Questions tagged [maintenance]
Tools, parts, techniques, and procedures to keep your bike in working order. MAINTENANCE is not the same as REPAIR, a separate tag. Maintenance is what one does on a regular basis. Repair is what one does only when something is broken.
1,060
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Repair vs replace my Trek 1.5
Just brought my 2010 Trek 1.5 into my LBS to get a tune up. They quoted me 475 based on needing to replace both rims as well as the slightly bent handlebars. Which gave me pause in that maybe I should ...
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Could the E-bike drivetrain wear down till needing replacement after 400 km?
The drivetrain (chain? gears?) of my E-bike started to make loud clicking sounds, with the impression that the chain is skipping over teeth. The gear switching itself still works well.
I have tried ...
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Can I use denatured alcohol instead of isopropyl alcohol when servicing a fork?
I want to try to do the lower leg service of my suspension fork myself for the first time. In the RockShox videos on that topic on YouTube, they take apart the fork and clean the parts with isopropyl ...
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9
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Misplaced tyre lever - alternatives?
I misplaced my tire lever and it's very hard to change the tube of my mountain bike without a tire lever. I'm looking for alternatives if a tire lever is not available.
What I've found so far are:
...
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Lifespan chain and gear wheels on e-bike [closed]
If is possible to give an indication of the average lifespan of the chain and gear wheels of an E-bike?
Assuming: Cycling in all weather conditions (commute); Western European climate (10% of time ...
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What are the different uses for the 110 vs 114 vs 116 link bike chains?
I used to just leave those to the bike shop guys .. but nowadays .. I would prefer learn these basic skills myself
Currently I was searching for a replacement chain for my bike .. was told that for ...
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How can I know my brake fluid needs changing?
I have a few bikes with shimano disc brakes. I know changing the fluid is something that can be done and I could probably work out how to do it but I don't know what to look out for to know its time ...
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(Light?) rust removal from chain
Situation:
I'm new to the world of trike maintenance. My son and I purchased recumbent trikes at the end of last summer. The weather for the past couple of months has been cold, snowy, cold, and......
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FOX FLOAT CTD Evolution oil leak :(
I have a FOX FLOAT CTD Evolution LV 184x44mm, which worked fine in the summer, afther the cold weather arrived, and I started to ride under 15C, it started to leak some oil. It was pretty nasty, but I ...
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Early Rider Belter hub maintenance
My son has had an Early Rider Belter for around 14 months. Recently, I've noticed the free-wheel sounds "gritty", and there is quite a bit of friction if you move the cranks backwards while the rear ...
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Servicing/tensioning a rear mech
I have a Tiagra 4600 10 speed rear mech (mid length) which is sluggish to shift into higher gears.
Shifting was all over the place, I’ve replaced the jockey wheels and checked the hanger alignment. ...
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What mistake might I have made while truing this wheel?
I bought a spoke wrench and tried to true up a wheel (for a heavier rider 220+ lbs.)
However, as soon as they got on, there was a chinking noise, and the brake rub I had just fixed resumed (albeit ...
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What are the pros and cons of suspension seats and suspension handlebars?
The title says it all, but I’ll add more specifics to give a better understanding of my particular situation.
I am a on-road commuter with little-to-no dirt roads in my routes, many of the roads are ...
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How do I determine what types of maintainence I need to perform?
I just got a new bike and I want to make sure I’m able to keep it up properly. I am entirely new to this.
Edit: thank you all for your responses, I’ll keep these all in mind and I’m adding them to my ...
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My rear brakes squeal like crazy, but not when they are wet!
I am a new cyclist in Bonn, Germany. Someone gave me a free bike that is very nice, but the rear brakes squeal like crazy, and the weird thing is that when it rains and they are wet, they don't squeal ...
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Can a rusty chain be saved?
I picked a girl's mountain bike out of a dumpster . It looks very excellent except for a chain that is so rusted that each link needs to worked free.
