Whether you live in a mild climate and can easily bike year-round, enjoy the quiet trails during colder winter weather, or put your bike away this time of year, some winter bike tips can help everything go smoothly. Here are the best ways to winterize your bikes, prepare them for winter rides, and find great bike deals on discount bikes during the off-season.
How to Winterize Your Bikes
If you properly store your family’s road, electric, cruiser, comfort hybrid, or mountain bikes each winter, you can enjoy them and ensure they work correctly when you and your family are ready to ride them next season. Preparation and storage are essential to winterizing your bikes.
Preparing Your Bike It’s a good idea to prep your bikes before storing them for the winter. Perform or purchase tune-ups for your family’s bikes to adequately clean, lubricate, wax, and tune them. This will remove any grime and dirt accumulated during the year. It’ll also add a protective coating of oils, greases, and waxes to help prevent corrosion and protect them from the elements if they sit in storage over the winter.
If you choose to do your bicycle tune-up yourself, follow these five steps:
Safely Storing Your Bike Storing your bike indoors in your house or apartment is best because it will keep it out of the elements and in a warm, climate-controlled area. You can also hang your bike on an interior wall, put it in a garage, or hang it from your garage ceiling. If you have to store your bike outside, cover it to help prevent the winter elements from damaging it. If you won’t be using your bike during the winter, it’s essential to lock it up so it doesn’t get stolen.
If you know you won’t be using your bicycle during the winter and have other sporting goods equipment like paddle boards and camping gear, you can look into climate-controlled storage near you to store these items safely until you are ready to use them in the spring.
How to Prepare for Winter Riding
While many cyclists hibernate in winter, riding during this season can be highly rewarding. Plus, bike paths and trails that are busy in the summer become blissfully crowd-free in the wintertime.
Here are eight tips to help you continue riding your bike during the colder months: 1. Ease Into Winter Riding: Conditions are often more challenging than during warmer seasons, so begin with shorter rides to get acclimated. 2. Ride the Bike You Know: You know how your favorite bike handles, which can help on more challenging rides. You may just need to upgrade a few components on your current bike. 3. Assess if You Need a New Ride: That said, not every type of bike is appropriate for some of the elements you may face when winter riding. If you think a different style of bike, like one with wider tires and more traction, would help, now is also a great time to find a discount bicycle at a great price. 4. Stay Visible: For riding in the early morning and evening hours in the dark, add bright headlights, safety lights, and reflective gear. 5. Dress for Warmth: Wear layers to stay warm and adjust to changing conditions. You may need a rain jacket, gloves, and other gear to help you stay warm. 6. Check Your Tire Pressure: Air pressure loss happens more quickly in cooler temperatures, so ensure your tires are properly inflated before you ride. You may also consider switching to grippier tires and picking up a portable miniature bike pump. 7. Clean and Cover Your Bike: Ice and grime can quickly build up on your bike's drivetrain, frame, and other components. Regularly cleaning your bicycle and covering it when you’re not using it can help ensure it stays in good condition throughout the winter. 8. Keep Electric Bike Batteries Warm: Cold temperatures can drain your battery more quickly. Storing your battery indoors and using riding tactics that conserve power can help elongate the life of your e-bike’s battery. Check your user manual for more details.
How to Find Great Deals on Bikes During the Off-Season
The fall and winter are great times to find clearance bikes on sale because demand is lower during the biking off-season. Whether you are in the market for a road bike, mountain bike, e-bike, comfort hybrid bike, or BMX bike, here are a few tips to get the most bang for your buck. 1. Find a Factory-Direct Bike Company: Winter is actually a great time of year to look for bicycle sales online. While you may be tempted to buy a used bike to save money, it’s not always easy to know whether a bike will fit or if the seller is being honest about its condition. So, skip the uncertainty and the hassle by finding a factory-direct bike company that passes the savings on to you. That way, you can get a brand-new ride at a fraction of the suggested retail price.
Proper care, storage, and preparation are the best ways to ensure the bike you received for a fantastic deal during a new bicycle clearance sale will serve you well from one season to the next.
About Mendham Bicycle Co.
Mendham Bicycle Co. offers the best possible prices on factory-direct bicycles. Explore their extensive road, mountain, electric, hybrid, and cruiser bicycle collections and get a deeply discounted bicycle delivered to your door. Whether you need the perfect bike for your kids’ holiday gifts or want to get the electric bike of your dreams, Mendham Bicycle Co. can get you high-quality bikes for far less than the retailer’s selling price. Mendham Bicycle Co. is committed to providing the best prices and will even price match if you find a better legitimate listing in stock online. From zippy, fast commuter bikes to recreational mountain bikes, each Mendham Bicycle Co. bicycle comes with free U.S. shipping and an assembly rebate. If you are in the market for a new bicycle, visit Mendham Bicycle Co. for a great deal on clearance bikes.
Find great deals on brand-new bikes at https://mendhambikes.com/
