My non-biking friends thought I was crazy. At times, I would sit in my kitchen-cum-living room, which had been converted into a workshop, and polish every single screw on my Scott "Boulder" mountain bike - back then, at the start of my MTB career. After every ride, the bike was dismantled, cleaned and meticulously reassembled. But it wasn't just the joy of starting every bike trip with a practically new, perfectly adjusted mountain bike that was the reason for my bike cleaning mania. Rather, it was the joy of technology, the fascination of a high-tech device whose technology has nevertheless remained simple and transparent.
Today, suspension technology and disc brakes have made mountain biking a little more complicated. However, most repair and maintenance work can be carried out by any dedicated layman without any prior technical knowledge. This is because the bike technology is still open and accessible and not hidden away in a "black box". Maybe that's why I've never lost the fun of wrenching. On the following pages you will find all the tools you need to adjust your bike yourself and keep it in good shape. Perhaps you too will soon catch the mechanic's spark.
Have fun screwing!
You will find detailed instructions for these mountain bike repair jobs:
- Seat position: adjusting the saddle position and cockpit
- Drive: How to get your gears up to speed
- Disc brakes: maintenance work around the disc
- Wheels: tyre fitting, centring the rims
- Chassis: How to utilise the full power
- Headset: Correctly adjust the steering head bearings
- Troubleshooting: The most common problems - and their solutions
