Cleanliness is next to godliness...

This weekend I got to get out and get a good ride in with Sarge and his daughter. We had a great ride up at Ashland up and around the park. Just about everybody we ran into were very friendly and for the most part, the dogs off their leashes stayed away from us. It was Sarge’s daughter’s first ride after a couple of months as well as her first ride up Ashland. It was clear, beautiful and about 70 degrees.

I heard a lot of squeaking, grinding and dragging of various components on my bike. Unlike Sarge, who is very meticulous / anal about bike cleanliness, I tend to wipe it off and throw the bike in the garage during the winter months. I just really don’t feel like washing during the cold. Well, I put the Prophet on the bike stand and went to town on it. I took a brass brush to the chain to clean off some spot rust that developed. I ran a brush around the rear derailleur and through all of the different cogs and grooves. My ride seemed to breathe a fresh sigh of relief.

Afterwards, a nice lube and break in ride around the cul-de-sac with my four-year-old and her Dora the Explorer bike. My Prophet shifted smoothly and ran like a champ. My paint job shined the lovely Mocha Brown instead of the off brown dirt color it had been sporting.

So fellow mountain bikers, if your bike has been hibernating or maybe just getting the basics over the winter months this message is for all of us. Time to do a little spring cleaning to get the cobwebs (or anything else) out of the works. The mountains are calling so have your ride ready.

Ride like you want it!