5 Spring Bike Riding Tips

Use these five tips to get ready for spring bike riding with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

As the snow melts and the weather warms up, it’s time to shake cabin fever and get outside. There are a few steps you can take to get yourself and your bike ready for spring bike riding. Use our five tips to get back outside and hit the bike trails.

1. Clean your bike.

If your bike has been sitting in your garage or backyard shed all winter, you’ll need to clean it off. Dust and debris can clog up gears and brakes. Give the whole bike a wipe down with a damp cloth. If there’s a lot of gunk on the brakes and chains, clean them off with a degreaser.

2. Give your bike a tune up.

After you’ve cleaned up your bike, it’s time to make sure everything is working correctly. There’s some bike maintenance you can do at home with help from our DIY Bike Tune-Up article. For work on the drivetrain, a complex and fragile part of the bike, we recommend visiting a professional.

3. Check your safety gear.

Before you start riding, you’ll want to check your safety gear. The most important piece of bike safety gear is a bike helmet. Everyone in your family should have a helmet that fits properly. Read through our Bike Helmet Safety Check article to make sure that you and your family all have a properly-sized and fitted bike helmet this spring.

4. Start slowly with warm-up bike rides.

If you haven’t been active throughout the winter, it might take a while to get back into the swing of things. When you’re ready to get out on your bike, start with flat, paved roads. Work your way to riding on hills and rougher terrain. This also goes for first-time bike riders. Read through our article on How to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike for more tips on getting your little ones started.

5. Have fun!

While biking is a great form of exercise it’s also fun for the whole family! You can hit some of the Midwest’s bike trails for a day of family adventure, all at an affordable cost. For more tips on bike riding, visit our Bikes & Biking blog.