DOS AND DON’TS OF WINTER BIKE MAINTENANCE

Winter is relentless and won’t hold back on your bike parts, so you need to stay on top of things if you want it to take it for a spin in the early summer.

To keep your gear up to snuff so you’re ready when the weather perks up, the black ‘n’ red team have put together a dos and don’ts checklist for winter bike maintenance.

Get ready for winter bike maintenance

Do: use GT85. Spray along your chain to lube and give moving parts and cables a good coating with your favourite water-displacing formula. It will protect your bike against the elements.

Don’t: don’t be tight with your tyres. Splash the cash on them, it’s the one thing that stands between you and the grit so don’t opt for budget rubber – go for quality.

Do: keep your bike clean and use GT85. Grab your favourite forula and give it a regular seeing to. It’s your armour against corrosion and it will save pricey parts from getting beaten up by the salt on the roads.

Don’t: overtighten bolts. It can mess up parts and void warranties. If you’re struggling with tight bolts though, remember your can of GT85 and a torque wrench to loosen it up, be kind to your carbon components.

Do: apply GT85 to your bolt threads, it will keep them in check and prevent them from seizing.

Don’t: chop the cable outers too short. If they’re not long enough they can cause more friction, and braking and shifting will be much less effective. If your cables are playing up, grab some new ones.

Do: lube up your cables with GT85 when you put them in. Your trusty formula will keep water out, rust away and prevent your cables from seizing up.

Don’t: use the same tyre pressure for all seasons. When it’s winter and the roads are soaked or slippery, drop the pressure by about 10psi. It’ll give you better grip.

Do: keep on top of wear and tear. Get into the habit of giving your tyres a once-over. Get rid of any lodged debris and give your front and back wheel a swap, as the back one always takes the bigger hit. This way you’ll squeeze more life out of them.

Don’t: jet wash your bike – it shoves water where it shouldn’t be. It will sneak past your bearing seals. Once it’s in, there’s no pressure to kick it back out, so it will cause your bearings to rust up. Stick to something gentler.

Do: pump it up. Keep your tyres at the right pressure and your ride will thank you for it. You’re asking for trouble with low-pressure tyres, not only does it wreck the rubber but it sets you up for punctures too.

Don’t: hold back on changing up your gears. Switching between your gears will help to keep your chain straight, it will reduce wear and keep your gears in good nick for longer.

Do: shift between all gears when you’re out and about. Speed up, wear down your drivetrain evenly and keep your chain straight to ease the load on your gears.

Don’t: guess that your chain is OK because your gears are. You want to make sure your chain isn’t stretched, anything over 0.5mm is a red flag. Get yourself a tool and check the wear properly, don’t cut corners.

Do: spend a pretty penny on a chain wear indicator. Keep an eye on your chain after cycling around 2,000km. Continuing to ride with a worn chain will wreck your chainrings and cassettes, and that’s going to burn a hole in your pocket.

Don’t: neglect your brake pads as they clock up the miles. Keep an eye on them and see if they’re wearing evenly. Once you see the wear, swap them out, don’t risk safety.

Do: position your brake pads centrally on the braking surface, ensure no part is tickling the tyre. When the rim’s feeling concave to your fingertips, get a replacement.

MORE ABOUT GT85

Need to top up your stash? Grab a few cans of GT85 from our Amazon shop.
For more advice or for a chance to be a champ in our competitions, follow us on: Instagram, X or Facebook.