Betd Blog

Maintaining your Bike

Posted in on 16th January 2019.

Photo by Paul Hadgett Maintaining your bike can require some effort and manpower, but lucky for you it requires no skill. Buy the right equipment and you can maintain your bike yourself. This means saving some money all year round, as well as extending the life of your bike. Cleaning Products Cleaning products are the first essential you will need. Giving your bike some TLC helps it ride better as well as extend bike life. Investing in some goo...

Best Winter Cycling Routes

Posted in on 9th January 2019.

We've hit the peak of cold and dark weather, but it’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve chosen our top 5 places to go cycling this winter if you’re feeling daring! Yorkshire Dales, Barden Moor/Hebden Gill This trail is 23 miles long and has a café based in Bolton Abbey, a tea shop at Linton and Storiths café for a nice winter warmer, which is why this makes it to our list of best winter cycling routes. Yorkshire Dales offers ascents onto fell...

Buying a Used Bicycle

Posted in on 2nd January 2019.

If you’re thinking of buying a used bicycle but don’t know where to start and what to look for in a used bike, then don’t sweat, because we have rounded up a few top tips on how to make sure you’re buying the best-used bicycle for yourself. Where to find a used bicycle? Small ads in newspapers and magazines. See if your local bike shop offers used bikes. Use Facebook pages and bike forums such as the Single Track forum. Use the internet ...

Signs that your bike needs servicing

Posted in on 19th December 2018.

Some people aren’t aware when their bike needs servicing. Now that winter is dawning on us, it is important to check that everything is in working order, as nobody wants to be stranded on a dark and cold winter’s evening. We’ve helped by putting together some signs to give you a heads up to when your bike will need servicing. Here are some of the signs: The gear shifts are not smooth - It is a relatively intricate system, so as you can ima...

Derailleur Hanger 430

Posted in on 12th December 2018.

What is the correct name for a derailleur hanger? Derailleur hangers can also be known as mech hangers, rear mech hangers, dropout hangers, mountain bike hangers, road bike hangers, gear mech hangers, cast hangers… the list is endless. What is a derailleur hanger? Derailleur hangers are small pieces of metal that are designed to bend or snap to protect the frame of a bike and they are usually attached to the rear frame of a bike, near the dera...

How to: change your bike wheels for winter

Posted in on 5th December 2018.

Winter is officially here, but so are we with a ‘how to’ on changing bike tyres. Everything you need to know is below. You’re welcome! First, remove your front wheel To do this, you need to open the front brake calliper’s quick release, you can usually allocate this where the cable enters the brake. Follow by flipping the wheel’s quick release lever and unscrew the nut that is at the other end, until the wheel is loose enough to come of...

Winter Tyres for Road Bikes

Posted in on 22nd November 2018.

Winter is dawning on us and the last thing you want to do is fix a puncture in the snow. We’ve put together some of our favourite road bike tyres that won’t fail you this winter. What to consider Make sure that the winter tyres you’re looking for have a deep tread, this helps squeeze water from under the tyre. Check that the winter tyres have a protective sheet under the tread to help prevent sharp objects from puncturing the inner ...

How to Measure a Bearing for your Bike

Posted in on 14th November 2018.

What is a bearing? A bearing is used to reduce friction between two surfaces. You can find bearings in the front or rear hub in your wheels, inside the bottom bracket where the axle is connected to the cranks and in the frame where your headset sits. All these are applicable to either mountain bikes or road bikes. There are different types of bearings such as cartridge bearings, loose ball bearings, roller bearings and needle bearings: Cartrid...

Best Destinations for Winter Cycling

Posted in on 7th November 2018.

Summer is over, but it’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve chosen our top 5 places to go cycling this winter if you’re feeling daring! From Yorkshire Dales to Sarn Helen, Wales, you will be sure to catch some winter sunshine (and good grub!) Yorkshire Dales, Barden Moor/Hebden Gill This trail is 23 miles long and has a café based in Bolton Abbey, a tea shop at Linton and Storiths café for a nice winter warmer, which is why this makes i...

Best Bike Lights for Cycling in Autumn and Winter

Posted in on 31st October 2018.

The clocks have gone back which means it’s only going to get colder and darker from here onwards! It is by law that all cyclists must have a front white light and rear red light when cycling in the dark, not to mention the obvious that it is dangerous to ride without them. Picking the right lights will help you be seen by others and will help you see what’s ahead – it is also suggested that a beam is used in the daytime too to assist...

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