Learning to maintain your road bike is not only a fun and rewarding experience, it will save you a serious amount of money in the long run.

Basic road bike maintenance means following a set plan on a fortnightly basis, in order to make sure everything is running smoothly on your bike and to correct any small problems before they become major ones.

Brakes

Check the brake pads before you ride, every time. If the brake pads are worn then make sure you replace them, otherwise you risk serious injury.

Tires

Make sure they are inflated to the correct pressure (the right pressure will be written on the inside of the tyre). Cast your eye over the tyres and look for signs of wear, any cuts and foreign items.

Pedals/Cleats

If you are using clipless pedals then you need to regularly clean and lubricate them. This should be done immediately after every ride to make sure.

Wheels

Once every couple of weeks you need to check that the rims have remained true. Spin them and look for any deviation. If you have knocked them on a curb or something then they may be damaged and need to be re-trued.