How to properly Maintain Indoor Exercise Bikes

Many people opt for an indoor exercise bike when choosing a piece of equipment to shed weight or get in shape. That should not come as a surprise.

A stationary bicycle allows you to exercise in your own home anytime you wish. It offers a variety of health benefits. As a matter of fact, regular cycling can tone up and strengthen your muscles while improving your endurance and cardiovascular health at the same time. Additionally, it can help you burn fat quickly compared to treadmill walking workouts.

Just as with road bicycles, proper and regular maintenance of your indoor bike will ensure that it runs smoothly at all times. You do not have to be mechanically inclined to get it done. Yet there are some essential things you need to address every so often. To help you get it right, we’ve set up the basic guidelines on indoor bike maintenance.

Tools Required

First things first, you’ll need to use the right tools. Here are some essential tools you should

have at hand:

Philips Screw Driver
Soft Clean Cloth
Spanner set
Light mineral oil or silicone-based lubricant
Pedal Socket
Hex Key Set
Socket Set

Daily Maintenance

Be sure to wipe your bike clean after each workout. That’ll prevent corrosion of metal parts, which leads to rust formation. Not only does it preserve the appearance of your bike but its operation alike.

Steer clear of oil-based or abrasive cleaning products, since they can strip paint off the bike frame. A mixture of water and soap will get the job done just fine.

Weekly Maintenance

Here, the focus should be on the bike performance. Pay particular attention to excessive vibrations and loose assemblies.

The bottom bracket often requires tightening as it is prone to loosening up after a while. Also, keep in mind that cranks and pedals require tightening on a weekly basis. The crank arms should follow the “lefty loosey, righty tighty” rule, while the pedals need to be tightened up toward the front.

Monthly Maintenance

A comprehensive bike inspection should be carried out once a month. Check out all the assembly components and overall frame of your exercise bike.

Take care of the brake pads in particular. They should be lubricated to prevent the resistance from skipping and making a grinding noise when in use. Other moving components like the handlebar posts, pop-pins, and seat require occasional lubrication and cleaning as well.

Chain Maintenance

When it comes to the chain, there are two main things to deal with: lubrication and chain tension.

The well-lubricated chain is essential for smooth operation while riding the bike. Simply remove your bike’s chain cover and visually check if the chain is lubricated sufficiently. To check the chain tension, stand on the bike pedals at 3/9 o’clock position and move your body back and forth.

Summing Up

As you can see, indoor bike maintenance consists of three sections – daily, weekly and monthly maintenance. The well-maintained high-quality bikes, such as Our Fitness Blueprint indoor cycling bikes, can last a lifetime and give you years of dependable performance. Once you get into the habit of maintaining your exercise bike, you will carry it out faster and have more time for your workouts.