Basic Bike Maintenance

• Cleaning Your Bike
• Tightening Bike Bolts
• Lubricating Your Bike

Cleaning Your Bike

Your bike is a collection of moving parts. When these parts come into contact with mud, grime, and debris, wear and tear is inevitable.

Dirt affects the overall performance of your bicycle and it also speeds up the deterioration of its components. Not surprisingly, your first line of defense against breakdowns is proper bike hygiene.

• How to Clean

  There's more to cleaning your bicycle than just hosing it down from time to time and sticking it in the basement to dry. Water (especially when coming from a high-pressure hose) can cause damage to sensitive bearing systems throughout your bike. So if you do wash, do so carefully.

  Most bicycle components can be cleaned simply by wiping them carefully with a dry (or damp) rag from time to time to remove dirt and built-up grime. Other components and part systems will require occasional brushing, buffing, and re-lubrication as well, to keep them in peak condition (more information on specific procedures will come later).

• How Often to Clean

  Base your bike cleaning schedule on how (and how often) you ride. In other words, if you spend a lot of time riding in wet, muddy conditions, or you ride hard, fast, and often, clean your bike more frequently.

  Very few cyclists clean their bikes after every ride. But a regular schedule of frequent, simple cleaning (once a month, once a week or more depending upon the kinds of riding you're into) is important.

• Basic cleaning supplies

  The supplies you need to clean your bicycle will depend upon the components you're cleaning and the condition they're in. Here's a short list of basic items that address most cleaning tasks:

• Clean Rags - You'll want a good supply of these on hand, both for grease, oil and wax-related tasks and for general cleaning/drying.
• Soap - For frame washing. Use something mild, like dish washing soap.
• Water - Despite its potential dangers, water is still a useful cleaning tool. Make sure the water you use is clean.
• Brushes - You'll need a couple of different sizes and stiffnesses, to get into hard-to-reach places to remove the grime that rinsing alone can't get. Old toothbrushes work great for nooks and crannies.
• Solvents - You'll need some type of general solvent for cleaning up gummy parts like your bike chain. If possible, avoid traditional solvents like kerosene and turpentine and choose a solvent designed to be easy on the environment (and you!) instead. No matter what solvent you use, make sure you learn how to dispose of it properly.

Tightening Bike Bolts

Bicycles are held together by dozens of nuts, bolts and screws that can wear down and/or wiggle loose as the result of normal use. Maintaining a "tight ship" is important because loose (or improperly tightened) bike parts can:

• Cause poor performance
• Lead to serious wear and tear
• Become a safety hazard

Keep in mind that there's more to keeping a bicycle "tight" than simply cranking down on every nut and bolt in sight as hard as possible. Over-tightening can cause as much damage as under-tightening, and it can also lead to component failure and/or unsafe riding situations.

To keep your bike tightened up, perform frequent overall inspections so you can catch problems before they get serious. Also, keep your eyes and ears open for trouble (rattles, squeaks, wobbles) while you ride so you can check out the problems once you're back home.

• The Pre-Ride Check

  The best defense against loose components is a thorough pre-ride check. Regular pre-ride checks will help you catch potential problems before they develop into safety hazards.

• The Bike Shop Visit

  The other important component to "tightness control" is a semi-annual bike shop visit. Bringing a bike in for twice-yearly check-ups will insure that complex, hard to evaluate components are checked and serviced regularly. Remember: There are certain parts of a bicycle that should always be serviced and adjusted by experienced mechanics.

Deciding What to Do

If you discover looseness or "play" in any bike component, you can either fix the problem yourself or bring your bicycle into a full-service bike shop for service. Choose the first option only if you're sure of both the cause of the problem and the exact steps necessary to fix it. Later sections of this clinic will identify those adjustments best left to mechanics.

Lubricating Your Bike

Keeping your bike parts properly lubricated is crucial for good performance. Lubrication protects moving parts from excessive wear caused by friction, keeps them from "freezing up", and keeps rust and corrosion from attacking exposed metal components.

Be careful, though -- over-lubricating can lead to poor performance and component damage (excess lubricant can attract dirt and other abrasive particles). As a general rule, excess lube should always be carefully wiped away before the bicycle is ridden.

HINT: When lubricating a number of parts at once, remember the order in which you apply the lubricants. Wiping off excess lube in the same order will give the lubricants time to soak in.

Lubricant Options

• Bicycle Greases - these should be used primarily for lubricating bearing systems (like those found in hubs and headsets) and large-thread bolts. They tend to be thicker than oils.
• Bicycle Oils - these should be used to lubricate thin-thread bolts, chains, and various pieces of brake and derailleur systems. Bike oils tend to be thinner than bike greases.

What needs to be lubricated?

• The Chain - Your chain is your bike's most "at risk" lubricated part. It should be lubricated frequently (to slow the rate of chain wear), and should be removed from your bike from time to time (depending upon your riding style and conditions) to be thoroughly cleaned in a solvent and re-oiled. The more frequently you spot-lube your chain, the less necessary off-bike cleanings (and chain replacements) will be.

  In general, you should lubricate your chain whenever it squeaks or appears "dry." Lubing after wet rides will help keep your chain from rusting. Keep in mind that the type of chain lube you use will affect how often you need to lubricate. Avoid over-lubricating.

• Brake and Derailleur Levers - These levers are crucial for braking and shifting. A drop or two of oil should be applied to the lever pivots and the barrel adjusters from time to time to make sure they function properly.
• Brake and Derailleur Cables - These cables connect your brake and the derailleur assemblies to the levers you use to control them. They should be checked frequently (especially in wet conditions) and re-lubricated from time to time, so that they can effectively translate your commands to the component groups.
• Brake and Derailleur Assemblies - Brake and derailleur assemblies are made up of a number of small, moving parts. You need to keep an eye on their arms, wheels and pulleys so they don't bind up or become rigid. Apply lubricant on the pivot points of the assemblies.
• Bearing Systems - The subject of bearing system maintenance and repair is beyond the scope of this introductory maintenance clinic. Later sections will teach you how to identify bearing problems so that you can bring your bike in to an REI bike shop for service.

A Note on Conditions

When you lubricate your bike, be sure to use lubricants that are suited to the weather conditions you'll be riding in. Rainy areas require more durable bike oils, while drier areas require lighter oils that won't pick up as much dirt. Also keep in mind that wetter conditions typically require more frequent lubrications.