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Friday 28 November 2014

Bike maintenance

When I got back from my mud mining expedition yesterday, I pressure-washed the bike. Then I did some maintenance.

First, I changed the read pannier rack again. The one I'd put on to repkace the broken one, was another aluminium one, and it feels a bit flimsy. I put a lot more stress on these than the normal rider, because A) I put in several kilograms of battery and tools and B) I'm riding over rough, bumpy ground. So I spashed out £31 for a really good quality rack, made of Steel, by Avenir. It was easy to fit, and looks good. It doesn't have the spring-loaded clip, but I never use that anyway, it's just a nuisance in place.

I also oiled the pedals. They're folding pedals, and I fold the right one when I put the bike in the car. I fold the left one when I need to get through a very tight space. I found the the left on is seized, and in freeing it, I cracked the rubber part - and it's still seized. So I replaced them both with a new pair (about £7) and bought a couple of replacement pairs, for future use.

Halfway across a field yesterday, I spotted something red on the ground, so I slammed  on my brakes and had a look. It was a rear light for a bike, with the rubber band broken. I took it home, dried it out and it worked fine. So I'll fix the rubber and it can go into service. These things only cost about £1, so it isn't the money, it's the satisfaction of fixing something.


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