Regular bike servicing from a professional mechanic helps keep your bike running sweetly and safely but what determines how often it will need a service and is there anything you can do at home? We take a look at the seven factors that influence how often you will need to service your bike.
How often you ride
First and most obviously is how often you ride. Logically the more you ride the quicker things wear out and the more often your bike needs servicing but this isn’t the full story. Expendable items such as tyres, chains and cassettes wear out with frequent use but home maintenance can help to prolong their life. If you look after your bike between rides, clean it properly and store it somewhere dry then this can help keep it in great working order.
Where you ride
Different places have different conditions and challenges for your bike, particularly if you ride off road. Wet, sandy and dirty conditions can create a kind of abrasive grinding paste around your chain and cassette which will wear them out more quickly than riding somewhere dry and dust free. Hilly areas mean more strain on your drive-train from the extra torque of climbing and increased wear on your brakes and brake pads from use on the descents.