Looking after your bike

If you care for your bike, it will work better and last longer. You can carry out some basic bike maintenance jobs yourself, but, if in doubt, take your bike along to a reputable local retailer.

Maintenance

To keep your bike in tip-top condition, before every trip, you should -

Check that your tyres are pumped up
Check that your brakes, lights, handlebars and seat are in good order and tightly secured.

On a monthly basis, you should -

Clean and lubricate your chain and check your gears are running smoothly;
Wipe the dirt from your wheels and check the tread on your tyres.
If possible, check your brake pads and your brake cables.

On an annual basis you should -

Give your bike a thorough service. Reputable cycle shops will have a mechanic who can do this for you.

More detailed bike maintenance information is included in Sustrans’ Get Cycling guide, which can be downloaded below.

If you’re keen to develop your maintenance skills further so that you have the confidence to carry out roadside repairs and other maintenance jobs, you may want to sign up for one of our regular Bike Maintenance courses.

Security

A good bike, if well maintained and well secured, will last for several years. Don't let yours get stolen!

Local Cycle shops can offer advice on how to protect your bike against theft, and recommend the right lock for your bike, but here are a few handy hints:

Get your bike electronically tagged or postcoded if you can.
Invest in a good quality lock such as a D-Lock, extension cable or heavy chain lock. Ask your local cycle retailer about Gold and Silver standard locks which offer the best protection.
If possible, use two different types of lock to secure your bike.
Keep a record of your frame number.
Take a photograph of your bike so you have an accurate description if it gets stolen.
Lock your bike wherever you leave it, even if you’re only leaving it for a few seconds.
Always secure your bike at home; fifty per cent of thefts happen here.
Remember to lock the frame and both wheels.
Always secure your bike to a stand or immovable object.
Lock your bike tightly to make the lock and cycle hard to manoeuvre.

Safer York Partnership and Operation SPOKE

The Safer York Partnership along with the North Yorkshire Police and other partners has been tackling the problem of cycle theft for the last few years and has been successful in reducing the levels across York. Despite this, more than 1,000 bikes are stolen in York each year, and unfortunately, the majority of these are left insecure - either unlocked or not locked properly - and are easily taken. For more advice on cycle security, please visit our cycle security page at: http://www.saferyork.org.uk/our-priorities/volume-crime/cycle-theft/index.php

Blake Street

In January 2010, the Safer York Partnership and partners launched their flagship operation called Operation SPOKE to target cycle theft and cycle thieves in York. Operation SPOKE or OPSPOKE works by marking bikes with permanent and invisible UV markers that can only be seen by the police. When the police stop someone on a Operation Spoke-marked bike, they can easily check the bike owner's details against those of the person on the bike. If the person riding the bike doesn't own the bike, they could be arrested and the bike will be returned its rightful owner.

The police have already marked up almost 4,500 bikes in York and are organising Operation SPOKE marking events through York in the coming months. You can find details and dates of these events at: http://www.saferyork.org.uk/our-priorities/volume-crime/cycle-theft/operation-spoke.php.

For more information about how to join the fight against cycle theft see http://www.yorkagainstcycletheft.co.uk

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Links

Basic bike maintenance
A guide to basic bike maintenance from Bristol's Cycling City team

Safer York Partnership
Working towards reducing actual and perceived anti-social behaviour in the City of York.

Gallery

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Looking after your bike - Cycling City York