TheSandman1138

I'm new to mountain biking and got a bike off bikesdirect, I'll probably have my LBS put it together, but I'm going to ask them if I can watch them do it so I can learn how it's done.

Anyway, my friend says that you need to tune your bike every 4-6 months and it costs about 40 dollars to do so. Is it possible to learn how to tune it yourself and save the money? Anyone have any good internet sites thats a good starting point?

Thanks

rob18

Personally I'd be much more comfortable with my LBS doing work for me, but I did see this book in Barnes and Noble the other day and it was very detailed, not a bad buy if you want to do minor tuning/repairs


https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Comp...ref=pd_sim_b_3

gonathan85

They are pretty in-depth, but Park Tool website has quite a few good tutorials to assist in bike tuning/repair.

For what it's worth, when I started servicing my own bikes, I started with the simple stuff, and progressively moved towards the harder stuff.

I know it's possible to do a decent amount of derailleur adjustment just from turning the knobs up by where your cables enter your shift levers...

Here's an example of a more in-depth shifting adjustment guide.

https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=64

dminor 

rankin116

Bike shops are not schools, they are not there to teach you how to work on your bike.

BurnNotice

Learning to wrench if you ride for a long time will save you loads of money if your rough on your bikes. Some lbs's have basic seminars on upkeep. I taught myself actually through reading the manuals and just jumping in. I like wrenching as much as riding.

Bike Lover

Sheldon Brown's web site is another good one for all things cycling- tune ups to gear calculators.

Colonel Forbin

I'll have to agree with Bike Lover. I am pretty new to mountain biking and randomly stumbled upon Sheldon Brown's website and I was amazed at how fast he cut through the b/s and gave you very informative, factual instructions from buying to maintenance. I think he's some sort of wizard?

Dan The Man

Nope. It can't be done. That's why mechanics have to get other mechanics to tune their bikes for them. They pay them back by returning the favour.

Also, 55 dollars per hour is not comparable to 65 dollars per if you watch. "If you watch" is not a measure of time.

samburger

My LBS has a free tune-up course that they just introduced, but the slots were very limited & I didn't call in time. Just ask around.

adclark

If this book is anywhere near as good as the one for road bikes, it will be all you need for most jobs.

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mount...1061401&sr=1-1

Also, I have found that for almost all jobs on the bike, buying the tools to do it yourself is equivalent to approximately 1.5-2 times the cost of having it done by a bike shop once, so most tools are well worth it. Plus, you don't have to wait several days for the shop to return your bike when the job may only take a couple of hours.

urbanknight

As a former bike mechanic, "tune ups" are a scam. People would pay to have me test and adjust the brake and shifter cables, make sure the bolts were tight, inflate the tires, and clean the thing off. Usually 10 minutes of work for $45. If the bike needed anything extra, such as new cables, brake pads, chain, etc. that cost extra. I also don't know where your friend got 4-6 months (although I have an idea). I lube my chain once a month (and after any wet ride or when I clean my bike) and replace the cables every year. Everything else gets replaced when it wears.

Replace things as they get worn and treat any symptoms.

electrik

Take a course yourself if you're interested in fixing... park tool has a few dotted around the country. Usually you can get by with the basic multi-tools and basic knowledge from the internet, if you have the inclination.

Check out bicycle tutor

mcoine

Sure.. tune ups are a scam to people that know how to do one.. but most people can't. That $45 is for knowledge, not time.

Speaking of knowledge.. You only lube your chain once a month.. but replace cables every year? I lube my chain every ride during the dusty months, slightly less in the "winter".. and replace my cables... well.. hmm.. when I get a new frame.. unless they still fit.

commo_soulja

Want to learn how to wrench on your bike? Youtube is also a good reference, here's just one example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j1gSwhsVN8

urbanknight

Sorry, I must not have been clear. People bring in bikes for tune ups because they think they're like cars and need them every xx miles or x months. At least half of the tune ups I've done did not require any adjustments... all the cables were fine, brake pads were barely worn, etc. so the guy basically paid $45 for me to spray his bike with cleaner and wipe it off.

My point was to ride the bike until something feels a little out of adjustment or looks like it "might" need something... the brakes make noise or the shifting is less crisp. Then you take it in and tell them what you're concerned about. We charged $12 to adjust both shifter cables or both brake cables, and we still clean the bike before calling the customer to pick it up. Remember, it would have cost extra if the bike needed new cables, pads, chain, cassette, etc. anyway. So, if they just walk in and say "my shifting is a little off and the brakes feel like they've loosened up a bit", he'd still get the same treatment as a tune up, but pay about half!


Weather is nice out here, so chains don't get dusty or grimy every single ride. And remember I said every month and after any wet ride or when I clean my bike, which usually ends up being a couple extra times per month on my MTB but not very often on my roadie. And you're right that I could probably get more mileage out of my cables, but I've always just made it part of my annual maintenance since the cables start to look oxidized after about a year. I figure it's cheap enough and worthwhile considering two of those cables control the brakes!

JonathanGennick 

I second the earlier recommendation for bicycletutor.com.

Once you learn to do your own work, you won't think in terms of "tune up". You'll just ride and deal with issues as they come up.

If you live far from a bike shop, there's a huge convenience factor in doing your own work.

TheSandman1138

Thanks for all the help! I also heard that when you get a new bike you should get a tune up after about a month because bolts loosen and some other stuff happens. How important is this tune up? I'm asking because college is starting up soon and I probably won't have time to learn how to tune my bike up myself until after the semester's done, so if this initial tune up was incredibly important I may have to get that done at a bike store (or perhaps see if anyone in my college cycling club knows how to do it...)

ed 

The 4-6mo tune-up is sorta BS too. If you have an incling of mechanical aptitude...you will notice when something begins to act up. You can usually fix minor issues such as shifting, shock adj, brakes...on the trail right then and there. When your RD starts to slam high gears and lag downshifts...it calls for a barrel adjust, etc...

If you keep on top of it all the time...you never need that "tune-up". Just check your wheel true ever so often, pay attn to how it's shifting. Listen and feel your brakes.


yada

urbanknight

Yep, if the cables and stuff shift during the first months of riding, you'll notice. But most new bikes come with a free tune up, if not a year's worth of tune ups, so it can't hurt to have it looked over if it costs you nothing.

edit: Forgot you got a Bikes Direct bike. This is one of the few downsides. Since it will cost you to have it tuned, only do it if needed. Now, if this needs to be done shortly after the shop puts it together, bring it back and make them correct it.

ed 

Nice kid pic...doing okay? I see quite a few of them "snorkeled up" at work. I don't really even notice it anymore...cute kid behind it all.

asforme

Here's a video guide on tune ups: https://bicycletutor.com/tune-up/

urbanknight

He's still in NICU but the "snorkel" is off and we're just waiting until he is off the gavage completely for us to take him home. Thanks for asking.

ed 

FIY...it's worth a try:

My daughter wouldn't gain weight b/c they were trying to feed her every 2hrs. She'd burn more calories than she could take in...so she was on a gavage. One day they just said..."Let's just let her eat when she's hungry..." after that, it may have been 2hrs...may have be 4, or even 1...but she started gaining weight and thriving. We brought her home 2 days later.

urbanknight

^ Thanks! He's gaining weight just fine (5lb 7oz the last time I checked, born just under 5). After he got off of O2, they started with 1 bottle per day, then 2, then every other feeding, now he's at 2 out of 3 and hopes to bump up to every one tomorrow. When he does that successfully, it's party time.