Maintenence of a Bike What are the essentials?

Irish Gunner

Ok getting good use out of my new bike have it over a week and done a few trips around Dublin.

What is the general etiquette in relation to the maintenance of the bike? Want to keep it in good nick

i.e How many times should you pump up wheels, oil the chain etc or anything else I should be doing.

Also keep bike in house what is the best way to dry bike when bike gets wet as don't want it dripping all over the floors, know its obvious it will happen but just looking for users tips.

Cheers

kincsem

Irish Gunner wrote: »

How many times should you pump up wheels, oil the chain etc or anything else I should be doing.
Also keep bike in house what is the best way to dry bike when bike gets wet as don't want it dripping all over the floors, know its obvious it will happen but just looking for users tips.

Get a track pump and pump the tyres to or near the maximum on the tyre wall.
Something like this http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=4949
Carry a mini-pump, tyre levers, and new spare tube always when cycling.

I don't clean the chain with products. After each ride I wipe the chain thoroughly with a clean cotton rag then lube the chain with a half dozen drops of this. Do not overlube the chain as it will be a dirt magnet. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1041

Carry a multitool when on the bike
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25844

I bought a roll of rubber mat from Lidl and park the bike on it (about 1 x 3 metres). Obviously leave the bike standing in a porch or under cover for a minute to allow water to drip off it before bringing it indoors.

kincsem

New bike?
The best way to keep it is never park it outside the house. But if you do bring it into town you need one or two of these. And they will only delay, not prevent, theft.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18394
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28854
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-granit-x-plus-54-23cm-bike-d-lock/

If you use a cable lock you are inviting people to steal it. Useless.

I lock my bikes inside my house with U-locks and chains/padlocks.

07Lapierre

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Ok getting good use out of my new bike have it over a week and done a few trips around Dublin.

What is the general etiquette in relation to the maintenance of the bike? Want to keep it in good nick

i.e How many times should you pump up wheels, oil the chain etc or anything else I should be doing.

Also keep bike in house what is the best way to dry bike when bike gets wet as don't want it dripping all over the floors, know its obvious it will happen but just looking for users tips.

Cheers

Check your Tyres before each ride.
Oil the chain when required. not too much, not too little.
Best way to dry your bike is with a towel. (Not the Wife's best white one! )
Wash your bike when its dirty. How often you cycle will determine how often you should clean it.

CardinalJ

Buy a really good lock(s). It's not really bike maintenance, but it'll help you maintain your ownership of it.

Capt'n Midnight

If it's new then make sure you get the first service to tighten / adjust stuff after it's settled in.

Irish Gunner

Have the below:

Multi tool
New Tube
Levers
Small Pump
Large Pump(From Lidl offers 20/8)
2 Locks Abus Sinus Plus & Kryptonite Evolution Mini
Helmet
Wet gear
Lights

Have to keep it in house as no shed and no porch so safer inside. Need to get a mat that's a good ideas so I can keep it on that. Its not got wet yet....

Will check the tyres each week make sure enough pressure in them and clean down chain with old towel

Anything else?

Thanks

tomasrojo

You might check the tyres for glass once a week or fortnight. Cuts down on punctures. I use the point of a nail file to dig glass out.

youtheman

Here is a list of my essential tools:

1. chain wear indicator
2. chain breaker
3. chain whip and special tool for removing cassette
4. tool for removing crank (to allow me change the BB30 bearings).
5. 17 mm (I think) wrench for removing pedals
6. chain cleaning kit

Beasty

tomasrojo wrote: »

I use the point of a nail file to dig glass out.

I tend to use a small screwdriver, but I think we should add "nail file" to our standard toolkit recommendation just for the hell of it:)

Pa Dee

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Ok getting good use out of my new bike have it over a week and done a few trips around Dublin.

What is the general etiquette in relation to the maintenance of the bike? Want to keep it in good nick

i.e How many times should you pump up wheels, oil the chain etc or anything else I should be doing.

Also keep bike in house what is the best way to dry bike when bike gets wet as don't want it dripping all over the floors, know its obvious it will happen but just looking for users tips.

Cheers

Oil and air

dario28

Is steam cleaning a bike a big no no ?

StaggerLee

I use a steam cleaner to blow all the crud off my bike every few weeks, that doesnt make it right though

I think one of the lads in Harrys bikes, Clonskeagh or Duff cycles in Santry told me they did this when they service them...

07Lapierre

dario28 wrote: »

Is steam cleaning a bike a big no no ?

YES

Mycroft H

07Lapierre wrote: »

dario28 wrote: »

Is steam cleaning a bike a big no no ?

[SIZE="6"]NO[/SIZE]

Confused. Double negative.


I wouldn't do it.

Anyways basic maintenance.

