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For a lot of, fall and winter imply extra moisture on the mountain bike trails and better riding conditions. We eagerly await the top of summer season mud and anticipate mountain biking in some wet circumstances.
Even a lightweight dusting of snow solely makes the paths higher, particularly when it melts.
For others, fall and winter imply heavy snowfall that stays on the bottom for months. Mountain bikes are hung up and traded for skis.
I sincerely hope that the approaching of winter doesn’t imply the top of mountain bike season for you. If the snow stays round in your neck of the woods, you will get out on a fat tire bike or head south for mountain biking.
Nevertheless, if you end up hanging your mountain bike up for the season, it’s the good time to take it to the bike store for some wanted upkeep.
Now, chances are you’ll say that you just already carry out your mountain bike upkeep and may do it at home. That could be true, however since you’ve some non-mountain biking time in your fingers, have the professionals at your native bike store carry out extra vital duties.
What I imply by “main duties” is upkeep carried out in your mountain bike that you could be need to depart to the professionals. This upkeep is both too sophisticated or requires particular instruments. Typically, it’s each.
Plus, anytime you want main work executed in your mountain bike—so far as your warranty is concerned—it is perhaps greatest to depart it to the professionals.
Mountain bike bearings
There are bearings throughout your mountain bike. Your wheels have bearings within the hubs. The body’s entrance triangle has bearings within the headset and backside bracket. And, if in case you have a full-suspension mountain bike, there are bearings at each linkage and pivot level for the rear suspension.
And identical to all the pieces else in your mountain bike, these bearings accumulate mud and dust. This dust and mud makes its method down into the bearings, inflicting them to carry out poorly.
If you’re off your mountain bike on account of being snowed in for the winter, arrange an appointment at your native bike store to have them service all of your bike’s bearings. They could discover that sure bearings want changing as they undergo. Others will have to be cleaned and re-greased.
After all, performing this process takes a singular software: a bearing press. Many have tried to make their very own bearing presses solely to break their body and void their guarantee. Don’t make the identical mistake. Take it to the professionals and have any errors be on them.
You may be stunned by how a lot better your bike will really feel after servicing or changing the bearings. Bike outlets will inform of shoppers coming in, complaining of suspension issues, and having the difficulty be linkage bearings. Don’t neglect your bearings.
Time to true your wheels
After a protracted season of rocky and rooty trails, it’s time to get your wheels again to feeling model new.
Possibly you’ve heard a number of dings as you’ve gone down the path. Maybe you got here up brief on a leap or two. Regardless of the case, you doubtless have to have your mountain bike wheels trued.
Mountain bike wheels, particularly alloy wheels, have spokes linked to the hub and screwed into the wheel itself. As you experience, the spoke stress will start to again off. As you’ll be able to think about, this doesn’t occur uniformly.
The result’s a wobbly wheel. This wobble may be so vital that you would be able to really feel it whereas driving your bike down the path. In case you don’t handle this challenge, you’ll be able to bend the rim, injury your body, or break the wheel altogether.
Few individuals have a wheel stand for truing a mountain bike wheel of their storage. Truing your wheels isn’t extremely troublesome, nevertheless it does take expertise, and plenty of mechanics have it right down to an artwork.
Take your mountain bike to a motorcycle mechanic and ask them to true the wheels. Skilled mechanics will have the ability to have constant stress on every spoke. In case you try to true the wheel and don’t do the perfect job, the wheel will doubtless develop a wobble faster than earlier than.
Suspension service
Preserve your mountain bike operating easy and absorbing impacts prefer it ought to. After a protracted, dusty summer season season, it’s time to have your suspension serviced.
Like your bearings, dust and mud have made their method into your mountain bike’s suspension, leading to poor efficiency. Grime may also trigger scratches within the stanchions, leaking oil out of your suspension.
For a suspension service, I like to recommend taking it to knowledgeable. There are numerous specialised instruments that you just doubtless don’t have. Plus, your suspension has many elements working collectively to supply a supple experience—it’s a lot to screw up.
Earlier than leaving your mountain bike at your bike store for a suspension service, ask them what’s concerned with their suspension service. Whether it is simply changing seals and oil, ask them about sending it to the producer for a “full service.” Right here, the suspension is pulled aside, cleaned, inspected, and rebuilt.
The store may have the ability to direct you to a suspension specialised in your space.
Verify together with your native bike store. They may usually supply some “overhaul” service that encompasses all the pieces we simply addressed. Additionally, this ought to be common mountain bike upkeep. It is best to have these companies executed no matter snow.
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