The next step in preparing to cycle across America was to get my bicycle ready for shipping to San Diego. I won’t bore you with a lot of the details but I will share a few tips. First, thoroughly clean your bike before shipping. Clean the chain, drivetrain, frame and wheels. If you’re not sure how to properly clean your bike, Bicycling Magazine provides “A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Bike” online.
Cleaning my bike gave me the opportunity to closely inspect it. This increased my confidence that my bike was ready for the journey we were taking together. After the cleaning, I inspected the brake pads and remove any objects embedded in them. Finally, I lubricated the chain, cables, derailleurs, and shifters.
With a clean and lubricated bicycle, I was it ready to box it.
Ken Whittaker