Tips for Maintaining Your Mountain Bike

The amount of maintenance and up keep your mountain bike requires will depend upon the type of riding you do as well as the amount of time you spend on the bike. A bike which is ridden 25 miles on the weekend through mud, over rock and limbs, and is generally treated like a mountain bike will require more upkeep than a bike which stays completely on the asphalt and is ridden 20 miles a month.

The most important thing to keep in mind with your bike is to keep it clean. Usually a damp towel will sufficiently remove most dust and light debris; however, for those mud busters out there, a hose may be pressed into duty. Don't over do the hose pressure, use light stream of water to loosen cached on mud and be careful to avoid spraying high pressure streams of water into bearings. Remember, a bearing stripped of lubrication is a bearing waiting to seize up.

Using a good quality degreaser, spray the derailleurs, sprocket, chain, and drive train. This process should be done periodically and any time the bike is hosed down. Hosing the bike will remove much of the lubrication from essential areas and provides a good time to completely strip and lubricate these areas. Next using some good soapy water, scrub down the entire bike with a soft brush and include the handle bars and stem, seat, frame, drive parts, wheels paying special attention to the nooks and crannies which like to hold dirt and grime. Just like shampoo instructions, rinse and repeat as needed.

Next you will need to lubricate the chain, sprockets and other parts of the drive train. Use a quality lubricant which is specifically recommended for bikes and mountain bikes in particular. Take time to check and adjust the brake pads. Ensure they are centered on the rims and if not, should be adjusted. Check the handle bars and brake levers. These should be tight and no wiggle or movement should be detected. Also pay attention to the stem insuring there is no movement there also.

Examine the rims and tires of your bike checking for punctures, foreign objects, or damage. Trails are hard on tires and rims and this process should be repeated often. Spin the wheel looking for signs of improper alignment.