Failing to grease and clean components can result in a noisy ride at best. At worst, parts will break or fail. Cleaning the frame will prevent grime from chipping away at the paint and finish. Routine maintenance lets you avoid unpleasant surprises on the road and replace cables and brake pads before you’re in trouble.

There are a lot of important steps, but we’ve broken down the most common maintenance routines to help you get started. From filling the tires to bleeding your brakes, this guide will help you keep your mountain bike clean and problem-free.

WEEKLY CLEANING

If you do nothing else, make sure to give your bike a weekly all-over clean and wipe down. Remove mud and other grime on the same day when possible, and do the general clean once a week if you’re riding routinely.

Make sure to use bike cleaner to avoid damaging any surfaces or the finish, and grease and lube all moving parts after washing. We’ve already made a cleaning guide for quick and thorough scrub-downs.

You should be able to wipe down and inspect your bike in about ten minutes or less. Look for anything rubbing, clicking, or loose and inspect the frame and wheels for cracking.

You should also do a larger clean after really muddy rides or before major service. The Global Mountain Bike Network has made a video detailing every step in a thirty-minute clean.

VIDEO: IN-DEPTH MOUNTAIN BIKE CLEAN

1. HEADSETS, HUBS, CRANKS

The headset affects steering. Hubs affect your wheels, and cranks are what turns the chain. These components are vital but easy to overlook. Make sure they are all tight and moving smoothly, and carefully adjust them if not. They also may need to be greased.

VIDEO: HEADSET ADJUSTMENT GUIDE

HUBS

Regular maintenance means cleaning and making sure they feel smooth. You may need to do more in-depth work every few years, or after a particularly harsh ride for the bike. It’s not mountain bike specific, but Bikeradar’s article on hub service may be helpful.

CRANKS

Crank arms are fairly easy to adjust and work with, provided you know what tools you need. Thankfully, Singletracks has published a guide listing tools, types of cranks, and how to work with them. If you feel any play when pedaling or if they click or shift around when you’re cleaning the bike, you’ll need to do a thorough service on the cranks.

2. BRAKES

If you have disc brakes or calipers, you need to clean and service them regularly to make sure your bike can stop when you need to. According to Bicycling Magazine, there are four simple steps to spot trouble with disc brakes.

Make sure to follow all four: A warped rotor can make braking impossible, and it’s easy to overlook. Caliper brakes are even easier. Look at the pad for wearing, then spin the wheel while lifting the bike and make sure it spins freely and stops when the brake is used.

BRAKE PADS

Worn pads need to be replaced promptly. Calipers are fairly straight-forward: Unscrew the pads, remove them, replace them with new. Disc brakes may be a little more complicated. Remove them whenever they are less than 1 mm thick

VIDEO: DISC BRAKE REPLACEMENT

BRAKE CABLES

Caliper and mechanical-style disc brakes both use cables to operate the brakes. Sluggish braking may be a sign that you have a frayed cable or a leak in a hydraulic system. Leaks can be fixed by bleeding, and worn cables should be replaced promptly.

Performance Bike published a guide to replacing brake cables and shifter cables, which isn’t too technical. According to REI, it’s a good idea to lightly lubricate the brake levers and pivot points of brake levers. Take note that sluggish braking may be a sign that you have a frayed cable or a leak in a hydraulic system.

BLEED DISC BRAKES

If you have disc brakes, you probably need a bleed kit. Air in the line will make your brakes work poorly. Some brakes are easy to bleed, even on the trail, and others are more complicated. Every brake has its own routine, but here are some general tips on what not to do from Epic Bleed Solutions.

3. SHIFTING CHAINS AND CABLES

Shifters are similar to brake levers; grease the moving spots, and typically you’re set. Shifter cables also fray and wear, and may need to be replaced.

VIDEO: REPLACE SHIFTER CABLES

DERAILLEURS

These parts actually move the chain up and down the gears. They can be finicky and tend to be easily damaged, especially the rear derailleur. Clean these components once a month, and review this guide by Bicycling if you’re derailleur seems to be poorly adjusted.

BIKE CHAIN AND CASSETTES

We’ve already covered cleaning and lubing the chain, but make sure to check for wear and stretch when you clean. You can buy a chain stretch tool to measure, or simply go to the bike shop whenever it feels sloppy and ask them to check. If your chain is stretched or worn, you’ll need to replace it and the rear cassette, which wears with the chain.

Cassettes will show visible wear when they need to be replaced–think shark teeth instead of clean, unified sprocket edges. They’ll also shift poorly. If you need a new cassette, make sure you buy a compatible chain at the same time.

