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by AB-Joel on September 11th, 2003

AB-Joel

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What regular maintenance and cleaning should I do to make sure my bike keeps running smoothly?

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  • by Crumb Eye on July 12th, 2005

    Crumb Eye

    Cleaning your bike should involve a full body clean with soapy water and then a detailed clean of all your drive mechanisms with a brush to ensure that all grit is removed. It's probably not a bad idea to clean your rims and brake pads with water only so there is nothin hampering friction between the two surfaces. All the moving parts on your bike need some sort of lubrication, so the first steps (after cleaning your bike) should be lubing up the chain, cluster, front cogs and your derailleurs. Then you should ensure that all nuts and quick release levers are tightened. If you have cable type brakes then keeping the cables tight is essential in maintaining effective stopping power. If your brakes are hydraulic be sure to keep the levels of fluid in the optimum range indicated on the resevoir. Then lastly keep an eye on your tyre pressure. A low pressure will cause you to work harder to maintain a constant speed as rolling resistance is increased. A pressure of 50-65 psi is fine for most mountain bike tyres but if unsure check the side wall and it should tell you. Or alternatively your local bike shop will service your bike for a small fee.

    Comments

    • Actually 35-40 psi gives you lower rolling resistance on rough terrain because you roll over bumps rather than bouncing off of them. Pressure can be slightly higher on a full suspension. The range you gave is ideal, though, if your riding on really smooth terrain like roads.

      KevinW42

      by KevinW42 on March 24th, 2008

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