Beeeeeep, Beeeeeeep, Beeeeeep..., Slaaaaammm goes your hand as you turn off your alarm. You are about as happy as a bear coming out of hibernation this morning as you think about heading out into another dark cloudy Northwest morning. "Probably going to rain," you think to yourself as you stroll into the kitchen. Crunching on your first mouth full of Lucky Charms. You pull open the shades and find yourself staring at bright blue skies. The sunshine has instantly changed your mood. No rain, the sun is out, and the birds are singing! "I'm goin' for a ride!"

After grabbing your bike garb, you rush into your garage and come face-to-face with... "Holy cow!!!! Is that my bike?!?!" It's covered in dried up mud and grease. You don't remember leaving her in such poor condition last fall. BPS (Bicycle Protection Services) could show up and take her away from you for neglecting her so much. Better get her cleaned up. And fast.

Spring is finally here. And I am here to help you get ready to hit the trails. If the above story sounds familiar to you, or if you just want to get your bike lubed and ready to ride. Then follow me as I guide you step by step through the process of getting your bike in the best possible working order without spending a lot of cash.

Your Frame

The frame is a very essential part of your bicycle. And we neglect it the most. It is like your own skeleton supporting all the major organs. Wipe it down with warm soapy water. Always clean it off after long hard or wet rides. Be sure to inspect it on a regular basis for dents or cracks. Especially after severe crashes. Pay special attention to the head tube junction and other welded areas. If you own a steel frame, make sure to repaint any scratches with touch up paint to prevent rust. If you are unsure about a certain dent or crack take it back to the shop you bought it from. Remember it is better to be safe then sorry. You don't want to be screaming down hill and have your frame come a part. It could get ugly real fast.

Brakes

If your frame is your skeleton then your brakes would be your brains. The better they function, much like your brain, the less likely you are to get in trouble. We have cantilever brakes, V-type brakes, hydraulic brakes, disc brakes, and now drum brakes to choose from. The most popular type of brakes would either be the cantilever or V-brake style. First, clean your rims. This is very important and also hardly ever done. You'll notice a huge difference in stopping power just by keeping those wheels clean. Plus the rims last longer. Next, check out your pads. Make sure that there is still plenty of wear left. You can check this by looking at the grooves in the pad, there should be some still left (in other words, if your pad is completely smooth then it is time to replace it). Also check for any objects that might be stuck in the pad such as sand or grit. Your wheels do not like sand and grit.

If you own a cantilever or center pull brake, make sure you have a little toe in. This means that the front of the pad should hit a little before the back of the pad; about 1-2 mm. V-brakes do not need toe in. Set them flush against the rim. Make sure that the pads do not come in contact with your tire, and that they are not to low to slip below the rim. If you have not replaced your cables and housing within a year or two, then do so!! It will make a world of a difference and costs less then ten dollars.

Components

Your bikes central nervous system takes a large amount of abuse, mainly within the drive train. Your drive train consists of your chain, cassette, chain rings, and your front and rear deraileurs. My best advice is to keep them clean and lubed. They will last much longer if kept this way. Your chain should be replaced about every year or two, because of the amount of stretching it goes through. If you were to run a stretched chain you will eventually ruin your chain rings and cassette. Replacing them is expensive. The best way to clean your drive train is to use some sort of degreaser and a brush with plastic bristles. Clean your chain, chain rings, and cassette thoroughly. Lube the chain generously and then wipe down one more time with a clean rag. You'll be surprised at how much dirt is still left. The lube helps to loosen up the dirt. One more light coat of lube should get you ready to go.

If you ride in wet and muddy areas, use a "wet" style lube. If you ride in dry areas you have a choice of either "wet" or "dry" style lubes. Like your brakes, if you have not replaced your cables and housing within a year or two then do so. Shifting will be as smooth as butter! If you like putting something on your cables, do not use grease, it tends to attract dirt. Instead use a LIGHT lube.

Round and Round...

Your hubs, headset and bottom bracket are much like your joints of your knees, shoulders and elbows. When a healthy joint bends it feels smooth and lubricated. When an unhealthy joint bends it pops, catches and feels rough. Your hubs, bottom bracket and head set are the same. If they feel rough, catch, or are loose your bike, just like your body, will not perform up to its full potential.

As you can imagine, these parts are very crucial and should not be overlooked. If you bought your bike within the last five years your bottom bracket is probably a sealed mechanism. Sealed bottom brackets can't be adjusted. If it becomes loose or rough, simply throw it away and purchase a new one.

With the older bottom brackets, looseness is the most common problem. If it is loose then simply tighten the right side cup. You'll need a spanner wrench this is not a common house hold tool. You can buy one or take your bike to the shop. Trying to tighten the bottom bracket without a spanner wrench will only damage the mechanism. If your bottom bracket feels rough, then it is probably time for new grease and bearings. If it hasn't been worked on in a while or was ridden loose, you probably need new races as well. Unless you are on a strict budget your best bet is to buy a new sealed bottom bracket. They are maintenance free and cost under 30 bucks.

Your hubs should be checked after every off-road ride. Look for lateral play in the hub and roughness when it spins. To check for this simply lift your bike up and spin your wheel, it should roll smooth and make very little sound. Next try to rock you wheel sideways, it should feel solid and not vibrate at all. If your hubs do not spin freely or there is lateral movement then take them to the shop to be re-built. Repairing hubs is no small task. They are expensive enough that you want to be sure to know what you are doing. In the future, we'll show you how to build and re-build your wheels including your hubs. For now take them to your shop.

Your headset should feel smooth when you turn your handle bars. It should also be tight. To check for tightness, squeeze your front brake, turn your bars 45 degrees, and try to move your bike forward. If it rocks then your headset might be loose. There are two types of headsets, threaded and non-threaded. Most newer bikes are non-threaded. If it is non-threaded then loosen the stem pinch bolt(s) by using a 5 or 6 mm hex wrench and tighten the top cap with a 5mm hex wrench. Tighten the top cap until the rocking stops, but make sure it stills turns smoothly. Remember to tighten the stem back up after your done. If you own a threaded headset, then make sure that the lock nuts are tight by using a 30, 32, or 36mm wrench. Check back in the near future for step by step instructions on how to overhaul and adjust your headset.

You are now ready to ride. Well almost. You might as well show a little concern for your rack as well. the last thing you want to have happen is for your rack to fail while your bike is on top of the car when you are doing 60 plus down the freeway. Just be sure to lube the carriers that hold the fork in place.