4. BIKE WHEELS AND TIRES

Your mountain bike wheels should freely spin around the hub without rubbing, touching, or hitting anything else. If the wheels don’t spin true, in a proper circle, they’ll need to be serviced. Problems include spokes, broken or loose, worn-out hubs, and possibly even damage to the rim.

Truing mountain bike wheels is not a basic maintenance task: Make sure you go to a professional if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you have a cracked rim, it’s unlikely that the wheel can be saved; better to buy a new one.

Tires are easy: Simply look for smoothed worn patches, cuts, tears, or other damage. If a tire is damaged, buy a new one right away. A worn tire will affect braking and steering, and a damaged one will likely cause a flat. It’s a good idea to buy an extra set of tires and keep them somewhere clean and dry.

5. PEDALS

Clipless pedals should be cleaned and lightly greased, particularly the contact points where your cleat connects and any internal bearings or moving parts. Flat pedals don’t need external greasing, but should also be cleaned and gently greased where they spin around the crank.

6. SEATPOSTS AND SADDLES

It’s probably the one part you think least about: Where you sit down. Failing to maintain this essential part, however, can actually ruin the frame of your bike.

Make sure it can move smoothly up and down, never overtighten it (use a torque wrench!), and put a little grease for alloy seatposts in alloy frames. Don’t grease carbon: It can degrade the plastic and ruin the frame.

The post Mountain Bike Maintenance 101 : A Beginners Guide appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.

Here at The Adventure Junkies, we want you to be able to carry out minor maintenance tasks on your bike so we have written this guide to help you adjust your gears the next time they need some attention.

Fortunately, once you have gotten your head around what each of the screws on a derailleur does, adjusting your gears is not as hard as it might sound. If you are unfamiliar with the different components, have a look at the explanation below of each of the parts that make up your bike’s gears.

CHAINRING: The cog or cogs attached to the cranks.

CASSETTE: The nest of cogs on your back wheel.

DERAILLEUR: This is the moving part that pushes the chain from one cog or chainring to another.

LIMIT SCREWS: These screws decide how far the derailleur can move. There is an upper and a lower screw. They need to be properly set, otherwise, the derailleur will push the chain too far or not far enough. If a chain falls between the cassette and spokes, the chain or wheel can get damaged.

B LIMIT SCREW: This adjusts how far below the cassette the derailleur hangs.

SHIFTER: Attached to the handlebar, a shifter pulls or releases a cable attached to the derailleur, making it move the chain between cogs.

INNER CABLE: A metal wire connected to the shifter and derailleur

OUTER CABLE: The inner cable runs through an outer cable to help keep it tight.

Now you know what each of the parts are and what they do, you can follow the instructions to adjust your gears. You will need hex keys and possibly a screwdriver.

Putting your bike in a workstand will make your life much easier. Thoroughly clean your bike before getting started as this will make working on it much more pleasant. Furthermore, dirty components can be the cause of poor shifting.

HOW TO ADJUST THE REAR DERAILLEUR – 7 STEPS

STEP 1: MOVE THE CHAIN TO SMALLEST COG

Use your shifter and turn the pedals to move the chain onto the smallest cog. If it won’t move that far, then leave it as far as it will go.

STEP 2: ADJUST THE BARREL ADJUSTER

On the shifter, where the cable goes into the body, you will find a barrel adjuster. This is a screw that can be tightened or loosened to adjust cable tension. Screw it all the way in and then unscrew it a couple of turns.

STEP 3: UNSCREW THE BOLD HOLDING THE CABLE IN PLACE ON THE DERAILLEUR

Unscrew the bolt holding the cable in place on the derailleur. Turn the pedals and use your hand to push the derailleur towards the spokes. It should not be possible to push the chain further than the biggest cog. If this is possible, then you need to adjust the limit screw.

If you are lucky, the screw will be marked with an L. If not, you may need to look up your derailleur online to find out. Adjust the screw so that the chain cannot be pushed too far.

STEP 4: MOVE CHAIN BACK ONTO THE SMALLEST COG

Gently allow the derailleur to move the chain back onto the smallest cog. Check the alignment and adjust the other limit screw as needed.

STEP 5: REMOVE ANY INNER CABLE SLACK

Make sure the cable is under the retaining bolt and tighten it to hold the cable in place. Cycle through the gears a couple of times before shifting down to the biggest cog. Release the retaining screw, pull the cable tight and do up the screw again. This will remove any inner cable slack.

STEP 6: SHIFT THROUGH THE GEARS

Shift through the gears one by one. The shifting should be smooth going onto each cog. If shifting onto bigger cogs is slow, unscrew the barrel adjuster half a turn and try again. If shifting onto smaller cogs is slow, tighten the barrel adjuster half a turn.