Name is Techno Lite , 26" wheels, 15 speed ...
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Can I use WD40 and generic bicycle oil to maintain my MTB drivetrain?
For years I've been using WD40, a brass brush, a rag, and some generic bicycle chain oil. My chain has no visible damage, and I have no problems with it. This is for a somewhat cheap MTB that sees ...
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1
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Magura HS33 brake pads strongly pressed against rim, despite adjusting screw fully open. Too thick? Wrongly installed?
I have a Magura HS33 with EVO2 mount bought some years ago. I replaced my Magura HS33 brake pads. I have turned the brake lever adjusting screw as far open as it gets, but the brake pads are too far ...
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How do I calibrate my auto tension belt?
I have a Trek District IGH3 with a Mitsubishi belt drive that has an auto-tensioner. Last winter, the belt started slipping over the sprocket. It happened frequently enough that it ended up wearing ...
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How to adjust RST fork travel?
Today I own a RST Champ fork with 100mm of travel.
After doing some research I found that there are 3 travel options 80mm, 100mm and 120mm.
I also find out that the adjustment is done by adding or ...
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2003 Giant Rainier MTB Leaking Shock Fluid?
I have a 2003 Giant Rainier as shown here: https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/searchlistingdetail.aspx?id=38863
that appears to be leaking a little bit of fluid from one of its front shocks. I think it ...
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Aluminum vs Zinc Anti-Seize
After shearing the head off a screw still in my bike I've decided to get proper anti-seize. I have an aluminum frame and stainless steel screws. I've heard that zinc based anti-seize is better for ...
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Chainring and chain compatibility for Suntour chainring
just ordered a new chainring for my nexus-8 equipped longtail bike,
it's a suntour 48 tooth chainring shown here:
https://www.srsuntour.com/products/32-tooth-chainring?variant=27528743299
it's a ...
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Slightly bent rim
I have seen that my rear wheel rim is slightly bent. Can I use it for a week and take to the technician Sunday? Will there be any problem if I ride it for a week?
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Protecting bicycle from sea/salty water
I'm using my bike to commute between my work and home (~10km). In the middle of my trip I have to use a ferry and have to put my bike on the deck.
Within 2 weeks of the trip I could see my cassette ...
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3
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Adjusting derailleur with bike upside down, is it ok?
I need to adjust the derailleur on my bike, I don't have a bike stand. I have three options for pedaling while adjusting the the derailleur.
Turn the bike upside down, balancing on the handlebars ...
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Are bleeding kit syringes single use?
I recently bought a bleed kit (for shimano brakes from shimano) and used it on my hydraulic brakes (successfully as far as I can tell). During cleaning up I noticed the syringe says it was for single ...
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Bottom bracket maintenance - is it a thing?
Previously when I've had annoying noises from my bottom bracket I've simply discarded it and bought a (cheap) new one. But the last time I replaced it I got a great offer and splashed out a little ...
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Resistance in rear hub?
I bought a new mid-range hybrid bike (Pinnacle Lithium), and for the first couple of weeks it was an absolute pleasure to ride. Then I went on holiday for two weeks, leaving it in a shed in the heat (...
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Danger of adjusting spokes on the road
I'm about 3500 miles into a long tour, and the other day we noticed a few of the wheels between my own bike and some other guy's were starting to warp pretty noticable. With the help of someone more ...
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Function of colored tabs on SPD-SL Cleats
What are the function of the colored tabs on the SPD-SL cleats?
If they wear through to the black, Shimano recommends their replacement.
In my own case, the outboard side of the colored pads are ...
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Constant squeaking when pedalling
My bike has had an ongoing issue for a couple of months. Most of the time I pedal there is a constant squeaking noise (which I can't pinpoint but seems to be from the chain). This noise only occurs ...
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2
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Dual shift levers, old bike and indexed gears
Long story:
I once built a road bike for my wife over 30 years ago. It has Reynolds 531 tubing / 501 forks and alloy parts, so it is quite a decent build. However, my wife has been put off ...
