5 Common Bike Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid for New Owners

Biking is a fantastic and fun way to get a good workout in. While biking, you can burn about 400 calories an hour while working multiple muscles in your lower body.

But in order to get the most out of biking, you need to take great care of your bike. Avoiding common bike maintenance mistakes is the best way to ensure that your favorite bike is ready to go when you are, allowing you to fit a workout into your busy schedule.

In this article, we’ll tell you about 5 common bike maintenance errors that you need to avoid. We’ll also give you a few tips and tricks that you can use to keep your bike functioning at a high level for years to come.

Now then, let’s get started!

1. A Lack of Tools

It’s next to impossible to perform regular bike maintenance without the right bike cleaning tools. That’s why, if you don’t have one already, we suggest that you pick up a bike maintenance kit to keep wherever you store your bike.

These kits are affordable, easy to store, and come loaded with everything you’d ever need to fix or repair your bike. Keeping some basic parts on stock, like spherical roller bearings and a backup chain, is also a good idea.

2. Too Much Tire Pressure

If you know anything about bike maintenance, you know that tire pressure is key to both a smooth ride and a long-lasting bike. Too much tire pressure will not only make your ride bumpier but will lead to you needing new tires faster.

A pro tip? Stick to the lowest recommended tire pressure level listed on your bike tire. That way your tire has a bit more give when riding, and thus, will last longer and give you a smoother, more enjoyable ride.

3. Too Much Bike Chain Lube

Lubing up your bike chain is a great way you keep your bike in good condition for a long period of time. But too much chain lube can have the opposite effect.

Again, we recommend that you only use the lowest amount of chain lube suggested for your bike. Anything more will increase the chances of your chain locking up, which can be very dangerous when riding at high speeds.

4. Improper Storage of Your Bike

There aren’t too many things that can ruin your bike faster than improper storage. Keeping your bike outside in the elements, for example, can cause rusting, even on the newest of bikes.

It can also cause your tires to dry rot, which can cost a pretty penny to repair and prevent you from riding when you want.

5. Storing a Dirty Bike

Even if you have a safe space to store your bike, it doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear. There are still plenty of mistakes that you can make when storing your bike that can cause issues that hit you hard in the wallet.

Storing a dirty bike, for example, can cause various elements of your bike to jam up and not work well, or even at all. So, before you store your bike, be sure to wipe it down and remove all dirt and dust.

That way your bike will be in working order and functioning properly when you’re ready to get a workout in!