What lies beneath
One simple (and cheap!), yet oft overlooked, piece of bicycle maintenance is literally right in front of you.
Bar Tape!
The rather graphic image that led you to this article could be lurking beneath your hands.
We all know Hong Kong is a hot, sweaty place to ride. Over the course of a few months all that residual sweat can accumulate under your tape and start to degrade other components - in particular alloy handlebars. Left long enough, the bar itself will decay and break - not something you want when descending The Peak! It also attacks lever internals and cables, which can create unnecessarily expensive repairs.
So how to combat this?
1. Wash your bike after a ride! A bucket and sponge is fine if you don't have access to a hose.
2. Use cleaning products designed for bikes, not Wet Wipes!
3. Change your bar tape a couple of times per year. It may also resolve that strange smell that seems to be following your bike around.