Bike Cleaning

The chain and cassette need looking after to ensure a long service life.Use a degreaser to clean the grit and diirt from the chain and cassette. Once they are clean, a little chain lube will keep them running smoothly, shift the gears up and down the cassette a couple of times to ensure the chain and cassette have a even coating ready for your next ride.

If you ride your bike off-road a lot, chain and cassette cleanliness is extra important - gravel dust or mud can turn into a gloopy mess which speeds up the wearing process.

Most bottom brackets make knocking or clicking noises when the start to get towards the end of their life. If there is play / movement in the cranks (push the crank inwards towards the frame) and there is no more pre-load adjustment then it is time to replace.To get the best performance and lifespan from your bottom bracket don't over tighten the pre-load adjuster - this puts extra  load on their bearings and will cause wear quicker, the pre-load adjuster should be just tight enough to eliminate play / movement.

If gears are jumping, noisey or if the most often used sprockets are visibly worn and thinner than lesser used sprockets - then it is time to replace. When the cassette is worn and needs replacing, replace the chain too because the worn sprocket teeth will have worn the chain.

The tools needed to replace a cassette and chain are low cost and easy to use: Cassette lockring tool, chain whip and a chain tool.

Yes, make sure that disc rotors and pads do not come into contact with degreasers or oil. This contamination will cause the pads to 'glaze over' and lose most of their braking capability. The easiest way to avoid this is to cover up disc rotors when using a spray degreaser or oil on bike transmission. The best way to keep disc brakes working to their optimum is to keep rotors clean and pads free from dirt, grit and oily substances.

The easiest way to tell if your bike needs a new chain is by using a chain checker tool. As chains get worn, they get slightly longer, because the bushings get worn and chain becomes looser. Replacing a chain at the right time can result in getting more life from the cassette and other drivetrain components.

If your bike's gear changing is sluggish, hesitant, not as crisp as it once was, your gear cables could well be the culprit. Inner and outer gear cables have to keep out water, mud, grit, gravel dust and all the other stuff we enjoy riding through - any of which can add friction to previously silky-smooth cable operation.

Feel sorry for gear cables yet?

Depending on what type of riding and in what conditions you ride, gear cables will need to be replaced regularly to maintain gear shifting performance and reliability.

Keep the bike clean! There are parts on your bike which will wear out through normal use (cassette, chain and brake pads), keep your bike clean and lubricated to maximize the lifespan. It is also easier to check the bike over when it is clean. If the bike is kept clean and lubricated it shouldn’t need much attention mechanically. Most routine maintenance jobs are pretty easy to do, see our blogs here, alternatively seek a reputable, skilled bicycle mechanic.