Nathanael Fournier
Service Manager
The essay below is graphic, but don’t be scared! We can fix most issues!
We want you to be safe on your bike and, mostly, we want you to enjoy riding and we know that you will get the best riding experience when your bike is well maintained!
So here you are:
Road bikes need love too. You may not know it. There may not be any obvious signs that your bike is screaming “service me!” because that’s how it is with road bikes; a slow erosion of performance that is hard to notice because it is incremental. Plus you’re riding too darn fast to care, right?! Until one day you’ve had enough of shifting up two then down one to get in the right gear, your brake levers bearing down to the handlebar or the repeated flat tires you’ve been getting were enough. It’s time to bring your bike into the shop. At Republic Bicycles we see tired, well used bikes all the time. No judgement here! We just want to get you fixed up, back on the road and enjoying your bike!
It all starts with an assessment of your bicycle.
More often than not, the first thing we’ll do is check your chain. The chain is the lifeline of your bicycle. Most riders know enough about bikes to know you need to lube your chain with a bike specific lubricant, but did you know you should also fully degrease your chain regularly to minimize wear? A clean and properly lubed chain is a happy chain! The tiny road grit that sticks to your chain, as seen in the photo below, increases abrasion and will increase the rate at which your chain wears.


Not all problems are so severe. Some are as simple as a brake balance as shown below (right).


Another common problem which often gets overlooked on a road bike is the condition of the tires. They hold air so I’m fine, right?!
Well, there’s a bit more to it than that. Tires can hold air fine but when they decide to give up the ghost it is certain to be all of a sudden. When a bike is in for service we check for the early warning signs: a million tiny cuts and slashes in the tread, and sidewall cracking; and the dire warning signs as well: threadbare casing, and bulges or warping. A tire can also show none of these signs and still be due for replacement if over time those long rides have worn flat the once round cross section of your tire. Having a flat section down the middle of your tire makes cornering dangerous and you will likely start to get repeated flat tires from the tread being so thin.
Those are some of the common issues we see on a daily basis with road bikes – and mountain bikes too! Come by Republic Bicycles and have a chat with our friendly and knowledgeable service advisors; start down the path of better maintenance for better riding.
Questions? Come on in or get in touch.