Winter Projects ~ Maintenance:

In case it happened to escape your attention, we’ve been through a spot of nasty weather the past couple of days.  It’s still icy and tricky out there, difficult to drive and extremely difficult to ride.  It’s tough.  First it gets darker, and then colder, and now this.  Trainers and spin classes help, but it is hard to stay motivated.

But spring will come…  And usually, the first bits of nice weather catch a lot of us by surprise.  The tires are flat.  The shifting is off, and the brakes aren’t working well.  Maybe the headset is draggy, and the bottom bracket creaks.

Oddly these two conditions can help remedy each other…

As the title suggests, this is a good time to catch up on some good old fashioned maintenance.  This stuff can be done indoors, and it helps to keep one motivated.  There is a distinct sense of satisfaction from prepping a bike, and leaving it shiny and ready for action.

Preparing for Action:

You will want to do a couple of things before you just grab the bike.  First inventory your resources.  What tools do you have on hand?  Do you know how to use them?  What experience and skills do you have?  Do you have a suitable place to do the work?  What supplies will you need?

Hmm…  Sounds like the beginning of a series here.

Let’s start with the essentials.

Place to work:  It should be well lighted.  It should be warm enough so that your hands don’t chill while you work, and so that lubricants still flow freely.  There should be enough space to work on the bike without crashing into things.  It should be an area where the overspray and unavoidable spills will not damage the carpet or other valuable things.

Supplies:

Clean shop rags  (You’ll want lots of them!)

Cleaners such as Simple Green

Degreasers (such as Finish Line’s Speed Degreaser, or Pedros Oranj Peelz Citrus)

Light lubricants (Boeshield T-9)

Quality Grease (Rock N Roll Super Web Grease)

Chain lube (Rock N Roll makes several, ask the shop to help you match to your needs)

Q-tips

Brushes

Tools (the most basic ones):

Metric allen wrenches, ranging from 2.5mm to 10mm  (especially the 4, 5, and 6mm)

A couple of common screwdrivers

A couple of Phillips screwdrivers

Needle nose pliers

Clean First:

Remove the wheels and set them aside for now.

Start at one end of the bike, at the top.  If the bike is excessively dirty, go slowly.  Dampen the deposits of dirt and grime with cleaner or degreaser, and then use a brush to dislodge the thickest and biggest deposits.  Then gradually continue on that area, until there is no more than a smear of surface dirt.  This can be moistened with cleaner, and then wiped clean.

Continue through the bike in this manner.  Save the chain, gears, and wheels for last.

Now use a good chain degreaser to clean your chain thoroughly.  Then do the same with the chain rings.  (Those are the gear type things on the cranks).  Treat pedals with degreaser too.

Time to work on the wheels.  Use degreaser, a brush, and rags on the cassette.  (That’s the gear cluster on the rear wheel.)  Then clean the wheels thoroughly.

Inspection:

Before you remount the wheels, do a minute inspection of the bike from front to back, and top to bottom.  Have some paper and a pen handy and note any problems.

• Handlebars ~ Tape or grips in good shape?  Computer mount secure?  Computer wiring not too loose or tight?  Cracks or nicks in the handlebars?  Controls free and smooth?  Barrel adjusters turn freely?  Corrosion developing around fasteners or other areas?
• Stem/Headset ~ Fasteners look good?  Corrosion?  Stem and spacers free of corrosion?  Bars turn smoothly?  Headset bearing loose?
• Saddle/Seatpost ~ Tears in saddle?  Saddle tight and secure in clamps?  Corrosion around saddle clamping area, or around saddle clamp bolt(s)?  Any accessories mounted securely?  Seatpost shows scratches?  Seatpost clamp secure and free of corrosion?
• Frame ~ Inspect for corrosion.  Look at cable stops, are they free of corrosion, clean, tidy, no frayed cables showing?  Check the cables while you’re at it.  Are they clean, not rusty or corroded, not fraying at any point?  Any dents in the frame?  Signs of cracks?
• Cranks and pedals ~ Does the crank rotate freely and smoothly?  Is there any sideplay or looseness?  How about the pedals?  Are they spinning freely?  Look for cracks around the bolts on the cranks, and around the pedal shanks.  Do the chainrings look good, or are they showing signs of wear?
• Brakes ~ Do the calipers move smoothly?  Are the pads worn?  Is there foreign material embedded in the pads?  How do the cables look?
• Wheels ~ Start with the hubs.  Look at each spoke hole, and inspect for cracks, corrosion, or other problems.  Do the axels turn freely?  Is there any excessive side-to-side movement of the axels?  Do the quick release skewers slide into and out of the hubs freely?  Is the quick release action smooth and correct?  Spokes, are they rusty or corroded?  Any spokes bent or gouged?  Now look at the rim, and check each of the spoke nipples.  Are they free of corrosion?  Does the area around the nipples look okay?  Are there any bulges or cracks around the nipples?  Now go over the rims, all the way around, looking for cracks, deep scratches, worn braking surfaces.
• Tires ~ Look for wear, cord showing, cracks in the rubber, dry rot, cuts, gouges, fraying or wear at the beads.

Got all that?  Now you are ready to re-install the wheels and think about making repairs.

Consider your list carefully.  Don’t attempt any repair you are not capable and confident of.  You can always take your problem list (along with your freshly cleaned bike!) to the shop.  Your mechanic will appreciate our concerns, the tidiness of your bike, and your attention to detail.

You are ready to lubricate things.  That’s next week.