Today I picked up my bike from the bike shop after its annual tune up and I hit the road for the first time. I get my bike serviced at Knapp's Cyclery in Lawrenceville, NJ, one of the best bike shops in the area. I started using them about four years ago, after my wife and I moved to Central Jersey.

My bike needed the following parts at this tune up:

• A front derailer, and
• a rear brake cable.

I told the mechanics that my front derailer needed replacement, it was badly corroded. I didn't tell them about the rear brake cable (which had been an issue late last Summer and during the Fall), but they found the problem in their review of the bike anyway. I take this to mean that the tune up included a serious review of the major systems on my late model mountain bike.

I only rode about 10 kilometers today (6.2 miles) because I was pressed for time, but it was good to get back out on the road for a bit of a workout. I am going to need to do some serious miles over the next few weeks so I can stay as close to mid-season form for hockey officiating as possible. I will be working some high level games in April. More on this in a few days.

My advice to those of you who are blowing the dust off a bike after not riding during the winter months is: spend a few dollars and a few days having your bike tuned up for the season. Unless you are a competent bike mechanic yourself, now is an excellent time to get your machine the once-over. I'd rather do it now than rush out on the first nice day and have a mechanical problem.