Mountain Bike Maintenance Checklist: 6 Things to Do
Regular mountain bike maintenance keeps you riding problem-free for a long time.
Mountain bikes don’t come cheap. The price of spare parts will cost you. Regular maintenance keeps extra costs on repairs at bay while ensuring your safety.
Here’s a checklist of the things you need to do to keep your mountain bike in top shape. Some of these you can do yourself. But if you’re not sure how to do it right, take it to an expert.
1 – Clean Your Bike Regularly
With a sponge, a towel, and a small brush (or a toothbrush) wipe all the parts of the bike. It would be best if you use a biodegradable cleaner.
2 – Test the Wheels
Wheels are important as they hold your tires. The smoothness and stability of your ride depend on your wheels.
Your wheels should always be properly tuned and trued. Check that they don’t rub against the brakes. And check to see they don’t wobble.
Elevate your bike. Spin the wheels and see if it wobbles. If it does, fix it with a spoke wrench.
If it has too much damage, you’ll need to replace the wheel.
And when you inflate your wheel, make sure to use the recommended PSI (indicated at the side of the wheel).
3 – Check the Brakes
To avoid untoward incidents, your brakes should be reliable.
To ensure they’ll work whenever you need them, check on them regularly so you can spot problems early on.
Check the brake pads. They easily wear out from continued use. Especially if the bike is seeing a lot of action.
Also, check that the bolts holding the caliper are torqued to the right amount.
4 – Take a Look at the Drivetrain
This includes pedals, chain, chainring, derailleur, and rear wheel cassette.
To do this, you’ll need to use a bike stand or ask someone to assist you. You’ll need to raise the rear wheel, spin it, and shift through gears. You should be able to do this smoothly. If not, you need to ask a professional to look into it.
Then look at the chainrings, chain, derailleur, and cassette and check for damages. You might not need to replace the chain and chainrings.
5 – Inspect the Cables
Cables connect several bike parts together so they can work right. They connect the shifters and the brakes to the derailleur and brake pads.
Check the cables. Be on the lookout for looseness, cracks, dirt, or rust. You might need to put oil or totally replace the cables.
6 – Lubricate
Lubricant plays an important role in in the longevity of your mountain bike’s moving parts.
When grime and dirt gather in your bike, they can damage it and prevent it from working smoothly. Lubricants can prevent grime and dirt from accumulating.
Rotate the chain in a counter-clockwise motion. Apply lubricant on the chain and other moving parts as you do this.