The Greasy Wrench
Five Two Cent Tips
A possible cure for cabin fever and winter blues -- Getting your ride ready for spring!

1. Shifting
Replace your shift cables frequently. Cable sets such as Gore-Tex cables and Avid Flak Jackets are great and require very little maintenance. A few squirts of Tri Flow or other teflon based lubes inside the shifters during cable replacement goes a long way. Avid Flak Jackets: (nice set up) $29.95 for 2 shift cables, housing, ferrules and protective sleeves to cover the cables between braze-on mounts. Long term durability of the protective sleeves is questionable and it will break if a flying rock should hit your down tube style routed cables. Gore Tex Cables: (Expensive!) $49.95 for all the necessary stuff to do the job, less the tools and patience. I've seen some last for ever, and some go in a month. This depends on the rider and given conditions! Shimano XTR: Teflon coated shift cables for about $8.95 ea. You will need housing and ferrules also. Housing will run about $3.00 per foot and a good LBS (Local Bike Shop) will usually throw in the necessary ferrules and cables ends for free. All in all it usually costs about the same as the Avid's. I like this set up because the Teflon coating lasts a long time and frequent replacement of the housing is a less expensive alternative.

2. Brakes
General disk brake maintenance and replacing your brake fluid per manufacturer's recommendations will keep you in check. V- brakes require little maintenance other than fresh cables, pads and proper adjustment. Costs for that depends on the chosen cable sets same options as the above shift cables and about the same in price.....A complete Gore-Tex shift and brake cable set can run up to: $100.00 (ouch!!) If your still riding canti-brakes.....Your only hurting yourself.....

3. Bearings (hubs, bottom brackets (BBs) and headsets)
Hubs: There are too many hubs to cover, Shimano or other ball bearing style hubs require frequent over-haul and maintenance, especially if your a Muddie! Riding with a loose hub adjustment can be a disaster, destroying hub cones and bearings as well as sometimes cracking hub shells. Check for lateral play in your hubs by simply moving the wheel side to side when on your bicycle with your QR (Quick Release) or axle nuts tight. If you feel play or lateral movement, either adjust them yourself or have your LBS do it for you. The important thing with adjusting standard style axles with lock nuts is locking them in opposition of each other against the bearing cones. Cartridge bearing style hubs require very little maintenance and are generally higher in quality than the regular Shimano hubs. The same previoous method can be applied for checking if your hubs are loose and adjustments can be made if they are, Proper adjustment depends on the specific hubs. If you adjusted your hubs and the bearings still just don't run smooth, you'll need to replace the cartridge bearings. Have your LBS check it out if you are unsure or refer to the specific manufacturers specs for the repair.
BBs (bottom brackets): With all the after market cranks and Spline-Drive this and ISIS that, you'll need to refer to the specific manufacturers recommendations for repair or replacement. Most bottom brackets today are sealed cartridge units. When they develop lateral play or movement, generally you just replace them. Some BBs such as Shimano XTR or Dura Ace can be adjusted and over hauled, Specific tools are required for replacement of BBs depending on the brand. Your local LBS can offer advice or technical support if your unsure of what you have. One good tip I can offer for replacing any BB is to use grease and plumbers Teflon tape on the threads of the BB cartridge (remember to wrap it in the reverse direction of the threads) and refer to the manufacturer's specs for proper torque. This Teflon tape application will cut down on typical creaking noises from the bottom bracket/crank set area. It is also important that your frame is faced and square for optimal installation and longevity of components. As far as installing your crank on the bottom bracket after replacement, apply grease on the spindle. Taper style crank/BBs install the crank on the spindle of the BB dry (no grease) and torque according to manufacturer specs.
HeadSets: Do yourself a favor and buy a Chris King headset, the only headset with a 10 year warranty. If you have a regular bearing style headset, most of you are probably using "A-Head" style, adjustment is a breeze with these and overhaul equally simple. Be bold and pull your headset apart. Degrease your bearings, cups and bearing races. Inspect for wear and tear, grease the bearings and reinstall in the reverse order. It is important that you install the bearings correctly. Binding of the Headset usually means that you have put a bearing in upside down. Chris King or other high quality headsets require very little maintenance other than proper adjustment and frequent cleaning of the contact surfaces.

4. Drive Train (chains, cassettes, chain rings and derailleurs)
Frequent replacement of your chain will increase the life of the rest of the drive train. All riders are different, so the durability of such components is entirely dependent on each individual rider and shifting habits. Generally, mountain bikers get anywhere from 500 to 1000 miles on a chain. Roadies can double that and then some. Timely replacement of the chain will make your cassette last longer. Shark fin teeth (worn and pointy) on chain rings will result in a loss of performance of shifting and increase wear on the chain. If you are bashing your large chain ring often and never use it, consider buying a Bash Guard to protect your crank/spider and inner rings. Smooth shifting habits and easing of pressure on the pedals when shifting will maximize the longevity of your components. Rear derailleurs are pretty simple. Limit screws adjust the travel of the derailleurs for the gear range. Once the limit screws are adjusted properly, usually there is no need to adjust them again. Cable tension engages gear to gear. Check for play in the pivots of the derailleurs and for wear on the rear derailleur pulley wheels. A sloppy derailleur makes for a erratic shifting.

5. Cleaning and Lube
Clean your frame and inspect it for cracks. Not only will you be proud of your clean bike, you will ride better and your bike will run better. Clean and degrease your drive train, clean the surface of your rims if you use rim brakes, Clean your fork seal area of mud and grit. Pedro's Bike Lust is great stuff and White Lightning (chain lube) cuts down on sand and dirt sticking to your chain. A kleen Bike is a happy bike and a happy bike is a Fast Bike!

Finally admire your work and GO OUT AND RIDE....It can only get warmer now!

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