Folding Bike Maintenance

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    Folding bikes may function identical to how a regular work, however, because of the extra mechanism that this kind of bicycle has, there are clear differences when it comes to maintenance. Generally, bicycles are prone to be worn due to harsh usage, vibrations, high impacts and dirt accumulation, however, folding bikes have a different step in maintenance due to their folding mechanism. Without proper maintenance, your folding bikes might end up useless. A suggested interval of maintenance or check-up is every 3 months. Now, what are the steps to take to avoid worn-out of your bikes? Read through to find out!

    How to Maintain your Folding Bikes:

    Keep the following steps in mind in order to extend the life of your folding bikes. Apply these steps routinely (at least every 3 months).

    Cleaning

    Cleaning your folding bikes goes further than just spraying them with a high-pressure hose. Although doing this would give you a clean and sparkly look, it is not ideal as this can only remove dirt from the surface and not provide deep cleaning. The ideal way to clean up is to perform manual deep cleanings. How do you do this? 

    • Apply cleaning products gently and thoroughly by hand along with the frame, making sure that the product you use is not corrosive in order to protect the paint. After doing so, dry the surface and apply bike polish to provide a shiny look as well as basically waterproofing your frame.
    • After the frame, the next part to focus on is the chain. It is the bike part that accumulates the most dirt and other contaminants, as a result, the chain of your bike may derail over time as well as corrode. To clean this up, let the water run along with the links until contaminants are removed or softened. Get yourself a chain cleaner and a small wire brush to get into the nooks and crannies of the chain.
    • Wipe the chain dry. Make sure to remove the excess old lubricant before spraying the chain with a fresh lubricant.

    Tyre Pressure

    To go smoothly through any terrain, you must maintain proper tire pressure on your bike. As a result, before embarking on a journey, you must ensure that the air pressure is adequate. It’s best to utilize a dependable dial gauge for this. Dial gauges are more accurate than pencil tire gauges, which are typically used in automobiles. The lower the surface of the tire in touch with the ground, the higher the air pressure inside it. This enables faster and more fluid movement. For both standard and folding bikes, this is a good rule of thumb. As a result, road bike tires require more air pressure than other types of tyres.

    Check Brake Pads

    On any bike, the brakes are one of the most crucial components. Brake pads lose their capacity to lock the wheels as they wear down over time. You can tell how well the brakes are working by the sound they make. It’s time to change the brake pads if you hear a long whistle while braking and your wheels don’t stop promptly. You can do the replacement yourself if you want to save some cash. All you’ll need is a bike stand and the necessary tools.

    Cleaning the Seat post

    The long, high seat posts is the biggest difference between a foldable bike and a solid bike, other than the folding mechanism ofcourse. Regularly cleaning your seat post will help keep dirt out of your bike’s frame if it slips. Dirt in the frame of your bike will make changing the seat more difficult as it ages.

    Things to Inspect

    Other than regular cleaning and maintenance, it is also important to constantly check few aspects to ensure that everything id still in good condition before taking the bike for a ride. This is to avoid further damage on the bike and most importantly, ensure your safety and comfort during the ride. 

    Tyres

    As aforementioned, proper tire pressure is very essential in order to have a smooth ride. Tyres would naturally leak air, so it is very important to constantly check, it would be a hassle to realize a flat tire in the middle of the ride. Easiest way to do this is to just give your wheels a small squeeze before mounting. 

    Hinges

    The most important part of any folding bike is its hinges. Hinges are what allow the bike fold within itself. Hinges and joints might benefit from a little additional tender loving care. All you have to do to keep your folding bike in good operating condition is clean and lube it on a regular basis, just like the other components.

    Maintenance of folding bikes is important in order to keep the bike functioning as it should. This type of bike has an extra mechanism that regular bikes do not, so if the maintenance is not done properly, the folding function will not work correctly and the bike might break. Make sure you check up on your bikes regularly to avoid further damages which can also require a lot more repair and that’ll be a big yikes on your wallet! If this maintenance intimidates you from getting a foldable bike, check out this blog to see if a foldable bike is best for you!

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