It is now time for us to dust our bikes and get ready to ride if we have put them away for the winter. When you bring a bike out of storage, it is necessary to give it a mini tune-up. Chain, derailleur components, brakes, and wheels are the four areas that you need to pay special attention to.
1. Chain Consider switching to a wax-based lubricant if you have been using an oil-based product. However, an oil-based lubricant needs to be applied less frequently, but in every other way, wax-based is superior and that is its only advantage. For example, unlike wax which sheds abrasives, oil collects trail dust and other things abrasive to the chain. White Lightning is a recommended wax-based lube.
If oil-based chain lube is what you have been using, then you should remove the chain and clean it with a solvent to degrease it before adding fresh lubricant whether you want to switch to wax or not. Using a solvent to degrease the chain needs to be done once a year at a minimum, depending on your typical riding conditions.
2. Derailleur Components Use a good petroleum-based lube in order to lubricate the pivot points. I use Tri-Flow. The next step is to lubricate and adjust the derailleur cables, which might have stretched over the winter. If you want shifting to be crisp, then some adjustments are need.
c) Brakes Again, lubricate the cables. Use either petroleum- or wax-based lube depending on how dusty the expected typical riding conditions will be. Be sure to adjust the cables which might also have stretched over the winter.
Check the pads to find out if there is plenty of rubber and if the pads hit the rims evenly. If using fluid-actuated disc brakes, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
Wheels Spin the wheel slowly checking for true. It is essential that the wheel doesn't wobble at all. In case that it does wobble a little bit and you have the tools and skills, then you can make minor adjustments using a spoke wrench. But you should take the wheel to a shop and have a professional true the wheel if there is substantial wobbling.
Check tire pressure, which is bound to be low after a winter of storage. Try inflating to the manufacturers recommendations that are stamped on the tire.
Giving the bike a once-over is what you need to do now. Is the seat adjustment still a good fit? Is there excess play or tightness in the bearings of the wheels, crank, pedals, and headset? You should also check the suspension joints for full-suspension bikes.
From this once-over, you will be able to determine whether it is time for a major tune-up. This could range from a few adjustments to cleaning and/or replacement of some parts. As for opinions, they differ on how often a major tune-up is needed. It depends on how much you ride, and how much maintenance you perform yourself.
Repacking bearings and adjusting wheel axles, headset, crankset and pedals, replacing cables, truing the wheels, and making overall adjustments, such as to the derailleur and brakes are the following maintenance necessary for optimal performance and safety and you should do this every now and then whether you do the major tune-up yourself or take the bike to a reputable bicycle shop.
1. Chain Consider switching to a wax-based lubricant if you have been using an oil-based product. However, an oil-based lubricant needs to be applied less frequently, but in every other way, wax-based is superior and that is its only advantage. For example, unlike wax which sheds abrasives, oil collects trail dust and other things abrasive to the chain. White Lightning is a recommended wax-based lube.
If oil-based chain lube is what you have been using, then you should remove the chain and clean it with a solvent to degrease it before adding fresh lubricant whether you want to switch to wax or not. Using a solvent to degrease the chain needs to be done once a year at a minimum, depending on your typical riding conditions.
2. Derailleur Components Use a good petroleum-based lube in order to lubricate the pivot points. I use Tri-Flow. The next step is to lubricate and adjust the derailleur cables, which might have stretched over the winter. If you want shifting to be crisp, then some adjustments are need.
c) Brakes Again, lubricate the cables. Use either petroleum- or wax-based lube depending on how dusty the expected typical riding conditions will be. Be sure to adjust the cables which might also have stretched over the winter.
Check the pads to find out if there is plenty of rubber and if the pads hit the rims evenly. If using fluid-actuated disc brakes, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
Wheels Spin the wheel slowly checking for true. It is essential that the wheel doesn't wobble at all. In case that it does wobble a little bit and you have the tools and skills, then you can make minor adjustments using a spoke wrench. But you should take the wheel to a shop and have a professional true the wheel if there is substantial wobbling.
Check tire pressure, which is bound to be low after a winter of storage. Try inflating to the manufacturers recommendations that are stamped on the tire.
Giving the bike a once-over is what you need to do now. Is the seat adjustment still a good fit? Is there excess play or tightness in the bearings of the wheels, crank, pedals, and headset? You should also check the suspension joints for full-suspension bikes.
From this once-over, you will be able to determine whether it is time for a major tune-up. This could range from a few adjustments to cleaning and/or replacement of some parts. As for opinions, they differ on how often a major tune-up is needed. It depends on how much you ride, and how much maintenance you perform yourself.
Repacking bearings and adjusting wheel axles, headset, crankset and pedals, replacing cables, truing the wheels, and making overall adjustments, such as to the derailleur and brakes are the following maintenance necessary for optimal performance and safety and you should do this every now and then whether you do the major tune-up yourself or take the bike to a reputable bicycle shop.
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