By: Pamela Thompson, The Bike Campaign
May is bike month! With the spring weather, it’s a wonderful time to get out and ride. If you have a bike, now’s a good time to get it checked out and tuned up for spring and summer riding.
Spring Bike Prep
Making sure your tires are free of cracks and properly inflated is a good place to start. The proper air pressure is on the side of your tires, and is a number range followed by PSI.
The inner tubes in your tires may have Schrader valves or Presta valves. If you don’t have a tire pump, get one with a gauge that will accommodate both types. Tires need to be checked every seven to 10-days for proper inflation. Keeping your tires inflated to the correct pressure helps them last longer and gives you a better, safer ride.
Make sure your chain is oiled. If you’ve had your bike a while, you may want to have your chain inspected to make sure it hasn’t stretched. If it has, you can have it replaced.
If your brakes aren’t grabbing until the brake handles are almost to your handlebars, or if they aren’t stopping your bike effectively, they may need new brake pads or adjusting by a bike mechanic.
Spring’s a good time to check your helmet for cracks or worn straps, too. If you find either, it’s time to replace your helmet. And make sure you have a good lock in case you want to stop along the way. Remember to always lock your bike to a stand to deter bike thieves.
Make a Difference with your Rides
Now that you and your bike are ready to ride, why not join in a cycling challenge? You can join Love to Ride at lovetoride.net where you can log your rides. Your logged riding information data is anonymous, and gets used by planners to improve infrastructure—so you’re making a positive impact.
There are lots of places in our area to go on a bike. The Davis Bike Loop is 12-miles long, and winds through some of the prettiest areas of Davis. With the six mile proposed bike loop extension in North Davis you can go 18-miles just in the city limits!
If you want to get out of town, Winters is a nice destination. Beautiful scenery and great places to eat await you, and the 31-mile round trip is a good way to get started on longer rides.
Speaking of riding longer distances, the Davis Double Century is May 17, and volunteers are needed to help along the way. Run by the Davis Bike Club, the 200 mile route through Yolo, Napa, and Lake counties is one of the best supported rides in California.
The Bike Campaign, along with its counterpart, The Bike Garage, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 to help educate people about bicycling and encourage more people to ride their bikes. We work closely with city governments, county health departments, school districts, and community service groups.
