If you want your bike to run smoothly and the parts on it to last longer then it is really important that you clean and service your bike regularly. Identifying and replacing parts that are worn, before they break, will reduce the likelihood of your bike breaking down while you are out riding.

In this section we have put together a collection of “how to instructions” that walk you through many different aspects of cleaning, maintaining and repairing your bike at home.

If you are going to use the how to instructions provided here be sure to read through them thoroughly before you start. Make sure that you have all of the necessary equipment at hand before you begin and most importantly, take your time!

General Tips

Bike Fit and Comfort
Position your seat height, so that when you sit on the bike and have your foot at the lowest point in the pedal stroke, there is still a slight bend in your knee. Full leg extension will cause your hips to rock when you pedal. Too much bend in your knee will keep full pedal power from getting to the pedals. And, incorrect positioning will lead to discomfort and leg cramps over long rides. Position the seat forward or back, so your knee is directly over the pedal when you have your foot and pedal in the "3 o’clock" position. Handlebars should be approximately shoulder width wide and be positioned at about the same level as your seat. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows when riding to absorb shock. Also, a change in stem length may be helpful. Your local bike shop has a selection of different sized stems to get that "perfect" fit. To avoid hand numbness over long rides, keep your wrists straight and change hand positions occasionally. Keep a firm, but relaxed grip and try a set of bar-ends for additional positioning options.

Braking Performance
Glazed, hardened, dirty, or misaligned brake pads account for nearly all "loss of braking power" problems. Keep the surface of your brake pads clean and fresh by using sandpaper or steel wool to scuff away any debris, and hardened glaze. Check the alignment. The pad should be "toed in" about 1/8" to first make contact with the rim at its front half. Additionally, the pad should contact the center of the rim. The pad should never rub the tire, or hang off the rim. In general, clean and inspect your brake pads every month. Brake pads are inexpensive and relatively easy to replace. You'll be amazed at the difference new brake pads make. Regularly clean your rims with EcoTech 2 Degreaser. Your pads will work better and last longer.

Bottom Bracket
Bottom brackets, (BB’s) are the bearing and spindle assemblies that your pedal crank arms spin upon. Because of their low and central location, they are constantly being exposed to the worst of contaminants. Many BB’s feature sealed bearing assemblies. However, it does help to keep an eye on their outer shields and keep them as clean as possible, by wiping away any crud with a rag. Also, do not spray pressurized water at the shields.

Creaking Bottom Brackets
This annoying trait can be caused by a variety of things. All require special tools to fix and are best left to a professional mechanic.

 Note Some BB’s utilize semi-sealed or non-sealed bearing assemblies. They should be cleaned, inspected and re-greased about every 6 months. This job requires special tools, so don’t cheat and use a hammer and/or pipe wrench. You’ll end up ruining your bottom bracket and they’re not cheap to replace.

Lubricating Your Cables
Smooth operating cables are the life lines that keep your braking and shifting system working optimally. There are a variety of ways to lubricate your cables, from removing them, to just shooting a little lube into the ends of the cable housings. Depending on how much wet weather riding you do, your cables will require different amounts of attention. You should inspect and lube, if necessary, every 4 - 6 rides. For quick maintenance, squirt or drip a "dry" style lube into the open ends of the cable housings.

Note: When it is time for a thorough cleaning and re-lubing of your cables, we recommend that you have a trained mechanic perform this work for you. Unless you are experienced in removing your own cables, you can easily spend a few hours getting everything readjusted properly.

Lubing Your Derailleurs
Your derailleurs are just as important as your chain, in helping to deliver those crisp, exact shifts that make cycling a true joy. The derailleurs shift your chain by using a system of springs and pivots. It is important to keep these springs and pivots well lubricated. They will require a shot of lube every 5 - 7 rides. Lubing your derailleurs is easiest when you flip your bike upside down. This provides better access.

Note: Gears (sprockets) do not require any special lube application. The gears receive sufficient lubrication from the chain, as it runs through them. Excessive lubricant on the gears will attract dirt and eventually degrade the performance of your drivetrain components.

Creaking Stem
Sometimes, the handlebar stem will "creak". This is usually caused by one of two things: either dirt that has worked it’s way down between the stem and the fork’s steerer tube or the stem has come slightly loose. To fix this, loosen the stem, remove it from the steerer tube, and clean it using Citrus BioSolvent or EcoTech 2. Reassemble and tighten to correct torque specification.

Home Mechanic Tools

Maintaining your own bike can be fun, but it can also be confusing at times to know which tools you will need to perform the service you want. Below are a series of recommended tool lists for general maintenance of the average road or off-road bike. Attempt to develop two sets of tools- one for inside a seat bag for on-the-trail/road use, and another set for home use.

Because these lists are for "average" bikes, your particular bike may need more, less, or slightly different tools than what is listed here. For example, if your bike has a "threadless" headset, you will not need the headset wrench listed for threaded headsets. When in doubt, bring your bike to a professional bike shop and ask about a specific procedure or tool. Better yet, sign up for the Park Tool School, a class in bicycle maintenance at your local shop.

There are several sources of tools. Non-bicycle specific tools are usually available at better hardware stores, automotive shops, tool stores, and some department stores. Check with your local bike shop for specialty bicycle tools. When a Park Tool is our recommendation, the tool number is given. There are some cases where there may be more than one Park Tool that will work- in these cases, we will recommend either the most common or the simplest tool.

Please click one of the four levels of maintenance involvement listed below for a complete list of recommended tools and miscellaneous parts. These levels are arbitrarily set and you may of course fit a combination of levels.

Essentials
These are just the essentials to just to keep you on the bike keeping up the air pressure in the tires, fixing the occasional flat tire, and cleaning and lubricating the chain. Otherwise, we will assume that any technical work will be done by a professional bicycle shop.

Novice Repair Level
Besides being capable of performing the services of the fixing a flat tire, lubricating the chain, and cleaning the bike, you want to be able to do things like replace the chain, gear cables and housing. You may want to get the wheels straight and true enough to clear the brake pads, and have the brakes adequately adjusted. Other repairs, such as bearing overhaul or derailleur replacement, we assume will be done by a professional bicycle shop.

Intermediate Repair Level
Moving up from the Novice Repair-person, you want be able to replace a few worn out components, say a rear derailleur, chainrings, or cassette cogs. You want to be capable of adjusting bearings, but you won't necessarily be pulling them apart. You want to be able to perform what bike shops typically call a "major tune-up".

Advanced Tool Level
At this level, you’ll want to service internal bearings and perform complete overhauls. You will be replacing cables, housing, and truing wheels. You may own several bikes, or work on friends bikes. You also have a place to set up your shop, say in a basement or garage, and you want to duplicate professional shop services.