Hybrid Bike Tune Ups
 

I have a Trek FX 7.2 which I purchased last summer. I have a total of about 400 miles on my bike. Last summer when I hit 100 miles I had my LBS tighten everything up (brakes, gears) since I had 1 year of free adjustments.

Fast forward to now, I am outside my 1 year of free tune ups, so I am looking for some help on these questions:

1) How often (in terms of miles ridden) do you guys have your bikes adjusted/tuned?

2) I noticed when I am in gear set 2-5 and upshift to 2-6, it is very rough and sort of "jumps" to the gear. How would I go about adjusting my rear derailleur to smooth out the shifts? Is this something I can do myself?

3) Same with brakes...I noticed that they aren't quiet as tight as they were a few hundred miles ago. How could I tighten these?

4) How long do your tires typically last before replacing them (in miles)?


Thanks for any help you can offer me...still new to the biking world and would love to be able to perform my own tune ups on my bike as opposed to relying on my LBS which are usually running about a week behind in their shop.

There are a number of informative tutorials available online which explain how the various components function, and how to diagnose and resolve common issues an owner may encounter. Here are a few: :)


Park Tools

Sheldon Brown

Made Good

YouTube

Brakes probably have a bit of pad wear.
There should be an adjuster right where the cable leaves the lever.

Der shifting.
Cable may have "worn in" a bit and needs slightly more tension.
You have an adjuster where the cable housing meets the RDER. (probably another at the shifter)
Likely, screwing it CCW 1/2 turn may make a difference for the good. COUNT TURNS, so you can go back to where you were in case it doesn't work. Do a slight amount and RIDE IT, going through ALL the gears before adjusting more. If you do 1/2 turn initially, keep it to 1/4 turns after that. A little bit goes a long way!

I like the Park Tools link posted above for this adjustment.
It'll tell you how to start from scratch in case you mess everything up.

Awesome, thank you for the tips.

Tightening brake cables and adjusting front and rear derailleurs are basic skills that you should know. Definitely tackle each one with the online tutorials. You will find it daunting at first but will get it in no time. I usually need to make adjustments 2-3 times yearly.

I don't think this is a rear der issue. When shifting up,you're slacking the cable;gravity and the derailleur's spring do the work. When you downshift you're tightening the cable,which is when tension issues are noticed. You're not going into 1st or 8th,so the limit screws don;t come into play. It sounds like your front der may need adjusting due to the cage getting in the way. Do you notice any rubbing when in 2-6? How well does it shift up through the front rings? Does the cage look straight? In the middle to higher gears your cassette should only have about 2 tooth jumps,which should be very smooth.

Nothing is better than HANDS ON experience. Other tips are great ( YouTube videos, Park Tool website, Bike Forum...), but you should check with your local bicycle store. Most if not all offer free or low cost maintenance classes. The big plus is that you can ask your own questions - even silly ones. I also saw REI stores doing classes like that, but it seems that they are always sold out quick.
DIY is an awesome feeling AND will save you hundreds, even if you buy most needed tools. Performance bike, Nashbar or even Ebay have good quality, low price tools. Park Tool brand is probably the most expensive one, but also one of the best quality and you can buy it almost everywhere.
Check your local bike store if you don't feel like buying tools or you don't like "fixing" stuff. Some places are good, and some sucks... Good luck!

Others have the adjustments and such covered. Have you cleaned and lubed the chain? Without getting into the "what lube" debate, it's probably time or even past time to do it.

I'll bite....WD-40 everything, and blast it with a hose!!!
^^^^JOKE ;)

I was waiting to see who couldn't let that pass...