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Bike Maintenance Question!
Gav 
| 07 Aug 08:58 |
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Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Posts: 13 Bike: My Profile | HI guys, I was looking for some advice on general bike maintenance, particularly with regards to looking after the chain, deraileurs and other components. What is the best way to look after your bike? I know this probably sounds like a bit of a daft question, but I've only recently started cycling and don't have a clue what I should be doing regularly to keep my bike running smoothly. I'm riding (road cycling) about 3-4 times a week and other than cleaning the dirt off my frame I'm sure there are things I should be doing fairly often to keep everything in order, E.g. Oil, Lubricant etc. Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers, Gav |
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Aurum
| 07 Aug 13:02 |
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Joined: 18 Jun 2010 Posts: 15 Bike: My Profile | Hi Gav, Check out "youtube" and search on "Bike Maintenance" or something similar. You will find lots of video demo's that should help you out. |
| My Latest Route: Jul 2010 Cheslyn Hay to Coven Circular | |
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dudley
| 07 Aug 16:28 |
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Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 498 Bike: My Profile | that's a good plan. you need some degreaser / cleaner, and you need some lube. dont just keep lubricating. every now and then, degrease it right back and re-lube, otherwise everything just gunks up with crud. the MucOff range is good |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Forth Estuary Circular | |
| Adey77 | 07 Aug 17:03 |
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 Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 5 Bike: | Hi Gav, Dont be afraid to go into your local bike shop (if its a new bike, where you got it would be a good start) and just ask them. My local shop was very helpful and showed me where to grease etc.If they are smart, they'll be helpfull, cus you'll be back for all the stuff you need! Haynes "The Bike Book" is ok for a starting point, and for me was helpful just to work out what everything was called! Adey |
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Ride2win
| 07 Aug 17:23 |
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 Joined: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 14 Bike: My Profile | Hi . . bikes shops are good to help but I find them to be a bit reserve if you didnt get your bike from them.. I try to do all the work on my bikes myself, halfords do a good bike tool kit, and a bike cleaning starter kit. Ok I just cleand my bike was really bad, I removed the wheels, I then took off the chain and removed the crank, I then removed the cassett from the back wheel, I then placed them in the sink ans sprayed them with De-Greaser which I got from halfords I left them for 10 min or so.. I then inspected the wheels and gave them a clean.. Back to the sink, I cleand them all up with a cloth and some more spray, i then washed them off with wated and let them dry, nice and clean.. I washed the frame good clean dryed that off too, I then use normal house old polish as this has a natureal de greaser in it, old motor bike trick, use that to clean bits that I missed,, Then put it all back together again. takes about hour and half. I then put the bike on a stand and use a dry lube for the chain, machs and such, if any thing else needs doing I do that to.. All this work can be done without taking the parts of the bike halfords do a brush set that helps, I like to do a proper job as my bikes see's a fair few miles and gives me a good chance to make adjustments and inspect over.. |
| My Latest Route: Jul 2010 Strood to Gravesend Loop | |
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spoken
| 10 Aug 02:48 |
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Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 5 Bike: My Profile | Hi Gav You should look at a combination of de-greasing (monthly) and adding lube (weekly). All depends on how often and how far you ride - the advice I've just given is based on my own pattern of around 15 miles daily. If you live in a city, consider a dry lube rather than regular WD-40 which will attract dust and gunk and therefore add to overall maintenance time. spoken |
| My Latest Route: Aug 2010 Hammersmith to Hampton Court | |
| perrycomo | 12 Aug 11:35 |
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Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi Gav, i have found a product called Bike Floss a good buy. Its a bit like a pipecleaner with bristles on. You can use it on your cassettes , chain and deraileurs, The floss can clean parts of the bike that are hard to get to very easily. I wouid imagine that your local bike shop would have it, however look on www.purpleharry.co.uk to see where you can get it from. Perrycomo |
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Gav
| 13 Aug 08:48 |
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Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Posts: 13 Bike: My Profile | Brilliant advice guys thanks so much! These are the things no one tells you about bike riding :) Many thanks, Gav |
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