Spring check for your bike

BIKE Magazin

· 03.04.2011

Photo: Bastian Morell

Spring check for your bike

Get out on your bike! When you wake your mountain bike from hibernation, you should check it thoroughly. We'll show you what you need to do to avoid any nasty surprises on your first ride.

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The snow is gone, the trees are turning pale green - now quickly get the bike out of the cellar, pump up the tyres and off you go. STOP! How is your bike doing? Has it spent the winter unattended in the cellar? If so, you may be in for a nasty surprise on your first ride. The chain grinds, the gears rattle, the suspension fork bangs. You may even be able to pull the brake lever all the way to the handle - and that's when things get dangerous.

So take the time for a quick inspection. If you notice anything strange with safety-relevant components such as the chassis, brakes, wheels or gears, the simplest solution is to take it to a specialist dealer. Bleeding the brakes, for example, is not everyone's cup of tea, so you are in good hands with a bike mechanic. However, you can do most of the small jobs yourself if you have a bit of manual dexterity. We'll show you how to get your bike ready for the new season in just 30 minutes. Start with a thorough wash, then put it in the assembly stand and go through the following steps. Then the first tour of the new year is guaranteed not to end in frustration.

Photo: Unbekannt

A mountain bike offers many adjustment options, so you can spend several hours in the basement. Five points are the minimum to adjust the most important things - you can do this in 30 minutes: Front derailleur, rear derailleur, brakes, suspension fork, shock, tyres.

BRAKE CHECK

A quick check of the brake calliper immediately reveals whether the brake pads are still in good condition. They should have at least one millimetre of lining; if they are thinner, they should be thrown away. You should also replace the pads if they are cracked, damaged or unevenly worn. If the brake lever can be pulled almost all the way to the handle, you need to bleed the brakes. If you are not sure: go to a specialist dealer. You can find detailed instructions on how to replace brake pads and bleed your brakes under WEBCODE 634. You can find more information on the optimum adjustment of the brake lever under WEBCODE 609.

Lift the bike and turn the wheels. If the disc rubs against the pads, you will need to re-centre your brake calliper. Thanks to the post mount system, which most disc brakes are fitted with, you only need to loosen the two fixing bolts of the brake calliper and then pull the brake lever firmly. Maintain the lever pressure and tighten the bolts again, this centres the calliper in most cases. For more tips on how to get rid of grinding on your brake discs, see WEBCODE 2529.

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Photo: Unbekannt

CHECK SUSPENSION FORK AND DAMPER

1. check the fork air pressure. To do this, sit on the bike and measure the negative suspension travel. This should be 15 per cent of the suspension travel for marathon bikes and around 25 per cent for all-mountain bikes. If not, you need to adjust the air pressure (see air pressure table on the fork). The same applies to the shock.

2. the rebound damping may also need to be readjusted. To do this, compress the fork and then release it abruptly. If the front wheel lifts off the ground when rebounding, you must increase the damping. The regulator is located on the underside of the fork tubes. If the fork is slow to rebound, reduce the rebound damping in small steps.

3. remove dust and dirt from the stanchions of the fork and the damper with a damp cloth and dry them again. Then lubricate. Caution: Do not use standard lubricants or oil, as they will damage the seals. Better: a spray of Brunox fork deodorant gives the suspension elements the necessary lubrication (then spring through and wipe dry).

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Photo: Unbekannt

ADJUSTING THE FRONT DERAILLEUR

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1. first adjust the position and height of the front derailleur. To do this, shift to the largest chainring at the front and the smallest sprocket at the rear. The guide plates of the front derailleur must be parallel to the chain and about two millimetres above the teeth of the largest chainring. If not, open the clamp with an Allen key and bring the front derailleur into this position.

2. now set the left stop of the front derailleur. Shift to the smallest chainring at the front and the largest sprocket at the rear. Turn screw L until the inner guide plate of the front derailleur is about one millimetre away from the chain. Now adjust the tension so that the front derailleur moves the chain smoothly into all positions when shifting.

3. now set the right stop. To do this, shift to the largest chainring at the front and the smallest sprocket at the rear. Use the screw H to adjust the distance of the front derailleur so that the outer plate is about one millimetre away from the chain. This prevents the chain from being thrown off the chainring when shifting.

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ADJUST REAR DERAILLEUR

1. bring the chain onto the largest chainring. Adjust the right stop of the rear derailleur so that the upper derailleur pulley is positioned slightly to the right under the smallest sprocket. To do this, turn screw H to the left to move the stop further outwards and to the right to move it inwards.

2. you must set the tension so high that the chain immediately jumps to the next sprocket when you press the gear lever. Set this on the gear lever. Turning anti-clockwise increases the tension, clockwise reduces it.

3. now shift to the smallest chainring to set the left stop. The chain must jump up to the top sprocket and run in the centre. If it runs too far outwards, turn the screw L slightly inwards. If the chain does not move onto the largest sprocket, unscrew the screw.

4. last step: adjust the chain wrap. To do this, turn the screw shown (directly on the derailleur hanger) until the upper derailleur pulley is as close as possible to the sprockets (approx. 5-7 millimetres for Shimano, see manufacturer's instructions).

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Photo: Unbekannt

Photos: Georg Grieshaber

That's all you need: A Phillips screwdriver, Allen key and chain oil are available at any DIY store for little money. A shock pump is available from a bike dealer for around 20 euros. Lubricants for the suspension fork and shock (e.g. Brunox fork deodorant, 125 ml, €7.20) are also essential. Investments for the future that belong in every mountain biker's household.

Photo: Unbekannt That's all you need: A Phillips screwdriver, Allen key and chain oil are available at any DIY store for little money. A shock pump is available from a bike dealer for around 20 euros. Lubricants for the suspension fork and shock (e.g. Brunox fork deodorant, 125 ml, €7.20) are also essential. Investments for the future that belong in every mountain biker's household.

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