National Bike Week: Bike maintenance 101
BOSTON (WWLP) – It's National Bike Week, and there's no better time to learn some basic bike maintenance to keep yourself safe on the road.
Whether you ride a bike from your neighbor's yard sale or a top-of-the-line racing bike, basic care for your bike remains the same.
Before every ride, you'll want to check your ABCs–that stands for air, brakes, and chain. It is easiest to check these essential functions of your bike with the wheels up.
First, you will want to be sure your tires are inflated, and you can find the PSI you should be aiming for on the side of your tire. It doesn't matter what type of brakes your bike uses–what matters most is that they work. Check that out before you ride.
As for your chain, make sure it isn't sticking and keep it lubricated. You can find chain lube at your local bike shop, and keep up with this on your own.
Now that you're ready to hit the road, make sure you're wearing a well-fitting helmet–you only get one brain! On the road, you will want to ride on the same side of the road as cars and follow all the traffic laws they do. The best way to prevent an accident is by being predictable. Always signal your turns, and keep your wits about you.
For extra safety, use lights on your bike! A white light always faces forward, and a red light faces backward to show other riders and cars that you're up ahead. Use the blinking settings to save battery and catch cars' attention!
One last thing before you buckle your helmet and hit the road. Just like you would never text and drive, keep your phone away while you are biking, too. A focused cyclist is a safe cyclist.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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