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'93 Trek 820 Antelope - Replace?
OK, I'm sort of just looking for justification here. I am the original owner of a '93 Trek 820 Antelope, and I am just recently getting back into biking for health benefits. Of course after riding "...
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Are there real-life alternatives to the chain+derailleur combo?
I was reading an article about the CeramicSpeed’s Driven concept and, while not interested in the efficiency part, the chainless system reminded me of something I was wondering for some time: are ...
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Is a brompton right for my riding style?
This question is for current OR past Brompton owners.
I am considering purchasing a Brompton because
hype about its quality built
compact
simply looks awesome!
About me: 6ft, 145lbs. (182cm and ...
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1
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Can replacing the bearings on a hub untrue a wheel?
Backstory: I've never paid so much attention to my bike.
I recently bought the wrench that allows me to take my axle off, so that's what I did. After cleaning the parts/bearings and replacing the ...
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Can’t seem to put the wheels back on the frame
I’ve removed both wheels to do some deep cleaning. And even though, I’ve removed the wheels before I would immediately pop them back on without a problem. This time I left them out for a few weeks, ...
user38370
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4
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Vibration and wobble after replacing chain
I'm having a bit of trouble getting my back wheel on after replacing my chain.
There is a wobble once per revolution. It wobbles such that, if viewed from above, it appears to spin straight for most ...
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Is this bike salvageable?
I have an old Peugeot Vagabond. It's been sitting out in the New Mexico weather for more than a few years. I'm wondering if it's worth trying to fix up, or if I should just go get a new bike?
I tried ...
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Creaking which is temporarily resolved by tightening rear quick release
My commuter road bike (Pinnacle Arkose 3 - actually a disc-braked cross bike, fitted with mudguards) has an annoying and loud creak, associated with each turn of the pedals - there is a creak each ...
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Why doesn't my suspension fork rebound after being compressed?
I use a RockShox SID suspension. After using it for a while I noticed the suspension has not been rising back out on its own. I have to lift the front fork of the bike for the suspension to go back to ...
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Can't get bike valve caps off
I will sound a bit thick but i'm no bike mechanic, to give you an idea of what make my bike is here are some pics (the bike isn't mine and the owner doesn't know).
the problem is that I cannot get ...
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How can I remove the stripped plastic cups of a bottom bracket?
I have a 2 frames with FAG bottom brackets (can't tell the exact model from the outside, but something like this):
(datasheet here) in various states of destruction
Bike 1
I didn't have the tool so ...
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1
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How to remove a Joytech freehub (5mm allen key version)
I've been trying to remove broken my joytech freehub (from an 11 speed felt b16) for a frustratingly long time. The model in question takes two 5mm allen keys, and is not the same as the seemingly ...
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How long do inner tubes last?
I recently started biking again after taking about 2.5 years off. My bike has been sitting in my garage since then. I did a 30 mile ride as my first one back and I didn't replace my tubes beforehand. ...
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How to clean sealant stuck in pump head?
I have a old trusty pump that over the years has the presta head filled with tubeles goo. Noways it pumps the tires very slow. Is there any chemical way to remove it without melting the plastic?
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Prevent wheel bearing from coming loose due to disk braking lateral force
I have an entry range gravel bike (Kona Rove AL 2017) with disk brakes and the cup and cone front wheel hub shown in the pictures. There is the cone itself that threads on the axle and a top ring that ...
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How to tell when to change steel front fork?
I am riding a Dawes made sometime before 1974 and have read in a Swedish report (http://vti.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:694821/FULLTEXT01.pdf) that front fork failure is a not uncommon cause of ...
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How to remove alu seat post from carbon frame?
My aluminium seat post is seized into my carbon frame. To make matters worse the seat post is snapped at the seat post collar - nasty crash.
Anyone have a way to get it out? Or is it time for the ...
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