Everyone has been eagerly waiting for the monsoon season to descend upon us. Riding your bicycle in the rain is a good way of romanticizing life. However, one needs to be careful while riding outside during this weather. To help you be better prepared to weather this storm, we have a few monsoon care tips for your bike.

Get the tyres checked out 

Always get the tyres of your bicycle checked . Even before the monsoon arrives or as soon as it arrives, get your tyres ready for the long, heavy showers, the muddy slippery roads, having to brake suddenly, etc. Issues with tyres would directly affect the  performance, leading to mishaps. In order to prevent that, it’s advisable to get it checked  and in case there are issues, the best thing to do would be to replace them. You can always get your Firefox bike checked by booking a service with us.

Pro tip: choose tyres that will benefit the bike in terms of grip and smooth running.

Get the two-wheeler brakes serviced

Both the front and back brakes are important for a bike. Depending on the type of bike, brakes can be disk or rim. So, it’s important to get the brakes checked by a mechanic on a regular basis. Always get the brake pads checked, and adjust them in order to avoid braking too hard. Especially during the monsoon season.

 

Invest in bike fenders

Fenders help keep you safe from getting a spike on your back from roads that are wet from recent rain or drizzle. It keeps the water from getting kicked up. It’s an ideal accessory for your bicycle during the monsoon season. If your bike doesn’t have one, you can purchase one from our stores.

You can check out some Firefox fenders here.

Clean and lubricate the bike chain more frequently

Another important thing to remember is cleaning and lubricating the bike chain. During the monsoon season, it’s a wise idea to do so even more frequently. This will make sure that you have a smooth ride. The reason for this is that the rainy season, while amazing for long rides, also brings in dirt and other particles that might get stuck to the bike chain. Unclean and unlubricated bike chains might lead to road accidents. Always ensure that the bike chains have sufficient lubrication to help with the chain’s smooth movement. This will ensure that your rides remain unaffected and smooth.

You can check out some lubes here

Protection of hinges and levers from rusting

Hinges and levers of bikes are made from materials that are vulnerable to rusting. However, if they do rust they will deteriorate the performance of the bike. Especially during the monsoon season, it’s important to protect against rusting to ensure that your bicycle functions properly. One of the best ways to ensure this is by coating the metal frames with a layer of anti-rust protection. Ensure that post a ride in the rain you always clean your bike, leaving your bike wet will lead to rusting.

Reduce Tyre Pressure

Since wet roads reduce the hold between the tyre and the road, with bad braking due to wet rims, it becomes more difficult to keep the wheels fastened to the tarmac. However, by reducing the tyre pressure by 10-15 PSI, it would increase the traction. Additionally, be careful of cuts, bulges, glass etc. in the tyres to prevent a puncture.

 

Bonus Tip: Always Carry Essential Cycling Gears

 Since our adventurous side always gets the better of us, it is a good idea to keep essential cycling gears on you. To ensure the clouded vision that comes with the rains is kept at bay, wearing a neon gilet with reflective stripes. This would ensure that pedestrians and people driving in vehicles are able to spot you easily. It’s also a good investment to attach a good LED light in front of your bike so that you are able to see the road ahead without any trouble, which can be found easily here!

While we would urge you to be careful while riding your bicycle during the rains, we hope these monsoon care tips for your bike proves to be useful for you. You can always reach out to us in case your Firefox bicycle needs to be serviced.