Bike maintenance for a beginner

[JuliaT]

Hello guys! Hope you can help me.
I have been cycling from April and my bike really needs cleaning (I know, I know, I should have done it before, but I was learning other stuff like how not to be killed on the road :P)

Whenever I watch videos of how to do it I find tooooones of stuff I need to buy, what I honestly doubt.
Could you tell me what basic things/tricks do I actually need to clean and maintain my bike please?

Thanks a lot!

 

[stevenfarthing]

I use a sponge and a bucket of warm water to remove dirt. I then use a car wash & wax on the frame. Then I use a foam to clean the drive chain and a tooth brush to take off the stubborn dirt. I take the foam off with warm water, then oil the drive chain. Finally I spray the frame with Muck Off and leave it to air dry.

 

[KneesUp]

To clean it?
Warm water, detergent and a cloth.

To maintain it - it rather depends on what you are prepared to take on. Nothing on a bike is that tricky, but sometimes it's not worth buying the tools if it's something you won't use much.

I'd suggest a basic kit of:

Set of ball-head allen keys
Spanners in sizes needed by your bike - but it might all be allen keys so you may not need any
Cross head screwdriver
Flat head scredriver
Tyre levers x 3
Puncture kit
Oil
WD-40 / GT-85
Pair of pliers with cutting tool

Next level up I'd add
Chain tool
Chain whip
Crank extractor (if appropriate for your bike)
Bottom bracket tool
Cone spanners
Grease
EDIT - cassette lock ring tool

 

[Cycleops]

Hello Julia and welcome. Good suggestion by @KneesUp there. You do a lot worse than get this tool kit by Decathlon:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/500-19-piece-bike-tool-set-id_8379660.html
Gives you most of the basics plus a lot more for a very reasonable price.

You might like to carry a multi tool like this when out together with a puncture repair kit.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/500-compact-bike-multitool-id_8386667.html
They also do a tool roll which fits in a bottle cage.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/tool-storage-bottle-700-ml-id_8324324.html

Remember YouTube is your friend when you want to carry out specific tasks.

 

[I like Skol]

Hi Julia

I have news for you, don't tell anyone else but, you don't actually have to clean your bike!!!!

Seriously, I only clean my commuter bike perhaps once a year, if that, and it gets used all year round, regardless of weather, snow, grit, etc. Far more important is to maintain it, and this is pretty much independent of any cleaning routine.

All you need to do on a regular basis, maybe once a week or every couple of weeks depending on distance covered and weather, is to wipe the chain with an old rag to get off as much muck as you can then apply a little dribble of suitable oil (less is best). Also check tyre pressures to make sure you are not fighting against unnecessary drag from squishy tyres and then every few chain cleans put a drop of oil on the gear shifter pivots and the ends of any cables.
That should cover it for about a year then you may want to think about replacing the chain after a couple of thousand miles. It isn't rocket science and unless you are covering mega mileages the above care should see you through the year with perhaps just an annual visit to a bike shop for a more thorough check over (I won't call it a service because there is not really very much to service on a bike for most intents and purposes, just checks and adjustments).

The last time I cleaned my commuter........ HERE. Glad to report it is slowly recovering from the ordeal

 

[raleighnut]

Hi Julia

I have news for you, don't tell anyone else but, you don't actually have to clean your bike!!!!

Seriously, I only clean my commuter bike perhaps once a year, if that, and it gets used all year round, regardless of weather, snow, grit, etc. Far more important is to maintain it, and this is pretty much independent of any cleaning routine.

All you need to do on a regular basis, maybe once a week or every couple of weeks depending on distance covered and weather, is to wipe the chain with an old rag to get off as much muck as you can then apply a little dribble of suitable oil (less is best). Also check tyre pressures to make sure you are not fighting against unnecessary drag from squishy tyres and then every few chain cleans put a drop of oil on the gear shifter pivots and the ends of any cables.
That should cover it for about a year then you may want to think about replacing the chain after a couple of thousand miles. It isn't rocket science and unless you are covering mega mileages the above care should see you through the year with perhaps just an annual visit to a bike shop for a more thorough check over (I won't call it a service because there is not really very much to service on a bike for most intents and purposes, just checks and adjustments).

