Winterize Your Ride
We talked to Mike Muzik, a seasoned service department expert with 28 years of experience, 22 of which were at River City. He's knows a thing or two about tuning bikes for year-round riding.
According to Mike, the best place to start your winterization process is by installing fenders. Fenders and good outerwear will keep your ride as dry as possible. If you’re new to fender installs or are unsure if your fenders will fit your bike, bring in your fenders and your bike and let our maintenance department install them for you. Regardless of your style of bike, chances are good that we will have something compatible for your bike.
If you ride tubeless, top up your sealant. It only lasts between 1 and 6 months. Keeping levels up can help prevent flats. Speaking of avoiding flats, consider running a more durable tire like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus or the Specialized Armadillo Elite. Tires like this have added puncture protection built in, so flats are much less likely. Get in the habit of wiping down your drivetrain more often in the winter. Road gunk accumulates much quicker in the winter, so do your post-ride wipedown and reapply lube frequently, though Mike suggests underlubing rather than overlubing to prevent the dreaded chain buildup. He likes ATB lube for winter riding. Mike also suggests trying out some side lights like the Blackburn Grid Side Lights. Anything that makes us more visible on the road (from all angles) is a smart investment towards staying safe.
Fenders
Fenders are the single best way to winterize your bike. We've installed thousands over the years and we have all the tricks, so let us set you up today.
Tires
Nobody wants to be late to work, on the side of the road fixing a flat in a rainstorm, so maybe upgrade to some durable winter tires that seriously reduce that possibility. Not all tires are created equally.
Lights
Winters in the PNW mean less daylight, which means we need some help seeing and being seen by other road users. Lights these days are lighter, more powerful and USB-rechargeable. Grab some new lights today! See and be seen!
We Install Hundreds of Fenders
Begin your winterization process by installing fenders, which, along with quality outerwear, will help keep your ride dry. If you're new to fender installation or unsure about their compatibility with your bike, our maintenance department can take care of the installation for you. We handle hundreds of fender installations each year, making the process hassle-free for you.
Top Fall Gear Picks
We asked our staff what gear they're excited about heading into fall. They happily suggested a few key items that are in stock right now that can make a difference in your fall and winter riding - We look at some base layers and outerwear suggestions from our clothing buyer, Dani Dance. Clinton Ellinger, our parts and accessories specialist gives us his picks for new lighting options.
Any Questions?
Since 1995, we've been here, probably gone there, want to ride everywhere, and aren't going anywhere.