Some people fear their own bicycle. It may even be rusting away in the garage because they don’t know how to mend a puncture. Other’s will spend more time polishing their bike than they will riding it. I’m somewhere in the middle, but here’s a few tips on how to really love your bicycle.
Bicycle in Living Room.
For some reason, many people think bikes should be kept outside or at best in the garage. But a good bike is thing of beauty, and if it doesn’t deserve to be kept in your living room what does? Keeping your bike in the house really divides the bike lover from the bike user. Or maybe it just divides the single cyclist from the married cyclist?
Look how nicely my road bike fits seamlessly in to the colour scheme of the house. The handlebars fit neatly into the radiator. Beautiful.
If you have a head of the household who is not an avid cyclist, they may need a little more convincing, just say it is at the cutting edge of modern art – a new trend which puts bikes in the living room.
One thing about keeping your bike in the living room is that it is definitely a motive to keep it clean.
Just one tip, if it has been really raining hard, you might want to let the chain stop dripping oil before you carry the bike through your mothers best white carpet – just a necessary disclaimer.
Make Sure it looks good.
When you buy clothes, you don’t wear some cheap Primark clothes in garish orange, just because it has an easy fitting zip and is recommended for offering value for money. If you can buy clothes which look good, why can’t you buy a bike which looks stylish? Be willing to spend more on getting your favourite colour scheme. As soon as you get involved in designing bike from scratch, you feel it is like your own baby.
Customisation.
To my commuter bike, I’ve made a few customisations. I took off double chain ring and front mech. This means it is now a cunning mix of single speed chic with range of gears on the back. A bike shop did tell me I was wrong to take off front mech as my chain would slip off. Of course they were right, but it is still all my own customisation that no-one else has done and it looks good, even if a little inconvenient to occasionally have to put back chain on chainring, with a spare twig lying around on the road.
Check out Robert Penn’s dream bike – Robert travelled all around the world to pick up best customised parts from different manufacturers. He did just about everything but build it himself.
Ride in all conditions
Some people fear cycling in inclement weather. They think their bike may rust away when wet. This isn’t the case, your bike will take you wherever you want to go. Just remember, if you put mudguards on, you really will like your bike a lot more. If you don’t have fenders you will have a lovely strip of mud on the back of your coat. This doesn’t endear you to the bike, but if you have mudguards on, you will marvel at the ability of your bike to get you where you want to go, plus keep you mostly dry.
There have been times when I’ve been riding over bleak moors through driving rain. You need your bike to get you over the other side. When you’ve been on epic rides and many miles, you develop a relationship with your bike.
Make Sure it works.
There’s nothing better than that reassuring feeling of brakes that actually stop the bike when you want to. There’s nothing more irritating than a persistent noise and clicking from your bike. (see: how to solve clicking sounds on bike) When the bike is quiet, smooth and easy to ride, you will love it.
Cycling is always more fun that other forms of Transport.
How else can you get fit, have fun and be able to park for free wherever you want to go. Whatever happens.
Clean Bike
We’ve all had good intentions to clean bikes. My good intentions of cleaning bike are directly related to a) cost of bicycle b) how long I’ve had it. But, when you clean a bike and see the original paint work it’s a good sign.
Related
I don’t know if this may help you and your readers I just found a great product on ebay for securing your bicycles etc. I just searched for outdoor ground anchors for my mum she has had a few problems with thieves pinching there bikes. If you would like to take a look check out item number 180725492525
It’s very reasonably priced and it works a treat
Try one of the old single guides over the front chainring. Used to be regular fittings back when we only had 4 or 5 speeds.