Rain, cold mornings and early dark: getting your bike ready for autumn and winter in Madrid
Lights, braking in the wet, tyres and pressure, chain care after rain and where to keep your bike. What to check before winter in Madrid and when to book a service.
Madrid is not a rainy city, which is exactly why the rain catches people out. When it does come, the bike lanes fill with wet leaves, drain covers get slippery and painted zebra crossings feel like ice. Add the clocks going back, darker evenings and cold mornings, and a bike that ran fine all summer may not be ready. Here is what to look at before the worst of it.
1. Lights, front and back
Once the clocks change, a lot of people ride home in the dark. In Spain you need a white front light, a red rear light and a red rear reflector when riding at night.
What to check: both lights work, the battery lasts your whole ride, and they point the right way. The front light should light up the road a few metres ahead, not blind oncoming traffic. The rear light should sit roughly at a driver’s eye level and not be hidden by a bag or a long coat.
A mechanic’s tip: charge rechargeable lights even if you think there is battery left. Batteries run down faster in the cold. A small spare light in your bag takes no space at all.
2. Braking in the wet
Every brake needs more distance to stop on a wet road. If yours was borderline in the dry, it is not good enough in the rain.
Rim brakes: water and grit thrown up by the wheel wear the pads much faster. Check there is rubber left and that the grooves are still visible. A rough grinding noise usually means small stones stuck in the pad, or the pad worn down to the metal.
Disc brakes: they cope better with rain, but they squeal more and the pads still wear. If the lever comes almost all the way to the handlebar, get them looked at.
On the road: brake earlier and more gently, especially downhill. With rim brakes, the first turns of the wheel are spent wiping water off the rim before the brake really bites.
3. Tyres and pressure
Worn tyres are the ones that puncture in the rain. Water washes glass and gravel to the edge of the road, which is where you ride.
What to check: the tread is not worn smooth, there are no cuts in the sidewall and no threads showing. Run your hand carefully over the tread to find small bits of glass.
Pressure: the recommended range is printed on the side of the tyre. On wet roads many riders stay near the lower end of that range for a bit more grip. What you should not do is go below the minimum, because then every kerb pinches the tube. Cold air also drops pressure, so check it more often.
4. Chain care after rain
Rain strips the lube off your chain and leaves grit behind. A week of that and the chain squeaks, then it rusts.
What to do: after a wet ride, wipe the chain dry with a rag while turning the pedals backwards. Once it is dry, apply chain lube (wet weather lubes last longer in these conditions) and wipe off the excess. Cooking oil and degreaser spray are not chain lube.
When to see a mechanic: if the chain is already orange, has stiff links or skips on the cogs. A stretched chain wears out the rest of the drivetrain.
5. Where to keep the bike
A bike that spends the winter on the street or an open balcony suffers: rust on the chain and bolts, cables that stick, a soaked saddle.
Best option: indoors, in a storage room or a garage. If all you have is a balcony or terrace, a waterproof cover helps a lot, as long as it lets moisture out.
If it will sit for months: put it away clean, with the chain lubed and the tyres pumped up. When you bring it back out, check the brakes and tyre pressure before riding.
When to book a service
If nobody has looked at the bike since spring, autumn is a good time for a full tune up: brakes, gears, wheels, headset, chain and lights in one visit. Book it now, not after the first wet descent where the brakes do not answer.
Take it in sooner if you notice any of these: brakes that feel weak, a chain that skips, wheels that rub, play in the handlebar or new noises when you pedal.
How it works
- Tell us what is wrong through the assistant on this site or on WhatsApp, in English or Spanish. A photo helps. Tell us your neighbourhood.
- We assign the nearest partner workshop and you get the quote before anyone touches the bike.
- You drop the bike off, or we pick it up for 90 € if you cannot.
- We let you know when it is ready.
We cover all 21 districts of Madrid, from Centro to Barajas.