Maintenance
Maintaining your bike is particularly important for any cyclist, whether it be cleaning or making repairs it all goes some way to extending the life of your bike, will improve its general performance and lower the risk of breakdowns.
The amount of use, riding conditions and how the bike is used will all affect the amount of maintenance required to a bike, but in general there are certain checks and tasks that need to be done on a regular basis.
A Rough Guide To Maintaining Your Bike
The following will give you an idea of which maintenance tasks are required for anyone riding an average bike daily or weekly.
Maintenance required for every ride:
- Pinch the tyres to check that they are properly inflated
- Rotate both wheels to make sure they do not stick
- Check both brakes to ensure they work correctly (particularly if you have disconnected the brake cables during repair work)
- Make sure there are no loose parts
- Ensure your lights are working
Maintenance required once a week:
- Lubricate the chain
- Check tyre pressure and re-inflate if needed
- Replace any broken spokes and make sure that the wheels rotate correctly
Maintenance required every 2-3 months:
- Make sure that the brakes are adjusted correctly and that there is no sign of wear
- Check the derailleur adjustment
- Ensure that screws or bolts holding in any attachments are tight (ie. Mudguards)
- Lubricate brake and gear cables and look for signs of rusting
- Grease the seat post to avoid permanent sticking
- Check that the tyres are not worn or show signs of bulging or splitting
- Ensure that the handlebars have been aligned with the front wheel
- Check the chain for wear
Maintenance required at least every two years:
- Replace the chain and front or rear sprockets
- Take off all moving parts and then clean and lubricate
- Check the bottom bracket and wheel hubs for any excessive play and replace if worn
- Check the derailleur jockey wheels for signs of wear and then replace if worn
- Grease any contact points that are metal to metal
- Ensure that the saddle hasn't split and that the handlebar grips or tape is free from fraying
- Check the headset and tighten or replace the bearings if necessary