Ready to ride! Spring cleaning and bike check

Let's be honest: When was the last time you really cleaned and checked your bike? And that doesn't mean the high-pressure wash at the gas station! The bearings and seals don't like that at all. Dust and dirt from the trail easily get into the smallest crevices of your bike - the sponge, on the other hand, unfortunately not so easily. Every now and then, you just need a little more time and attention for your beloved sports equipment. So that you and your bike can start the spring with full throttle again after the long winter sleep, here are a few tips for care and service.

You need:

• Bucket of warm water
• Bicycle cleaner (alternatively washing-up liquid) - biodegradable!
• Microfibre cloths, old T-shirts
• Big brush soft, small brush hard (toothbrush)
• Chain oil

Luxury equipment:

• Bike stand
• Garden hose
• Chain brush
• Drive cleaner
• Frame protection spray

Rough wash: Lucky garden (hose) owner, otherwise a bucket of warm water will do. Dishwashing liquid or all-purpose cleaner are fine, but a biker cleaner is a good investment. Make sure it is biodegradable! Large sponges and soft brushes are used here.

Fine tuning: On the toothbrushes, get set, go! Especially your drivetrain is in need of love, because the more unkempt the sprocket, chain and the like are, the more your gearshift will be in trouble. You need separate cleaning utensils to clean your drivetrain. Use an old toothbrush or a special chain brush to remove dirt from the small sprockets and cogs, as the oil tends to stick to them.

Lubricate: First clean - then oil! The right amount is the goal - neither too much nor too little oil is good for the delicate components. Attention: Make sure that no oil gets onto your brake discs - the pads quickly become soaked with oil and are then most likely unusable.

Finish: Finally you can polish your bike with a microfibre cloth and possibly give it the final touch with a protective spray. The protective spray has a water- and dirt-repellent effect.

You'll need:

• Allen wrench set (torque wrench)
• Damper pump
• Air pump

Spring cleaning is a good opportunity for a thorough bike check. Ideally, you should get into the habit of a quick routine where you check the most important things on your bike before every ride.

• Checkframe and rims: Always check your frame and rims for dents or cracks - carbon frames and wheels in particular are not very forgiving and need to be replaced if they are damaged.
• Brakes: How does the pressure point of your brake feel? How far does the brake lever go towards the handlebar? If the brake feels rather spongy, it might be time to bleed it. If you don't mind, you can get a special bleeding kit - or go to your local bike shop. Also, make sure you never run your brake pads completely dry - otherwise you run the risk of ruining your brake disc.
• Tyres: Check the tread of your tyres - if the knobs are worn down, it's time for a new investment. For the time being you can also just get a new tyre and keep the front tyre as rear tyre. As a general rule, the tread pattern should be coarser at the front than at the rear - for maximum grip downhill and good efficiency uphill!

• Suspension set-up: Just like the tires, the shock and suspension fork also lose air over time. Therefore you need a special shock pump. For the suspension fork there are different psi specifications depending on the manufacturer and rider weight, usually the table can be found directly on the fork - otherwise on the manufacturer's website. For the rear shock there is no psi specification, here you have to include components like your weight and also your riding style/preference. The small rubber ring is an indication of whether you can use your suspension elements well or whether they are too hard.

• Tighten thescrews: Several screws hold your bike together and can quickly loosen due to vibration while riding. Especially on new bikes, the bolts should be tightened after the first few rides. Check all bolts, ideally with a torque wrench, and pay particular attention to the key points of the rear shock, rear triangle, handlebars and stem.

In Innsbruck there are also several workshops where your bike is in good hands:

• Veloflott
• The Exchange
• Bike Point
• Bike shop Innsbruck

Tour tips for a visit to Innsbruck and much more about biking can also be found on this website.

Happy riding!