Basic Maintenance - Advice Please

Have a look at Parktool website & Sheldon Brown's website.

Also get your hands on a copy of Zinn & the Art Of Mountain Bike Maintainence

http://www.parktool.com/repair/

http://sheldonbrown.com/home.html

http://www.google.co.uk/products?btnG=S ... &scoring=p

nancynoo wrote:

Hi

I have bought a new bike and really want to look after it.

Can anyone give me some advice as to what basic regular maintenance I need to do to keep it all running smoothly and if any particular products are recommended. I literally have no idea about this sort of stuff so any tips really appreciated!

Thanks

One of the best habits to get into is to clean your bike regularly, and especially after a ride where it's got particularly dirty.

Use a water-soluble, biodegradeable degreaser on the chain, gears and chainset (such as Gunk, Muc-Off or Finish Line) and work it in with a stiff brush. Then use plenty of soapy water to wash dirt off, using a sponge and a bottle brush or similar to get into the nooks and crannies of the frame.

Rinse the whole shebbang with clean water, then bounce the bike a few times to shake off any excess. Apply lubricant to the chain and pivot points of the gears, and the cables if you can. If you use a spray lube, keep it away from your brake discs (or rims, if you have rim brakes) - this is very important for obvious reasons!

As you are washing the bike, make a mental note of any fasteners which might need tightening, check the headset, bottom bracket and forks for excess play and tighten/adjust if necessary (and if you can!)

As far as tools are concerned, you don't need to buy everything all at once - it's better to buy the very best that you can afford and build a tool kit up over time. A good set of metric allen keys (such as Bondhus, Britool, Teng, Stanley, etc.) are worth their weight in gold - get long-reach ball-ended ones if you can. The ones that are made up as a set in a moulded handle are OK, but they can be a bit limited if you need to reach into any awkard areas. A few decent screwdrivers too are handy too. If you get really into it, you can start adding specialist tools to you rkit too.

If in doubt READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. The manufacturers of most of the components on your bike have websites where you can download user/service manuals and the vast majority are very easy to follow if you take your time and do it step by step.

The Park Tools website has lots of useful "How To" guides which will help you get started, and above all don't be afraid to ask questions!