Bicycle Maintenence Tip #1

I've been racing bikes and working in the bicycle industry for over 25 years now. I've seen many things in that time, and many common mistakes that seem to occur frequently.





If there is one thing my fellow mechanics and I all agree on, its the fact that we hate to work on unsanitary bicycles. By unsanitary, I don't necessarily mean dirty like dirt and mud, its something we like to call "MAN GOO".





Man goo is a mixture of sweat, sports drink, energy gels, and sometimes urine. Man goo seems to occur more often on triathletes bikes. I think maybe this happens because the bike portion of their events seems to be the best time to eat, drink, and use the restroom.



Another unsanitary issue is the heavy sweater. Sweat alone can cause all kinds of damage to bicycles if not wiped down after riding. In all the years I've been working on bicycles, there have been some memorable gross bikes.



A couple of months ago, a customer brought in a bike to have the handlebars replaced. It seemed kind of weird because the bike did not look like it had been crashed. As I started to unwrap the bars, I was horrified to find this:

That white stuff is actually dried up sweat that over time, actually corroded the bars to the point of breaking under normal use.

Yes I had to use rubber gloves and the bars were stinkier than they look. The ends of the bars where the plugs go had basically melted and were not round anymore as seen on the black portion above.

The point of the story is a little windex after a messy ride can go a long way into keeping your bike safe and working well.

If you are a heavy sweater or ride your bike indoors a lot, its a good idea to change your handlebar tape at least once or twice a year. A clean bike = a happy bike and mechanic!