bike maintenance

coltrane
coltrane Posts: 74
edited November 2007 in Road beginners
I had my bike serviced at one of my LBS after about 4 weeks of ownership, how often would anyone suggest it is serviced after that, I probably do about 60 - 100 miles a week. I heard a couple of creaks yesterday

Comments

  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    With your mileage
    Each week - oil chain and derailleur pivot points, adjust brakes if nessesary. I really
    like wax lube instead of oil.
    As far as truing wheels, headsets, bottom brackets, shifting adjustments. etc. you should
    see the bike shop until you learn a bit more. Eventually you can do it all yourself and
    save a bundle. It's not that hard. Get a good repair manual and have at it. If you screw it
    up take it to the shop. They may laugh, but at least your trying.

    Dennis Noward
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    Aah the mystery of creaks and clicks. I had my first service after about 4 weeks as well and the guy only charged a £5 :shock: as he said there wasn't really anything to do after he had checked it over. Anyway a few weeks later developed a click which i isolated to a pedal which i cured by removing, greasing and retightening :D . I now have a slightly more random click which i am just ignoring at the moment until i can see some pattern to it :oops:
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    dennisn wrote:
    As far as truing wheels, headsets, bottom brackets, shifting adjustments. etc. you should
    see the bike shop until you learn a bit more. Eventually you can do it all yourself and
    save a bundle. It's not that hard. Get a good repair manual and have at it. If you screw it
    up take it to the shop. They may laugh, but at least your trying.

    Dennis Noward

    :wink: Not sure about saving a bundle - by the time you've bought the tools to do it properly it will cost you at least as much as regular trips to the lbs! I'm learning to do more and more myself because I like to be as self sufficient as possible and because my particular lbs is useless (and there aren't any easy alternatives) but I haven't saved much money.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    you will start to save now that you have / are building your tool collection up.

    I think the point missing here though is the deep rooted satisfaction that can be had from fettling your own bike - it';s great.

    as an electrician by trade I am not unused to working with my hands, but now with a desk job I don't really 'produce' anything (IT Strategy documents don't quite have the same satisfaction quota) - but working on the bike - fixing it, installing upgrades etc - is something I find very theraputic and highly satisfying.
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    I absolutely agree that getting something tricky done right is very rewarding.
  • peanut
    peanut Posts: 1,373
    gkerr4 wrote:
    deep rooted satisfaction that can be had from fettling your own bike - it';s great.

    something I find very theraputic and highly satisfying.

    I've developed that to such a fine art that I spend hours trawling the net buying bits and fettling the bike to the point where I don't actually get out on it lol :roll: :oops:
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Clicks from the drive chain...oh joy...... loads to check... BB is tightly seated, cranks in OK, chain ring bolts tight.....

    You'll soon learn how to do all this yourself, but weekly chain lubes & wipe clean with sprocket/chainwheel clean (wipe with a rag) is needed - the cleaner the drive system, the longer it will last - get rid of the gunk/grit....

    Check and oil all major parts. Don't use WD40 or GT85 on the chain - you need a proper lube, costs more but makes your drive system last much longer.... GT85 OK on non bearing parts - cables, pivots, but don't get it near hubs , headsets, bottom brackets - it will destroy the grease.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    dennisn wrote:
    Get a good repair manual and have at it. If you screw it
    up take it to the shop. They may laugh, but at least your trying.

    That sounds just like me!!

    Chain was slipping off the bottom ring so searched the internet for advice on what to do and found some very useful Youtube instructions on how to make the adjustments....... tried following them and thought I was doing the right thing, but I managed to muck it up!!

    Went to the LBS told him my problem, he tried explaining what I needed to do to save me money. But I just said, well I have the bike in the car and "he said bring it in then" and managed to sort it out in about 5 mins :D
  • Cajun
    Cajun Posts: 1,048
    Your LBS shouldn't charge you for adjustments shortly (30-90 days) after your purchase...breaking-in adjustments are expected and FREE... the only item that is sure to occur later (~1500 miles) is that the cables will stretch enough to not shift properly and the LBS should adjust them FREE too....
    Cajun

Categories