I have a fairly nice bike. Itā€™s a specialized commuter. I bought it for about $630 in Whistler, on sale. Iā€™ve ridden it for a couple seasons now.

The problem is, I havenā€™t done a single thing to take care of it. I take it out day after day, without so much as even washing it. I store it outside, jump on and go.

Luckily, it performs quite well. But Iā€™m starting to feel the initial signs that it needs some love. The shifting is a bit clunky, the chain is developing rust, and the breaks squeal.

Why I havenā€™t tackled any of this is beyond the point. But at least part of this owes to the fact that Iā€™m not very comfortable working on bikes. I did a bit of it as a kid when I mountain biked obsessively and used to spend time in shops, talking to the older mechanics about mountain biking are whatever else was on their mind. It was so cool how these older guys were so generous and welcoming with us.

Long story short I need to make bicycle maintenance a regular part of my routine. The problem is I donā€™t know where to start.

I recently asked a mechanic friend how often I should wash my bike. His answer: Every time you ride in the rain. If you donā€™t gunk builds up all over.

Knowing myself, this isnā€™t likely. But there is also no doubt in my mind that I could be better.

Last weekend, I went out and purchased some ā€œwet oilā€ for my chain. The shop owner was extremely helpful and broke down how to apply. The method, surprisingly was a lot different than I expect. I thought you apply to every single chain break, but thatā€™s not the case.

He ended up giving me an explanation but it went over my head. He did, however, suggest a helpful resource in the form of Park Tools Youtube channels.

I talk a quick look, and while I see that many of the videos seem pretty involved (and too much for me!), there are some simpler ones.

This one, on lubing the chain, seems great.

As I move forward, this new me who wants to actually take care of my bike, I will also need to get into the habit of regularly cleaning my bike. This video has some good advice. No tools needed.