| Bike Overhaul |
| Tuesday, 17 July 2007 | |
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Whether you are racing downhill, 4X, cross country or are simply an all-day trail rider, the fundamental principals are the same and there is no better way to get your maintenance started than to give your machine a good wash.  The
thought of cleaning your bike is dreaded by most riders whether before
or after a spin, but from experience I have found the best way is to
quickly hose the bike down straight after a spin. This makes a more
thorough clean far easier, even if undertaken later on. Never use a
powerwash to clean your bike! Repeated use of a powerwash drives grease
and oil from essential running parts such as hubs, chain, jockey
wheels, cassettes etc. The best way to clean your bike is to use bucket
of warm water with a little detergent such as domestic washing-up
liquid and a good sponge or soft bristled brush. When the bike has
dried or is nearly dry spray the entire bike (avoiding direct spray at
rim or disc brakes) with WD40. This will make that dull paintwork gleam
once again as well as offering a water repellant finish to most parts.
Wipe the entire bike down with a dry cloth and ‘hey presto’ you have a
showroom condition machine.Of course all bike maintenance is made considerably easier by using a proper workshop stand and these can be picked up for as little as €60, but we recommend spending at least €100 on a stand such as the Minoura W3000 for good stability. Now it’s time to check that everything is working as it should be. So what do you check? Older bikes, which may have been crashed, should have their carbon components such as seatposts and handlebars checked for surface signs of damage. These can indicate a loss of integrity in that component, sufficient to cause a catastrophic failure when you least need it! 
The two main areas of a frameset to check first are the headset and
bottom bracket for wear. How long has your heasdset been fitted and
does it need adjusting? The same applies to your bottom bracket, is
there undue play? If these parts are OK proceed to check the
drivetrain. Again, a workshop stand is priceless for all these checks,
especially when checking if all the gearing is working. Make sure gear
changes are smooth and that all gears can be attained. Check the
condition of gear cables. If any need replacing we suggest you replace
them with GoreTex cables, especially the rear cable. I fitted these
cables to my own bike well over a year ago and they are still working
as well as the day they were fitted. They are a little on the expensive
side but well worth it. If you are on a budget you only need replace
rear gear and brake cables.
Speaking of brakes, now that everything is OK to get the bike moving it
is probably more important getting your pride and joy to come to an
effective standstill. Rim brakes will require more maintenance than
disc brakes. So start by checking brake blocks for uneven wear. Clean
them off with small wire brush and make sure they are hitting the wheel
rim in the correct position. Also, make sure the blocks are good and
tight. Brake cables need to be checked for wear. Disc brakes require
checking of reservoir, lines and pads. Adjustment of pads may be
required on some brands and usually it is only a simple turn of an
allen key.Finally, give the bike a once-over, checking tire condition and pressures; wheels to make sure they are running straight and true; shock units to make sure there are no unwanted leaks and that correct pressures are set (you may be a little heavier than last season . . . ahem!). Make sure pedal cleat tension is OK, especially if you have fitted new cleats to your shoes. This will assist you in avoiding any embarrassing moments. You are now set to hit the trails. Remember, if you haven’t ridden this bike for a while, take time to get used to the position again, especially if this is your race machine with more aggressive positioning etc… |
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