Degrease the chain. Wiping down the chain really isnt enough. Dirt can hide between the rollers which can accelerate chain ware. Use something like WD 40 or diesel/kero.

Oil. Chains really dont give a damn whit oil is on them as long as its oiled. I use 3 in 1 oil. Cheep and cheerful. A small drop on each roller works well. I tend to do this once a week.

Also it's worth cleaning all the sprockets and chainrings from crud and dirt as there is no point in running a clean chain over dirty chainrings.

Checking tyre pressure ever 2-3 days. Butyl rubber tubes tend to loose a couple of psi a day. You can loose a lot of pressure over a week or so.

07Lapierre

BX 19 wrote: »

Confused. Double negative.

A bit confusing alright.....Yes, Steam cleaning is a Big NO NO. A bucket of soapy water and a sponge is all you need.

tomasrojo

Beasty wrote: »

I tend to use a small screwdriver, but I think we should add "nail file" to our standard toolkit recommendation just for the hell of it:)

Classical guitarist. I have to carry one around anyway!

Mycroft H

youtheman wrote: »

Here is a list of my essential tools:

1. chain wear indicator
2. chain breaker
3. chain whip and special tool for removing cassette
4. tool for removing crank (to allow me change the BB30 bearings).
5. 17 mm (I think) wrench for removing pedals
6. chain cleaning kit

15mm for pedals


Other tools I would invest in above that:

Cone wrenches
Decent tyre levers (plastic for rims you care about + metal for junker rims)
Track Pump
4/5/6mm Allen Keys
Grease for applying to bolts to prevent them seizing.
Locktite thread locker for bolts that like vibrating loose (mudguard mounts)
Bottom Bracket tool
Adjustable 8" wrench
Spoke Key
Sharp good snips for cutting cable.

rich.d.berry

After every ride: (10 - 15 minutes)

I rinse my bike off every time I've been out for a ride, even if it's dry (because dust accumulates in the dry as well) and then bounce it up and down on the back wheel to get rid of the drops. I have a hose near the back door with a spray nozzle so no major effort involved.

When I bring it inside I stand it on an old towel to collect any drops. After I shower and change I dry the bike and check tyres for bits of embedded glass or metal, and remove them if I find them.

I use a teflon based oil on the chain and will need to lubricate about every 3rd ride, but if very wet will lubricate after each ride.

About twice a month: (1 - 2 hours)

I do a proper clean and polish. The polish helps to keep the dirt from sticking and the muck is easier to rinse off.

Tune the gears and brakes (instructional videos can be found on Youtube).

Check that bolts are not vibrating loose, especially the handlebar clamp to the stem, seat post and saddle.

Check spokes for tension.

Check general condition - chain for stretch, sprockets for wear, tyres for cuts and wear, brake blocks for position and wear, bar tape condition.

Order/buy spares if required before they are needed.

skipz

Would fairy liquid and warm water be ok as a general all round cleaner?

Inbox

skipz wrote: »

Would fairy liquid and warm water be ok as a general all round cleaner?

No washing up liquid has salt in it.

07Lapierre

Inbox wrote: »

No washing up liquid has salt in it.

So? unless you've stripped all the paint off your bike and the frame is made of raw steel whats the problem?

As for the chain,cassette etc, as long as you apply lube, again salt is not an issue.

also, the amount of salt in washing up liquid is insignificant.

and finally "Fairy Liquid" will keep your hands soft and smoooth!

SerialComplaint

Am I the only one who feels like a 'bad parent' when I read this thread? I commute by bike most of the time, say 9 days out of 10. I take the occasional longer spin around the foothills of south Dublin at the weekends, or even by extending my commute.

But my poor workhorse bike, a Specialized Hardrock MTB, gets none of the loving care detailed on this thread. I might wash it once every couple of months, when it gets embarrassingly mucky. I'll do the bare bones of basic maintenance myself, like changing tubes or tightening cables, but anything beyond that gets done by the nice guys in Think Bike. The idea of spending 10 minutes after every commute cleaning and drying the bike is just alien to me!

I don't have huge maintenance problems with the bike either. I have one badly worn cog that is slipping when I put pressure on, but after 2.5 years of regular commuting, that doesn't seem too unusual.

07Lapierre

Whatever works for you. Everyone's different. Me? I hate cycling on a dirty bike.

smacl

I wash and tune up the bike about once a week. Tends to involve cleaning, checking brakes, cabling, tyres, and cleaning and lubing chain and cogs. Being a triple, I find the front deraileur goes out of adjustment quite easily and often needs attention. Attending to the bike rarely happens directly after a spin, as that tends to be family / beer time.

I find the turbo great for checking adjustments and tracking down creaks, and could probably dispense with the stand as a result.