Do you have a bike?

It's this time of year when snow is all melted and flowers appear in every garden. We go to the basement and get our trusty steel muscle powered horse out. And if you depend on it, like I do, to get you to work and back. Then have to take care of it and do some maintenance. Where to start? Start at the top of the bike and work downwards. Wipe of all the dirt with a brush and rag (that you stole from your girlfriend). And after your bike looks presentable and your not ashamed to be seen with it outside, you need to lubricate the moving parts. The more it moves the more attention it needs. My bike specialist says to wipe the chain after every ride (which I never do, who has time for that? :D). So, what do I lube? CHAIN, PEDALS, CABLES, PIVOT POINTS, DERAILLEUR PULLEYS. Yeah, but what needs what?

"Chain lubricants are split into three categories: dry, wet and all-round.

Dry lubes: Dry lubes are based around wax or Teflon; and they 'dry' in place on the chain; leaving a lubricating layer that is less likely to attract dust. This makes dry lubes ideal for dry, dusty riding conditions.

Wet lubes: These are heavier than dry lubes, and are generally oil based. They are designed to withstand wet and muddy riding conditions; providing a lubricating 'wet' layer on moving parts, even when they are bombarded with spray.

All-round lubes: These are general purpose oils, that as the name suggests, are good for all weather conditions. The downside of these lubes is that they are not the perfect lube for specific riding conditions. That's why dry/wet specific lubes were created."

I use CRC Bike Oil, it lubricates all moving parts. Penetrates hardest to reach places. Protects against corrosion and rust. You might not have this specific Bike Oil in your country. I got it from Bike dealership and that's what I would suggest for you as well. Pass my bike shop or place where they fix them and the guy will tell you exactly what you need for Your Environment and Your specific Bike. What might work for Dusty Dry environment might not be optimal for Wet and muddy one.

Never Use WD-40. It's a solvent, not a lubricant.

Alright, so we got everything lubed and Squeak free. Are we done? Almost.

Keep your tires inflated! Tires need the right amount of air to function optimally. Before you pump, check the sidewall of your tire: It should list the pounds-per-square-inch (psi) range that your tire can safely handle. Typically, a road tire can go between 80 and 130psi, while a mountain tire holds between 30 and 50psi. Hybrids usually take between 50 and 70psi. Where your personal psi preference falls within the range for your tire will depend on your weight and riding style—play around with it and figure out what you like!

Keep the nuts and bolts tight, but don’t over tighten them. Be careful with your fancy carbon bikes, its easy to over tighten the bolts on those.

Make sure your brakes are adjusted correctly, check and change brake pads if necessary. I learned this the hard way. Sat on my bike, with few second I gained big speed and this guy appears rushing out behind the corner. I hit brakes but it's not enough to slow down in time and collision happens. This could have been avoided by adjusting brakes and since then I have done so to avoid hitting unsuspecting pedestrians.

By my standards, after you're done with this. We are good to go.

It seems that it's hard to get into trending and I have suspicion that nobody actually reads my articles. If you did, write me a quick comment, so I know and have some motivation to write another one. Thanks.