STEP 7: ADJUST THE FRONT DERAILLEUR

If you have a 1X transmission (one chainring at the front and 10, 11 or 12 cogs at the back), then you are now done. If you have more than one chainring, you will now need to adjust the front derailleur.

HOW TO ADJUST THE FRONT DERAILLEUR – 7 STEPS

STEP 1: MOVE CHAIN ONTO BIGGEST COG

Use the shifters and turn the pedals to put the chain onto the smallest chainring and biggest cog on the cassette. Screw the barrel adjuster all the way in and then unscrew it a couple of turns. Release the cable retaining bolt.

STEP 2: CHECK THE POSITION OF THE DERAILLEUR

Look at the derailleur from above. Are the plates that push the chain parallel to the chainrings? If not, loosen the clamp that hold the derailleur on the frame and align it.

STEP 3: ADJUST THE LIMIT SCREW

Adjust the limit screw so that chain is in the middle between the derailleur plates.

STEP 4: MOVE CHAIN ONTO THE BIGGEST CHAINRING

Use your hand to move the derailleur and push the chain onto the biggest chainring by turning the pedals. If the derailleur can push the chain too far, adjust the limit screw.

STEP 5: MOVE CHAIN ONTO THE SMALLEST CHAINRING

Gently release the derailleur and move the chain back onto the smallest chainring. Tighten the cable retaining bolt. Shift between the smallest chainring and the next largest chainring. If the chain falls between the smallest chainring and frame when shifting down, adjust the limit screw.

STEP 6: ADJUST THE SLACK IN THE CABLE

Release the retaining bolt and pull out and slack in the cable before tightening it again. Shift into one of the middle cogs on the cassette. Shift between the chainrings. If the chain gets pushed too far off the big chainring, adjust the limit screw. Take up any cable slack again.

STEP 7: FINE TUNE THE GEARS

If shifting onto a bigger chainring is slow, unscrew the barrel adjuster half a turn. If shifting onto smaller chainrings is slow, tighten the barrel adjuster.

EXTRA TIPS FOR ADJUSTING GEARS

If you find that you just cannot get the indexing right or the chain will not shift smoothly onto certain cogs, there could be a couple of things getting in the way.

1. WORN OR DIRTY OUTER CABLE

If the inside of the outer cable is full of dirt, worn away or rusted, this will create friction, preventing the inner cable from moving freely. If shifting into smaller cogs is slow, this could be the cause.

2. BENT DERAILLEUR HANGER

This is a metal plate that holds the derailleur on the frame. It is designed to bend or even snap under pressure, so that the derailleur or frame does not have to. Although annoying when it does happen, it is cheaper to replace.

A bent hanger will not hold the derailleur in the right position to shift gears correctly. You may be able to bend it back yourself but it is best to get a shop to attempt this or just buy a new hanger.

VIDEO: HOW TO REPLACE A BENT DERAILLEUR HANGER

3. WORN CHAIN, CASSETTE OR CHAINRINGS (OR ALL THREE!)

If your chain is skipping and jumping, it is probably worn out. Ideally, you replace your chain before this happens as a worn chain will grind away at the teeth on the cassette and chainrings, preventing a new chain engaging properly.

If this happens, you will need to replace all three. You may also want to invest in a chain measuring tool so you will know in the future when to replace the chain and not have the extra costs of replacing the other parts too. Check out this article about bike chain wear on Bike Radar to learn more.

The post How To Adjust Mountain Bike Gears appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.

Let us teach you how to change a flat bike tire. By the end of this article, you will realize that it’s really not that difficult. With practice, you can easily get the job done within minutes. No need to worry anymore about getting a flat bike tire on the way to work or on the trails.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO CHANGING A FLAT BIKE TIRE

Getting a flat tire can be really annoying. No one wants to get stuck with this problem while riding their bike on the trail. With that said, changing a flat tire doesn’t need to be a challenge.

Any serious cyclist or mountain biker should know how to change a flat tire in the same way that it should be basic knowledge how to set the mountain bike seat height. Follow the steps below to get back on the road in no time.

STEP 1: RELEASE THE BRAKES

If your bike has brakes that prevent you from removing the wheel, release them first. While every brake setup and location is different, as noted by REI.com, most of them have a quick-release system that makes it easy to (dis)connect them.

Most likely, you’ll be able to slip the cable out of one of the sockets. If your bike has disc brakes—read more about those in this article about the parts of a mountain bike— take care not to touch the rotor. This part can become so hot that it can easily burn your fingers.

