10/11/2025
Getting your bike winter ready
A few tips on keeping your bike in good condition all year round…
1 - Keep your bike indoors
The number one thing you can do to keep your bike in top-top condition is to keep it indoors.
Not everyone will be able to do this, but if you can keep it inside (even in a shed) it will prevent rusting and aluminium corrosion, and the parts will last longer. If you don’t have a shed or garage and need to store your bike outside, covering your bike with a tarp will do the trick.
2 - Keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure
This sounds like common sense, but most people don’t do it. No innertube/tubeless set up is perfect, they all lose a little bit of air over time. Check your tyres before each ride and inflate if required. If you don’t know the correct pressure of your tyres, take a look online (or call me and I will help you!)
3 - Clean your bike regularly
This doesn’t have to be a full clean where you soak the bike, but a quick wipe down after each ride is a good habit to get in to. This is most important during the winter months, when the roads get gritted, as the salt that is thrown up onto your bike speeds up corrosion/rusting.
• Wipe down the bike frame and wheels/tyres with a damp cloth and a bike-specific cleaner after each ride. If you have rim brakes, it’s particularly important to thoroughly wipe them down to get any salt off the rims
• Clean the drivetrain, as all the dirt from the road gets attracted to it
• Don’t over-lube the chain - oil will attract more dirt/grit from the road. This can then turn into a sandpaper-like paste that, when the pedals are applied, grinds/wears the parts down faster
• Wipe down the chain, then carefully add a small amount of chain oil at each link. Leave for 30 minutes then REMOVE ALL VISIBLE OIL. The oil should pe*****te the chain but not sit on the surface where it will attract dirt. This mixture of oil and dirt will shorten the life of the chain, cassette, chain rings and derailleurs if not completely removed
Follow these three simple steps to keep your bike winter ready and happy. And remember, cycling is a great way to stay healthy and active, and unlike Eastern Canada (where I lived for 30 years!) the UK has the perfect climate for year-round riding, so don’t give up just because autumn/winter is here!
