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Bonus #2. It is also vital that you only clamp an extended seat post. With a little practice, you can clean a bike after rainy/snowy rides in about 15 minutes. You can then perform a deep clean and re-lubricate everything 1-2 a year. Nothing too dirty, nothing more than dust on my frame and components. Lubing the chain is absolutely critical to extend the life of your drivetrain and keep your bike as quiet and smooth as possible. I really like my bike and don’t want to mess it up. Then I rinse by dripping as little water as possible (to remove any remaining degreaser) from a water bottle, rerun the chain through a clean rag, and let it dry overnight. If you have lights on your bike, you should still be able to use your “flat” battery. If they get sticky it can lead to poor shifting. Since I went tubeless ready in 2007, I’ve never, EVER! Is it okay to store my bike in this condition for a week? Can anyone explain how to keep the bike clean or recommend a video or another resource? The cleaning process ranges from a simple wipe with a clean rag right through to a full degrease. QUESTION. Make it a point that after every 100-150 miles of riding, clean/degrease and then relube your chain. I ride 10 miles a day to work, and maybe some trips to afan once a month. The only cleaning my BB's get is when I wash my bikes. Ahmad recommends that riders should always do a quick pre-ride check before pedalling out. If you’re using your bike for commuting or using it often in a week, you don’t really need to wash the bike fully as often as you think. No matter how it looks, always clean it. The chain is almost always in motion and under constant tension, bearing against other parts in the drive train. Commuter, sportive rider or seasoned pro your bike is what makes you a cyclist. Dirt and grime corrode both the frame and the components. October 2008. Unfortunately, an overhaul is not cheap. While a dropper post is able to withstand the force of holding a bike in a high-quality bike stand, it is best to use a clean soft cloth in between the jaws of the clamp and the dropper post shaft to protect the machined surface from dirt in your bike stand clamp. HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU SERVICE YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE? Lubricate the pivots. The chain is also open and exposed to any elements that can damage it, including water and dirt. There are many schools of thought about how to properly clean a chain - ask 10 bike mechanics and you’ll probably get 8 different opinions. At worst, parts will break or fail. This may be on hand at the entrance/exit to your local trail centre, or if not, your local bike shop should let you clean your bike for free. I use to ride with 30psi in my talcum powdered tubes/tires back in the ’90s, early ’00s and I would still get a flat tire at least once a month. This weekend I plan on going to a friend’s house to clean up my bike. Hose entire bike down, and use a moderate pressure on the chain itself to ensure you get all the dirt out. But there is a proviso. After all the abundance of trails in Colorado are literally world-class. If all’s good, we’d clean it out and oil it up." I just got my first mountain bike and have no idea how to clean it. How Often Should I Get My Bike Serviced? Towel off the frame: With a clean dry towel. I live in a condo, so access to a cleaning bay is a bit difficult. How do you keep a mountain bike running reliably? Remember to clean the dust first before splashing the water as if the dust sticks, might end up scratching the color/paint of the bike. This will prevent the build up of road grime and clean off sticky energy drinks. This spray loosens dirt extremely well, so when you take the next step, you don't scratch your bike with dirt. Step 1: Washing the Mountain Bike . Hey guys! Old school?? No thanks, I already attended that school. after getting it dirty, or wet. This is because the lights draw very little electricity, so should not cause much voltage sag. Depending on how often the bike is used and under what conditions, an overhaul could be required once a year, every other year, or every 3000 miles. Before you load up the car and hit the trailhead though, you should probably make sure that you’re bike’s in good working order. Or “how often to clean your bike.” For example, my last ride was last weekend. But checks shouldn’t just be after a ride. Oils that are specifically marketed as bicycle-chain lubricants are superior to non-bicycle-specific products. Spray bike with your bike cleaner, and ensure you get into those hidden spots. The more often you wash your bike, the less build up of dirt you will have, and the easier it will be to wash your bike. Durability is the lesser issue as you can and should lube your chain often. jayson Posts: 4,606. Using your bike as a way of commuting. What tools to use, how to use them, what soap/cleanser, etc. People often ask me ( yes they do) how often they should oil their bike chains and the answer is always the same: regularly. I live in an apartment and don’t have access to a hose. You should wipe down and clean your bike monthly, at a minimum. Anyway, How often shoud I clean my chain and re-lube. That said, there are sometimes you should always clean off your bike-- This video addresses