Tire maintenance for your bike

Photo: J.P. Squire

Depending on your needs, your bike bag(s) could carry some or all of the above items, including a bike bottle tool kit, tire repair tools and patches, inflation pump or CO2 cartridges, bike lock, bandages, toilet paper, safety vest, flagging tape, ball cap, sunglasses and extra outerwear.

This is the third column in a series on how to customize your new, or new-to-you, bike or e-bike to make it the most comfortable bicycle you have ever pedalled.

In the first column, the Bike Sheriff covered the basics of handlebars and stems, and introduced saddle selection. The second column had more information on proper saddle height, sitting upright versus bent over, pedals and footwear.

To complete the tips, some modern road cycle pedals come with cleat attachments on one side and flat surfaces on the other so you have the choice to clip in or not during your ride. Leg power is more efficient if you are clipped in (360 degrees of power).

It should be easy to pull your foot out of toeclips since you must be adept at unclipping with a sudden, unexpected stop. Clipped-in cyclists have all toppled over at some point. Warning: you are physically restrained when using those equipped with old-style straps and will fall over. Ouch!

Your choice of tires - where the rubber hits the road (or trail) - is all about proper grip. The general rule is smooth tires for road cycling, knobby for trails, but there are multiple variations in-between such as tires with smooth tread in the middle and knobs on each side for more grip when turning on the often-loose material on trails. You can hear those knobs when turning on asphalt.

Tire pressure should be adjusted for your choice of terrain: harder on asphalt for less rolling resistance and easier pedalling (it's amazing the difference a few pounds per square inch can make); softer for a wider grip and less jarring on trails. Check the tire pressure recommendations on the sidewall and adjust accordingly. A road/trail/mountain biking friend says he sometimes adjusts tire pressure five-seven times a ride.

Tubes are porous, so they leak. Check tire pressure regularly—hybrids once a week, road tires every two-four days. Mountain bike tires take a beating, so check often.

When it comes to tube tires versus tubeless, the Sheriff switched to tubeless years ago but also uses tire sealant like Slime and hasn't had a flat in years. You can sometimes see it seeping out of a pinprick leak. However, it doesn't last forever and more should be added every six months to a year, depending how far and often you ride.

You don't have to ride too many times in wet conditions without fenders (with mud stripes up your back) before you consider adding them, at least over the rear tire. The Sheriff uses a bike bag on top of a rear pannier rack to deflect most mud but it requires washing at the end of a trail ride.

In front is a DeFender fender which looks cool, like something Batman would use if he had an e-bike. Many other styles are available to suit your taste or as an upgrade to fenders supplied with your bike.

Depending on your needs, your bike bag (or a small backpack) could carry a spare tube, set of three tire levers, repair kit with glueless patches (take up less space), CO2 inflator and two cartridges, surgical or plastic gloves (to keep your hands clean as well as warm when chilly outside), wet wipes, backup pump with correct nozzle for Schrader (old-style, automotive) and Presta tire valves, Allan key set, chain repair tool and a small amount of money.

If you want to bring more gear on the rear rack, a waterproof side bag can carry a small amount of toilet paper, flagging tape, bike lock, gloves and alternate outerwear.

Many bikes can carry two water bottles. The Sheriff uses one holder for a water bottle and the other for a water bottle tool kit. Google “water bottle tool kit” and you can find retail models and YouTube instructions on how to make one from an old water bottle.

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Vernon outdoorsman Brian Sutch has his perennial warning about the arrival of ticks: “(I) just spotted two mountain buttercups blooming along the Bella Vista section of the Grey Canal and the ticks usually start appearing at the same time. (You) might want to give a heads up in your column."

Next week: The Sheriff takes a break from the series on how to customize your bicycle or e-bike and riding, maintenance and repair tips with a travel feature on his recent multi-day kayaking excursion in Baja California Sur. It was full of ups and downs, thanks to Mother Nature.

Photo: Contributed

Wood ticks (dermacentor andersoni), the species most commonly found through the Interior Health region, do not carry Lyme disease bacteria but they can carry other diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. An adult tick is the size of a sesame seed (2.5-millimetre diameter) but about the size of a small pea when engorged with blood.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.