With the summer months in full swing and indoor trainer bikes taking a beating, let’s talk about how to keep them in best order. Indoor bikes do tend to get heavy usage and subsequent wear and tear, prehabs more so than a bike ridden outdoors. They will just not pick up any road grime or grit, or take a beating on the tyres and headset bearings. However he drivetrain obviously takes on many miles so of course keeping on top of de-greasing and lubing the chain, be it dry lube or wax based is important. Replacing the chain when necessary to save the cassette and chain rings from premature wear is wise too. Please see previous blog about that.
Best way to protect the bike overall is to place a towel over the frame and headset to protect as much as possible from sweat, which will make its way in and corrode or rust parts like the seat post, bottom bracket and headset bearings. A wipe down with a wet rag and even some specific bike spray after use can only aid in keeping the bike tip top.
Doing as much as possible to keep the bike clean will go a long way but it would always be best to get the bike serviced before going back out on the roads. So, get those crucial parts cleaned and re greased to ensure its safe to ride!
The turbo takes a hit too. To keep it at maximum efficiency a small service on the freehub is advised, to keep it clean, re greased and running smooth. If there is ever a grinding noise, then there is a good chance the bearings are worn, or something is not quite right with the internals of the turbo itself. In that case I would recommend to stop riding and get it checked out asap before more serious damage occurs.
See you around and in the mean time enjoy those indoor rides!
By Jordan Colledge, Head Mechanic Vélo Presto