STEP 2: REMOVE THE BIKE WHEEL

Once your brakes are released, continue by removing the wheel. The wheel will still be attached to the fork or frame depending on whether it’s the front or rear wheel, respectively. Almost all bikes are equipped with quick-release levers to remove the wheels. If yours doesn’t have these, then simply unscrew some nuts and bolts.

Removing the front wheel is a piece of cake. It’s the rear wheel, which has the rear gear set, that’s a bit more difficult. Before you remove your rear wheel, make sure the chain is on the smallest rear chain wheel.

Put your bike upside down and turn the quick-release. Lift your rear wheel out while gently pulling your rear derailleur to give yourself some more room. The wheel should now get out without too much trouble and without getting stuck in the chain.

STEP 3: REMOVE THE VALVE CAP AND DEFLATE THE TUBE

Remove the valve cap from the valve. Pushing onto the tiny plunger in the middle of the valve can release all the remaining air from your flat tire. If you have a Presta valve, you have to unscrew the top part of the valve first before you can deflate the tire.

Also, some valves have a lock ring screwed onto their stem to keep them in place. You will need to remove this to get your tube out.

STEP 4: REMOVE THE TIRE AND TUBE

Removing your tire from the wheel’s rim requires a bit of practice. Once you’ve figured it out, though, it’s super easy. First, try to release the tire by hand. Do this by pushing one edge of the bead to the center of the wheel’s rim while simultaneously pushing up the other edge. If you’re lucky and strong enough, the bead edge will pop out.

If that doesn’t work, you can use tire levers to help you. Make sure to start at the opposite section of the tire from the valve when you use these tools. You don’t want to damage the valve if you plan to repair the tube later on. With the levers, you can pry your tire’s bead up. If one lever doesn’t do the trick, then you can just use more. Bicycling.com tells us to hook the other end of the first lever to a spoke so it stays in place. Repeat the process until a section of the bead edge is entirely off.

Now, you should be able to use your fingers to unseat the rest of the bead. Once the tire is off, remove the tube as well. First, push the valve stem through the rim. The tube should come off easily by now.

STEP 5: REPLACE THE TUBE

If you’re on a bike trip, you should always make sure to have a few spare tires with you. This way, you’ll be able to simply put a new tire on and continue your ride. You can then fix the flat tire later at home.

Replacing the tube is the easiest step in this process. It’s nothing more than getting a brand new tube and putting it on. Make sure, though, to check that the tube is the right size for your wheel.

Fill the new tube with a little bit of air, just enough to give it shape. Put the valve through the hole in the rim, ensuring that the valve stem is perfectly straight. Then, place the tube around the wheel.

STEP 6: PUT THE TIRE BACK ON

Once your tube is in place, it’s time to put the tire back on. If you didn’t remove the tire completely when removing the flat tube, then you can simply place the tube in the tire. If you did remove it, you can attach it again by pushing one edge of the bead in the rim. This should be pretty easy.

Continue by pushing the other edge of the bead in the rim using the palms of your hands. Start at the opposite section from the valve and work your way toward it using both hands and in both directions.

This step begins easy but gets harder as you make your way toward the valve. You can use a tire lever again to push the last remaining section of the tire’s bead into the rim. During this entire step, take care not to pinch the tube.

STEP 7: INFLATE THE TUBE

Now that the tube and tire are back on your wheel, you can inflate the tube. Screw on the lock ring again, if you have one. Slowly pump air into the tube. While doing so, regularly check that the tire stays in place and the valve stem remains straight. Also, check again that the tube isn’t getting pinched.

STEP 8: PUT THE WHEEL BACK ON YOUR BIKE

You can now put the wheel back on your bike. This should be pretty straightforward. If you just replaced the rear tube, make sure to put the chain back on the smallest rear chain wheel. Lock the quick-release again or, if applicable, screw on the previously removed nuts and bolts.

VIDEO: CYCLING TIPS: HOW TO FIX A FLAT TIRE

The post How To Change a Flat Bike Tire appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.

That’s where we at The Adventure Junkies come in. We’re committed to providing our readers with the best information about all things outdoors. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of cleaning a mountain bike. We’ll also talk about why it’s important to keep your bike clean.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE CLEAN

Mountain biking is arguably one of the dirtiest and messiest sports out there. There’s nothing as liberating as flying downhill through a puddle or getting completely soaked in a rain shower. Where the fun ends, however, is when you get back home and face the task of cleaning your mountain bike.

The reasons behind why it’s so important to clean your bike, whether you’re road biking, bicycle touring or mountain biking, are simple. Getting mud, dirt and water off helps to keep things working longer. Dried-up mud and water can have a corrosive effect on your frame, chain and gears. Cleaning your bike immediately after your ride helps to keep it going longer. It would be a shame to have to replace certain parts just because you didn’t feel like giving the bike a thorough cleaning.

