Options
All the gear, no idea...
Rookie
Posts: 11
in General Chat
Ok so its not quite as bad as it sounds... but since buying my bike about 6 months ago i have done nothing to it in terms of maintenance. i ride almost every weekend, and more regularly in the summer when i can get to Richmond Park in the evening, and have recently bought a turbo trainer that i will be using about twice a week.
what things should i be doing on a regular basis to help maintain my bike, and what cheap (ive spent so much on tri gear over the past 6 months that i cant face spending loads more on bike maintenance kit - its not as cool!) products do i need?
Cheers
what things should i be doing on a regular basis to help maintain my bike, and what cheap (ive spent so much on tri gear over the past 6 months that i cant face spending loads more on bike maintenance kit - its not as cool!) products do i need?
Cheers
0
Comments
But the salt and grit act as a grinding paste this time of year.
Take the bikeand spray with the Muc-Off, leave to stand for 5 minutes (whilst you are filling the basin with HOT water and Fairy Liquid). Then take your Park bike wash brush start at the top and give every area of the bike a thorough brushing withe the hot water. Tip; turn it upsidedown and remove the wheels after you have done it the normal way. Put extra Muc-Off on greasy areas and scrub any stubborn dirt with the scrubbing brush. Don't forget to do the wheels!
Then wipe down with an old towel and finally spray THE WHOLE BIKE liberally with WD40 particularly the drive train & gears, brake calipers, head area, levers and any opening (seatpost, bottom bracket area dropouts). Use a light layer of grease to protect any vunerable areas (try Lithium grease). Also get your bike serviced every 10 months or sooner. Oh and a new chai every 3 months as this maintains your drive train
Lesson learnt. I did repairs myself and now have tools and know how for next time
1. Clean it. Primary purpose to get all the grit and dirt out of the bits that move. But looks are important too!
2. Lubricate it. Put lubricant - many to choose from - on the bits that move - gears, chain, bearings. Avoid the rims and brakes!
On a slightly less frequent basis. Acquire a basic tool kit - various spanners, allen keys, third hands etc. would be needed.
3. Check the bits that get the most wear and tear: Brakes, gears. Pay attention to squeaks, judders etc. when you ride (everything will wear and loosen as it is used). Replace brake pads or whatever when they start to wear.
4. Check tyres for wear. Check for wheel alignment (is it buckled etc).
5. Check the headset for tightness.
Fully regular service: Strip everything down, clean it, grease it, put it back together! (you've got to be quite comfortable with mechanics to do this - if you don't enjoy it, get a specialist shop to do it. You might get this done at the end of a season, or less/more frequently depending on the miles that you do. You would need more equipment to do this sort of thing - especially if you get into building your own wheels: lots of fun to be had with dishing and balance etc.
You'll probably be upgrading components by this time....
The better it's looked after, the better the peformance! And the safer it is..
Basically, it would be daft to DNF, fall off, hurt yourself or hurt someone else just because something avoidable happened to your bike. So, as others have recommended cleaning your bike, I'll give that the 'Dad Approved' thumbs-up as the first line of defence.
Some nice cleaning products, rags, sponges and (importantly) a toothbrush, and make sure you clean everything. As you do it, you start to notice the odd loose screw, ragged brake pads, loose spokes etc etc.
Jack is right about the full strip-down, too. I did my old bike a few months ago and found it strangely enjoyable to clean all the muck out of the bearings, pull the derailleur to bits etc. Even my cassette was gleaming. [:D]
Of course, there's always the treefrog approach to dirty bikes.... buy a new one! [:D]