Winter maintenance?

[zummerzet_lou]

I put my hands up, I am a very bad bike owner!

I cycle daily to work, but my poor bike just gets the odd squirt of oil on the chain if she's lucky.

Can anyone give me a few weekly things to do/check as I have no idea?

Should I be cleaning the chain, Deraileur etc?

Oil other parts?

Ta,

Lou

 

[beanzontoast]

Routines vary widely, but here's what I do in winter... (NB - these are my regular checks: obviously you check the functioning of your bike daily and rectify braking, lighting etc problems as soon as they happen!)

Daily -
Check tyres for flints.

Weekly -
Give the bike a once over for anything untoward.
Particularly check brakes.
Check and pump up tyres (to max pressure in my case).
Wipe chain and re-lube with an oil soaked cloth.
Clean and lube gears.
Quick (in my case) wipe over of frame.
Re-charge lights for coming week.
Clean reflectors.

I carry spare batteries for my lights, and as I run 2 front and back, there's always a back-up available.

 

[biking_fox]

Pretty much the same

Daily - I just check lights

Carry spare batteries and have 2front 2 rear.

Weekly - well mostly weekly, becomes fortnightly if I'm very busy.

Degrease / clean and re-oil chain. Include derailuers but no disassembly
quick check of cables GT85 on gear cables particularly when wet.
Check tires for inbedded sharps
check tire pressure
check brakes - make note to buy blocks if they are getting close to worn out.
quick general wipedown.

6monthly
Take to LBS for them to do a full strip service.

 

[andygates]

Pump the tyres up once a week.

Wash the thing when it gets filthy or the brakes start sounding rough.

Lube the chain and pivot points when it gets a wash.

 

[medals]

As above, except I also squirt some WD40 where the gear cables sit on the underside of the frame.

 

[domtyler]

Pump tyres regularly, oil chain after wet ride. Wash once or twice a year.

 

[LOGAN 5]

Check tyres for flints/glass etc daily.

Pump up once a week.

Spray lube if i remember after heavy rain plus cables.

Check brake alignment/wear once a month or so.

Clean the bike once a year in the Spring!

 

[walker]

Check and pump up tyres (to max pressure in my case).
.

Be warned not to pump up to much in the summer there beanz as this lead's to blowouts.

I normally wash the bike once a week if I can. wash and clean the chain, both mech's and rims. release and jiggle seat post every now and then, say, once a month, they have a tendancy to seize up and could end up with a dud frame if it snaps. Clean cables go over all bolts for any loose ones that might need tightening.

Sounds long but should take no more than 45 minutes for your own safety.

 

[beanzontoast]

Be warned not to pump up to much in the summer there beanz as this lead's to blowouts.

I normally wash the bike once a week if I can. wash and clean the chain, both mech's and rims. release and jiggle seat post every now and then, say, once a month, they have a tendancy to seize up and could end up with a dud frame if it snaps. Clean cables go over all bolts for any loose ones that might need tightening.

Sounds long but should take no more than 45 minutes for your own safety.

Wilco!

 

[Maz]

Pluck up some courage and replace cassette and chain when it's worn out.
Dead easy. Even I can do it.

 

[gambatte]

As above, apart from I check tyre pressures by hand daily and with a gauge weekly.

Its the easiest thing to do and *P* sems to be the most common failure you can suffer from

 

[frog]

Weekly:

Tyres - check and pump up
Frame and forks - wipe over with Tesco baby wipes.
Chain - run through a clean j-cloth for a few minutes.
Brakes - check wear and adjust.
Lights - check cables and fittings.
Cables - check for frays and free movement.
Pedals - check and grease as necessary.

Monthly:

Chain - check tension and lube
All bolts and screw - check to see if still tight.

 

[John the Monkey]

Daily:
Thumb check of tyres
Check lights
Make sure everything is in the saddlebag that I might need (unplanned deflation event kit, tyre levers, spanners etc)

Weekly:
Wash if it's been wet.
Clean & Lube chain (if it's been wet) using the Mickle method.
Check over frame
Check over cables
Pump tyres to running pressure
Clean exposed (running along downtube) gear cables & lube with a drop of chain oil (if it's been wet)

 

[Tynan]

blimey, it a junker but ...

oil the chain if it rained the day before (dry lube)

pinch the tyres once a week

um, that's it

 

[Maz]

blimey, it a junker but ...

oil the chain if it rained the day before (dry lube)

pinch the tyres once a week

um, that's it

...and if you've got no tyres, pinch somebody else's.