SouthCoast cycling season is here. Have you gotten your bike tuned up?

WESTPORT — Spring is the season of renewal, when New Englanders prep their gardens, clean out their homes, and, for anyone planning on riding a bicycle this summer — avid and casual cyclists alike — it's recommended they get their bike tune-up if they haven't yet.

"I tell people a tune-up is like going in for a physical at the doctor's," said Kevin Rodrigues, manager at Scottee's Westport Bicycle, 1125 State Rd. "It doesn't mean you're necessarily sick, but it's nice to make sure there's nothing that's going to cause issues in the future."

With prime cycling season coming up fast, The Standard-Times took time to discuss with Rodrigues what a bicycle tune-up entails, why they're recommended for even the occasional cyclist, and what to expect when bringing a bicycle in for this service.

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What happens during a bicycle tune-up?

As described by Rodrigues, a tune-up is essentially a top-to-bottom inspection of a bicycle with corrective work done as needed. This means one bicycle's tune-up can look different than another's, but there are certain things customers can count on, at least at Scottee's, Rodrigues said.

Much of the baseline work involved will be aimed at eliminating any corrosion that may build up from a bicycle sitting in a basement or garage all year, Rodrigues said, which can be especially detrimental to the finer mechanics involved in braking and gear-shifting.

"If you come in with a bike, we're going to give it a bath — we're going to wash off everything that's kind of contaminated on it," he said. "Lubricating cables is another big thing. When you pull the brake lever, you want it to move freely and not take a lot of force from you to make things work accordingly."

Then there's "fine-tuning" things like gears and spokes.

"It's kind of like a guitar — if there's strings on there, it'll make sounds, but you've got to tune it in correctly to make music," Rodrigues said.

An emphasis on chain health

While all these things are important, Rodrigues said one of the most pivotal parts of a bicycle — upon which the health of virtually all other parts hinge — is the chain, which is sure to get a good, close inspection during a tune-up.

"We have a way of measuring to see how worn out the chain is and if it's almost on its way out," Rodrigues said. "If you let a chain go too long, it starts to wear out all the gears and ... the quality of everything starts to diminish and eventually hits a point where nothing's working."

To avoid both immediate hazards and costly repair needs down the road, Rodrigues recommends any cyclist switches out their chain at least once a year, noting more avid cyclists are likely to go through more.

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Keeping up with tire checks

While tire tread will be looked at for excessive wear, and air levels will be checked and corrected during a tune-up, Rodrigues says checking tire pressure will be an ongoing practice all cyclists must keep up with regularly for themselves.

"If your tire pressure is a little low and come around a turn pretty quickly, the tire can kind of slide a little bit ... and you can lose traction," he said, also noting higher vulnerability to punctures and other issues. "If you're riding religiously, check it at least once a week. If you just ride on the weekend, you should check every time you ride."

How long does a tune-up take?

Rodrigues says given the current time of year, the best time for customers to bring bikes in for tune-ups is ASAP, as cycling shops like Scottee's enter their busy season. Currently, Scottee's customer's would be looking at roughly a one-and-a-half to two-week waiting period from drop-off to pick-up, Rodrigues said.

"We're getting into it now pretty heavily," Rodrigues said. "If you want to make sure you're ready to go when the day comes, it's not a bad idea to come in towards the tail-end of February."

How much does a tune-up cost?

When it comes to pricing, Rodrigues says Scottee's offers tune-ups for a simple $90 fee, but notes pricing can vary greatly from shop to shop.

"I've heard of others offering service up to $200," he said. "It can be a weird one — some people present like a menu where there's a basic tune-up, then a more advanced one.... We just like to say you get a tune-up for $90."

Who gets tune-ups?

Rodrigues said cyclists of all levels commonly come in for tune-ups. While the once-a-year rule is a good rule of thumb for casual riders, more avid ones might come in several times throughout the year, he said.

"The real die-hards going out there with the higher-end bikes and the whole athlete mentality, they're doing the seasonal tune-up but also coming in throughout the year periodically just to make sure things aren't getting a little out of whack," Rodrigues said.

To find out more about services and products offered at Scottee's Westport Bicycle, call 508-636-1266.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Bicycle tune-ups should be annual ritual, SouthCoast expert suggests