Did you spend your winter months eating chips on the couch instead of riding? Soon, a new mountain biking season will begin in spring. Even though your body may not be in shape, these tips will ensure that your bike is.
Before taking your bike out, the wear and tear on your components should first be checked and if it's necessary, adjust them. Begin with your chain. It's time to replace the chain if your haven't replaced it in a year or so. The individual parts of the chain will get worn out over time and increase its effective length.
As this happens, the chain is no longer able to conform to the cog and the teeth of the chain ring, so it wears those teeth out to fit the profile of the chain. To save yourself from having to replace high priced cogs and chain rings, replace the chain before it stretches too much.
Then the bearing surfaces should be checked. Included in these are hubs, your bottom bracket, and headset. They should turn without any trouble with no play in the system. Before you check the bottom bracket, you first need to make sure that each cranking arm is tightly snug. Next, hold on to the crank arm (not the pedal) and wobble it back and forth. The bottom bracket needs to be adjusted if you hear any clicking or if the crank arm binds.
The exact same thing should be done with your hubs. Take the wheels off the bike, spin the hub axles, then feel for any free play or binding. If you feel binding or play, then adjustments should be made. Put the newly adjusted wheels back on the bike to check the headset.
Now, grab the front brake and pull and push the handle bars back and forth. Play shouldn't be there. If you lift the front end off the ground, the fork should turn very smoothly. It needs to be replaced or readjusted if it feels rough.
While your looking, check the condition of your cables and housing. The cables should be rust free and the housing shouldn't be cracked or kinked. If this device has any of those things then you need to replace them otherwise your braking and shifting will be sluggish.
Inspecting your brake pads is the last in your to-do list. Most pads will have ridges or indicator marks that will let you know when they need to be replaced. Safety and braking efficiency will be compromised because of worn out brake pads.
Once you've got the tune ups out of the way, it's time to go for a ride. With your mountain bike running better than ever, all you have to do now is have fun!
Before taking your bike out, the wear and tear on your components should first be checked and if it's necessary, adjust them. Begin with your chain. It's time to replace the chain if your haven't replaced it in a year or so. The individual parts of the chain will get worn out over time and increase its effective length.
As this happens, the chain is no longer able to conform to the cog and the teeth of the chain ring, so it wears those teeth out to fit the profile of the chain. To save yourself from having to replace high priced cogs and chain rings, replace the chain before it stretches too much.
Then the bearing surfaces should be checked. Included in these are hubs, your bottom bracket, and headset. They should turn without any trouble with no play in the system. Before you check the bottom bracket, you first need to make sure that each cranking arm is tightly snug. Next, hold on to the crank arm (not the pedal) and wobble it back and forth. The bottom bracket needs to be adjusted if you hear any clicking or if the crank arm binds.
The exact same thing should be done with your hubs. Take the wheels off the bike, spin the hub axles, then feel for any free play or binding. If you feel binding or play, then adjustments should be made. Put the newly adjusted wheels back on the bike to check the headset.
Now, grab the front brake and pull and push the handle bars back and forth. Play shouldn't be there. If you lift the front end off the ground, the fork should turn very smoothly. It needs to be replaced or readjusted if it feels rough.
While your looking, check the condition of your cables and housing. The cables should be rust free and the housing shouldn't be cracked or kinked. If this device has any of those things then you need to replace them otherwise your braking and shifting will be sluggish.
Inspecting your brake pads is the last in your to-do list. Most pads will have ridges or indicator marks that will let you know when they need to be replaced. Safety and braking efficiency will be compromised because of worn out brake pads.
Once you've got the tune ups out of the way, it's time to go for a ride. With your mountain bike running better than ever, all you have to do now is have fun!
About the Author:
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