Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies®
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If you live in a part of the country that has a less-than-forgiving climate, you may want to store your bike for a longer period of time. If you’re planning on taking your bike off the road for an extended period of time and keeping it in storage, take the following steps to preserve its condition:
Give it a complete cleaning and lube job. This is the most basic step you can take before storing your bike.
Overhaul the hubs, bottom bracket, headset, and derailleurs; pack all the bearings in fresh grease; and true the wheels. If you do all this before you put your bike in storage, it’ll be ready to roll as soon as that first warm day of spring arrives.
Give your tires and tubes a break by letting the air out.
Release the brake and shifter cables to take pressure off the springs. Some people argue that most modern metals won’t weaken from the continuous tension, but we like to take this step anyway. If you’d rather not take this step, you should at least open the quick-release mechanism for the brakes and shift the chain onto the smallest front sprocket and smallest rear cog — this is usually the derailleur position with the least spring tension.
Store your bike indoors to protect it from the elements. This will help limit moisture and prevent rusting of internal parts. Also, avoid storing your bike where it could be knocked over — the rear derailleur is vulnerable and could be damaged in a fall.
Consider hanging your bike from a hook on the wall or ceiling — either by the wheels or by the frame. Not only will you save some space but you’ll protect the tires from supporting weight in the same position for a long period of time. Dennis thinks a bike hanging on the wall is a decorative touch for a room, although not everyone (including his wife) agrees with him on that.
Chapter 17
Regular Bike Maintenance
In This Chapter
Performing monthly maintenance on your bike
Doing an annual overhaul of your bike
Owning a bike has its privileges. Zipping around turns, wind rushing through your hair, passing cars in traffic, leaving the world and all your cares behind you as you ride off into the countryside — it doesn’t get much better than this! Of course, owning a bike also entails responsibilities. Unless you have unlimited money and don’t mind buying a new bike every year or two, caring for and maintaining your bike is important.
Maintenance is also critical if you care about personal safety. Unless you’re an 18-year-old risk taker, you probably aren’t willing to take the chance that making a sharp turn, dodging a pothole, or slamming on the brakes will land you in the emergency room. Keeping your bike in good working order by following the monthly and yearly maintenance steps outlined in this chapter will go a long way toward making your riding experience a safe and enjoyable one.
Whether you’re enthusiastic about maintenance or you view it as a chore, take the time today to schedule it. Write it on your calendar, put it in your PDA, do whatever it takes to remind yourself to do it. Otherwise, it’s likely to get lost in the shuffle of your busy life, no matter how good your intentions.
We start this chapter by telling you what you need to do every month to maintain the health of your bike. Monthly maintenance is all about keeping your bike clean and lubricated and inspecting your bike for potential safety issues. You can do this monthly maintenance check in 30 minutes or less. We end the chapter with the annual tune-up and overhaul, which requires more time but will dramatically extend the life and safety of your bike.
Monthly Maintenance
Once a month, set aside half an hour or so to give your bike the once-over. Specifically, there are nine steps that you should take every month — everything from checking the tires to cleaning.
One way to stay on top of your monthly maintenance is to choose a day of the month that you can easily remember. For example, if your birthday is June 13, do your maintenance on the 13th day of every month.
Surveying your bike for structural damage
Examine your bike for signs of stress and structural damage. Visually inspect each part of the frame for cracks or other visible signs of wear and tear. For the hard-to-see parts of the frame, such as the underside, rub your hands along the surface to feel for bumps or ripples. Pay particular attention to areas where the frame is welded. On aluminum frames, in particular, look for any hairline cracks or weak points.
Hold the wheel between your legs and turn the handlebars side to side. If there is movement in the handlebar or stem, you may need to tighten the clamp bolts on the handlebars, tighten the stem bolt, or adjust your headset (see Chapter 15).
Kicking the tires
Lift each tire off the ground and give it a spin to see if it’s spinning in alignment. As the wheel spins, keep your eyes fixed on the brake pad as it rotates, looking for any wobble. If you see any wobble, it’s probably time to true the wheel (see “Truing the wheel,” later in this chapter).
You’ll be able to examine the alignment better if you have a bike stand. You can also turn the bike upside down, being careful to protect the shifters. Or have a friend lift the tire off the ground while you spin the wheel and examine it.
Also, inspect the tires for signs of wear, such as cracks, cuts, tears, or bulging. If you have a badly worn tire, it should be replaced immediately (see Chapter 6). Examine the tread and remove any debris or objects that may be lodged inside.
Finally, check for tightness in the spokes. Check two spokes at a time, grabbing them between your thumb and finger to test for what should be an even tension around the wheel. In the rear wheel, one side may have a slightly different tension then the other, but these should be uniform for each half. If you find any spokes that have too much or too little tension, make an adjustment with a spoke wrench (see Chapter 7).
