Road bike service intervals

[Mo1959]

Every wet ride I wash and dry off the bike before it’s put away, I’m a bit of a fusspot, so they’re all in perfect condition.

It's the drying off I find tricky. What do you use? Something like a microfibre towel?

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

It's not just about extending the life of cheap components - its about ensuring the bile is reliable, and always rides to the best of it's mechanical ability.

I've never really thought about it like that before, perhaps I should. I'm planning to start doing a bit of touring next year, so reliability will become more important.

 

[Ridgeway]

I've never really thought about it like that before, perhaps I should. I'm planning to start doing a bit of touring next year, so reliability will become more important.

90kmh on a downhill makes me think of it quite often if i'm honest...

 

[fossyant]

The MTB's needs more attention due to the conditions they are ridden in. Washed each use, chain cassette and chain rings are wiped with an oily rag and chain lubed, almost every ride (i'm fussy). When chain is looking grubby, I'll pop it off and the cassette and soak in degreaser. I don't degrease the road bikes chains etc as they aren't getting that mucky.

BB is a sealed cartridge on 3 of the 4 bikes, so never touch them. The GXP BB on the FS MTB is re-packed with grease every 6 months - I upgraded to a Praxis GXP once the SRAM on wore out. Jockey wheels, headset bearings are done every 6 months of the FS MTB. Pivot bearings re-packed once a year, although all recently changed for upgraded bearings.

I don't have a schedule, things just get done as and when needed. I can't stand anything not working properly, so it get's sorted out before it's ever a problem.

 

[Ridgeway]

Yes i noticed that at my LBS their service team always seem occupied with MTB work, also the second hand FS MTB that i bought recently came with a full service history (yep on a bike) the previous owner had it serviced every year with some years it costing more than my cars service

Here's it's all DIY hence trying to work out what's needed and when, nearly all people here though just take it to the LBS in Spring for a service.

 

[pawl]

I generally ride in dry conditions Obviously sometimes the roads are a bit cruddy.Two of my bikes ar equipped with mudguards I clean chain sprockets chalk wheels Check my rim brakes shoes for anything that might be embedded in them Do this usually once a week Might change cables once a year.

 

[Zanelad]

When I bought the e-bike I purchased a service package for it. They service it every year, full strip down and rebuild. I pay for any parts that might be needed and they cover the labour. They will also attend to any other issues as and when they arise. Nothing to worry them about so far. Having said that, minor tweaks to cables etc I do myself rather than make a journey for a minor problem.

The non e-bikes get maintained by me as and when they need it.

 

[rockyroller]

I'll share mine but I admit I may not be a proper example. see BOLD ALL-CAPS TEXT

Assuming more or less dry miles what's a decent service schedule for a road bike ? Main tasks i can think of are:

- Headset clean and grease NEVER
- BB clean and grease NEVER, JUST REPLACE IT WHEN IT MAKES NOISE
- Spoke tension check FREQUENTLY, IF YOU RIDE EVERY DAY THEN AT LEAST ONCE PR WEEK, BUT JUST WITH YOUR FINGERS
- Wheel bearing clean and grease NEVER
- Drive train (cassette, jockey wheels and chain) off bike full degrease and clean ONCE A YEAR, BUT MORE REGULAR, LESS INVOLVED CLEANING AS NEEDED

side note, a cpl months ago, my rear wheel hub was making a sound, dropped it off at a shop, they told me it couldn't be service or replaced & sold me a new wheel. the new wheel is noticeably better, feels faster & I've been able to reach new personal records with it. thinking about upgrading the front wheel too. not sure one can call that maintenance but thought I'd share that if you have an old bike, new wheels might be worth doing

yes! cables & housings! (especially shift cables) if they haven't be replaced before or if it's been many miles/years. I did one derailleur cable but had a shop do the other, a month or so later

 

[Ajax Bay]

Assuming more or less dry miles what's a decent service schedule for a road bike ? Main tasks i can think of are:
- Headset clean and grease
- BB clean and grease
- Spoke tension check
- Wheel bearing clean and grease
- Drive train (cassette, jockey wheels and chain) off bike full degrease and clean
What . . . have i missed

Headset, BB and hubs: annual (10,000km say)
Spokes: every time I give the wheel a good clean and dry off (kitchen towel for @Mo1959 )
Chain: full (rattle in solvent, then water wash then air dry) clean every 1000-1300km and clean the rest of the drivetrain every new chain (?2500km).
Missing items: gear cables annually and see below.
As others have said or implied: much of this is routine as part of a regular bike clean, as frequent as your mileage (and surface/weather conditions) demands.

Wow no preventative maintenance remind me not to buy a 2nd bike in the UK

When you buy a second hand bike in Switzerland, what assurance have you got that the seller has done any preventative maintenance?
No - nor me, and not in UK either.

90kmh on a downhill makes me think of it quite often if i'm honest...

None of the items listed are going to let you down descending a hill at 60mph "quite often".
Descending at those speeds, I'd counsel banishing any thought of bike failure from your consciousness. What's the point? By all means mull over it in bed, listening to the long wave shipping forecast.
A failed tube or tyre (in particular front wheel) will likely result in memory loss. So will mal-adjusted brakes or pads too worn out to have braking effect. And parted brake cables are not good either. These all require an occasional visual inspection (eg while normal cleaning or cursory pre-ride checks).

 

[raleighnut]

Yes i noticed that at my LBS their service team always seem occupied with MTB work, also the second hand FS MTB that i bought recently came with a full service history (yep on a bike) the previous owner had it serviced every year with some years it costing more than my cars service

Here's it's all DIY hence trying to work out what's needed and when, nearly all people here though just take it to the LBS in Spring for a service.

Yebbut just because something has been serviced doesn't mean it's not going to break, an experienced cyclist should know the difference when a bike is 'right' and when it requires attention.

Not good laying in a hospital bed saying "But it was serviced 2 months ago"

 

[the_mikey]

I don't have a strict schedule as I don't ride any one bike so persistently that it needs it, but every week the bike is in use I'll give it a check,make note of any observations about how it's riding, or how the components are working, and make time to check those specific issues, but about once a year I will take the time to check the bike over fully.

Currently on my to-do list is check the disc brake alignment and brake pads on my winter bike.

 

[Gunk]

It's the drying off I find tricky. What do you use? Something like a microfibre towel?

Cordless leaf blower and an old fashioned Chamois leather

 

[geocycle]

I’ve never touched a spoke . In fact I don’t have a spoke key. In the 60000 miles since 2006 I’ve had two good bikes with hand made wheels from thorn and spa. Rims have worn out and been replaced but never gone untrue.

 

[Ridgeway]

When you buy a second hand bike in Switzerland, what assurance have you got that the seller has done any preventative maintenance?
No - nor me, and not in UK either.

The service history of course. That £600 MTB i bought came with a file that contained a copy of every service, each receipt and all parts that were replaced, each doc signed off by the LBS It's rare people do DIY service here as they prefer to pay for someone else to get their hands dirty... but in any case people love paperwork here and on average you can trust people you buy from.

 

[cougie uk]

Service intervals on a bike are pointless.

5000 dry miles are not like 5000 wet miles. And as has been pointed out it's how you look after the bike in that time. I'll only change a brake cable if it needs it. Never had an issue in decades of riding.

I'm wary of people taking their bike in for an annual service. You're more likely to get issues once the bike has been tinkered with.

Do it yourself and don't rely on an overworked bike shop doing everything in one bit.