Tips On Bicycle Maintenance
By: Andrew Caxton
Bike Maintenance
A clean bike will function better than a dirty one and is a
pleasure to work on.
Before you start any bike maintenance you have to clean your
bike, that doesn’t mean a bit of wipe with a cloth, you have to
clean it properly and there are a few things you need to do the
job, you might have to buy some equipment, but most of it can be
found around the house, try under the sink, but don’t let your
wife/mother catch you.
First what equipment do you need: -
• A bike workstand or handy tree/washing line to hang your bike
on.
• Old rear hub or old axle or stick.
• Degreaser or diesel fuel (careful diesel is not good for your
hands).
• Hot water.
• Washing up liquid.
• 2 buckets (1 with soapy and 1 with clean water).
• Paint brush.
• Old water bottle.
• Bottlebrush.
• Soft scrubbing brush.
• 2 sponges.
• Cloths.
• Oil.
• And for that extra shinny finish, spray polish.
The most important thing to remember when you are cleaning your
bike is to keep your eyes open and look for anything that may
need fixing later, this is how a mechanic on a professional team
does it, but he might have 10 bikes to look after, so it’s a lot
easier with only one.
Start with the wheels, cut the top off the old water bottle and
put some degreaser in it, you can use a spray degreaser, but you
waste most of it. With the paintbrush work the degreaser into the
sprockets being careful not to get too much into the bearings.
Then with some hot water and washing up liquid scrub the
sprockets clean, then scrub the rims clean of old brake block
residue, you can use a little degreaser to help this, but don’t
get it on your tires. Scrub the tires clean, with soft scrubbing
brush, at this point look at the tires for any cut in the tread
that could puncture later and inspect the rims for damage or if
they are wearing thin. With a soapy sponge wash the spokes and
then rinse them in clean water and put them to one side to dry,
not in direct sunlight.
Now the rest of the bike put your bike on your bike workstand or
other handy item you can hang it on. Put the old hub/axle/stick
in the rear end of the frame so the chain can rest on it, then
using the paintbrush and the old water bottle with the degreaser
clean the chain, the front and rear derailleur, chain rings and
cranks, brakes and any other metal parts, try not to get it on
the saddle, handlebar tape and don’t get too much on the headset
and bottom bracket bearings. Also use the degreaser and
paintbrush to clean under the down tube, as you’ll find any
spillage form your feeding bottle will make this a very sticky
place and the degreaser should shift it.
Now take the bottlebrush or a sponge and a bucket of soapy water
and clean under the saddle, under the bottom bracket, under the
brakes and under the forks, use the scrubbing brush to shift any
stubborn dirt, then take a soapy sponge and clean off all the
degreaser and loosened dirt. Then with a clean soapy sponge clean
every part of the bike, start with the handlebars and saddle and
work your way down the bike making sure the whole bike is
sparkling clean, then rinse with clean water. Remember keep your
eyes open for things like worn brake blocks, gritty bearings,
tight or frayed cables or any cracks or damage to the frame, if
all is OK put the wheels back in.
Things to look for while you are cleaning your bike: -
• Worn brake blocks.
• Damaged or thin rim walls.
• Damaged or cut tires.
• Damaged chain.
• Damaged or bent handlebars and stem.
• Twisted or damaged saddle.
• Torn or worn handle bar tape.
• Damaged or worn chain rings and sprockets.
• Damaged or worn chain.
• Damage to cranks or pedals.
• Condition or gear and brake cables.
• Damage to frame tubes.
• Loose or broken spokes.
• Condition of brake calipers.
• All bearings should run smoothly.
So your bike is now clean, dry it with a clean cloth and if you
want it to really shine, get the spray polish out, but don’t get
any on the brake surface or you wont be able to stop the first
time you go out. Next you have to oil the chain and all moving
parts, brake pivot bolts, front and rear derailleur, pedal
springs and the pivots on the brake levers, wipe away any spilt
oil, check your gears and brakes work well, pump up your tires
and away you go on your clean and sparkling bike. Oh! And
remember to put back all that stuff from under the sink before
you go on your bike ride or you’ll be making your own dinner when
you get home.
Andrew Caxton runs a cycling site where you can find reviews and
comparisons on heart rate monitors, bike clothing and bicycle
components. Further reviews at Andrew's website
http://www.bike-cycling-reviews.com
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