Over the past few winters, I’ve discovered there’s always a few snowicane days where the degree of winter nastiness overrides my motivation to go outside over even stay inside and do something active. I reserve certain bike related repair and maintenance projects, listed below, for those days. There are a few hard core riders I know that have the clothes and equipment to ride or run in even a Hors Category Snowicane. For the rest of us there’s some combination of cold, wet, and snow that steals our motivation to even exercise indoors. These are the days where we shrug our shoulders and gaze out the window remembering when the trees across the street were blooming and we rolled out of the driveway bare handed. Today, I find it hard to picture a day when my short fingered gloves were hanging from the drying rack and I had no idea where in the hell my shoe covers were. It’s mindboggling fuzzy. We’ve had too many snowicane days over the past week. Last night, after getting let out of work early, I stood and gazed out the window as the thick snow rushed sideways under the streetlight. No thoughts of wedding ring sunburns came to mind. Instead, I remembered what snowicane days like this are for. I headed downstairs to the Best Bike Man Cave Workshop and got crackin’ on some winter bike repairs. Based on the category of snowicane, here’s what I do.
They Let Us Out Of Work Early
Patch Inner Tubes
Reorganize and clean up workshop
Check air pressure on suspension & tires
Pull out, clean and relube seat tube
Clean and lube drive train while it’s on the bike
Check and adjust wheel bearings
Check tires for wear and inflate to proper pressure
Put new sealant in tubeless tires
Pull apart and clean and lube rear derailleur pulleys
Take off, clean and lube cassette
True Wheels
Take the good stuff off your cross bike and put it back on your road/mtn bike
Check for chain stretch and replace if necessary
Put on new bar tape (with patience, care, karma and style)
The National Guard Should Be Here Anytime
Pull out, clean, check, and lube bottom bracket and headset
Remove, clean & lube bolts on brakes, saddle, derailleur’s, seat post clamp, and stem
Replace oil and fluid in hydraulic brakes and suspension
Check and replace slow performing cables & housing
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