Maintenance advice
- Thread starter Blowfish
- Start date
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cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Wash the bike 
lube the chain
check wheels for trueness as new wheels can bed in slightly
check for cable stretch on gear cables by carefully listening to see if gear shifting is still sweet.
Get out and ride more !
lube the chain
check wheels for trueness as new wheels can bed in slightly
check for cable stretch on gear cables by carefully listening to see if gear shifting is still sweet.
Get out and ride more !
Boris Bajic
Guest
Bikes do pick up a little crud as they're ridden, so keep the moving bits clean.
From now on, keep old toothbrushes and any t-shirts or shirts you're about to throw away. You need a lot of rags to keep a bike clean.
Most parts of a bike needs no looking after, but do keep a casual eye on cables, brakes, gearchange mechs and the driveline.
Tyres lose pressure, so buy yourself a track pump (doesn't have to be a super-posh one) and get into the habit of keeping an eye on pressures. You may be surprised how much they can lose in 7-10 days. A track pump will be one of the best things you buy.
When you lube the chain, wipe off any excess. I tend to lube in the evening and wipe the chain clean in the morning - but that's just faddism on my part.
Generally, keep an eye on things. Quick-release skewers... spokes... cables...
Make sure that what needs to be tight is tight (seat post et al).
But... there's no need to be clambering all over your bike with a spanner or an Allen Key every day or so.
Most of all... enjoy the bike.
From now on, keep old toothbrushes and any t-shirts or shirts you're about to throw away. You need a lot of rags to keep a bike clean.
Most parts of a bike needs no looking after, but do keep a casual eye on cables, brakes, gearchange mechs and the driveline.
Tyres lose pressure, so buy yourself a track pump (doesn't have to be a super-posh one) and get into the habit of keeping an eye on pressures. You may be surprised how much they can lose in 7-10 days. A track pump will be one of the best things you buy.
When you lube the chain, wipe off any excess. I tend to lube in the evening and wipe the chain clean in the morning - but that's just faddism on my part.
Generally, keep an eye on things. Quick-release skewers... spokes... cables...
Make sure that what needs to be tight is tight (seat post et al).
But... there's no need to be clambering all over your bike with a spanner or an Allen Key every day or so.
Most of all... enjoy the bike.
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
I assume that you have had your free service, if not you should have, My advise is to get in the habit that you just do a daily check before riding or after riding, does not take long, tyres and air pressure, all the nut and bolts, check the chain, and just pull it through a cloth to get the days clag and crud off before applying a little lube, check your cables, and the systems they operate, pedals and the locking screws and ferrules on the chainset, check that the saddle and seat post are secure and if you have mudguards that the stays are not loose or bent so the Mudguards are not rubbing on the wheels..
Globalti
Legendary Member
All good advice. If you buy a track pump don't make the mistake of going for a cheap one with a fat barrel; you will need muscles like a gorilla to achieve even 80 lbs. Go for one designed for road bikes, which will have a thinner barrel enabling you to achieve much higher pressures. Topeak Joe Blow is an excellent pump.
rollinstok
Well-Known Member
- Location
- morecambe
Check your wheel skewers are still secure
Check there is no "play" in the steering by holding the front wheel and turning the handlebar
Check there is no play in the headset by lifting the front end and giving it a quick shake up and down
Check there is no "play" in the steering by holding the front wheel and turning the handlebar
Check there is no play in the headset by lifting the front end and giving it a quick shake up and down
Dealer I purchased from is 100 miles away so the free service is not an option. Local dealer wants £50 to check and adjust which seems a bit steep. My gear changes have got a bit clunky so it does need adjustments but surely I can do these myself? Also what else should I oil/adjust? Pedals? Wheels?
DRHysted
Guru
- Location
- New Forest
My dealer doesn't want mine in until 6 weeks have passed, even though I'm doing just over 100 miles a week.
At least once a week I check the gears, chain, and front end. After every ride I check the tyres for cuts or foreign items. Before every ride I check the pressures (pressure guage at home, thumb firmness at work), skewers, and give it a quick look over by eye.
At least once a week I check the gears, chain, and front end. After every ride I check the tyres for cuts or foreign items. Before every ride I check the pressures (pressure guage at home, thumb firmness at work), skewers, and give it a quick look over by eye.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
main thing is to just do a spanner check once a week and check for any extra noise or free play in components
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
It would not help but normally its a case of cable stretch ,happnes to all cableystems as they bed in, 5 minute job to adjust the barrel adjuster on the rear mech to get it sweet again.
Assuming your h/lsettings are right its just a case of quarter turns on the barrel adjuster till it runs sweet .from behind the bike if the gears are slow to shift toward the wheel turn the barrel towards the wheel and if its slow to go away from the wheel then turn away .
