Tune-up Time is Now!

As we enter February, it reminds us that spring is right around the corner, and our shop will be overflowing with repairs. We have really stressed this year for people to think ahead and start bringing bikes in early for a tune up.

This will also be a particularly busy year as Ragbrai will be so close to Northeast Iowa, and many individuals living in Decorah and the surrounding areas will want to attend. We do expect an influx of individuals coming in for Ragbrai tune-ups.

The question is: how long do you want to wait for your bike? There is no way to know how long turn-around time will be for the summer months. We can guarantee you that if you brought your bike in now, you would get it back within a couple days. In doing so, you won’t be missing those awesome riding days while we’re working on your bike. 

Now that we’ve told you about the benefits of bringing your bike in early for a tune-up, you’ll want to know what it entails.
Our tune-up rates are $55.00 
We will give your bike a thorough cleaning, and if you choose, you can have your drive train cleaned for extra $15.00
Wheel truing (straightening)
All bearing adjustments
Shifting and brake adjustments
Safety check all of the components
All necessary lubrication
Tire inflation
Parts replacement is extra, but you will not be charged for additional labor for installing parts or accessories.

Here are some helpful tips on how to check for some of the most common issues-

Hub bearings: grab your wheel and shake side to side. It should not have any play at all and if there is any play, you need an adjustment.
Front end bearing: squeeze left brake while rocking bike, if there is play an adjustment is needed.
Crank/Bottom bracket bearings: hold on to one of the crank arms and wiggle side to side-if any play you will need an adjustment.
Wobbly Wheels: lift your bike up to spin the wheel. Watch the

rim while it goes past the brake pads, if it goes side to side it is not straight and needs to be trued. 
Worn brake pads: make sure they are not too worn/thin.
Worn out/sticky grips: grips are important for holding on and maintaining control of your bike, worn grips will make this more difficult for you. Replacing grips are inexpensive and an easy way to freshen up the look of your bike.

Worn/cracked tires: Look at the tread for balled or worn spots and look at the side of your tire for cracked/fraying sidewalls. It is possible to prolong the life of your tire with a tire rotation (moving back tire to the front). You wouldn’t drive your vehicle on extremely worn or cracked tires, so why would you ride your bike on unsafe tires?

With your bike tuned up, you can be confident that you know everything is safe and functioning properly. It’s an important part of taking care of your ride and getting the most out of your bike riding experience. 

For you future annual tune-up needs, consider having your bike tuned up at the end of the season. In doing so, you can be ready for that first nice day of the bike season. Your bike mechanic will appreciate working on your bike during a slower time of the year and you won’t be missing your bike when you want it the most!