the question of how often you should clean your bike! I recently heard a debate about mountain bike (MTB) maintenance. ... First, keep your bike clean – wipe down the frame and wheels (including hubs) every couple of rides, particularly if you’re riding in wet conditions. Your frame needs to be cleaned regularly, and the components require cleaning and servicing as well. Spring is here in Denver, and as the snow recedes and the temps rise it’s natural to start daydreaming about the ensuing mountain bike season. Clean your chain and cassette. There are four pivots on the rear derailleur, and two on the front, that can benefit from occasional lubrication. Hope this helps and keep cycling strong! The best way is to perform regular mountain bike maintenance. ... Posts. We guide you through the basics of bike anatomy, show you how to find your perfect position on the bike to maximise comfort and performance and how to maintain your bike to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. photo credit 1. They generally contain Teflon ® and are designed to repel dirt and water. How to clean and lube your bike chain Keeping your bike chain clean and lubed is the best way to extend the life of your drivetrain, keep your bike shifting smoothly, and save money in the long run. My bike was exactly the same, used daily for my commute to work and then over the weekends in all weather conditions. Clean your bike regularly to protect it from rust and damage. Wash bike down by hand, with soapy water and a cloth. Costing around $200 labor (or more), add parts and this service can be tough on the pocket book. And the best part is, you can do it all at home with the right supplies and some basic knowledge. Riding on a Tacx Neo the chain noise is the main sound you hear to its really easy to monitor it. Last week we broke down how full-suspension mountain bike frames pivot and flex to move through their travel, most often through rotating bushings & bearings.All of those moving parts require varying degrees of attention and maintenance to keep pivoting smoothly. How Often Should You Wash Your Mountain Bike Keeping your mountain bike clean is the number one thing you can do to keep it running well. This assumes it’s a relatively clean, well-maintained bike in the first place. … Needless to say, you should also do this to your chainrings, cassette cogs, and derailleur wheels, though the chain should be done most often. Find a place to wash your bike, ideally with a bike stand and hose nearby – sometimes bike racks can come in useful here. E-bike maintenance products Note: Always use a cleaner and lubricant designed for bike … You should then dry it thoroughly, either with an air drier (like the Bruhl MD1400 below) or by leaving it in a sunny place. According to Mpora.com , you’ll need a hose or a bucket of water, a clean cloth, a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner, a hard bristle brush, a sponge or soft bristle brush, and some bicycle lubricant. You can pick up pretty much everything you need to clean a mountain bike at your local hardware store or chain stores like Walmart. I just replaced the bb on my 1991 trek Singletrack at the beginning of last summer for the first time ever. A tip - centralise your chain on the cassette before back-pedalling to run the chain through the rag. When it gets noisy I spray down with White Lightening chain cleaner and using a microfiber until its clean, and then reapply. The guys were discussing lubrication, and one bloke was saying that a multipurpose oil (such as Q20) could be used on a bike chain, but the other was arguing that it couldn’t, and that a specialist dry lube had to be used. Water wash can be done once a week to keep the shine. sRegular dusting if possible. You should also clean your battery (and ebike in general!) Every 1,000 miles, I squirt a citrus degreaser on the chain -- still on the bike -- and then run the chain through a clean shop rag. 6. Separately, I use an ultrasonic cleaner and Molten Speed Wax on my mountain bike chains - combo works fantastic. If it’s a grimy mess, a more thorough degreasing and cleaning will be required before a basic bike wash will be enough. Rinse: Rinse off all the bike wash or soap with the hose, clean water from a bucket, or a water bottle filled with clean water. We recommend using our Bike Bundle to wash your mountain bike once a month. And it does not include replacing any worn out parts. A good benchmark is to go through a cleaning after every 20-25 rides or so. I dunno too much about individual chain longetivity, but 1000+ miles on a well-maintained chain in year-round weather (I'm not talking dry Arizona, etc) is not unheard of. Degrease cassette: Use a gear cleaning brush or old toothbrush dipped in degreaser to clean your cassette sprockets. 3 Focus on the Drivetrain: Now that your bike’s nice and dirt-free it’s time to do a deep clean on the chain and re-lubricate it. It was making a creaking sound that I had never heard before and figured after almost 25 years I might as well get a new one. Failing to grease and clean components can result in a noisy ride at best. A clean well lubricated bike chain will keep your bike running in optimal health but under or over lubrication will cause problems too so it can be tricky to get right. 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