Setting Up Your Bike

Biking has been my life for 10 years now, throughout this time i have make numerous fixes. In the Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills I have learned how to make these adjustments properly. Ed Pavelka, the author, who is a well known high level cyclist says that a routine check up " besides fixing an glitches, it will boost your confidence that you can handle anything that might happen on the big day" (14). I used this and his later advice about cleaning the chain to improve running of the gears and speed. After I do this I was confident about my chain staying on the gear when shifting or on a hard uphill ride.

Latter on he talks about inspecting the tires, "Inspect the tires for sidewall cracks, tread cuts, and baldness" (Pavelka 16). I went and looked at my tires and saw a bit of baldness on the front tire (right). The back tire (left) is not balding because that tire is built differently, it is a street tire. The front tire is a hybrid, built for partially off road. When i change a tire a notice a great increase in the streamline of the bike. The friction is also reduced because of the full tire pressure in the tire. 

Is my feeling of being faster after maintenance psychological or is the bikes speed actually increased?

Pavelka, Ed. Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills: Your Guide to Riding Faster, Stronger, Longer, and Safer. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 1998. Print.