VCSL2015

So my bike enthusiast neighbor (hope hes not reading this) said after i break in my new bike.. i should get it tuned up. Well... i noticed yesterday switching gears is terrible real herky jerky. I mentioned to my dh (dear husband) I think i should take the advice of the neighbor and take it in for a tune up. He gafawed and said why does it need a tuneup. Then i told him the gears to run smooth and it makes noise like knocking. He said well... he would take a look at it...errr ok? Anyways... i guess the question is... are tuneups necessary? DH says if im to own a bike i have to do this on my own and cant be taking it to lbs.
52 WEEKS

• 25Hours
  
• 437.9kilometers
  
• 37Personal Records
  
• 24

ciderguy

I agree with DH that you should eventually learn how to take care of your bike. However, many owner's manuals specifically tell you to return to the LBS for a tune-up after the break-in period. Many LBS actually preform the tune-up for free as part of a new bike purchase. They wouldn't give you something for free unless it was important. So, my advice is to take the bike in, and then afterwards have DH teach you things next time it needs a tune up.

VCSL2015

Thank you for the tips! its a 500 mi commute to the LBS i bought the bike not an option at this point maybe later though =)

CliffordK

I'm in the camp of fixing stuff when it has a problem. Now, sometimes I will do things like check the bearings which aren't easily accessible without taking everything apart.

If the wheel wobbles, then true it.

Gears rattling may be simply a derailleur adjustment, and should be something you and your husband should learn to fix.

Periodically lube the chain and check for wear.

dr_lha

Not really an "L"BS then then eh?

Sounds like cable stretch, which is typical in new bikes/new cables. Really you're supposed to go back and get things tuned up after a couple of hundred miles. Obviously a 500 mile drive makes that less of an option!

sstorkel

The other side of the coin is: they wouldn't give you something for free unless it was worthless. These "free" tune-ups are really just an effort to get you back in the store, so they can sell you more gear, clothing, and accessories. I build my own bikes up, starting with the frame. Maybe after a year or two I need to futz with the derailleur cable tension, but other than that there's no "tuning" needed. Assuming the bike was setup properly to begin with, the OP probably just needs to lube her chain or tighten the cable adjusters on her derailleur cables a notch or two.

Most bike maintenance can be done with a couple of screwdrivers and a set of metric Allen wrenches. The Park Tool website, along with YouTube videos, will tell you how to do everything you could possibly need to do to a bicycle.

indyfabz

And where might that be? Not in Denmark I presume.

TrojanHorse

Yeah, periodic maintenance is necessary. I had to tweak my rear derailleur cable tension just yesterday as a matter of fact. Keep everything clean and lubed, learn how to keep both derailleurs shifting cleanly (park tool, youtube etc) and hit up your local shop for larger maintenance items if you're not up to it.

indyfabz

You stated in a thread you started on June 3rd that you live in Denmark:

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...otivation.html

DBrown9383

I recently tuned up a trike for an older woman that claimed her husband took care of "that stuff". I'm far from being a bike mechanic but her chain was dry and rusty, the handlebars were crooked and the brake cables were stretched so far that squeezing the hand levers to the bars barely engaged them. She got on the trike after I spent no more than 15min. working on it and was all smiles and commenting on how quiet and smooth it was plus she could now slow down when she wanted to! The only downside to this is that now she will tell her husband that I "fixed" her trike and that he doesn't know anything. Oh well. As others have mentioned, there are youtube vids that show you how to adjust brakes and derailleurs, it's not that hard even if you aren't that mechanically inclined. Bottom brackets, wheel bearings and headsets are a lot more involved though and typically require special tools.

Jarrett2

Let the bike savvy neighbor do it.

CliffordK

It might make a nice ride to go there...
Of course, by the time you got home, it would be time to take the bike for its next tuneup.

Anyway, any bike shop should be able to check the derailleur adjustment, oil up the chain, and etc (not expected to be for free).

jsigone

Your shifter cables probably stretched a bit putting it out of alignment with the cassette and is noticeable on gear changes to certain gears where the chain is cross a bit. A simple 1/4 turn on the barrel adjuster should do the trick.

IMO, yes tune ups are needed . What level are we talking about here?
Routine stuff I used to do every friday night:
Clean chain, clean hubs cassette, check cables, wash bike, lube chain and moving parts on both Ds.

Once every 6mo type stuff:
Replace bar tape, replace cassette, replace chain, replace cables. Tear down fork and lube headset bearings, remove and lube crankshaft, clean chainrings well.

ColaJacket

My LBS differentiates between a tune-up and adjustments. They give Liftime Adjustments if you buy the bike there. And as a bonus, my LBS is only 7 miles from my home, so I can ride there, if needed. They also do tune-ups, but that costs a little more.

Lifetime Ajustments

• Basic Spot Wheel True
• Shifting and Braking Adjustments
• Loose Bolts Tightened
• Tire Inflation and Pressure Check
• Chain Lube and Safety Inspection Check

Basic Tune-up

• Precision bottom bracket adjustment
• Precision brake adjustment
• Chain lubrication
• Precision gear adjustment
• Headset adjustment
• Hub adjustments
• Wheel truing

GH

dr_lha

How many miles are you riding that you have to do that stuff every six months?

DBrown9383

Replace cassette, chain and all cables every 6mo.? Wow!

jsigone

good solid months is only 4-500 mile or 8-12hr per week. It not the mileage wear per say but where those miles are. 2-4 lunch rides during the week plus saturday's donut (club) ride + extra credit following the donuts. I may do a century on saturdays but not all those miles are on pavement. Nor are the ones at lunch. The moon dust n grim kills cassette and chain life plus gets everywhere near a bearing.

I do all my work on Friday's so I don't have to worry about mechanicals on the donut ride or if I'm on some remote side of the mountain that weekend

Overkill...probably, But I can't remember the last time I had a mechanical on the club ride, few years maybe. When I have the expensive tubeless tires, it spoiled me cuz I never get flats either. Bike is a lean mean humming machine

GravelMN

I agree that you should learn to do basic maintenance and repairs. You can leave the big stuff to the LBS if you want, but a "tune-up" requires nothing more than a good multi-tool or a set of screw drivers and metric allen wrenches. There are a lot of good online references and reference books out there. Zinn and the Art of Road/MTB maintenance Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide: Lennard Zinn: 9781934030981: Amazon.com: Books, Park's Big Blue Book https://www.amazon.com/Big-Blue-Book-...ke+repair+book, and Bicycling Magazine's Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Comp...ke+repair+book, are all pretty good. Sheldon Brown's site is an online Mecca of bike wisdom and Park's Maintenance and Repair Blog covers many common problems as do the YouTube channels for Park, GCN and Bicycling Magazine.

Your shifting problems could be nothing more than a stretched cable or a worn chain, either of which is an easy fix. It's up to you how in-depth you want to get in maintenance, repairs and upgrades and there are some special tools needed for some jobs, but you can often recover the cost of the tools in labor savings the first time you DIY. Depending on your bike, you may need to do or have done an annual servicing of the bearings which may include wheel bearings, headset and bottom bracket. Sealed or cartridge bearings have greatly reduced the need for bearing servicing, but not all bikes have all sealed bearings. Neglecting to service and lubricate bearings will greatly increase wear on parts and decrease the pleasure of riding by causing grinding or sluggishness.

Wheel truing is another common maintenance issue that requires an extra bit of knowledge and a tool or two. It can be learned and isn't all that difficult once you get the hang of it, but make sure you have good references to start. Bike Co-ops are wonderful places if you have one in your area.

Good Luck