You get a lot of fun from riding your bike out on new adventures. When you get home, you feel more refreshed and energized. Another thing you have to enjoy about having a bike is doing its maintenance. While tackling the track, your bike is facing a lot of obstacles that will affect your bike parts. Whether it is dirt or actual bumps and shocks against some components. That is why, to prolong the life of your bike, you will have to take some time and effort for its maintenance. Here is what you can do.
Cleaning Your Mountain Bike
When you go for a mountain bike ride, you will be facing a lot of dirt and mud. Your MTB will get dirty very easily. Piled up dirt and mud will not only make your bike look ugly, but also destroy its components. Your MTB will be more prone to rust and corrosion, as well as ruining its performance.
For cleaning, you will need these items :
- Soft cloth
- Cleaner
- Degreaser
For an explanation on how to clean each components, here is how :
- Bike frame and fork : a frequent frame and fork cleaning usually can be done by just wiping the frame using a damp soft cloth. If you want to wash it using soap, you can use a dedicated cleaner (bike wash). These days, it does not even need water to rinse the cleaner away. Just apply a proper amount to the cloth and wipe all parts of your MTB bike frame. Try the Finish Line Super Bike Wash Cleaner for a high quality cleaner without the hassle of rinsing!
- Chain : for chains that do not have too much built-up dirt and grime, you can just simply use a soft cloth and a degreaser. If your chains have not been cleaned for a while and have a lot of built-up, you can opt for using a dedicated chain cleaning device for a more thorough clean. You can also use a degreaser solution to help clean it more, such as the Finish Line EcoTech Degreaser.
- Groupset : for the groupset, there are parts such as the chain rings, cassettes, and derailleurs. Clean each part using a brush, Finish Line Easy Pro Brush Set, and the Finish Line EcoTech Multi Degreaser while turning the pedals slowly. If there is a lot of built up, you can also use a soft cloth to wipe away remaining dirt and use the smaller brush to clean between the gears (like flossing your teeth).
Lubricating Your Mountain Bike
Second step is to lubricate your mountain bike. You need to make sure your mountain bike components are well lubricated to prevent each part getting excessive wear caused by friction. It also helps the components to glide on smoothly against each other and not freeze up.
Here are the parts you need to lubricate :
- Chain : after cleaning, apply drops of lube slowly onto each chain link. Let the lube dry, then wipe off any excess lubricant so that dirt will not be able to cling onto it. Lubricate your chain whenever you hear it squeaks or appears to be dry. If you find yourself oftenly mountain biking during rainy days, you should use Finish Line Wet Lube Lubricant to withstand the weather. Dirt sticks more towards wet lube, so make sure to thoroughly wipe off any excess. On the other hand, if it does not rain a lot on your MTB journey, you can use Finish Line Teflon Plus Dry Lube, but it will come off with water.
- Groupset : you can lubricate your groupset by applying a few drops of lube to its pivot points. You can use Shimano Special Grease Y04110200 100 gr for a high quality one to keep the groupset well lubricated as well as preventing rust and corrosion.
Inspecting Your Mountain Bike
Mountain bike inspection is an important step you can not forget after every ride. Most of the time, problems during your cycling journey can be prevented if you have noticed it from the very first place. It is a precaution step to make sure your bike is ready in its optimum condition to be taken on a journey. By giving your basikal mountain bike an inspection after every ride, you are noticing potential problems and fixing it right away before it becomes a safety hazard. After all, it is always better (and cheaper) to prevent problems instead of fixing them when damages have already been done.
Inspecting is as easy as remembering your alphabets. Yes, it is an ABC! Air, Brake, and Chain. Here is the complete explanation about your new ABC :
- Air : it means the air for your tire pressure. Usually, a mountain bike ideal tire pressure is around 22 – 35psi. But, it is adjustable according to the cyclists’ weight, terrain condition, and riding feel preference. So, try different ones out and see which numbers suit you best! If you need a staple guide, you can always see the recommended tire pressure on the tire itself. Each bike manufacturer might recommend different numbers, which you can find easily embossed on the side of the tires. You can check your tire pressure using a pump that also has a gauge to monitor the psi. We recommend the Topeak Joeblow Twin Turbo Floor Pump for a reliable high quality floor pump to have at home.
- Brakes : the second component you have to check is the brakes. You will always want your MTB bike brakes to be working optimally on the tracks. To inspect it, all you have to do is squeeze your front and rear brake levers. Make sure the brakes go on smoothly, where it pulls just enough and not all the way to the grips. If your brakes are lacking some oil, you can use a brake fluid to lubricate it. We recommend the Finish Line Mineral Brake Fluid. Do this separately for the front and rear brakes.
- Chains : inspect your chain and all the gears. You can do so by turning a pedal backwards to make sure the chain runs smoothly through the cassette and derailleur. Make sure the chain is well cleaned off any drying mud and also lubricated. Also, try to switch between gears by pedaling on your bike to inspect the gears and chain movements, making sure everything is working smoothly.
To shop for your basikal mountain bike maintenance essential, you can visit Rodalink Malaysia store! Search for kedai basikal near me and pick the store locator closest to you. You can also shop online via our website and enjoy free local delivery, various payment methods, and 0% installment for your purchase. Get extra promos and discounts when you sign up to become a Rodalink Member. Plus, we are also having a sale on our bike maintenance products! Shop now before the promo ends!
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