Mountain Bike Maintenance - The Basics
If you're a mountain bike owner it's a big help to be able to perform your own mountain bike maintenance, it will increase your enjoyment of riding and save you money.
If you know you can repair any breakdowns you will feel more confident going on longer, more remote trails but you'll be less likely to have breakdowns if you've maintained your bike properly.
Doing your own mountain bike maintenance will save you money because you won't have to pay a mechanic to maintain it for you and parts will last longer and need replacing less frequently.
The first important thing to do if you're going to perform your own maintenance is to get yourself the right basic tools. Over time you'll probably get more specialist tools as you'll learn more about your bike and it's parts.
You should also carry a tool kit with you when you ride and you can get complete basic tool kits to carry with you that are more compact than the regular tools you might use at home. Remember to test all tools at home before you take them out with you.
Before even thinking about tools though, the most basic maintenance to carry out on your mountain bike doesn't require any tools, it just requires that you regularly keep it clean.
Get into the habit of cleaning your bike after every ride, either by wiping it down or washing it with a bucket of hot water and soap. Make sure you rinse it or wipe it down afterwards and this will prevent any dirt getting into places it shouldn't get into and help to keep all the moving parts moving!
The next step in basic mountain bike maintenance includes occasionally lubricating the chain. This is essential to keep it functioning properly and there are lots of good lubricants available, including some self-cleaning ones. Get into the habit of applying any lubricant the night before you ride so that it works into the chain properly.
Another important basic thing to check is the air pressure in your tyres as this will protect them and give you a better ride. You should also change the tyres occasionally as part of your maintenance routine, and make sure you know how to repair a puncture.
The next things to check regularly are gear and brake cables as they stretch over time and become less effective. They should also be replaced every 6 months or so, depending on how often you ride.
Another very important maintenance issue to think about is to check your brake pads regularly as they wear out fast and obviously they are imperative for your safety. Check the alignment of the brake pad against the wheel rims, as they should sit squarely on the rim when the brakes are applied. When not applied they should be free of the sidewall of the tyre.
Finally check all nuts and bolts on your bike in your regular maintenance routine and use an Allen key or a spanner to tighten any loose bolts you find.
Remember breakdowns will always happen, even to the best riders and the most expensive bikes, it's just the nature of the activity, but it's better to be prepared and be able to deal with incidents or prevent them where possible with good maintenance.
Be pro-active in your approach to mountain bike maintenance and look after your bike. Remember maintenance is usually better and cheaper than repair, and armed with a little knowledge you can ride harder for longer.
If you know you can repair any breakdowns you will feel more confident going on longer, more remote trails but you'll be less likely to have breakdowns if you've maintained your bike properly.
Doing your own mountain bike maintenance will save you money because you won't have to pay a mechanic to maintain it for you and parts will last longer and need replacing less frequently.
The first important thing to do if you're going to perform your own maintenance is to get yourself the right basic tools. Over time you'll probably get more specialist tools as you'll learn more about your bike and it's parts.
You should also carry a tool kit with you when you ride and you can get complete basic tool kits to carry with you that are more compact than the regular tools you might use at home. Remember to test all tools at home before you take them out with you.
Before even thinking about tools though, the most basic maintenance to carry out on your mountain bike doesn't require any tools, it just requires that you regularly keep it clean.
Get into the habit of cleaning your bike after every ride, either by wiping it down or washing it with a bucket of hot water and soap. Make sure you rinse it or wipe it down afterwards and this will prevent any dirt getting into places it shouldn't get into and help to keep all the moving parts moving!
The next step in basic mountain bike maintenance includes occasionally lubricating the chain. This is essential to keep it functioning properly and there are lots of good lubricants available, including some self-cleaning ones. Get into the habit of applying any lubricant the night before you ride so that it works into the chain properly.
Another important basic thing to check is the air pressure in your tyres as this will protect them and give you a better ride. You should also change the tyres occasionally as part of your maintenance routine, and make sure you know how to repair a puncture.
The next things to check regularly are gear and brake cables as they stretch over time and become less effective. They should also be replaced every 6 months or so, depending on how often you ride.
Another very important maintenance issue to think about is to check your brake pads regularly as they wear out fast and obviously they are imperative for your safety. Check the alignment of the brake pad against the wheel rims, as they should sit squarely on the rim when the brakes are applied. When not applied they should be free of the sidewall of the tyre.
Finally check all nuts and bolts on your bike in your regular maintenance routine and use an Allen key or a spanner to tighten any loose bolts you find.
Remember breakdowns will always happen, even to the best riders and the most expensive bikes, it's just the nature of the activity, but it's better to be prepared and be able to deal with incidents or prevent them where possible with good maintenance.
Be pro-active in your approach to mountain bike maintenance and look after your bike. Remember maintenance is usually better and cheaper than repair, and armed with a little knowledge you can ride harder for longer.
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