A good clean also improves your bike’s performance. The final step in the mountain bike cleaning process (see below) is lubricating your chain and gears. This is an essential aspect of bicycle maintenance.

THINGS YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE

You can pick up pretty much everything you need to clean a mountain bike at your local hardware store or chain stores like Walmart. According to Mpora.com, you’ll need a hose or a bucket of water, a clean cloth, a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner, a hard bristle brush, a sponge or soft bristle brush, and some bicycle lubricant. Note that the bicycle lubricant is the only thing that’s not widely available in the big chain stores. You might have to visit your local bike shop for that.

A bicycle stand is great to keep your bike standing upright while cleaning. If you don’t have one, that’s fine. You can simply lean your bike against a tree or wall instead.

HOW TO CLEAN A MOUNTAIN BIKE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Having to clean your bike after an exhilarating ride may be kind of a buzzkill, but, as SingleTracks notes, it doesn’t need to take that long. By following the step-by-step guide below, your bike will be spotless and shiny in no time.

It’s good to know that there’s no need to clean your bike every single time you go for a ride. Cleaning it too often does more damage than good. Scrubbing it with a hard bristle brush every week is a sure-fire way to decrease the lifespan of your bike. If your bike is actually dirty, that’s when it needs a bath.

STEP 1: HOSING

Find a good place to wash your bike. Lean it against a wall, put its kickstand down or place it in a bike stand. Just make sure it’s upright and can’t fall over.

Then, take your water hose and spray down the bike completely. Use low pressure to do this (high pressure can damage seals and other delicate components). This initial step will remove all loose dirt on your bike and loosen up dried mud.

Hosing is also the only thing your bicycle tires need. After thoroughly spraying them with water, they’ll be fine.

STEP 2: SPRAYING AND BRUSHING

After your bike has gotten its first soaking, get the all-purpose cleaner and spray it down thoroughly. This cheap product cuts through grease, dirt and mud, and even the lubricant you put on your chain before. It’s great to remove everything from your bike.

Once it’s sprayed down, take your soft bristle brush or sponge and wipe your entire bike down. Don’t rub too hard, though. By now, all dirt and mud should come off easily. Try to get everywhere, even the hidden corners and narrowest crannies.

When you’re done with that, grab your water hose and spray down your bike again. Steps one and two take care of your bike’s frame, which should be spotless by now.

STEP 3: CLEANING THE CHAIN, GEARS AND SUSPENSION

Next up is one of the most important parts of your mountain bike: the drivetrain, which includes all parts that let you pedal the bike, from gear and derailleurs to cranks and chain rings. It’s important to clean the gear sets thoroughly because this part of your bike accumulates lots of grease, grime and dirt.

To do this, get your all-purpose cleaner again and spray down all components of the drivetrain. Grab the hard bristle brush for this important step.

Now, you’re going to spin the pedals backward so that the chain and gear sets rotate. Hold your hard bristle brush against the gear sets. Move the brush up and down, from left to right, to ensure that you really get in between the chain rings. Make sure to get the derailleurs and pedals as well. Finish off this step by rinsing everything off with your water hose once again.

STEP 4: DRYING

Your bike should be spotless now. Next up is taking a clean cloth and drying your bike with it. Make sure to run it across every part, paying special attention to your frame. Use an old cloth for drying off your bike. Even though it’s pretty clean now, the cloth will still get dirty as you soak up the water and spray.

STEP 5: LUBRICATING THE SUSPENSION

If your mountain bike has suspension—front, rear or both—it’s important to make sure it’s lubricated. Simply lube up the suspension and pump it down a few times. At this point, you may see some left-behind dirt emerge from the suspension. Make sure to wipe it off. Also, don’t overuse your lubricant as too much of it might attract dust and dirt next time you go for a ride;

STEP 6: LUBRICATING AND OILING THE CHAIN AND GEARS

After lubricating the suspension, it’s time to do the same for your drivetrain. Pedal back a couple of times to check if all water is gone. Put some lubricant on the chain and continue to run it backward. To ensure there’s not too much lubricant, get a clean cloth and run the chain through it. Don’t forget to lube your derailleurs and chain rings as well.

Lastly, if you have disc brakes, it’s critical to avoid getting lubricant on them. Lubed disc brakes need fixing. You should clean your disc brakes like you do the frame. Simply hose them down, brush them down and dry with a cloth.

VIDEO: BIKE WASHING: HOW TO CLEAN A MOUNTAIN BIKE

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