What maintenance do you do on you bike?

[crE]

And how often?

My bike arrived today and I will be assembling it this evening

It's a Sirocco CDL

I'm happy to perform general maintenance and checks as I know a little about bikes. I can change a tyre/inner tube. Realign handlebars and seats etc. That's about as far as I've gone on normal bikes. I've never actually lubricated a chain before!

What are your general checks? What maintenance do your perform? How often?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You'll have to occasionally adjust the stationary pad in the front brake caliper, more frequently adjust the rear brake adjustment and lubricate the chain when it looks dry, which will be more frequent if you use it in the rain.

If you're unlucky, you might have to re-tension the spokes after some time, and maybe re-set the rear derailleur end-stops and or cable adjuster.

I don't do any maintenance on my bike because it has hydraulic brakes. Since I've had it, I've done about 600 miles in 6 months and hasn't needed anything. Most bikes (without hydraulic disc brakes), just require maintenance on the brakes and chain.

I don't know whether you'd include cleaning as maintenance. I haven't cleaned mine either because it must be self-cleaning. I use it in the rain and sort of off road. At one point it was muddy and dirty, but it looks pretty clean just now. Maybe the rain that we have here in Telford has cleaning agents in it.

 

[crE]

Thanks for the swift reply d8veh. I must admit I can't remember the last time I cleaned a bike!

Are hydraulic brakes easy enough to fit?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Are hydraulic brakes easy enough to fit?

Assuming that you already have discs, three screws for the brakes themselves - two for the caliper and one for the lever clamp. You have to remove your grips and old levers first of course. Some hydraulic lever clamps have two screws.

You can only fit a hydraulic disc brake on the front of a Sirocco CDL because there's no mount for a rear one on the frame. Hydraulic brakes are about a million times better than cable ones too, so it's always worth the upgrade.

 

[trex]

I check the tyre pressure, brakes, gears, pedals every time I ride.
If anything feels loose or rattles while I ride, I'll fix it as soon as I get back.
oil the chain, pedals and ball bearings - every 200-300 miles.
ping the spokes may be twice a month.
On a new bike, after a few rides, time to allow the bike to settle down, I'd spend an hour going over all the bolts and nuts that might need tightening. Then the bike is good for may be 200-300 miles before needing another check. You'll see that second check takes less time than the first and so on, it won't need much looking after the third check.

 

[thewomble]

...or you could go for my method crE and just keep going until something breaks. I pump up my tyres every couple of weeks and that is about it. You can tell when the brakes need adjusting as they get spongy and other than a very rare spray of oil on my chain my bike thrives on the neglect. I reckon the dirt holds it together.

 

[Twangman]

I get my bike serviced twice a year, I ride it at least 15 to 20 miles a day. I'm lucky to have a bike repair shop nearby, I trust them more to handle my bike than a regular bike shop. They managed to rebend my frame after being hit by a car side on.
I have taken the back wheel off once to repair a puncture but it was a lot of hassle to put back on again. When I was a kid I always maintained my bike's myself but now for piece of mind and time I'm quite happy to pay to have it done.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've seen and heard a lot of sad stories about people that took their electric bike to a cycle shop for routine stuff like punctures and new tyres. In one case, they told the owner that to get the wheel off, they had to cut the motor wires. In another case, they noticed his disc was loose, so they decided to replace the disc screws with their own longer ones, and then couldn't figure out why the motor wouldn't turn. Mainly it's damaged motor wires. My advice: Learn how to do it yourself.

 

[RobF]

Checking fixings for tightness regularly is flavour of the month for me after my recent wheel wobble.

I wipe the chain after every ride and lube about every sixth ride.

 

[Twangman]

d8veh My Guy knows his stuff he fixs cycles for a living. He sells the odd bike he's fixes up but repair is his trade. If I had a problem with the electrics I would go back to Volt. I prefer not to get my hands dirty, each to his own.

There is a regular bike shop across the road from me, when I took it in there they did not want to know. When I had my regular ridgeback folder, they reckoned I should have the chain replaced every 3 months! When I got the Volt they did not want to touch it at all. Needless to say I now don't use them for anything.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You're lucky they didn't sell you one of those chain-wear measuring sticks otherwise you would be replacing your chain every three months.

 

[crE]

What would you say is the/cost effective chain oil to use? Or is there not much in it? I've also seen spray lubricants too

 

[jackhandy]

Hypoid gear oil or chainsaw oil _ They are both low-fling.
I.e. the oil stays on the chain & doesn't fly all over the back wheel because it's fick.

 

[RobF]

Chainsaw oil in 500ml bottles is significantly cheaper than the tiny pots sold by bike shops.

Particularly good for those who like to use plenty of oil on their chain.

I don't, and am still using a large aerosol I bought several years ago for my last motorbike.

 

[Twangman]

You're lucky they didn't sell you one of those chain-wear measuring sticks otherwise you would be replacing your chain every three months.

Yeah but who does replace there chain every 3 months apart from maybe club riders. Chain on the Volt was replaced last in Febuary when I had it last serviced. I can live with it being replaced once a year or so if it warrants it.

 

[Alan Quay]

Last time I bought a chain, it cost £3.49. A bottle of chain lube was £8.99.

A new chain can probably do 200 miles before it needs to be lubed. More if you consider it disposable.

It might be cheaper to replace the chain every 200 miles, and never lube it!

 

[EddiePJ]

A new chain can probably do 200 miles before it needs to be lubed. More if you consider it disposable.

It might be cheaper to replace the chain every 200 miles, and never lube it!

I can kill a chain in less than 200 miles, and have had them as dry as bone after just a 20 miles ride.

Brake pads I remove and clean once a week, and I very much doubt that I get more than a couple of hundred miles from a set.

I guess that it's all subject to what discipline that the bike is being used for.

The Haibike which stays pretty much on the road, would be lucky if it ever saw even an oily rag.

 

[OldBob1]

Tyre pressures, brake cut out switches and quick release levers on every ride.
Check chain, brakes and look around fixings every month.
When riding listen for any strange noises and investigate.
But most of all enjoy your ride.