TLC for a bike on tour

[Cathryn]

21 days till the off (eeek...) and I'm turning my thoughts to maintenance on tour. The lovely Liesl and Richard's bike Ironside are booked into the LBS for a pre-tour service - I'm getting a new chain and back mech as I think it's needed - so they'll be in good shape but I'm just wondering how I need to look after the bikes en route.

Normally Liesl's lucky if she gets a dash of oil round the chain but with 1200 miles to go, what do we need to do to keep them running smoothly. Is dirt dodgy - do we need to clean the bikes off regularly? What else should we oil? Help....

 

[jags]

cathryn i reckon you will need a good multi tool one that fits all nuts even jockey wheels,progold chain lube brilliant,triflow for everything else ,
i always clean the chain after a spin just a wipe will do ,to much oil on the chain is bad ,,enough is plenty if you know what i mean.so chain front and back derailers keep oiled .that sounds like one hell of a trip your going on keep safe and tail winds all the way..

 

[vernon]

cathryn i reckon you will need a good multi tool one that fits all nuts even jockey wheels,progold chain lube brilliant,triflow for everything else ,
i always clean the chain after a spin just a wipe will do ,to much oil on the chain is bad ,,enough is plenty if you know what i mean.so chain front and back derailers keep oiled .that sounds like one hell of a trip your going on keep safe and tail winds all the way..

On my 1000+ mile rides I oiled my chain every four days or so at the end of the day's ride. I quick wipe before oiling and a wipe first thing next morning was all that I did on the lube front.

I'd also spin the wheels and check for loose spokes and take up the slack if necessary.

The only other adjustments that I had to make was to take up slack in the brake cables.

I never bothered with washing the bike. I never got it dirty enough to warrant it.

 

[Crackle]

I always found touring to be the time my bikes picked up all the little knocks and scratches that came to be part of it's make-up. Leaning against trees, tied up on the ferry, shoved into YHA bike sheds etc...

Like Vernon, I carry some lube and spoke key plus a multi-tool. I did at one point carry spare spokes but they normally break on the freewheel side, so unless you have a freewheel remover it's a bit pointless and in the UK/Europe you can easily get to a bikeshop somewhere.

 

[Cathryn]

Cool - thanks everyone. Not so worried about all this now. I'll take chain oil and my multi tool and we SHOULD be okay!! I shall go back to worrying about the leg now

 

[jags]

nasty looking injury are you fully recovered from that fall hopefully no pain.

 

[Cathryn]

Thanks!! Yes, the bone is pretty fully recovered now. The challenge is getting the muscles etc strong enough to take a couple of cols!! I think we'll be okay, but it's a bit close for comfort!!

Ta for the sympathy