ABOUT the Great Balkini 

Forget those giant snowflakes of early April, peepers don’t lie — warm weather is coming. It’s time to think about what’s needed for the upcoming road bike season. First and foremost is your bike, that you think doesn’t need a tune-up because it always works perfectly.

Let’s hope so, because it’s hard for me to be polite to those with a mindset tougher than their bike. So what if the bike rolls okay. They always do that, but it’s not nearly good enough. Neither are dull ice skates or just any old ski wax. Those two are more annoying than life threatening while hard riding on a sloppy bike is both.

If your bike needs help, now is the time to get to a bike shop before it’s a three-week wait. They’ll put the bike on a repair stand and in simple language go over what they’re going to do to bring your ride back to its operating potential. The mechanical work is straightforward, the estimates are accurate and the charges are comparatively reasonable.

For those who have better things to do with their money than paying for maintenance work that they can do themselves -- and indeed may have done so as a kid -- the bike is a joy to work on. Nothing is mysterious. A few household tools and an inexpensive set of metric Allen wrenches are enough to do all but the crank, wheel and headset work.

Those areas require specific tools and expertise that, like brain surgery, is all about doing it a few hundred times, and therefore best left to an experienced mechanic. Fortunately, these parts are sealed against the elements and require only infrequent service. (See Zen Maintenance tips).

Maintenance only can do so much. Your bike has seen better days when the 1000-plus parts designed to work synergistically have been compromised by wear and tear. Replacing the most worn parts helps, but does not make the bike run like new. In most cases "like new" isn’t possible at any price short of a new and better machine, because new bikes offer a package price that the consumer cannot begin to match buying your parts one at a time. If it is time -- there’s a little more to it than just a good brand, light weight and the best price. (See buying a road bike).

For those that have just come out of the gym and are ready to work their new muscles, take it slow on the first few rides. Muscles need time to adapt especially in chilly weather. Above all dress properly and that’s harder to do in spring than in any other season.

The mind plays tricks after weeks of cold weather; it makes temperatures in the sunny 50’s seem warmer than they really are. This time of year I see riders in shorts and jerseys as if it’s mid-summer. Don’t do that! The wind chill is a killer.

In winter, nylon-faced clothing and underlayers makes wind chill almost a non-issue. But in spring wind chill is especially in play since riders tend to find the nylon-faced stuff way too warm for sunny days. Without it the wind chill is penetrating through conventional fabrics. If the sun disappears or the weather takes a turn, and it’s always for the worst in the spring, a good ride becomes a gut check. There are better ways to build character than painful chilling.

If the Seacoast has a rainy season – spring is as close as we get. Packing rain gear is an answer, but only for an extended tour or charity ride where --regardless of weather -- the ride is on. Then rain gear is lightweight, well ventilated and in a cold soaking rain with hours or days to ride, can be a lifesaver.

For a 1 - 2 hour recreational ride that loops back home, getting caught in a spring shower is always a possibility. Lugging extra gear on threatening days or (heavens forbid) wearing it in anticipation of the downpour, just isn’t the best option. Starting a recreational ride in the rain is a foreign concept to me, but for those who do, rain gear solves the soaking and wind chill problems. And creates another. Even though rain gear may be lightweight and well ventilated, it’s still cumbersome. On a warm rainy ride the ventilation doesn’t prevent the rider from getting really hot. It’s a toss up as to what’s better getting soaked or overheated.

For me, soaked wins, hands down, but then I’m used to rainy riding from my Miami days where a sudden shower was welcome relief and drying out was no problem. Far more importantly, in Miami there are no downhills and stopping the bike was almost possible. This, however, is spring in New England.

Around here – beware. Any downhill roll gains way too much speed for caliper brakes that lose almost 100% of their stopping power in the rain. Downhills turn riders into guided missiles that are renowned for stopping only on impact. It’s about the same on a bike. Emergency stops are impossible. At any speed above 15mph be prepared to travel several hundred feet further than intended, unless the brakes are continuously feathered to slow the bike down and dry the rims.

Then consdier visibility. Even in a light rain seeing is sketchy at normal bike speed, but downhill the rain is blinding. Remember, as obvious as it seems when you’re sitting reading indoors, roads get slick. This isn’t exactly breaking news, but when you ride in spring, you ride in rain, and bikes are not wet weather vehicles.

So line up, kids. It is time for your spring clothing check. Here’s some real breaking news, bike shorts actually wear out. Black Lycra is the most basic of looks, so it’s not about style, but performance. After a while Lycra loses its support and then there’s little left to recommend it. The telltale signs of advanced wear are in the inner thighs that become threadbare and the seat that gets baggy.

If it’s time for new shorts try the bib version. They are the way of the pros and those who ride a lot. Bibs make it easier to breathe because they are not cinched at the waist. They look the same with a jersey on, but it’s a world of difference. (Read more on clothing.)

Saddles also wear out. Anyone over 180 pounds should be happy to get a couple of seasons from one of these lightweight saddles. The days of breaking one in for years of service have been replaced by instant comfort with padding over an ergonomically designed nylon or carbon fiber shell. These things are light and not designed to last forever. Squeaking and creaking are sure signs your saddle has had it.

When picking up that new saddle, don’t be shy. Ask to try some out and make sure the bike shop offers a return option, if after a ride or two, the one you bought does not work out. More padding is seldom the answer; it’s how they fit your specific bones. Most shops know that very well and have no problem in offering an exchange option.

So saddle up pardners. It’s time to ride. 

MORE Seacoast Bike Columns 

Copyright (c) David Balkin 2006. All rights reserved.