The last time I cleaned my commuter........ HERE. Glad to report it is slowly recovering from the ordeal

I'm nearly as bad but TBH I do point the hose at my bikes occasionally.........................................................sometimes I even turn it on.

 

[JuliaT]

Wow Thanks! then no special liquid for cleaning the chain is really necessary?

 

[JuliaT]

Hi Julia

I have news for you, don't tell anyone else but, you don't actually have to clean your bike!!!!

Seriously, I only clean my commuter bike perhaps once a year, if that, and it gets used all year round, regardless of weather, snow, grit, etc. Far more important is to maintain it, and this is pretty much independent of any cleaning routine.

All you need to do on a regular basis, maybe once a week or every couple of weeks depending on distance covered and weather, is to wipe the chain with an old rag to get off as much muck as you can then apply a little dribble of suitable oil (less is best). Also check tyre pressures to make sure you are not fighting against unnecessary drag from squishy tyres and then every few chain cleans put a drop of oil on the gear shifter pivots and the ends of any cables.
That should cover it for about a year then you may want to think about replacing the chain after a couple of thousand miles. It isn't rocket science and unless you are covering mega mileages the above care should see you through the year with perhaps just an annual visit to a bike shop for a more thorough check over (I won't call it a service because there is not really very much to service on a bike for most intents and purposes, just checks and adjustments).

The last time I cleaned my commuter........ HERE. Glad to report it is slowly recovering from the ordeal

hahahahahahahahahaha really??? I started reading I should clean the chain every week- 2 weeks in winter and other stuff and I was freaking out! this is relaxing me a lot!

 

[jefmcg]

If you really know nothing about bike maintenance, then it's worth someone showing you the basics. Your local cycle club may have a maintenance night, if not I'd suggest going to a £15 maintenance night at Evans https://www.evanscycles.com/help/servicing/bike-maintenance-classes

 

[JuliaT]

If you really know nothing about bike maintenance, then it's worth someone showing you the basics. Your local cycle club may have a maintenance night, if not I'd suggest going to a £15 maintenance night at Evans https://www.evanscycles.com/help/servicing/bike-maintenance-classes

Didn't think on that! I'm still looking for a local club, but definitely I'll look for the evans training, I have no idea of how to fix anything if something happens

 

[raleighnut]

hahahahahahahahahaha really??? I started reading I should clean the chain every week- 2 weeks in winter and other stuff and I was freaking out! this is relaxing me a lot!

Yes you should clean your chain every week or two, but you only need an old cloth and some oil (search for 'Mickle' method on here)

 

[simongt]

Every week or two - ? Oh dear, I knew there was something I wasn't doing right - ! Chains get done either when they look a bit mucky or when the whole drive train needs a bit of a scrub up. I use engine degreaser to get the worst off, then over to something a bit gentler in the chain cleaner. The newer Park chain cleaner is a blast as it will do derailleur AND hub gear chains with no fiddling around at all; brilliant - !

 

[freiston]

Re. the chain - as raleighnut says - search for the 'Mickle' method - or just follow this link:
http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=349&subjectId=9

I don't know what sort of bike you have but if it can take them, good mudguards with a long flap on the front mudguard will keep your bike cleaner for longer, protect the bike from nasty salty road crud and keep you cleaner and more dry too.

You don't want to be getting a load of muck and grit into your drivetrain or your braking surfaces

Otherwise, rinse/wipe heavy muck off as the mood/guilt takes you. A wipe with an oily/WD40/GT85 soaked cloth can bring paintwork and alloy up nice.

It's good to give things a proper go over once in a while but you don't need to buy a load of expensive cleaning stuff. Be careful where you get oil/grease/soap - you don't want to be getting oil or grease on your braking surfaces and you don't want to be getting detergent in your bearings (you don't want to be getting oil or WD40 type spray into bearings either - they will wash away the grease). If you use water under any pressure, be especially careful not to blast around bearings (I would recommend not to use a pressure cleaner unless you are adept, know what you're doing and know the risk - keep it away from bearings).

 

[NorthernDave]

This should get you started.

 

[jefmcg]

This should get you started.

And I'll give you 25 minutes


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzVRxlIUL0