Tune-up and regular maintenance

[DragNLady]

How often do I need to have a tune-up done? What other maintenance do I need to do? How often do I need to grease the chain? How often do I need to change tires, chain, brake pads etc.? I will be riding the bike about 100 miles per week during winter and 25 miles per week during Summer. Mostly flat riding, a lot of pavement and light trails. Thank you very much!

 

[rich c]

Are you asking about a dealer tune up? Usually after the first 6 months, then once a year. Other maintenance; fasteners need to be checked, including pedals and crank bolts. Some low end bikes still use free bearings in the pedals and front axle. Those need original inspection, adjusting, or even grease added if the factory put them in dry. Then greasing every few years. I clean and oil the chain based on where I ride. Any riding on gravel dramatically increases the frequency. Our rail trail is crushed limestone, and gets incredibly dusty. Then I clean and oil every 3rd ride. Otherwise, around 200-250 miles. Different styles of tire tread, compounds of rubber, and riding speeds make predicting tire change intervals nearly impossible. There are chain stretch tools that will give you the stretch information needed to know when to replace the chain. Brake pad replacement is based on amount of use and material used in the pads. Verified with a visual inspection to judge wear.

 

[DragNLady]

Thank you Rich, yes I am asking about a dealer tune-up. How can I learn to to do all that you mentioned? -fasteners need to be checked, including pedals and crank bolts? How to clean and oil the chain? Are there bike maintenance classes that one can take?

 

[indianajo]

Tires, if the tread gets thinner than 1/16" (and a lot are sold that way) one gets a lot more flats. I buy the tires with 1/8 " or thicker blocks and replace when lower than 1/16". tires older than 10 years tend to split the carcass, is the last flat I had, the only one this year. I ride >2000 miles a year and get about that out of the thick tires on road.
I leave my bike out in the rain a lot, so I oil chain, shifters & cables, brake levers & cables, deraileur pivots takeup and moving parts, front pivot, about every 3 weeks. Keeps it from rusting. Any steel brackets or wheels, need that also. cheap non-sealed wheel bearings need relubing anually. I use petroleum jelly on the wheel bearings.
Most critical fastener to keep tight is the front stem pivot, followed by the handlebars pivot tightener. If those are loose you have no control or stability. I've had a new bike from the LBS dump me on the ground after the stem was knocked loose by a chughole, so check that immediately after purchase. I tighten as hard as I can go on a 6" long wrench, maybe 50 ft lb torque? My new yubabike in January was fine on this point. New discount store bikes more likely to have a problem.
Most common fasteners to come off are the fenders. Axle bolts are prone to come loose, if you haven't double nutted them (counter torque) or used locktite those need checking monthly. Brake mounts and derailleur mounts should be checked then.
Spokes for a female or a careful male like me, need checking for tightness annually. tap them with a screwdriver and make sure all ring the same pitch, unless the tight ones (higher pitch) are compensating for a warped wheel. Thud is the wrong sound. If your wheel is too warped, or the tube is being poked by the loose and too long spokes, spoke adjustment is required immediately. I use a crescent wrench. spokes sticking up towards the tube more than 1/32" need filing or grinding down.
If the chain is popping over the rear sprocket, mid to higher gears only, either the takeup is too loose or the chain links are too long.

 

[DragNLady]

Thank you very much for all this information, indianajo! Much appreciated. But it is one thing to tell me what I need to do, it is another thing to learn how to do it. Half of what you say is Greek to me. LOL Where can I learn how to look after my bike (have someone SHOW me what to do) and do all the maintenance that is required?

 

[rich c]

Thank you Rich, yes I am asking about a dealer tune-up. How can I learn to to do all that you mentioned? -fasteners need to be checked, including pedals and crank bolts? How to clean and oil the chain? Are there bike maintenance classes that one can take?