Cleaning your bike
Even though we recommend in Chapter 16 that you give your bike a proper cleaning after every ride (if you ride in especially muddy or dirty conditions) or at least weekly, let’s face it: Most people probably won’t do it that often. If you don’t have the time to clean your bike after every ride or once a week, you really do need to do it during your monthly inspection.
Dirt is your bike’s worst enemy. Over time, it works its way into your bike’s parts, causing them to wear out faster.
Turn to Chapter 16 for instructions on how to properly clean your bike.
Cleaning your bike is easier the more frequently you do it. If you wait until it’s caked in mud and covered in grime, it’ll take you a lot longer to get the job done. If you stay on top of cleaning after every ride (or at least once a week), you’ll be able to finish the job much faster.
Giving your bike a lube job
You probably wouldn’t dream of driving your car without changing the oil every three months or 3,000 miles. And you should take the same approach with your bike.
Your bike has many movable parts that require lubrication to reduce friction and stay in good working order. A lube job is especially important if you’ve been riding frequently, if you’ve been riding in wet or dry conditions, or if you’ve just cleaned your bike.
Turn to Chapter 16 for instructions on how to properly lube the moving parts and pivot points on your bike.
Tightening up
The monthly checkup is a good time to inspect the tightness of your cables. While you’re examining the cables, also look for kinks or fraying, which may signal that they need to be replaced.
Check all the fasteners on your bike for looseness. Don’t forgot to include any accessories like racks or bottle cages in your list. If you leave a fastener loose, it may fall out and, in its place, rust may appear.
Finally, check the cranks and crank bolts or nuts for tightness. While inspecting the cranks, grab a crank arm in each hand and try to wiggle them to check for looseness. If there is play in the cranks, the nuts or bolts may need to be
tightened or you may have a problem with the bottom bracket (see Chapter 13).
Checking the brakes
Of all the parts on a bike that you don’t want to give out when you’re riding, the brakes are at the top of the list. Make sure you inspect them monthly, checking for wear in the brake pads and replacing them as needed. (If you need to replace brake pads or make adjustments to the brakes, see Chapter 8.)
Confirm that the cable clamp has the cable securely in place.
Give your brake levers a firm squeeze to confirm that the brakes evenly and firmly grab the rim.
Check the brake pads for even wear. (You may need to take the wheel off for this.) If any debris is lodged in the pads, remove it with the tip of a key or a knife.
While you’re looking at the brakes, rub down the rims with rubbing alcohol. Clean, grease-free rims will increase your braking power and extend the life of your brake pads.
Examining the chain, cogs, and chainrings
Over time, a chain will stretch as it wears and, eventually, it’ll need to be replaced. A stretched chain will cause the chainrings and cogs to wear out more quickly.
How do you know if your chain is stretched? Pull a chain link away from the chainring, and see if you can expose a gap between the chain and the chainring. If you can, the chain is stretched. You can also measure the chain to confirm that 12 links measure 12 inches. If the link measures between 121/8 to 121/4 inches, it’s time to replace the chain (see Chapter 10).
Some companies offer a special tool that accurately indicates the amount of chain stretch.
Also, examine the teeth of the chainrings and cogs for excessive wear. If the teeth are no longer symmetrical and look like an ocean wave or as though they’ve been filed down on one side, it’s time to replace the part.
Protecting your saddle
If you have a leather saddle, use a leather treatment to clean the leather and replenish its natural oils. These oils help the leather repel dirt and water, both of which can break down the integrity of the leather. Although a number of products are on the market, Brooks Proofide is a wax-based treatment that is very popular with bikers. (For more information on saddles, see Chapter 9.)
Inspecting the suspension
If you have suspension on your bike, inspect all suspension pivot and linkage bolts for correct tightness. Proper tightness is critical in order for the suspension to work properly. Follow the directions in your owner’s manual and consider using a torque wrench or taking your bike to your local bike shop for adjustment.
Also, inspect the suspension forks. If they use oil, examine them for leaks and follow your owner’s manual for how often the oil should be changed. If they’re air-sprung, check the air pressure. (For more information on suspension, see Chapter 12.)
Annual Maintenance
After cleaning and lubricating your bike regularly, the next most important thing you can do to extend the life of your bike is to give it a yearly overhaul. You wouldn’t think of driving your car year after year without taking it in for service — you have to think about your bike the same way, especially if you’ve invested money in a quality bike and you want to have many years of comfortable, accident-free biking.
Annual maintenance is not difficult if you follow the directions in this section — however unlike preventive and monthly maintenance, it does take some time. Overhauling a bike is not something you can do in 30 minutes, especially the first time. To do it right, you should set aside an afternoon when you can focus on your bike and nothing else.
Deep-cleaning the chain
Even if you’ve been fastidiously cleaning your chain on a regular basis, once a year you should give it a deep cleaning by removing it and soaking it in a solvent like Finish Line Citrus Degreaser or another environmentally safe product.
