastic bags around your feet inside your shoes: looks goofy but keeps water & wind out!
Wool socks and gloves are great
For hands: Nitrile gloves inside winter gloves. This works similarly to the plastic bags on the feets.
Giro makes some nice gloves that are wind resistant
Bar mitts are a great investment & you can wear lighter gloves (or no gloves!) with them so it is easier to access pockets/bags while riding.
Any follow up questions? Send us an email at info@keystone.bike and we’d be happy to answer them for you. We’ll see you in two weeks for our next Office Hours on 2/15!