Infinite number of Youtube videos on all maintenance items, Park Tools Channel is a good place to start. Many brands have assembly instruction videos. We have a local bicycle co-op that with a membership fee, you get free repair stand time, with an experienced person looking over your shoulder. A wall covered with special tools. They also run regular maintenance classes on fixing flats and general maintenance procedures. Speaking of Parks Tools, there is this option; https://www.parktool.com/park-tool-school

 

[DragNLady]

Rich C, thank you, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for, but sadly, no classes are offerred in Phoenix or Scottsdale, AZ. I will start browsing You Tube, but would learn easier in a "hands-on" class. Thanks!

 

[indianajo]

Here's a picture with bicycle parts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bicycle_parts What I've called a stem they call a head tube - I learned names in 1956. Dad wasn't a biker much, he showed me how to pry the tire off the rim with two screwdrivers, which is not how anybody else does it. The rest I learned by myself. For oiler I use an Eagle of WVa pump oiler and 5 w non-detergent oil. Typically Type A or F automatic transmission fluid from the grocery store. when you tighten nuts, clockwise is tighten looking down and for nuts on the back of say a fender mount, those go the counterclockwise since they are screwing down fron the back.

 

[DragNLady]

Thank you so very much, indianajo, you have been very helpful, I truly appreciate it!

 

[DragNLady]

Afer hours of googling for video's etc., I found an REI store that has a class on how to do bike maintenance, for $40. Then I finally found a Mobile Repair guy that has excellent reviews on google. I will hire him to come to my home and show me exactly how to take care of my bike. Everyone says he has very reasonable prices, so I am sure he won't be much more than the REI class, and I will get one on one instruction. I am so happy.

 

[rich c]

You do have a co-op in Phoenix. I find these places a great deal. http://www.rustyspoke.org/

 

[DragNLady]

rich c, that looks very interesting, I will have to check them out. Thanks!!!

 

[ebikemom]

Just don't spray degreaser on your derailleur, chain, etc.--it can work its way into the hub and into the sealed bearings and ruin your bike. If you need to use degreaser, the parts to be degreased need to be first removed from the bike. Lubricant is a good thing to use to clean the chain. My local bike tech recommends using motor oil that doesn't have detergent in it. He is very unhappy with the Park Tools video that shows spraying degreaser on an assembled bike as he has had customers who have ruined their bikes. He said that it is better to leave a bike dirty than to clean it improperly.

 

[DragNLady]

Amy, thank you so much for that important info! Really appreciate it.

 

[Nova Haibike]

Rich C, thank you, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for, but sadly, no classes are offerred in Phoenix or Scottsdale, AZ. I will start browsing You Tube, but would learn easier in a "hands-on" class. Thanks!

I am the weekend manager of a bicycle co-op in the Washington D.C. area. You have a bicycle co-op in Phoenix, called the The Rusty Spoke. You can use the workshop there and get guidance on how to DIY.

 

[DragNLady]

Thank you Nova, I will definitely check out The Rusty Spoke when I get there. Sounds perfect for me.

 

[pnop]

Here's a picture with bicycle parts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bicycle_parts What I've called a stem they call a head tube - I learned names in 1956. Dad wasn't a biker much, he showed me how to pry the tire off the rim with two screwdrivers, which is not how anybody else does it. The rest I learned by myself. For oiler I use an Eagle of WVa pump oiler and 5 w non-detergent oil. Typically Type A or F automatic transmission fluid from the grocery store. when you tighten nuts, clockwise is tighten looking down and for nuts on the back of say a fender mount, those go the counterclockwise since they are screwing down fron the back.

I learned how to do it with screwdrivers. I learned how to shorten a chain with a screwdriver and hammer also.

 

[rich c]

I learned how to do it with screwdrivers. I learned how to shorten a chain with a screwdriver and hammer also.

With the minor cost of a chain tool, I sure wouldn't stress the rest of the chain with and hammer and screwdriver to save that little bit.

 

[pnop]

With the minor cost of a chain tool, I sure wouldn't stress the rest of the chain with and hammer and screwdriver to save that little bit.

I wouldn't today either.

 

[Alex M]

Thick tires make sense. though they don't usually tell thickness in description and I didn't notice this number printed on my tires. You have to look at those blocks/grooves and decide if it's good enough for you.