Road Cycling - Bike Maintenance

I'm just getting into cycling and after riding a couple of months by myself I've met up with a group that rides weekly for a 30mile ride. I usually get out by myself at least two or three times during the week for about 20 miles.

I want to know besides taking my bike in to get adjusted every couple of weeks. What can I get as far as lubes or cleaners for my bike on a daily basis after rides?

i'm curious about this as well.

i know one of the most important things you can do is to take care of you drivetrain. for me this usually amounts to just rubbing all the dirty **** off it with an old rag or a sock or something and then applying fresh lube and wiping off the excess.

i do this once a week and then once per month i spray my cassette and chain with a degreaser and scrub it with a big long-bristled brush that i have just for that purpose and then i dry it off and start fresh.

look to the more experienced members here for better advice than me - i'm just saying that looking out for my drivetrain is one of the only things i at least have a system in place for and i believe it's an important thing to do.

Id like to know what parts of the bike need special attention when trying to fight off rust. I recently bought an aluminum bike and ride near the beach.

Id like to know what parts of the bike need special attention when trying to fight off rust. I recently bought an aluminum bike and ride near the beach.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think aluminum is able to rust, not having iron to oxidize and all that.

Clean your cassette. This is so underappreciated, but I find it makes all the difference in my quest for smooth shifting. If your cassette is grimy and dark looking, then take the time to clean it.

Remove your rear wheel. I take the chain off to do this; I suppose others do not. Slide the skewer out. Unlock and remove the cassette lockring. The cogs will then slide off one by one. There may be some spacers between a few of the cogs. Keep an eye out for them as you slide the cogs off.

I just use a mild dish soap in warm water. Submerge the cogs then scrub them as best as possible with either a rag or non abrasive brush (plastic). Witness shiny metal again!

Dry each cog thoroughly. You do not want to reassemble anything that is still wet. Don't just let it air dry either. Pat down everything as much as possible then let it sit to dry for a couple minutes. Then reassemble everything and lube.

This should take no more than 30-45 minutes to do, and yet it really makes the chain move up and down the cassette as it was intended: smoooooothly. It's a simple bit of maintenence that is very well worth it. I always get a chuckle when I see someone out riding, and their cassette is caked with what looks like centuries old iron slag.

I rode a lot when I was a young kid (8-13), then basically quit. When I got back into riding three years ago (I'm 31 now), I basically never looked at my bike. Never studied how all the parts work. Was deathly afraid to disassemble anything. I finally got Zenn's Art of Road Bike Maintenence and began to figure things out.

Now, I love to maintain my bike. It makes riding that much more enjoyable. If there's a wrench in me, then anybody can learn. Of course, there's exceptions (anything in the headtube scares me ATM), but don't be afraid to learn!

Shimano, Finish Line, White Lighting, the list is long, but all work well in bike care.
Look for teflon lubricant, in dry areas and wax lubricant in wet areas.

Salt, water, and sand are bad for anything that moves. aluminum does something else just as bad as rusting when expoused to water, salt and sand. after you leave the beach you should give your bike a fresh water wash and re-lub.

I clean my bike after every ride (wipe down) and re lub once aweek. Lub all moving parts.
and grease all metal to metal. DO not grease carbon fiber.
K

I live in an apartment building so the best I can do is clean the bike in the shower. After I'm done washing it, what places should I be certain that absolutely no water remains? There are plenty of hard to reach places that make the drying a pain in the ass. Also, do you know how soon does rust start to appear on a bike that is moderately well maintained?

G'day,

bikes actually need less maintenance than you might think. Unless they are absolutely filthy, a quick wipe of the frame & wheels with a soapy rag will surfice for them. I generally do this after a hard session to remove any sweat & the like. Painted Alu surfaces won't rust, but dry them with an old towel anyway. Total time 5 mins...As was suggested earlier, the drive chain is the key. Again, I have a weekly routine & then a monthly routine in drive chain maintenance. Weekly: with a 'Chux' (absorbent paper towel),in your hand, wrap it around the chain loosely & turn the pedals, lettng the chain run thru the towel in your hand. Keep using a clean bit of towel, & putting pressure alterbnately on both the top/bottom & outsides.Next, the cassete, Same paper towellling, down beween each spacer on the cassette as you turn the cassette. (Don't forget the gunk on the little fly wheels0 This will clean off the week to week crap. Re oil when finished. Only oil the inside of the chain, (the bits that actually touch the chainring. Once a month...i will punch out a link in the chain, (don't push the pin all the way out, you'll never get it back in!), take the cassette off the wheel & dump the lot in a small bucket of 'diesel'. Sometimes i let it soak a few hours if extremely filthy, but normally scrub with my srubbing brush (bike specific). Wipe dry with paper towels, reinstall, re oil.....total time 1/2 hour.

Really, theres not a lot other maintenance required.One tip.....If your rear brake cable runs along the side of the top tube, get a cover like on your brake cables & feed it through there (just cut to fit). If you sweat alot, you find the cable will rust out quite quickly otherwise...hope this helps...I agree that 'Zinn & the art of roadbike maintainance' is a relly good reference,

cheers,

Hitchy

You need to clean the chain, cassette, jockey pullys and chain rings routinely. Wear is caused by grit in the system. Cleaning can be done with degreaser (like Simple Green) and a tooth brush and rinse with water afterwards. You can take things apart and do em off of the bike or you can do it on the bike if you are careful not to get degreaser into the bearings. After cleaning, you relube the chain. My chain gets pretty dirty. Keeping the drive train clean will greatly extend its life. Also when the chain shows significant wear by lengthening (measure with a ruler), replace it. A worn chain will quickly eat up your more expensive cassette causing you to need to replace it too.

People vary on how often they do this. I would suggest cleaning the drive train at least every 500 miles and preferably every 250.

I live in an apartment building so the best I can do is clean the bike in the shower. After I'm done washing it, what places should I be certain that absolutely no water remains? There are plenty of hard to reach places that make the drying a pain in the ass. Also, do you know how soon does rust start to appear on a bike that is moderately well maintained?
In case I am ever in that sitution...Can not a bike have a T & A type bath.? Need it be taken to the shower?
What about a bucket of water and special wipes, degreasers? Out on the front lawn...I hate my drive train full of gook....Ultegra really shines after the bike gets a bath...I like to see that..

Don't take your bike to the shop except for MAJOR repairs/upgrades. Get a good bike repair manual or go here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=38747) and download the Barnett manual (free).
I lubricate with TriFlow and use Simple Green Bike Cleaner/Degreaser for cleaning, but most products/brands that you'll find at a bike shop are good.

Most important thing to keep clean is your drivetrain. I clean my chain, chainrings, and cog set when they get dirty. Depending on the weather and riding conditions that could be every day or every other week. It only takes a few minutes and makes riding (especially shifting) so much nicer.

This is great....Gives me a place to start. I do need to clean out my cogs my bike is not shifting smooth at all. I'll give it a shot. I'll let you know how it goes.

Any time I put water on a bike, WD 40 follows. WD means water drying.

First degreaser, then hose only, no nozzle, then cleaning rag. Next WD 40, drying rag, gear lube.

I insert the little tube in the WD 40 can nozzle, and give each cable housing a shot where the cable gets exposed.

WD 40 is not a lubricant. A wet rag will clean the frame. A little soap never hurts.

Dry is very important, wet collects problems.

Get on your bikes and ride.