For Those Of Us Who Put Our Bikes Away For The Winter, The Time Has Come To Dust Them Off And Get Ready To Ride. When Bringing A Bike Out Of Storage, A Mini Tune-up Is Necessary. Pay Special Attention To The Following Four Areas: Chain, Derailleur Components, Brakes, And Wheels.ChainIf You Have Been Using An Oil-based Lubricant, Consider Switching To A Wax-based Product. The Only Advantage To An Oil-based Lubricant Is That It Needs To Be Applied Less Frequently, But In Every Other Way, Wax-based Is Superior. For Instance, Oil Collects Trail Dust And Other Things Abrasive To The Chain, Whereas Wax Sheds Abrasives. A Recommended Wax-based Lube Is White Lightning.If You've Been Using Oil-based Chain Lube, Whether You Want To Switch To Wax Or Not, You Should Remove The Chain And Clean It With A Solvent To Degrease It Before Adding Fresh Lubricant. Depending On Your Typical Riding Conditions, Using A Solvent To Degrease The Chain Needs To Be Done Once A Year At A Minimum.Derailleur ComponentsLubricate The Pivot Points Using A Good Petroleum-based Lube. I Use Tri-Flow. Next, Lubricate And Adjust The Derailleur Cables, Which Might Have Stretched Over The Winter. Adjust So That Shifting Is Crisp.BrakesAgain, Lubricate The Cables. Use Either Petroleum- Or Wax-based Lube Depending On How Dusty The Expected Typical Riding Conditions Will Be. Adjust The Cables, Which Might Also Have Stretched Over The Winter.Check The Pads: Is There Plenty Of Rubber; Do The Pads Hit The Rims Evenly? If Using Fluid-actuated Disc Brakes, Check The Brake Fluid Level In The Reservoir.WheelsSpin The Wheel Slowly Checking For True. The Wheel Should Not Wobble At All. If It Wobbles A Little Bit And You Have The Tools And Skill, You Can Make Minor Adjustments Using A Spoke Wrench. But If There Is Substantial Wobbling, Take The Wheel To A Shop And Have A Professional True The Wheel.Check Tire Pressure, Which Is Bound To Be Low After A Winter Of Storage. Inflate To The Manufacturers Recommendations That Are Stamped On The Tire.Now Give The Bike A Once-over. Is The Seat Adjustment Still A Good Fit? Is There Excess Play Or Tightness In The Bearings Of The Wheels, Crank, Pedals, And Headset? Also, For Full-suspension Bikes, Check The Suspension Joints.From This Once-over, You Will Be Able To Determine Whether It Is Time For A Major Tune-up. This Could Range From A Few Adjustments To Cleaning Andor Replacement Of Some Parts. Opinions Differ On How Often A Major Tune-up Is Needed. It Depends On How Much You Ride, And How Much Maintenance You Perform Yourself.Whether You Do The Major Tune-up Yourself Or Take The Bike To A Reputable Bicycle Shop, Every Now And Then The Following Maintenance Is Necessary For Optimal Performance And Safety: Repacking Bearings And Adjusting Wheel Axles, Headset, Crankset And Pedals; Replacing Cables; Truing The Wheels; Making Overall Adjustments, Such As To The Derailleur And Brakes.
