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Bike maintenance

03.29.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

I spent a very satisfying hour this afternoon putting a new piece of equipment on my bike.  It’s a new cyclocomputer, wireless, with cadence and lots of other data that I didn’t have on the last computer.  I’ll post on it after I’ve ridden with it a few times.  (I installed it after today’s ride.  Yes, after yesterday’s colonic calamity, everything calmed down, and I was able to get in a nice 30-miler.)

After removing the old unit, I could see just how much grit and grime had gotten on my bike under the thing, with all its zip ties.  I did the first really thorough hand cleaning of the bike that I’ve done in a long time, making sure to get into all the little nooks and crannies that are easily missed in a casual wipe down.

I’ve gotta confess, I’m not the most diligent guy in the world when it comes to maintaining my bike.  I’m better than I used to be, when I’d leave it go for weeks on end without even the most routine attention, but I think I could be a lot more conscientious about it than I am.  It gets a quick wipe down once a week, when I also do a cursory check of the tires for cuts or debris.  I clean the chain about every two weeks.  I do the ABC Quick Check before every ride, so at least I’m certain that the bike will roll for me.  But I think I need a more regular maintenance system.

A friend of mine goes over his bike carefully every week, checking for seat height and level, bolts, cables, spokes, handlebars, lights.  Except for the seat, which I do monthly, I don’t do any of the other stuff.

So, what do you recommend?  Should I be doing a lot more than I’m doing? and what about more involved maintenance chores?  

For example, last week, I took my bike in to the LBS, to have them install a new cassette.  The young woman behind the service counter was surprised when I said I was leaving the bike overnight — that I had an appointment to get the work done the next day.

“It only takes five minutes to replace a cassette,” she said.  “If you can stick around that long, I’ll do it now.”

I watched as she took off the rear wheel, laid it on a workbench, and deftly removed the cassette.  The new one dropped easily into place.  Her labor added only five dollars to the total cost, but I thought that was something I could learn to do.  Heck, there are online tutorials about that kind of thing, and more.

I’d really be interested in hearing your thoughts about bike maintenance.  What do you think should be done regularly?  What kind of a routine do you follow?  And what should we rely on the LBS to do?

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Categories // Maintenance Tags // Maintenance

My sick bike

03.18.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 7 Comments

One of the requirements of the MS 150 is that bikes be inspected at an MS 150-approved bike shop.  Luckily for me, the shop where I bought my bike and have it serviced is one of those.  I called, and asked to make an appointment to bring the bike in.  They said I wouldn’t need an appointment for that, so I put the bike in the car, and drove over.  

I was waited on by the only mechanic in there who didn’t have arms, neck, and other places decorated with tattoos.  (I’ve come to believe that tattoos are part of a bike mechanic’s uniform.)  He put it on the stand, and started going through the inspection, spinning the pedals, shifting through the gears.  Then he picked up one of those gizmos you use to measure chains.

“Uh oh,” he said.  “This chain is worn.  In fact, I’d call it ‘beyond worn.'”  Was it shifting OK?  Yes, I told him.  “Ugh.  That’s bad,” he grunted.  Huh?  “It means the cassette has worn along with the chain,” he said.

How many miles are on the bike?  About 3,000, I said.  “You really need to replace the chain every 1200-1500 miles,” he said.*

He went into a back room, and came out with a new chain.  “This is a Shimano 105 chain for nine speeds,” he said, “so it’ll match your drive train.”  He put on the new chain, adjusted the cable tension, and told me to do a parking lot test with it.  “Really mash down on the pedals when you shift gears,” he said.  “But be careful.  The chain might pop off.”  

I took it into the parking lot for a quick spin.  The chain didn’t pop off, but shifting was clunky.  Back in the shop, he made more adjustments.  I took it to the lot for another spin.  This time it was better, but still clunky.

“Yep, you need a new cassette,” he said.  I was surprised to see that his computer search of their inventory turned up no 12-28 nine speed Shimano 105 cassettes.  I thought it was a model in wide use.  “The 10-speeds are taking over,” he said.

He found another, a SRAM, that he said would work fine, and put it on order.  In the meantime, I can ride the bike, he said, but he again warned me about the possibility of throwing the chain.

When I first saw that the MS 150 required bike inspections (they put a little sticker on your stem to show that you’ve had it), I thought it was just another pain in the butt.  After today’s experience, I’m glad I went.  The new chain and cassette together, and the labor to install them, will come in well under $100, and I’ll have peace of mind that on a 180-mile bike ride, at least I won’t be worried about that.

*There is apparently much debate about that.  The late Sheldon Brown’s thorough discussion of chain wear doesn’t mention how often it needs to be replaced.

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Categories // Maintenance Tags // chain, Maintenance

CO2 — A new top post

12.30.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

co2Here’s a minor milestone for the Bike Noob blog — there’s a new King of All Posts. “CO2 cartridges or a pump?” from July 29, 2008 has overtaken “Smoked by an Old Guy” from April 16.

“CO2” has racked up 1,082 page views, passing Smoked’s total of 1,078. Both posts got a little added push after I created the Favorite Posts tab at the top of the blog, but lately, I’ve watched CO2’s visits jump by as much as 30 a day to rapidly close the gap.

“Smoked By An Old Guy” has some sentimental value for me, because it was this post that made this blog catch on. Kent Peterson, the author of the popular “Kent’s Bike Blog,” spotlighted this story on his blog, and my daily number of page views surged. So once again, thanks Kent.

I appreciate the attention both posts continue to get, and I wonder: Are there still some unresolved issues about using CO2 cartridges as opposed to pumps? Let me know — I’m interested in what you have to say on the matter, and I’ll be happy to update everyone on where the sentiment lies.

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Categories // Accessories, Blogging, Maintenance, Rides, training Tags // Accessories, blog, CO2, flat tire, pumps, Smoked

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