What to change in a service

lancew

So I'm thinking of giving the bike a bit of a more extensive wash this weekend.

I'm thinking the parts to go or are:

Chain - replacing
Chain rings and cassette - happy with condition
Cables - replacing
Brakeblocks - are new
Handlebar tape - replacing
Bottom Bracket - re-greasing
Headset - re-greasing
Seatpost - giving a wipe down
Pedals - greasing the bolts, but will leave the bearings

Anything I'm missing? I'm about to do my order for parts.

keef66

I don't tend to change anything that I don't need to. Chain gets replaced at 0.75% wear. New cassette if a new chain skips. Inner cables if they are fraying anywhere, or inners plus outers if I find there's corrosion / drag. Bartape if I've crashed or had to replace the outer cables or I've been swapping shifters. Tyres usually go down to the carcass unless they sustain earlier catastrophic damage. BB if it starts clicking / develops play.

I'm not a high mileage rider, so on 2 bikes over 8 years I've fitted many chains, 4 tyres, quite a few inner cables (Shimano shifters eat the gear cables), one cassette, one LH shifter, one rear mech, one BB, a single rear spoke, one full set of inner / outer cables and 3 lots of bar tape. Yet to replace a headset or a brake block!

I clean and regrease my cup and cone hubs once or twice a year, and this spring I replaced the bearings in the oldest wheelset for the first time. And the bearings on the oldest pedals also had their first ever clean / regrease.

Apart from experimenting with different saddles and bars and swapping components / groupsets from one bike to another, the only bit of gratuitous replacement I've ever done was the middle ring on a triple crankset. Spotted Ribble doing them cheap and thought mine had to be worn since that's where I spend 95% of my time, but comparing old and new I struggled to tell the difference. I still fitted the new one but kept the old as a spare :roll:

lancew

Yeah this bike is 3 years and nearly 6000 miles old. I did the chainset and cassette after leaving it too long once so I won't be making that mistake again. The cables I'm only really after a change on because my gear changes are getting a bit clunky.

sungod

learn how to measure the chain, 12" ruler is all you need...

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/03/how-to-check-for-chain-wear/

if the shifting is stiff, the outers may also need replacing as well as cables

lancew

I have a measure tool, it's getting to the end of its life. Good call on the outer's.

cycleclinic

Unless the headset has caged or loose balls don't try and re grease. Cartridge bearings are not serviceable in that you shouldn't be picking the seals off even though some do as there is a good chance they won't go back properly. Also if a cartridge bearing needs re greasing there is a good chance it is worn anyway.

Fit good quality parts. I use campagnolo cable sets because I use campagnolo and they last very long time. Shimano's polymer cables are similarly good.

You may want to start a chain rotation system. Every 800 to 1000 miles change the chain keep the old one. Do this 4 times then after the 4th chain go back to the first old one and put some more miles in it maybe another 800 and then switch to second old chain and so on. This maximises cassette life. You have to be diligent to use of it.

BB cannot be re greased. They all use cartridge bearings since the early 90's. If it worn replace it, if it not leave it till its worn.

Renewing anti seize on bb threads and pedal threads never goes amiss.