Questions tagged [preventative-maintenance]
Servicing things before they break, so they're less likely to fail at all.
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What is the purpose of a tread pattern on city/road tyres?
What is the purpose of tread patterns on city/road tyres?
I think I've understood (perhaps wrongly) from this site that they're unnecessary on paved roads:
Grip (friction) is more-or-less contant, or ...
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1
answer
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Is it safe to ride on wheels with rusted spoke eyelets?
I bought an old Bianchi with 26" wheels and I’m finding it hard to find a replacement with max width 23 mm tires and an old 6 speed freewheel
I was trying to true the wheels but the nipples where ...
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Should I be worried about small cuts on a tubeless tire/tyre?
My tubeless tires/tyres have a few cuts around the tread pattern. They are each around 3–4mm in length. I've been proactive with topping up sealant and have not had any flats since riding with these ...
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8
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1
answer
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When to change quick release springs
The wife and I are newer to longer distance riding and have been learning along the way. While this might mean different things to different people, we are training for an Ironman and will do a half ...
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2
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Rim brakes and rim wear outside the brake track
I have recently found out, that my rim brakes were slightly misaligned and the pads had developed an edge over some time and had worn a bit of paint outside the normal brake zone (see photos). It ...
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2
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Can time-till-rest be used as a hub-regrease-and-repack flag?
The traditional way to determine whether the hubs need repacking, regreasing, and perhaps a ball bearing change is to grab the two sides of the fork or both seatstays after spinning the corresponding ...
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Copper grease on freehub when mounting sprocket?
Do you put copper grease (or something else) on a freehub directly before sliding the rear sprocket on? I put a light coating on by habit when fitting just because I don't like the idea of bare metal-...
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2
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Compound for freewheel locking sprocket threads
I have an oldschool SunTour 6-speed freewheel, where the smallest sprocket screws on the freewheel body to lock the larger sprockets in place.
It's a normal right hand thread, so as you pedal in the ...
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1
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Gear shifting is good enough after 6 years. Does that mean I don't need to replace my cables?
My road bike gear cables have never been replaced, they are 6 years old now. The shifting at the back needs at tune up now and then, more and more frequently as time goes. But once it's done the ...
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3
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What non-obvious maintenance should I do after 6 years/~25k km without professional service
I've ridden my commuter and touring bike (cyclocross frame, but with mudguards, rack, hub dynamo etc.) extensively for the last six years and a total of maybe 25 000 km (~15 000 miles). It has seen a ...
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What is the lowest total cost way to lubricate a chain? [closed]
I know there are numerous different ways of lubricating a chain. Some prefer to
remove the factory grease from a chain and lubricate it with a different
lubricant immediately, others use the factory ...
- 12.3k
6
votes
2
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Protection against saddlebag straps
How can I protect my bike against abrasion and scratches from bikepacking saddlebag straps?
It is mostly for a full frame bag, like the Apidura one.
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1
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Should I ride my bike on the beach?
This is the suggested follow up question from this earlier question that dealt with if I can bike on the beach.
While it turns out I can ride the beach on 32c tires, the comments made it clear that I ...
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What maintenance should be done on a bike pump to keep it in good condition?
My zefal hp x 4 full frame bike pump internals have rusted out. I now have a Lezyne mini pump. What maintenance should I do on the pump to make sure it does not rust out?
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When basic maintenance for basic Suntour XCM/ XCC fork is needed?
When basic maintenance for very basic Suntour XCM/ XCC fork is needed?
Is it needed just in case if something wrong or once a year or after some amount of km?
By maintenance, I mean something like ...
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Data on cable lubricant
Chain lubrication is a popular topic. Perhaps for this reason, it is possible to find data for chain friction and chain lubrication. Some of the results of the research are quite interesting. I'm ...
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What would cause a pedal to loosen from its spindle while riding?
I recently serviced an old pair of Wellgo platform pedals. They were already old and well-used by the time I got them, and they were slightly too loose, but useable. I rode on them for a few months ...
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4
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1
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Removing an internal headset before pulling the fork?
I'm completely taking apart a 2014 Kona UTE (for fun, and to clean it, but nothing wrong with it). I'm not sure how to proceed with the fork. It is now "bare" (no wheel, no cable, no handle, ...
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1
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1
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Installing flat pedals (with pins) on a MTB for rainy/wintry conditions?
I have some RaceFace Chester pedals that I want to install on my beater MTB, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. Basically, I have two bikes and I want to use one for the "bad" weather conditions (...
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Longer side of bottom bracket goes toward which side of bike?
I am replacing the bottom bracket bearings on my Schwinn World Sport.
Which side of the bike does the longer side of BB axle go to? I would assume chain side but just wanted to make sure.
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3
answers
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Retaining M5 bolts for bottle cages
I have a Ti frame.
Alloy M5 bolts (they were greased) not working too well for me for holding the bottle cages - one seized / broke off, and I lost the boss/insert (?) when a mechanic drilled out the ...
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Can a new chain significantly improve the riding experience? If yes - what else can?
I am a casual commuter (in average 2 days per week, 30 km per day), on a generic bike which I bought a few years ago.
Yesterday I took the opportunity of having the bike reviewed and the chain and ...
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1
answer
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Servicing full suspension bike after long period of not being used
I bought a new bike about a couple of years ago, rode it about a dozen times and haven't been on it since. Should I perform a full service on the bike (replace seals, oil, bleed the brakes, etc.) ...
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1
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Calculate suspension oil needed for a fork?