Try putting the solvent of your choice, along with the chain, in a soda bottle, giving the bottle a few shakes, and letting it sit for a few hours. Soaking your chain will enable the solvent to penetrate into the links, giving you deeper clean than if you had used a chain cleaning tool. When it’s finished soaking, brush off the chain and rinse with water. Dry off the chain with a towel, and let it air-dry for a few hours. Don’t apply lubricant until the solvent has completely evaporated.
For more chain cleaning tips, check out Chapter 10.
Truing the wheels
Over the course of the year, your wheels are going to absorb a lot of impact. The accumulation of bumps and jolts that are normal when you ride may start to loosen spokes causing your wheels to start to wobble. To counteract this, at least once a year have your wheels trued. Truing is the process of adjusting the tension in the spokes so that the wheel spins straight.
Wheel truing is a lot like golf: The basic concept is easy, but it takes a lot of practice to master. The process of truing is best left to an expert, but you should be able to make a few minor spoke adjustments to eliminate some of the imperfections in the wheel — all you’ll need is a spoke wrench.
Although professionals use a special truing stand that provides greater precision, enabling them to correct up-and-down and side-to-side wobbles, you can leave your wheels in the frame when you true them. Just make sure you remove the tires so that you can see any distortions in the rim.
For instructions on how to true a wheel, turn to Chapter 7.
Replacing cables and housing
Considering the important role that cables play on your bike, especially when it comes to braking and stopping, we recommend that you think about replacing the cables and the housing in which they sit every year — or, at a minimum, give both a very thorough inspection. If you notice any kinks, rusting, fraying, or a buildup of dirt and grime, it probably is time to install new ones. If you do install new ones, we recommend that longer-lasting stainless steels cables be used. Follow the instructions in Chapter 8 and Chapter 15 to install cables for brakes and derailleurs, respectively.
Most bikes use one type of cable housing for shifters and another for brakes. Cable housing for shifting should not be used for brakes, because it may not be able to handle the higher force applied during severe breaking.
When you go to your local bike shop to purchase cables, remember to bring along the old cable. This way, you’ll find the right cable for your bike and won’t buy more length of cable than is necessary.
If, after inspecting the cables, you feel they don’t need to be replaced, give them a proper cleaning. Remove the inner wire and flush the cable housing with a light oil, and remove cable grit with a rag while the cable is removed from the housing. Clean the inner wire with the same solvent before inserting it back into the cable housing.
Most cable housings have an inner plastic or Teflon liner, which means that the cable doesn’t have to be lubricated. If you aren’t sure about your cable housing, ask your local bike shop.
Overhauling the hubs
In order to extend the life of your hubs, it’s good practice to overhaul them at least once a year — especially if they’ve been exposed to a lot water, which can cause them to rust from the inside.
One way to test whether an overhaul is needed is to elevate the wheel off the ground and give it a good spin. It should rotate freely, with the valve coming to a stop at the bottom, because this is the heaviest part of the wheel. Another test is to lift the wheel, grabbing the wheel with one hand and grabbing the frame with the other. If there is play in the wheel when you move it side to side, this is another sign that an overhaul, or at least an adjustment, is in order. Another test is to rotate the axle with your fingers with the wheel stationary; the hub should feel butter smooth.
If you have traditional hubs with bearings held in place by a cup and cone, you’ll want to inspect the bearings, replace them if needed, and repack the bearings in fresh grease.
If you have cartridge bearing hubs, you’re in l
uck. These require less maintenance because the bearings are sealed inside the cartridge. With some sealed cartridges, you can squirt degreaser into the cartridge followed by an injection of fresh grease as part of your servicing, although this is probably not something you need to do on a yearly basis unless you’re riding in severe conditions such as crossing a river.
You can find step-by-step instructions for overhauling the hubs in Chapter 7.
Overhauling the headset
Wear and tear will cause a headset to come loose over time, which may cause the steering to feel wobbly or the breaking to vibrate the bike. Looseness in the headset also causes the bearings inside the headset to be impacted each time you hit a bump, which will lead them to deteriorate faster. If you think the headset may be loose, turn to Chapter 16 and follow the steps for checking for looseness in the handlebars.
Yearly maintenance is a good time to inspect, clean, adjust, and overhaul the headset. As is the case with all parts that rely on bearings, you’ll want to clean and degrease each part, if possible; replace and pack the bearings in fresh grease; and then reinstall the parts following the instructions in Chapter 15.
Don’t try to install a new headset on your bike unless you know what you’re doing. Most bike shops have special tools that they use to fit a headset.
Overhauling the pedals
The sign that it’s time for a pedal adjustment are similar to those of other parts that rely on bearings to spin smoothly. If pedals don’t rotate effortlessly, or they wobble or feel loose, you should overhaul them. You’ll have your tools, cleaners, and lubricants out during your annual maintenance, so it’s a convenient time to take care of the pedals.
As with hubs, pedals have traditional cup-and-cone or cartridge bearings. If you have cup-and-cone bearings, you’ll want to replace the bearings before packing them in fresh grease. With cartridge bearing systems, which are found on most clipless pedals, you’ll only have to add fresh grease every few years.