Bike maintenance

[Michael86]

Hi,

I was just wondering how often people do bike maintenance and what they do. And if bike lube or chain oil is worth it and how often pose to use and how much of it.

 

[Kies]

No constants with bike maintenance. Cleaning+ lubing the chain is one a month for me,but once a fortnight on the commuter especially if it has been raining .
Tyres are checked weekly and tyre pressure every 3 days. Brakes once a month

 

[Michael86]

ok cheers

 

[jayonabike]

After each ride I hose the bike down, dry and polish it. On a Saturday night, the bike I'm taking out for a Sunday ride gets a chain clean, cassette clean, the air let out of the tyres and inspected for flints/cuts and then pumped up to correct pressure, and all allen key bolts checked to make sure nothings loose.

 

[vickster]

Hi,

I was just wondering how often people do bike maintenance and what they do. And if bike lube or chain oil is worth it and how often pose to use and how much of it.

Yes, you will need to lube the chain, more so if you use the bike in the wet

I am a bit of a do when I think about it or before a long ride

 

[Biker Joe]

I wash the bike down after each ride, check fixings for tightness and check tires for cuts etc. superglueing any cuts. Also checking wheels are true. . A drop of lube. chain links only, once a week. Cassette and chain thoroughly cleaned and lubed once a month.

 

[Michael86]

Would anyone use a high pressured jet wash

 

[DooDah]

Do all of the above, then put a duvet over to keep her warm and kiss her goodnight

 

[Biker Joe]

Would anyone use a high pressured jet wash

Definitely NOT.

 

[Michael86]

thought so

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Would anyone use a high pressured jet wash

No.

The trouble with a jet wash is that it's powerful enough to force water past the bearing seals. If this happens, in the worst case it'll drive the grease out of the bearing. However, even in the best case you've now got water inside which can't escape, potentially causing the bearings to corrode from the inside out.

 

[sazzaa]

I can't help but think some of you are slightly obsessed with your bikes...

 

[uclown2002]

Those that wash and valet their bikes after every ride surely don't ride enough!! Happy to stand corrected though

I try and ride every day but can't be arsed to wash it after every ride. I'll certainly keep on top of it though, perhaps a quick clean every 3 rides and weekly deeper clean.

 

[Globalti]

Maintenance of road bikes is a different thing from mountain bikes. Some roadies actually dismantle their bikes after each Sunday ride, clean the bearings and reassemble lovingly. I certainly remove the brake blocks after a wet ride and pick out the bits of grit, which is probably why my rims look almost unworn after 5000 miles of hilly riding. I wash the bike down with car shampoo, dry the chain, lube it occasionally (not every time) and check everything over. Having a clean bike is something like the obsession with clean kit and leg shaving, it's all about the purity and lore of road riding.

While I'm riding I am constantly alert for any odd noises or anything out of adjustment. On my first two rides on the new bike, which has all cables internal, I was bothered by a faint rattle. I got down and tapped the frame around the BB area and was dismayed to see that the rattle seemed to be coming from inside the BB. Then I noticed that the little ali lockring for the FSA self-extracting crank was loose and about to drop out. A drop of Threadlock and it was sorted..... except that I could still hear a faint rattle. So I got some of those little rubber doughnuts and, with some difficulty, slid them along the cable to the middle of the top tube. Result? Blissful silence. That's how a well-maintained bike should be.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A weekly check, tyres for debris and pressures, brakes for adjustment and wear, on the fixed I also check the chain for tension once a week, both bikes get a visual check for anything that doesn't seem right and a weekly wash, I'll polish about once a month, I'd rather ride them than mess about with them.