I've got a non-standard 20" air fork (Mekkem SASO) that could use some maintenance, but there's zero info I can find from either the manufacturer or OEM on oil viscosity, volume, or anything else. I'...
- 1,257
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How to patch glass cuts in a bicycle tire?
How do you deal with the small cuts in a bicycle tires main tread? Do folks fill these small cuts?
I have continental gatorskins which I periodically check and pull out the street glass shards.
...
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2
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How do I clean the inside of my frame? Is it even necessary?
I'm trying to fix up a bike that has been abandoned outside for a while. When I first turned it upside down, rust brown water started coming out of holes in frame around the rear stays.
I've fixed it ...
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3
answers
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Should I cover my bicycle overnight while bikepacking?
I'm wondering if all the moisture from being out overnight will damage my bicycle. I'm thinking 30+ days of being in use, with maybe a couple of those days being light rain.
If the water will damage ...
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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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Home made bottom bracket plastic sleeve
I want to make a plastic sleeve from a water bottle, for a classic cup and cone bottom bracket, to protect against moisture and impurities that may run down the seat tube.
How do I know the proper ...
- 1,128
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Coaster brake heat management and lubrication
I've heard that coaster brakes can reach high temperatures, so it desirable to use grease designed for high temperature applications.
My questions are:
Would a grease labeled max 220 °C be good ...
- 1,128
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vote
1
answer
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Best places to put protective clear stickers
I want to protect the new paint of my bicycle, so I'm thinking of putting some transparent stickers to the most prone to scratch areas of the frame.
But what are the most prone to scratch areas?
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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 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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Why does my bike constantly break/need servicing?
I only cycle about 4 miles per day, on roads and paths, which although a little bumpy in places, I'm not off roading. I'm finding something is breaking or coming loose on my bike after only a couple ...
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What things to check on road bike after a long trip on poor roads
Just bought a new aluminium frame road bike with 25mm tires. Due to very poor planning, I started a journey that turned out to be suited for mountain bikes: it involved country roads, unpaved gravel ...
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How do I tell what needs repaired/replaced/cared for? [closed]
What items on an older bike should I check for wear and damage and how do I differentiate wear/damage that can safely be ignored and wear/damage that I should repair/replace?
At the start of this ...
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Which threaded fasteners on a bike should not be lubricated?
I have the habit of lubricating most screws on a bike with whatever grease I have laying around, except those which aren't meant to be tightened completely, there I use threadlocker (for example the ...
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How to dry out the inside of a bicycle frame?
I have a bicycle with a high carbon steel frame. For the most part, this frame is sealed off from the air, but there are some bolts, through which water can get through during rainy days or when ...
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What type of grease to prevent seat post sticking?
What type of grease should I buy specifically to prevent the seat post from getting stuck in the seat tube? I believe its aluminum. Is there all-purpose grease that I can use for other parts of the ...
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Would rotating or flipping disc brake rotors make any sense?
Front brakes take the brunt of braking forces - so the front rotor wears faster than the rear. With mechanical disc brakes, the rotor gets pushed in one direction only so wear is also uneven.
For ...
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How to test bike after upgrades?
I've just finished my first 'big' bicycle related project in order to start and complete a small challenge of at least 100 days of riding a bike in 2017 :)
This project consisted of completely ...
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1
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How to store old hydraulic disc brakes?
Since I'm replacing my old Shimano M446 hydraulic disc brakes with new ones, I'm wondering is there a way to properly store disc brakes that are not in use (disassembled from bike frame)? At the ...
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Would using compressionless brake housing for derailleur be a problem?
... since derailleur cables are a smaller diameter? Would they be too loose in the bigger housing?
The housing might also not fit the shifter hole.
Any thoughts on this?
The 'why' behind the ...
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1
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Service/maintanace of Manitou fork and shock
I'm doing complete overhaul and service of my bike and it is time to service Manitou Minute fork and Manitou Radium shock. They both work fine but they have never been serviced (at least for two years ...
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1
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What are the ESSENTIAL tools to do a basic strip and rebuild?
I can't currently afford to pay someone to give my bike a complete strip and rebuild (I need a wheel rebuild, which is essential, so I am paying for that this month!)
So, given I have a hybrid, disc ...
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1
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How can I prevent rubber handlebar grips from melting/disintegrating?
I bought a used mountain bike recently that came with some not so great handlebar grips. In humid weather they get really sticky (so much it hurts to pry my hands off them) and bits of rubber come ...
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When does a Marathon Plus tire (not) need replacing?
I have Marathon Plus tires:
5 years old
15000 km
bike stored indoors
I'm getting more punctures than I used to, but maybe that's caused by my riding now on worse road surfaces than I used to. The ...
- 11.6k
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How do I know when it's time to pump up my tires?
I've been cycling for several months now. However, I have had the misfortune of having two bicycles stolen from me, so I've never had a single bicycle for more than a few months. With time passing, I'...
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Do the cups of headsets with cartridge bearings wear out?
On my bike I have an FSA headset Orbit X-CX which has cartridge bearrings. I re-grease the headset a few times each year and have recently replaced the lower bearing after ca 13,000 miles. The upper ...
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1
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Can 'Zefal All in 1' really doall of those: cleaning, degreasing and oiling?
Can someone tell me if 'Zefal' All in 1 Spray is good for: degreasing, oiling and cleaning? Link
It seems suspicious because it covers 4 very distinct functions in a single spray; eg: Degreasing, ...
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