Looking after your bike

iwilldoit

Hi All

I think I have replaced every bearing on my bike now over around a 6-8 week period, did seem strange but something would go every week, some there is nothing you can do anything about, like the BB and free hub as they are sealed.

The rear wheel is cup and cone so how often should you take them apart and clean and re grease, with the front wheel and headset they are sealed bearings but is it best to take apart pop the seal and re grease and is there any thing else that's worth keeping on top of?

The Rookie

Sheesh, have you been jet washing it? The cup and cone wheel bearings on my commuter haven't been touched in 4000 miles and 4 years......the wheel bearings on the rear of the MTB lasted 4 years as well.

iwilldoit

I bought it second hand so I don't know about before I got it, but no jet washing with me, mind It has been ridden in one of the wettest winters for years and can't make my mind up after a really muddy ride to leave it and do a few rides and then wash it or as I have been doing it wash it every time as I really hate a dirty bike.

No WD40 around bearing areas either.

As you say about some of you bikes I have an old Giant ridged around 25 years old, not ridden all the time but done nothing to that bike ever.

ilovedirt

Sounds like the person before you hadn't looked after it. I tend to just leave bearings and stuff until they start to feel gritty. Sometimes messing about with them when they don't need it is worse than just leaving them - some of them can go for years with no maintenance, others don't. Just play it by ear.