How often should you torque the pivots on your full suspension bike? How often should you bleed your hydraulic brakes? Basic yearly maintenance for bikes is very important, especially if you are an avid rider or ride a lot in harsh weather, but at what intervals should you have these things done on your bike? We had our mechanics clear up a few common misconceptions about yearly maintenance, and what it can do for your bikes life.
Forks/Rear Suspension.
Suspension on bikes (mostly higher-end bikes, starting at around $600 depending on brand) should be brought in to be serviced about once a year, or after 50 hours of ride time, whichever comes first.
Brakes.
If you have hydraulic brakes, they should be bled about once a year, or when they feel spongy and seem to be losing power. If you have mechanical brakes, the pads should be replaced or cleaned when they lose power and look worn down.
Drivetrain/Chain.
The more you ride, the more wear your drivetrain gets, so if you ride almost everyday, you should check your chain for stretch weekly or every two weeks, as new cassettes can be very expensive, especially if you have a higher end Sram or Shimano cassette. Cleaning and lubing your chain should be done weekly or monthly, depending on how much and where you’re riding. You’re chain will usually become squeaky or sound dry and crackly when riding if it needs to be lubed. Listen to your bike!
Full Suspension Pivots.
Pivots should be cleaned, lubed and bearings checked about once a year, unless you notice a problem or ride a lot.
Tubeless Tires.
If you run tubeless tires on your bike, the sealant should be refreshed about every three months, as the sealant will dry up and stick to the walls of the tires if you wait too long.
Headset/Seatpost/Spokes.
Spoke tension should be checked every couple months, lose spokes are not healthy spokes! Headsets should be checked for creak every once in a while and torqued to spec. Your seatpost should be cleaned and torqued to spec about once a year.